One of my absolute favourite things to do is take a road trip with my husband.
There truly is nothing like packing a bag of snacks and drinks, putting together a playlist of music, downloading some true crime podcasts, and settling in for the drive.ย The conversations, laughter and stopping to take photos of beautiful scenery make for the best memories.
We’ve had our fair share of shorter road trips around our province, but exploring a new province is always more exciting, as there always seems to be an infinite amount of hidden gems and local favourites to find.ย
You can always drive from your province to another – we’ve driven from KwaZulu Natal through to the Western Cape before, and while it’s an exceptionally long drive, we stopped for a night in Colesberg (if you’re ever there, head to the Horse & Mill pub for a drink and a meal, it’s lovely!) and continued our drive early the following morning.ย This helps to break up a long road trip and make it easier and more enjoyable.
However, in my opinion, the absolute best way to road trip around a different province?ย Fly into another province like the Western Cape, hire a car from a reliable and affordable company like Sani Car Rental South Africaย and hit the road for your first destination!
We’ve been blessed enough to do this a couple of times now, travelling around areas like Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Sea Point, Camps Bay, Hout Bay, Simon’s Town and right through into Hermanus and Stanford.ย The scenery throughout the Western Cape is so different and so incredibly beautiful – particularly in my opinion, the winelands.ย ย
Some great tips for your next road trip: –
โฅ Plan ahead, but allow some spontaneityย
Know the area you’d like to visit on each day of your trip, book where you’ll be spending the night, but allow yourself enough time to fully explore.ย Sometimes taking ‘the road less travelled’ can lead to you finding a truly unique coffee spot, a cute little padstal (farmstall) or a BnB for your next adventure (or even for an extra night in the area).
โฅ Get enough rest
If you know you’re going to be travelling a longer distance, remember to get enough sleep the night before.ย It’s uncomfortable being at the wheel when you’re tired and you’ll inevitably be cranky, meaning you won’t get the enjoyment out of your road trip.ย Also – tired drivers are dangerous drivers!
โฅ Pack snacks and stay hydrated
While you don’t want to be stopping every 30 minutes looking for a bathroom, you also don’t want to become dehydrated.ย Keep bottles of water at hand, and ensure you have an energy drink or some coffee if you find you might need a pick-me-up as the day wears on.ย ย
Keep snacks within easy reach – my favourite snacks for a road trip are popcorn, biltong, dried fruit, gummy sweets or nuts.ย If you’d like to save money on meals, you can pack some sandwiches too, but looking for a fun place to stop for lunch is half of the fun!
โฅ Dress for comfort
Nobody wants to be sitting for a long time in their tightest skinny jeans or that pair of shoes that irritate your feet.ย Dressing for comfort on your road trip means you’ll be happy and relaxed.ย There are so many wonderful leisure wear sets available at a variety of shops, and either slops or sneakers make for the most comfortable travel footwear.
โฅ Download your playlists/podcasts to save on mobile data
Mobile data in South Africa is expensive.ย By downloading your playlists and podcasts on Wifi before you leave for your road trip, you save money, AND you won’t have to worry if the area you’re travelling has poor signal.
โฅ Buy a can of tyre inflator and sealer for emergencies
I keep a can of this in my car at all times, as you simply shake the can up, attach to your tyre valve and spray into your tyre to allow you to travel safely to a petrol station where you can ask for assistance in changing to your spare tyre.
โฅ If you’re hiring your car, hire from a reputable and affordable rental agency like Sani Car Rental
When you hire a car, you need the assurance that you’ll be in the safest hands.ย The car will have been through safety checks, will be fueled on collection and you’ll be given an emergency number to contact in your rental agreement, should the car breakdown.ย They also have a very wide variety of vehicles for rental, so if you’re going on a family road trip with the kids, you’ll be able to find a bigger vehicle for maximum family comfort!
So now, the only thing left to ask – where will you be going on your next road trip?
You can read up on all my travels around the country in my travel archives HERE.