Think of various places you have never been to. The first thing you want to do is make a list of places along the east coast you have never visited, but have always wanted to. Then go to your travel agent, a local bookstore or the library to get some brochures and books about these locations. Go through and write down all travel information about these places and why you want to go there.
Look back on places you have been. You will want to make a list of places you have already visited and decide if it is worth going back or not. Some of these locations can be your favorite places to visit or somewhere you once visited and missed out on something due to limited time on vacation. Put these places with the locations listed in the previous step and put in order of importance to go and see.
Select a theme for your road trip. To help with your travel planning and destination decisions select a theme for your east coast road trip. There are a variety of themes to choose from, such as Civil War History, NASCAR, Beaches, Naval History, Nation's History, Theme Park Travel, National Parks or even something as simple as camping. By knowing what your want to theme your road trip around, you will have an easier time deciding what cities you want to see and which attractions you wish to visit.
Talk with others and make final decision. Chances are you are not the only one going on this road trip. Sit down with others who will be traveling with you and go through the above steps with them. Come up with a theme together and plan the trip accordingly. You may also want to talk with others who have taken similar trips and ask about their experiences and what they thought about their destinations. Getting someone else's ideas and thoughts about a location may help decide if you want to go there or not.
Map out final road trip plans. Get out a map and highlight all of the roads and areas you will be traveling. You can also do this on with Mapquest by entering starting location and final destination on the "Get directions" section of the website. You will want to put your final destination in and highlight the areas where you will be stopping for the night and to check out the local attractions. If you are a member of AAA go to your local office to pick up brochures and have then create a routing map for you.
Book reservations with hotels, restaurants, tours and theme park tickets. You will want to take care of these items before leaving on your road trip to ensure you have a place to stay. Also by booking some of these things in advance you may be extended special offers and discounts.
Have your vehicle inspected. The final thing you want to do before hitting the road is to have a mechanic check over your car, make sure it is in working condition and have an oil change done. This way your car will be refreshed and ready to go. Since you will be in the car for long periods of time, you might also want to have it professionally cleaned to give it a fresh feel when on the road.
