For the adventure, exploration and endless fun they provide, road trips do not get the credit they deserve. It’s great to catch a flight to an exotic tropical destination halfway round the world but there’s often plenty of interesting sites within a couple of hours or days driving distance from where you live. And it will likely cost you much less.

But road trips are not created equal. If you want it to be an exciting experience that you’ll narrate to your grandkids one day, it takes quite a bit of deliberate planning. We look at tips that can make your road trip one for the ages.

1. Plan but Don’t Be Rigid

We’ve all heard that popular saying that if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. You must certainly determine what direction to drive to as well as the main sights to stop at and take in along the way. However, you must give room to some degree of spontaneity. Stay open minded to the unexpected road trip attractions that are out there. This is especially true if you want to plan a road trip with multiple stops.

For starters, whether you’ve been on the same road before or are gathering information from the internet, there’s a good chance that what you find isn’t exactly what you expected. Be ready to make changes to your plans based on what you encounter when you eventually hit the road. Locals for instance could give you invaluable tips that you wouldn’t otherwise be aware of.

2. Treat Your Car Well

The car is at the center of your trip. Ergo, your road trip can be a study in frustration, anger management and embarrassment if you do not take care of the vehicle you’ll be using. Before the trip, make sure you take the car for a comprehensive check that examines everything from brake pads to engine oil.

Even if you still have a couple of thousand miles until your next major service, it’s best to get it done. Long drives will exert significantly greater wear and tear than normal intra-city commute. You could also make changes to the car that brace you for hours-long driving on open road. Run-flat tires come to mind (learn all about run-flat tires).

Expect more mess and possible damage to your car interior, as well. Since you’ll likely be hopping from one place to another, you will have little time to clean and declutter your vehicle. Before leaving your trip, ensure that your car seats are outfitted with durable, waterproof covers. Most importantly, make sure your car floors are protected by sturdy, easy-to-clean, custom-fit auto mats to keep all sorts of dirt and stains from messing your vehicle’s floor. If you’re traveling with an animal companion, get one of those pet-proof car seat covers too.

3. Drive During the Day

This may seem to take the fun out of the road trip especially for young adults. However, driving at night especially where you are surrounding by miles of wilderness all around isn’t the most prudent thing to do. There are several reasons driving during the day is a good idea.

First, if you leave your departure point at daybreak, you get to see the world wake up around you. Second, you escape traffic around the large urban centers. Third, you have a clear view of any obstacles and turns (something that would be much harder in the night).

This rule doesn’t apply as much when you arrive at a mid-sized or large town and perhaps want to sample the night life. Even then, only drive on busy and well-lit roads so you don’t inadvertently stumble onto a dangerous neighborhood.

4. Eat Light Except at Day’s End

When you eat a heavy meal, a number of things happen inside your body that aren’t compatible with comfortable and safe long distance driving.

First, your body focuses its resources on powering your digestive tract. That means plenty of oxygenated blood is redirected there thus starving other body processes from optimal nutrient and energy supply. It’s part of the reason you feel like taking a nap after a large meal. This is certainly not conducive for the high degree of concentration you require when driving on unfamiliar terrain.

Second, you’ll need to make multiple bathroom stops along the way if you are carrying several passengers since not everyone will feel the urge at the same time. This will eat into precious travel time that you’d otherwise use exploring beautiful new sights and sounds.

A fun road trip is never accidental. Thinking beforehand about how it will all play out goes a long way in ensuring you create an adventure that you won’t mind doing all over again.