Road trips are a rite of passage. And, while many of us probably have memories of road trips gone awry, there's something to be said for the kind of vacation that allows for a ton of flexibility and can be taken on any sort of budget. Some of the most beautiful and amazing places in the world are within driving distance of you, right now. Start planning your trip today. Here's how...

From time to time, all of us just want to hop in the car and escape the day-to-day grind, but life doesn't work that way. Pick a time that works for you and your road trip companions. Circle that date on the calendar and start doing everything you can do to prepare.

Take out your map (or fire up your favorite navigational app) and start finding the places you've always wanted to go. Talk about it as a family or among your group of friend. Be aspirational. Cross something off your bucket list. If not now, when?

Life isn't all about the destination, though. Life is also about the journey. If you've got some flexibility in your trip, take some time away from the "fastest possible route," and work in a few detours. Often times, the things you didn't plan become some of the greatest memories. Plus, you'll end up enjoying the drive as much as the arrival.

The worst part of vacation is always the first day home. Plug in a buffer day just in case things go sideways. Maybe you'll use that day to make a short overnight stop so you're not driving straight through. Maybe you'll use it for one last stop. Or, maybe it'll just be a "clean the house and decompress" day before getting back to life as usual.

One of the great things about road trips is that you can never really "forget" anything. You have your car and stores still exist. You just stop for whatever you need. However, you'll stress less and waste less time if you start planning for the unplanned. Things like first aid essentials, Tide pens, tissues and chargers should all be on your list.

One of the downsides that comes with the freedom of a road trip is the budget creep that can come along with it. An extra nice meal here, a little admission fee there-it all adds up. Decide what you're comfortable and able to spend, give yourself some wiggle room and then stick to it on the trip!

Are you a soda fiend? Spending a couple of bucks at your local grocery store (especially if your soda of choice is on sale) is going to be a lot cheaper than buying one at a gas station every 100 miles or so. Most of your favorite road trip snacks can be DIY'd or purchased cheaper as well. Spend that money on something more exciting later!

If your family typical spends time in cheaper hotels, work to find room in your budget to splurge on a five-star hotel and get pampered for a day. Living the high life anyway? Take a few days to go camping (or even "glamping"). Spend your day-to-day on the couch? Make a point to get your adreneline pumping. Make this trip an opportunity to expand your horizons in more way than one.

You're not checking a bag on this trip. This is your opportunity to test drive that new outfit without anyone you know around to see you. Pack an extra swimsuit that may not be as modest as your every day. Pack your best for a chance to dress to the nines. Make sure you have your workout clothes (and actually use them this time).

You know about how long you're going to be on the road now, right? Start working with the music app of your choice and curate your ultimate playlist. No commercials, no need to skip-just highway karaoke at the top of your lungs. If your carmates mind, it's time to find some new friends.

Vacations are about splurging, right? But, do you really want to trade a little "freedom" for months of regretting it later? Please, splurge! Go out and eat amazing food. Relax and unwind. But, remember you're going to be spending a lot of time in the car on this trip. Eating right and staying active when you can is going to bring balance to your trip and you'll thank yourself later.

The last thing you want is to need a vacation from your vacation. Plan some alone time or some recharge time so the stress, confinement or constant go-go-go doesn't ruin an otherwise awesome trip.

Part of the allure of vacation is getting away and breaking out of your rut. If you're already spending a bunch of time in your car thanks to your daily commute, think about renting a car rather than putting the wear and tear of a long road trip on your own. Vacay bonus points for splurging on an upgrade and getting extra room or extra luxury in the process.

Everyone knows that travel agents are pros when it comes to booking international travel and cruises, but they may be able to score some serious perks when it comes to your road trip stops as well. Plus, these well-traveled gurus will be able to save you a lot of time-and who has any extra of that nowadays?

The more people on your road trip, the more one needs to take a little extra time to make sure everyone is having a good time. Surly teenagers will have more patience if they know you're looking out for them...same goes for that one friend who always spends most of the trip complaining. Not everyone has to love everything, but everyone should have activities to look forward too (that includes mom and dad too!).

No matter where you're headed, have some extra items for your itinerary if weather (or other factors) shut down your Plan A. If you had wanted to just sit in a room and look at each other, you could have stayed home!

Sitting in a car for 10 hours straight doesn't exactly make anyone happy but young children and older travelers may struggle even more. Not only should you plan extra time for bathroom breaks, but make sure to engineer time just to rest, run around and enjoy wherever you're at.

All that stuff about extra time for bathroom breaks and running around? That goes double for any pets as well! If you're not bringing them with, book their alternative arrangements early and make sure you confirm those plans shortly before the trip as well.

Once upon a time, every dad in America had a Road Atlas with dogeared pages and highlighter marks across America. These days, most of us rely on Google or Apple Maps to get us places. Guess what, though, sometimes cell phone service isn't what you want it to be. Make sure you have some actual paper to get you where you need to be.

What's the point of planning time together if you're just going to stare at a screen the whole time? Plan out your strategy for electronics well before the trip and communicate the ground rules. This isn't just for parents, either... groups of friends should do the same thing. It's worth it, I promise.

As you're planning your trip, start doing the sort of things you know you're always supposed to do so that you can actually enjoy yourself. Make sure your medications are refilled. Eat right. Wash your hands and take care of yourself. Then, plan to do the same thing on the trip as well!

Even a little bit of research can turn a mundane trip into a foodie's paradise. Don't grab Starbucks when there might be one of the country's best indie coffee shops nearby. Ignore those Golden Arches for an iconic diner burger and fries instead. People stick to what they know for lots of reasons...do your homework and make every stop a new adventure.

Being crammed into the car isn't fun for anyone. Assume you're going to want an extra seat or two of space to stretch out, and then make sure you're not filling that space with luggage! Maybe it's renting a car with more space or getting a rooftop carrier, but a "dry run" of packing can let you know whether you actually have enough space long before your early morning departure.

Look around for cities with the worst traffic-every region has at least one city known for it. Make sure you don't ruin a day (or more) of your road trip with hours and hours of delays. Sometimes taking an earlier exit or leaving 30 minutes early can make all the difference in the world, but you need to plan those out.

Perhaps your road trip has something special at the destination-a family wedding, a class reunion or tickets to a certain park with a famous mouse. Rather than cramming your car with extra luggage, just ship some of your stuff ahead. While you're at it, plan to ship a box of souvenirs back home before your return.