There's No Perfect Plan

Your plans can only take you so far. I know this from experience. Eventually, you're just going to have to jump in and do it. They may fail, but they may be spectacular. Here's a little something I like to keep in mind when planning…

Leave room to breathe.

Sure, it's good to know where and when you're going somewhere, but leave the stress about doing a certain thing or leaving at a certain time behind.

When I plan, I put a general time to leave (morning, noon, or evening) and note the time until the next destination.

Here is an example from our Oregon Road Trip.

Impressed with this itinerary? Check out the "Itineraries" page for more inspiration. Although it takes a lot of research, I enjoy making these itineraries because they guide the trip, minimize stress, and make the adventure well worth it.

I broke up the day by the approximate time we'd arrive, driving time, and a list of activities. Some days I had set activities, and others, I created a list to choose from based on how we felt. I recommend having a list of hiking paths that range in the distance so you can pick which one you feel up to.

Leaving rooms in the plan allows for more exploration. When we were on the coast, I kept a list of possible activities, and it was great. We were tired from hiking back to back, so we just relaxed on the coast the first day we had there. We found a delicious dinner spot with amazing homemade bread and clam chowder called Mo's, and we ate there two nights in a row! The next day we were ready for a hike. I listed a couple, but I knew which one we would do - God's Thumb via The Knoll. I've done this one four times already, and I thought it was a must-do for my boyfriend.

If you know you want to do something, plan around that activity. If you are looking to explore, have a range of potential activities.