While planning a road trip usually begins with a starting location and a destination, the real work starts when it comes to figuring out where to stop, what to see, and how to get there. Your favorite GPS application might show you the quickest route from point A to point B, but that isn't necessarily the best route. Luckily, several different websites and apps can help you design your perfect road trip.
Some of them are best for finding the halfway point between two places so you can split up the trip, while others focus on highlighting the most interesting or unique points of interest. After all, a road trip is all about the journey, and you'll find so many places to stop with these resources that you won't want the adventure to end.
Whatshalfway.com
Offering route information for 45 countries, Whatshalfway.com is a simple website that provides your route's midway point as well as suggestions for places to stay, restaurants, and things to do along the route. Simply input your starting and ending point, any cities you want to pass through on the way, and add as many stops as you please. There are also options to avoid tolls and/or highways.
The website will automatically route the trip with evenly spaced suggested stops along the way. The "Click here to find a venue" link will open a new page with all nearby businesses, but these are drawn directly from Google maps so there may not be any businesses, restaurants, or accommodations that suit your personal needs. There's also no way to export or share the list.
MeetWays
You can use MeetWays to find the halfway point between two addresses, with the option to add one point of interest (like a hotel, movie theater, or restaurant). It's available in over 30 countries and displays a list of businesses relevant to your selected point of interest (or a list of nearby restaurants if you leave the point of interest field blank.) However, if you only need the halfway point MeetWays works in an additional how 115 countries
If you want to take the scenic route, you can easily change the settings to avoid highways or toll roads. Routes are easy to share via email or social media but there's no way to edit your starting and ending points nor is there a way to accommodate multiple stops.
iExit
Sometimes you just need to find the nearest pitstop that has gas, a bathroom, a decent place to eat, or some combination of the above. The website iExit is perfect for all of that and more. But it shines brightest when you use the mobile app while already on the road.
Easy-to-read images show what's offered at each exit on the interstate you're currently on, making it easy to plan out your pitstops before taking an exit. See gas prices, accommodation options, Wi-Fi availability, and restaurants all conveniently compiled on one page. You can either type in your starting point and destination to see pitstops along the route or use the GPS feature on your phone to find the nearest exits to your current location.
Travelmath
Travelmathwill appeal to travelers who like to plan for all aspects of their trips. Simply input in your two cities and Travelmath will tell you the biggest cities or most popular destinations to stop in along the way, along with the distance and time between each one. It will even calculate the estimated cost of driving!
If you aren't sure if taking a car is the right option for your trip, it will also give you a side-by-side comparison of flights and driving details to help you chose the best method.
Roadtrippers
If you care less about the halfway point and more about the best places to stop, then Roadtrippers is what you're looking for. It's available as a website and mobile app, so you can easily plan from home or while on the road. Just punch in Point A and Point B into the application and Roadtrippers will show you what routes are available plus highly rated points of interest, restaurants, cafes, and hotels along the way.
The site and app are both free to use, but you can pay for a premium version to unlock even more features such as offline use, adding more than five stops, and collaborating with friends.
