Road Trip Planning!!!

I gotta be honest, it's been over ten years since I have stepped foot onto a beach. Knowing there's one just a few hours' drive away has me very excited! In August, I will be making the 4 and a half hour drive to Galveston, Texas with my boyfriend. I simply can't get over how FUN this trip is going to be!! I mean, just look at that photo - my boyfriend actually took this the last time he was in Galveston with his family, very recently. I feel like I've been planning the heck out of this trip, but I don't want to forget anything. I want to be able to just get there, enjoy the beach, sleep, and come back the next day refreshed with many photos of a great time spent with a wonderful person. 

So, for the first of many beach trip-related posts, I will leave you with my Road Trip Planning Basics:

1. Figure out dates - When do you want to go? Who all is going? Who will be driving? Consider ages if children are going to be involved. Remember, they can get super restless after not too long!
2. Find out where your closest beach is whatever destination you have chosen - how many hours/minutes is it? Will you have to make stops on the way besides for restroom breaks and gas? 
3. What are you going to do while you're there? I've decided that I want to be cheesy and draw a heart in the sand with our names and take a picture of it; I want a sunset picture of us if possible, and I know I want to walk around and see the sights for a bit. I may even collect some sand and shells to put in a mason jar!
4. What is your budget? How much do you need to set aside for gas (or airfare)? How much spending money will you need? Staying overnight? Find a reasonably priced hotel. 
5. Decide what to pack - I WILL be posting my entire list. I spent about a week just Googling trip packing lists of different types, and then deciding what I needed from all of them. I will type mine up nice and neat and categorized just for you! It will PROBABLY be in a pdf so you can print it, with an image version in the post. 
6. Clean out and prepare the vehicle you'll be driving, get packed, etc. Any last minute details. 
7. Go and enjoy yourself! You earned it!

Thanks so much for reading!

Natasha.