The days are getting shorter. There’s a crisp chill is hanging in the evening air. Your inability to escape pumpkin-flavored everything is placated only by the satisfying crunch of leaves underfoot. Yes, autumn may be in full swing—but, if you’re one those mourning the charcoal cinders left behind by the final barbecue of the season and desperately trying to preserve your flip-flop tan, don’t worry. There’s still time for one last summer-style adventure before the winter months set in: Take a road trip.

We caught up with Trent Deckard, a regular in Reddit’s road trip community, and got the tips and tricks you need to plan your trip, whether you’re in search of sunny seascapes or fall foliage.

“First, I would plan it out with Google maps,” Deckard says. “You can drop pins on certain locations, so Google will route the whole trip for you and give you mileage and all that good stuff.”

Mapping out a plan will help you estimate gas costs to budget your trip. He used online apps to get a sense of gas prices along his route: “I would tack on a couple hundred extra miles just to be safe.”

Once you have your route ready, save the coordinates for the main spots you want to hit and bookmark them in the correct order on your GPS. Next, download a map to your phone or make sure you have a hard copy so you won’t be stranded when your cell service cuts out.

With a budget, a plan, and a map, you are almost ready to hit the road. Now you need some wheels. Deckard recommends renting a car over relying on your own—something with high gas efficiency can offset the costs, especially if your own car isn’t road trip-ready.

“Enterprise has unlimited miles so it is more reliable than taking your own vehicle,” he says. “It ends up working out really well when you consider tire wear and stuff like that.”

Other Redditors chimed in with a list of things you might need to make sure your trip runs smoothly:

Others necessities? Plenty of water and snacks for those long stretches between stops, sunscreen, chapstick, extra blankets, and pillows for chilly in-car or campsite overnights. Deckard also brought pepper spray, just in case he found himself in a sticky situation.

“I didn’t have to use it for anything but it was good peace of mind,” he shares. “If someone or something came at me I would have some form of defense.”

But with a plan in your pocket, you have what you need to navigate your route—but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to a strict schedule. Seasoned road trippers are quick to emphasize the importance of going at your own pace, taking plenty of breaks, and sleeping when you need to. Deckard says he used the AllStays app each time he stopped to search for everything from campgrounds to truck stop showers.

Ultimately though, the most important thing you need is a sense of adventure. Deckard says it gave him the opportunity to learn a lot about himself and grow as a person—especially because his last trip was a solo adventure.

“The first couple of days were a little weird,” he explains. “It was my first time being so far away from everyone and being completely by myself.”

After a day or two though, he says that the solitude became less lonely and more meaningful.

Whether you’re heading out on your own or traveling with a team though, Deckard says he thinks road tripping is the best bang for your buck.

“I think it is the best way you can spend your money honestly,” he shares. “Instead of sitting at home and watching Netflix everyday, why not see the world?”