How do you prepare for a cross country drive?
 

I am driving my 2011 Camaro Convertable to Yellowstone National Park from Cleveland later this month. Over 3800 miles round trip in one week. Anyone have any tips for long trips. Thanks

fill up with gas before you start and take frequent breaks

Check tire pressure, change oil before you leave if you're close to the miles to change it. Most important stop at the Badlands too!!

Try not to knock over any Harleys and piss off bikers, it is Sturgis time and they are thick as sheephead in Lake Erie, ha.

Make sure to plan stops ahead of time to do some walking....! Ur back and legs will greatly appreciate it

This^

The badlands are awesome!

This is gonna be an awesome trip for you. I've been there over a dozen times. (That's where I took my Avatar picture...that Coyote was actually near the side of the road working on a baby bison until too many people got too close, so it stood back waiting for everyone to leave to finish).

Definitely have every hotel booked in advance. They can fill up, particularly in the Yellowstone area, where they can go weeks in advance.

As for the car, have relatively fresh oil in it. Take an extra quart just in case (though in all my trips, I've never had to use it) and check it every morning, particularly after the longer days. Have a tire pressure gauge as well, just in case you spring a slow leak or something. Gas stations may have air, but maybe not pressure gauges.

If you have satellite radio or some CD's or MP3s or something to listen to, take it, as the days driving across the plains are rather dull.

If you have a little extra time, get off the interstate, and take some 2-lane roads once you get to Montana. Going 75-80 on the narrow secondary roads in a pony car is a blast...a nice break from the monotony of the interstate.

Having a convertible in the mountains is almost like driving through heaven as well. Its almost a religious experience. Two of the ways into Yellowstone are spectacular. One is Bear Tooth Pass. Another is getting to the west entrance by taking 191 south from Bozeman to West Yellowstone, which goes through a canyon and hugs the Galatin River for a good part of it.

As for stuff to do once you get there...there is far too much to begin to list. As much as I've been there, I still find something I've never done before every time.

One last note...be aware once you are in the park that occasionally you may get into a bison jam, where a herd of Bison are along or on the road. August is their mating season, and they get really ornery and aggressive, and being among them in an open convertible could be mildly terrifying.

Drive as far away from Sturgis as you can. I made the mistake of driving through there at the wrong time, a bike can stop a hell of a lot faster than a car or truck. Too many noobs.

wash your car cover it and get a rental when you get back home you will have a clean low mile car with no door dings or road chips

-Check tire pressure and condition of tires (monitor tire pressure daily during trip)
-Check coolant level
-Change oil and filter before you leave
-Keep extra quart of oil and gallon of Dexcool coolant in trunk
-Have fun during trip

Kinda defeats the point of having a fun car?

Don't be afraid to run hard in South Dakota, I've been in packs running a minimum of 15 over, passing state troopers on multiple occasions, it freaked me out at first, but especially during times of heavy bike traffic, they don't seem to mind... The longer you wait the better, Sturgis is first full week of August, I've done the trip multiple times at all times of year, spring break (late march to mid april) being the best by far, NO traffic or visitors and everything is free! Better yet, last time I did it, mid 40's to 50's during the day with snow in the background, awesome trip. The Camaro will not be an issue, whenever you do it.

^^^^^ This ^^^^.
Plus what's with the extra can of oil and coolant in the car ?
It's not 1950 anymore.