Road Trip Planner

Plan multi-day driving itineraries from a vague idea ("I want to drive the California coast") to navigation-ready guides with real-time-verified driving times, point-to-point Google Maps links, interactive maps, and per-stop parking/timing details.

When This Skill Applies

User wants to plan a road trip or multi-day driving tour
User asks for a driving itinerary between cities/attractions
User wants route optimization (eliminate backtracking)
User needs a travel guide with navigation links
User mentions self-drive, rental car, or road trip anywhere in their request

Tool Compatibility

This skill works across different Claude environments. Adapt tool usage based on what's available:

Capability	Claude.ai	Claude Code
Coordinate lookup	`places_search`	`web_search` (search "[place] GPS coordinates")
Map verification	`places_map_display`	Generate Leaflet HTML preview, or use `web_search` to verify route on Google Maps
Driving time	`web_search`	`web_search` / MCP browser tools
File output	`{output_dir}`	Project directory (ask user or use `./trip-output/`)

Degradation rule: If a tool is unavailable, fall back to web_search for data and Leaflet HTML for visualization. Never skip a verification step just because the preferred tool is missing.

Gather Requirements

Before planning, collect these inputs. Ask the user if not provided:

Input	Required	Example
Destination / region	Yes	"California coast", "Iceland ring road"
Departure city	Yes	"Toronto", "San Francisco"
Travel dates	Yes	"April 3-6, 2026"
Number of days	Yes	4 days
Transport	Yes	Rental car / own car
Route type	Yes	One-way (A→B) / Loop (A→…→A) / Out-and-back
Interests	Helpful	Nature, tech, food, photography
Budget level	Helpful	Budget / mid-range / comfort
Existing bookings	Helpful	Flight times, hotel confirmations
Group size	Helpful	Solo / couple / family
Output language	Helpful	中文 / English / bilingual (default: 中文)

Route type matters for optimization:

One-way: Optimize for a single geographic direction, no doubling back
Loop: Ensure the final leg returning to origin is accounted for in time/fuel budget
Out-and-back: Plan the return route separately — avoid repeating the same stops, suggest alternative roads for the return

Eight-Step Workflow

Execute these steps in order, for each day. Do not skip steps — every shortcut taken here (especially steps 2-5) leads to a broken itinerary the user will discover mid-trip.

Step 1: Route Framework

Design the day's route based on user interests and geography.

Assign a theme to each day (e.g., "Silicon Valley tech tour", "coastal highway scenic drive")
List all candidate stops with addresses
Use places_search to get exact coordinates for every stop — never rely on memory for coordinates
Decide on overnight accommodation locations

Step 2: Geographic Verification — Eliminate Backtracking

This step catches route inefficiencies that waste 30+ minutes per occurrence.

Plot all stops on a map using places_map_display to visually verify the sequence
Check that the route flows in one geographic direction (north→south, etc.) without doubling back
If hotel/accommodation is between two stops, consider checking in first to drop luggage
Reorder stops if the visual map reveals backtracking

Common trap: Visiting a southern stop, going north to the next, then returning south to the hotel. Always verify against the map.

Step 3: Driving Time Verification

LLM estimates for driving times are systematically optimistic by 30-50%. This step is non-negotiable.

Use web_search to find the actual driving time for each segment
Search queries like: driving time [origin] to [destination] or [origin] to [destination] drive how long
Factor in day of week and time of day — Friday 5 PM rush hour is very different from Sunday 10 AM
Record the realistic time range (e.g., "45-55 min") not just the optimistic number
If total driving + activity time exceeds the available daylight, cut stops or restructure

Red flags to search for:

Rush hour on the planned route (search "[city] rush hour traffic [day of week]")
Known bottleneck roads (PCH, Bay Bridge, LA freeways)
Construction or seasonal closures (especially mountain passes)

Step 4: Holiday and Closure Check

Search for every stop's operating status on the travel date.

Use web_search with queries like: [attraction] hours [holiday name] [year] or [attraction] open [date]
Check for: national holidays, religious holidays (Easter, Christmas), local observances
Check weekday-specific closures (many museums close Mondays)
Check seasonal closures (some trails/roads close in winter)
If a stop is closed, note it prominently and suggest an alternative

Holiday calendar to check against:

US federal holidays, Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Monday), Christmas week
Country-specific holidays for international trips
"First Monday closed" pattern common at museums

Step 5: Weather Forecast and Contingency Planning

Check the weather for each day's route and prepare alternatives.

Use web_search with queries like: [city] weather forecast [date] or [region] weather [month] [year]
For each day, record: temperature range, precipitation probability, wind conditions, sunrise/sunset times
Sunset time matters: If a stop's highlight is sunset (e.g., Big Sur, Santa Monica), verify the exact sunset time and work backwards to plan arrival

Weather-driven adjustments:

Rain forecast → swap outdoor hikes with indoor alternatives (museums, markets, aquariums), add "rain plan" note to the stop card
Extreme heat (>35°C / 95°F) → schedule outdoor activities for early morning or late afternoon, note hydration stops
Fog (common on Pacific Coast) → warn that coastal views may be obscured in the morning, suggest delaying departure
Snow/ice (mountain passes) → check road closures, add chain requirement warnings

Feed results into Step 8 (Pre-trip Checklist) for packing recommendations.

Step 6: Generate Markdown Document

Create one .md file per day in {output_dir}. Follow this exact structure:

# Day N 详细攻略：[Route Summary]

> ⚠️ Holiday/special date notice if applicable

## Flight/Travel Info (if applicable)

## 🧭 Navigation Links Summary Table
| Segment | Route | Nav Link | Drive Time |
Top-level quick-reference with all segments

## [Time Range] | [Section Title]

### [Time] | [Stop Name] ([Duration])
- 🧭 **[Nav Link: Origin → Destination](Google Maps URL)**
- Address, hours, tickets
- Parking: location, cost, tips
- What to do (prioritized list)
- Safety warnings if any

## Day N Timeline Overview
| Time | Stop | Duration | Drive Time | Notes |

## Practical Info
- Weather: temperature, precipitation, sunset time
- Cost estimates (use structured budget template — see below)
- Emergency contacts
- Gas/fuel notes
- Rain plan alternatives (if applicable)

Navigation link rules (critical — validated through 4-day real-world testing):

Destination-only format: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=PLACE+NAME+CITY+STATE&travelmode=driving
Never add origin parameter — user may not be at the expected location, causing Google Maps to route from the wrong place
Never add waypoints parameter — waypoints can route users onto closed/restricted roads (e.g., Cañada Rd incident — 30+ min wasted)
Prefer place names over coordinates — coordinates are error-prone (NVIDIA photo spot, Stanford entrance). Only use coordinates when place name is genuinely ambiguous, and web_search the coordinates first
Two-segment navigation for every stop: always provide BOTH a driving link to the parking lot AND a walking link to the attraction entrance. Users need to know where to park separately from where to go
Two layers of nav links: summary table at top AND inline in each section
Include skip links: "If skipping stop X, click here to go directly from A to C"
Include conditional rules: "If you arrive at [Station X] after [TIME], skip [Station Y] to protect [hard deadline Z]"

Step 7: Generate Interactive HTML Guide

Create one .html file per day in {output_dir}. Read references/html-template.md for the complete template code before writing.

Key requirements:

Leaflet.js map with numbered color-coded pins and dashed route line
CARTO Voyager tiles (not Google Maps iframe — it fails in restricted environments)
Blue navigation buttons on every stop card that open Google Maps with coordinate URLs
Highlight the day's main event with gold border (.hl class)
Optional stops get dashed-outline numbers (.sn-o class)
Alert boxes: yellow for cost warnings, red for safety warnings
Mobile-optimized, max-width 480px
Light theme (white cards on off-white background) for readability

Step 8: Generate Pre-trip Checklist

Create a single pre-trip-checklist.md file in {output_dir}. This is generated once for the entire trip, not per day.

Weather-driven packing section (based on Step 5 forecast data):

# 行前清单 | Pre-trip Checklist

## 🌤️ 天气概览 & 行李建议
| 日期 | 地区 | 天气 | 温度 | 建议穿搭/装备 |
|------|------|------|------|---------------|
| Day 1 | [Region] | ☀️ 晴 | 12-22°C | 薄外套+防晒, 墨镜 |
| Day 2 | [Region] | 🌧️ 小雨 | 8-15°C | 防水外套, 防滑鞋 |
| ... | | | | |

### 必带行李
- [ ] 根据天气列出的衣物（具体到件）
- [ ] 防晒霜 SPF50+（户外日必备）
- [ ] 雨具（如有雨天）
- [ ] 舒适步行鞋
- [ ] 车载手机支架
- [ ] 充电线 + 车载充电器

## 📄 证件 & 预订
- [ ] 护照 / 身份证（有效期检查）
- [ ] 国际驾照 / 驾照翻译件（如需）
- [ ] 租车确认号：[号码] | 取车地址：[地址]
- [ ] 机票确认号：[号码]
- [ ] 酒店确认号：逐晚列出
- [ ] 保险单号 / 保险公司电话
- [ ] 信用卡（确认境外支付已开通）

## ⛽ 车辆 & 驾驶
- [ ] 租车公司电话：[电话]
- [ ] 道路救援电话：[电话]
- [ ] 加油类型：Regular / Premium
- [ ] 过路费准备（现金 / ETC / FasTrak）
- [ ] 了解当地交规（限速、右转规则、停车标志）

## 🆘 紧急信息
- [ ] 当地报警电话：[号码]
- [ ] 最近医院位置（每天路线附近各标一个）
- [ ] 大使馆/领事馆电话（国际旅行）
- [ ] 同行人紧急联系方式

## 📱 App & 离线准备
- [ ] Google Maps 离线地图已下载（覆盖全程区域）
- [ ] 翻译 App（如需）
- [ ] 加油站 App（GasBuddy 等）
- [ ] 酒店/民宿 App 已登录

Rules:

Packing items must be specific to the weather forecast, not generic — "薄羽绒" vs "外套" makes a difference
If any day has rain >50% probability, add rain gear to must-bring
If temperature drops below 10°C at any point, add warm layers
If visiting beaches/coastal areas, add swimwear + towel even if not explicitly planned
Always include offline map download reminder — cell signal is unreliable on scenic routes

Output Directory

Before generating any files, confirm the output directory:

Claude.ai: use /mnt/user-data/outputs/
Claude Code: ask the user, or default to ./trip-output/
Create the directory if it doesn't exist

Output File Naming

Day1-[Region]-攻略.md          Day1-[Region]-攻略.html
Day2-[Region]-攻略.md          Day2-[Region]-攻略.html
pre-trip-checklist.md          (行前清单，整个行程一份)
budget-summary.md              (费用汇总，整个行程一份)
...

Structured Budget Template

Generate a single budget-summary.md alongside the daily guides. Use this fixed structure:

# 💰 费用预估 | Trip Budget Summary

## 按类别汇总
| 类别 | 明细 | 费用 (USD) |
|------|------|-----------|
| ✈️ 机票 | [航班信息] | $XXX |
| 🚗 租车 | [天数] × [日租] + 保险 | $XXX |
| ⛽ 油费 | [总里程] ÷ [油耗] × [油价] | $XXX |
| 🅿️ 停车 | 逐站列出 | $XXX |
| 🏨 住宿 | 逐晚列出 | $XXX |
| 🍽️ 餐饮 | [天数] × [每日预算] | $XXX |
| 🎫 门票/活动 | 逐项列出 | $XXX |
| 🛣️ 过路费 | 逐段列出 | $XXX |
| 📱 通讯 | SIM卡 / 漫游 | $XXX |
| 🔄 杂费预留 | 10-15% buffer | $XXX |
| **合计** | | **$XXXX** |

## 按天汇总
| 日期 | 住宿 | 交通 | 餐饮 | 活动 | 小计 |
|------|------|------|------|------|------|
| Day 1 | $XX | $XX | $XX | $XX | $XXX |
| ... | | | | | |
| **合计** | | | | | **$XXXX** |

Budget rules:

Always include a 10-15% buffer for unexpected costs
If group size > 1, add a per-person column: | 人均 | $XXX / person |
If group wants to split costs, add a "费用分摊" section with who-pays-what
Use web search to verify current prices for tickets, parking, tolls — don't rely on memory
Currency should match the destination country, with home-currency equivalent in parentheses if different

Quality Checks Before Delivering

Run through this checklist for every day before presenting to the user:

road-trip-planner