# Road Trip Planner

> End-to-end road trip and travel itinerary planner that produces navigation-ready guides. Use this skill whenever the user asks to plan a road trip, self-drive tour, multi-day driving itinerary, or travel route — even if they just mention a destination and dates. Also trigger when the user asks for driving directions between multiple stops, wants to optimize a travel route, or needs a day-by-day travel guide with navigation links. Covers route planning, driving time verification, holiday/closure checks, parking details, weather forecasting, cultural-layer research, pre-trip homework recommendations. Generates markdown documents, interactive HTML guides with embedded Leaflet maps, and shareable PNG portable cards for offline IM sharing.

- Skill: `d-wwei/road-trip-planner` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add d-wwei/road-trip-planner`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/d-wwei/road-trip-planner/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Web & Frontend
- Author: d-wwei (https://skillmd.com/u/d-wwei)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/d-wwei/road-trip-planner

---


# 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.

**Layered output rule**: Core deliverables (daily markdown + HTML) must always succeed. Enhancement layers (weather forecast, pre-trip content discovery, PNG cards) are fail-soft — if a search fails or a rendering tool is unavailable, log the miss and continue. Never let an optional enhancement block the core deliverable.

## Writing Principles

These rules apply to every piece of content generated by this skill. They elevate output from "tourist brochure" to "trusted friend who's been there."

### 1. Why see + What to observe (per stop)
Every stop card must answer two questions, not just "visit X for 1 hour":
- **Why this place matters** (1 sentence — historical, geographical, or experiential reason)
- **What specifically to look at** (2-3 concrete observation points — NOT "take photos", but "look at the left hand of the statue — it holds a scroll with [inscription]")

Bad example: "Hearst Castle — 参观 2 小时"
Good example: "Hearst Castle — 1920s 美国报业大亨 William Hearst 的私人庄园，把欧洲古董运过半个地球拼装而成。**看什么**：(1) Neptune Pool 的罗马柱是真的 1 世纪庞贝出土的；(2) 室内 Gothic Suite 的天花板是从西班牙修道院整体拆运；(3) 户外室外泳池底部铺金箔，下午 3 点阳光下最明显。"

### 2. Don't fabricate — web-search or leave blank
Every concrete number (address, ticket price, phone, mileage, opening hours) must come from a `web_search` result, not LLM memory. If a number can't be verified:
- Leave the field blank with a `[需现场确认 / verify on arrival]` marker
- NEVER fill with a plausible-looking estimate

Fabricated ticket prices and wrong addresses are the fastest way to destroy trust.

### 3. Bilingual search habit
For international destinations, search the same query in both Chinese and English — coverage differs:
- Chinese search: 小红书/马蜂窝/知乎 — strong on 实用贴士, 本地美食, 打卡时间
- English search: Reddit/TripAdvisor/official sites — strong on operating hours, historical accuracy, safety info

Always cross-reference both when facts disagree.

### 4. Cut noise, keep signal
When filtering travel content (for pre-trip homework or restaurant picks):
- **Keep**: content with knowledge-add (背景故事, 建造工艺, 考古过程, 建筑细节, 实际开销)
- **Cut**: pure check-in photos, no-analysis recommendations, sponsored-looking content
- Prefer long-form (B站 >10min explainers, 公众号 with cited sources) over short-form打卡

## 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

## 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.

**Parallel execution note**: Steps 3, 4, and 5 (driving time / holiday check / weather forecast) are all independent `web_search` calls per stop. Fire them in parallel — a single batched round of N×3 searches instead of 3 sequential rounds. This compresses research time from ~3 minutes to ~1 minute and is strictly better than serial execution.

### 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`
- **Bilingual search**: also try `[起点] 到 [终点] 开车多久` — Chinese traveler forums sometimes surface more recent real-world times than English sources
- 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]`
- **Bilingual search**: also try `[景点中文名] 开放时间 [日期]` — local Chinese tourism sites sometimes have更 current closure notices
- 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])
- 🧭 **[驾车到停车场](Google Maps drive URL)** · **[步行到入口](Google Maps walk URL)**
- **为什么值得停**：[1 句话 — 历史/地理/体验层面的 why]
- **看什么**：
  1. [具体观察点 1 — 不是"拍照"而是"看哪一处的什么细节"]
  2. [具体观察点 2]
  3. [具体观察点 3]
- **底层故事**（optional，仅当有文化厚度时 — 2-3 句历史/建造背景）
- Address, hours, tickets (all web-verified, or `[需现场确认]`)
- Parking: specific lot name, cost, tips
- 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):

1. **Destination-only format**: `https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=PLACE+NAME+CITY+STATE&travelmode=driving`
2. **Never add `origin` parameter** — user may not be at the expected location, causing Google Maps to route from the wrong place
3. **Never add `waypoints` parameter** — waypoints can route users onto closed/restricted roads (e.g., Cañada Rd incident — 30+ min wasted)
4. **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
5. **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
6. **Two layers of nav links**: summary table at top AND inline in each section
7. **Include skip links**: "If skipping stop X, click here to go directly from A to C"
8. **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 PNG Portable Cards

Create a PNG summary card per day (`Day1-[Region]-速查卡.png` etc.) for offline / IM-sharing use. Unlike the HTML guide, PNG cards:
- Don't need network to open
- Can be shared in WeChat / Telegram / iMessage groups in one tap
- Render the same on every device (no layout drift)
- Fit on one phone screen when zoomed to fit

**What goes on the card** (single vertical image, ~750×1600px portrait):

```
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│  Day N · [Theme]           📅 Date │  ← Header strip (brand color)
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│  🌤️ [Weather] · ☀️ Sunset HH:MM  │  ← Weather + sunset bar
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│  ① [Stop 1]          🕐 8:00    │
│     [1-line why]                │
│     🚗 XX min to next           │
│                                 │
│  ② [Stop 2]          🕐 10:30   │
│     [1-line why]                │
│     🚗 XX min to next           │
│     ...                         │
│                                 │
│  ⭐ [Main highlight]  🕐 16:00   │  ← Gold-bordered highlight
│                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│  💰 预计开销 $XXX · 🅿️ 停车 $XX  │  ← Cost strip
│  ⚠️ [1-line critical warning]    │  ← if any
└─────────────────────────────────┘
```

**Generation approach** (in order of preference):

1. **Headless browser screenshot** (preferred — leverages existing HTML template):
   - Create a purpose-built `DayN-card.html` with fixed 750px width and no scroll
   - Use Playwright / Puppeteer to screenshot: `page.setViewportSize({width: 750, height: 1600}); await page.screenshot({path: 'DayN-card.png', fullPage: true})`
   - In Claude Code: `uvx playwright screenshot --viewport-size 750,1600 DayN-card.html DayN-card.png`

2. **Python + Pillow fallback** (if headless browser unavailable):
   - Use `PIL.Image.new()` + `ImageDraw` to composite the card from scratch
   - Noto Sans SC for Chinese; system sans for fallback

3. **Mermaid/D2 diagram** (last resort for simple timeline-only cards):
   - Only use if above two fail; less visually polished

**Card design rules**:
- Fixed width 750px (fits 1x on most phones, zooms cleanly to 2x)
- Single column, no side-scroll
- Day's highlight gets gold border (same `.hl` class as HTML)
- All text large enough to read without zoom (min 14px)
- NO navigation links on PNG — users open the HTML or MD for nav; PNG is for glance-only
- Include filename + generation timestamp as small footer so users know which version they're looking at

### Step 9: 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

## 📺 出发前功课（Cognitive Prep）

在路上看是浪费，在出发前看能让体验翻倍。筛选原则：**要知识增量，不要纯打卡。**

### 推荐观看 / 阅读清单
- **[视频 | 平台]** [标题] — [为什么值得看：1 句话，比如"讲清 PCH 的修建历史和地质成因"]
- **[文章 | 平台]** [标题] — [为什么值得看]
- **[书籍 | 如有]** [书名] — [相关章节]

### 筛选标准（skill 生成时遵循）
- 要：B 站 >10min 讲解类、知乎高赞长文、公众号引用了参考文献或作者有明确身份
- 要：YouTube 纪录片、Reddit r/[destination] 热门帖、官网历史页
- 不要：纯打卡照片集、软广、无分析的"必去 Top10"
```

**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          Day1-[Region]-速查卡.png
Day2-[Region]-攻略.md          Day2-[Region]-攻略.html          Day2-[Region]-速查卡.png
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:

- [ ] Every nav link uses destination-only format (no origin, no waypoints)
- [ ] Every stop has TWO nav links: drive-to-parking + walk-to-attraction
- [ ] Every driving time was web-searched, not estimated
- [ ] Route has no backtracking (verified on map)
- [ ] All stops confirmed open on the travel date (including holiday/weekday-specific checks)
- [ ] Weather checked for each day, rain plans noted where needed
- [ ] Timeline math adds up (arrival + duration + drive = next arrival)
- [ ] Timeline includes realistic buffers: +30min for car pickup, +15min for parking in cities, +50% for museums/markets
- [ ] Parking info included for every stop — specific parking lot name, not just "nearby parking"
- [ ] Skip-links provided for optional stops
- [ ] Conditional rules included: "if you arrive at X after TIME, skip Y to protect Z"
- [ ] "Optional" stops are ranked by cut priority (which to cut first when behind schedule)
- [ ] HTML map pins match the document's stop order
- [ ] Total day doesn't exceed reasonable hours (typically 8 AM - 10 PM)
- [ ] Hard deadlines noted (flight times, restaurant reservations, sunset times)
- [ ] Rental car pickup section includes anti-upsell checklist
- [ ] Every stop has "为什么值得停" (1 sentence) + "看什么" (2-3 specific observation points)
- [ ] Culturally significant stops have a "底层故事" segment (2-3 sentences of background)
- [ ] Every concrete number is web-verified or marked `[需现场确认]` — no fabricated prices/hours/addresses
- [ ] Steps 3/4/5 were executed in parallel (batched web_search), not serially
- [ ] International destinations checked with bilingual search (中 + EN)
- [ ] PNG portable card generated per day (750×1600px, readable without zoom)
- [ ] Pre-trip checklist generated with weather-specific packing list
- [ ] Pre-trip checklist includes "出发前功课" section with filtered video/article recommendations
- [ ] Budget summary generated with per-category and per-day breakdown
- [ ] Offline map download reminder included