The road trip is a classic and affordable way to be a tourist without having to go too far from home. Here is a pre-departure checklist of things to remember that will make sure your road trip is unforgettable:

• Safety First

Make sure your car is tuned-up and road worthy. Removing the spare tire to make room for the barbeque won't earn you any brownie points with your friends when you're all stranded by the side of the road.

• Crank Up The Tunes

Set your Sirius satellite radio to '50s on 5' and sing along to music from the era that marked the birth of rock 'n' roll. Rock music not your thing? With Sirius' 120 channels, you can discover everything from Met Opera radio to hip hop.

• Stop And Smell The Roses

While it's important to bring a map with you and not get lost, it's also just as important that you take the time to make detours to places like 'The Big Apple' in Cramahe Township or 'Klondike Mike' in Edmonton.

• Car Games

From 'I spy with my little eye' to 'punch buggy', car games are a road trip staple and help pass the time. Since Sirius satellite radio has tons of different genres and eras of music to choose from, you can challenge your friends to a game of 'name that tune' and with the song title and artist displayed right on the radio, there will be no more disputes.

Regardless of where your final destination is, remember the most important thing is to have fun and get there safely. A full list of road trip music is available on www.sirius.ca.