Make sure everyone's on board. Before you even think about hitting the highway, check with every member of the band to see if they're willing to play out of town. Find out how long they can be away from work or families, and start planning around that. If one member simply refuses to tour, you may consider finding a replacement. If the rest of the band members are ready, they owe it to themselves and each other to give it a try.
Clear your calendar. If it's your first tour, plan for a week or two of dates, but no more. The road has a way of wearing people down quickly. A week-long or two-week tour is long enough to figure out whether touring is what you want, but not too much of a commitment for someone who finds out touring is not for them.
Pick some anchor dates. If you've played in your hometown with a band from far away, stay in touch and ask if you can do a show with them. If you have a small following in a town (for example, a college student who saw you in your home city but who lives a few hours away in the summer), ask those people where you should play or if they know any local promoters who can help set you up.
Route the tour. Using your anchor dates, fill in the rest of the schedule. To maximize profit (or minimize loss), and to keep everyone well-rested, make sure the drives are short, ideally four to five hours apart.
Book the tour. This is the hardest part. Much booking is done through email, rather than over the telephone. So first, write a great pitch email to the places you're trying to play. Mention your band's strongest selling points, and show a willingness to work hard to get people in the door.
Many clubs book two to three months in advance (and some even more than that), so allow plenty of time and get ready for rejection and utter indifference. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of bands out there trying to reach the same people you are. Success comes with perseverance, a little luck and a well-written pitch.
Booking a show may require you to find local bands to put on the bill. Do this carefully and enthusiastically, because it can mean the difference between a show where no one is there, and a packed show before a great local crowd.
Find a place to stay. Touring bands waste money on hotels. If you want to come back with any money, you're going to have to rough it in the van or ask friends or family around the country if you can stay with them.
Have something to sell. Inexperienced touring bands generally cannot receive guaranteed pay for their performances. To make up for this, stock up on items your band can sell (e.g., CDs and t-shirts). This will help pay for gas and other expenses.
Make connections. A touring band's most important job is to make a good impression everywhere. Meet people. Make friends. Be nice. Thank them for the opportunity to play at the club, and get their phone numbers. You'll need them again.