There’s nothing quite like a good old fashioned road trip. Driving down the open road, breakfasts at Mom n’ Pop diners, and wacky roadside attractions; what could be more fun?
Road tripping with the whole family is a must. It’s the perfect opportunity to create unforgettable memories that
your children will cherish for years.
If you’re planning a road trip with the family in tow, read on for our top tips for road tripping with the whole
family.
1. Pack the Car Wisely
When you’re road tripping with kids, you’re going to need to bring a lot of stuff. For one, more people means more luggage. But kids in particular need a lot more things that adults, like extra changes of clothes, toys, and in-car entertainment.
When it comes to packing the car, it’s important to think critically about what you’ll need to access on the road and what you won’t. Pack suitcases at the bottom, but be sure to pull out at least one extra change of clothes for each kid in case of a roadside emergency. Snacks, entertainment, and more should be packed towards the top of the trunk for easy access.
Road Trip Tip: Bring a pillow and blanket for each kid. It will make naptime comfier, meaning a little extra quiet time for you! With the help of CBD capsules for anxiety, you may be able to relax and get a little shut eye in on the road, too!
2. Bring Lots of Snacks
Speaking of snacks, bring a lot of them. The snacks available at rest stops and gas stations are typically a lot more expensive and a lot less nutritious.
Pack a variety of healthy snacks like trail mix, fresh fruit, and cheese sticks. Smaller snacks like crackers and snack mixes can be pre-portioned into Ziplock bags for mess-free enjoyment. Remember to throw a few treats in there, too. It’s a road trip, after all!
Road Trip Tip: Place a roll of paper towels in an easy-to-access spot in the car for any accidental spills or messy hands!
3. Plan Personal Entertainment
What will you do to pass the time on the road? If you look to movies for your road trip advice, you’re probably expecting a drive soundtracked by an orchestra of old camp songs and word games for days and days.
In reality, you’ll get sick of those pretty quickly. There are only so many animals on Old McDonald’s farm!
Bring several forms of personal entertainment for each family member. For kids, bring books, brain games like word searches, and music players with headphones. We know what you’re thinking: what about some good old-fashioned conversation? There will be plenty of that; believe us. At some point, you’re going to want a break.
Road Trip Tip: Download a few kid-friendly audiobooks for story time the whole family can enjoy.
4. Download Your Route
Every road trip is bound to take you through a few country roads. If you’re a city-dweller, you probably don’tthink about dead zones too much. In all likelihood, though, you’re going to drive through a few.
Before you leave, queue up your route into your favorite navigation app and download the offline version. That way, you won’t find yourself on an unfamiliar road with no clue where to go.
Road Trip Tip: It’s a good idea to get a paper map, too, in case your phone runs into issues. You can find one for free online.
5. Prep Your Roadside Emergency Kit
No matter where your road trip takes you, never leave without a roadside emergency kit. Remember those long country roads we talked about? There’s a lot of opportunity there for car trouble, and very few ways to call for help.
The last thing you want is to be stranded on the side of the road with the whole family and no hope in sight.
A good roadside emergency kit should include the following:
● Jumper cables
● Flares or reflective lights
● A tire jack
● A first aid kit
● Plenty of water
● Emergency blankets
● A fire extinguisher
● Motor oil
● A flashlight
● Quarters for a payphone
Road Trip Tip: Keep a spare cell phone charger with a fully charged external battery in your roadside kit, too.