Tips for a Family Road Trip

The good side of a road trip with the kids: a sense of adventure and plenty of memories and photo opportunities.  The bad: long hours in the car that put everyone’s nerves on edge and try the patience of even the most stoic parent. 

Here are some tips for highlighting the good and limiting the bad. 

1. Choose a low activity time to travel.  Many younger children are able to sleep in the car.  If you get them up early in the morning and put them in the car, chances are they’ll snooze while you cruise towards your destination.  Likewise, nap-takers and their parents might both benefit from beginning a trip during the usual afternoon nap time. 

2. Stop frequently.  Sure, there will be bathroom breaks at the highway rest stop, but a little research can also reveal some interesting stopping off points that can serve as breaks from the road.  Perhaps an internet search or a travel guide will lead to a quaint small town main street filled with shops or a state park with a lake and a beach.  That way, it’s not simply “let’s get in the car and drive to the hotel,” it’s “let’s get in the car and drive to the next place where we are going to stop and have fun.”

3. Snacks.  Too much sugar or caffeine from cola can make for jumpy kids and an unpleasant ride.  However, snacks are a good way to appease kids who are impatient from being cooped up in a car.  A sandwich or some trail mix might be just the thing to keep the peace for the remainder of the trip.

4. Come up with some in-car activities.  Many newer vans and SUVs have personal video screens and iPod inputs.  Plugging in is a good way to make the trip seem faster.  But other activities, based on what your kids like to do at home, might also help.  Coloring books, a favorite set of matchbox cars, whatever will help them take their mind off being on the road.