The family road trip – an opportunity to make life-long memories, bond with the kids, and appreciate the destination as much as the journey. Or so would cheesy family movies have you believe. No trip is ever as peaceful and life-altering as they’d have you believe. Luckily, if you keep the following tips in mind, yours doesn’t have to turn into a nagging, noise-filled nightmare either.
Make Sure Your Car is Road Trip-Worthy
Breaking down in the middle of nowhere is the last thing anyone with hyperactive kids and a tired spouse in the car needs. While something can always go south, making sure your car is in top shape goes a long way toward a safer, smoother trip.
You can check basics like tire pressure, fluid levels, and the battery yourself. It might be a good time to have a mechanic give the car a once-over if you haven’t serviced it in some time. You’ll also want to pack jumper cables, a jack, a flashlight, and a first aid kit.
Plan the Trip
Planning is an essential and fun part of your pre-trip checklist. Creating a plan makes everyone hyped for the trip and gives you a rough timetable. This makes it easier to book accommodations and tackle legs of your route based on the time of day and your family’s rhythms.
Older children should have a say in deciding which attractions to visit. Making a detour to see something like the world’s largest ball of twine might not get everyone’s blood pumping, but humoring the kids will let them blow off some energy and not be as grumpy when rolling through long stretches of empty countryside.
Planning gives the trip structure, but you shouldn’t overdo it. Always leave some room for spontaneous exploration and inevitable lost sock or other mishap that will take two hours longer to deal with than anticipated. The looser your schedule, the less stressed you’ll get if an activity takes longer than expected.
Organize, Organize, Organize!
You can’t predict when you’ll need to pull over to deal with a fussy toddler or your SO’s pea-sized bladder. However, you can make the trip run a lot more smoothly if you keep the car tidy and organized.
On the one hand, pack the trunk so that luggage and other bulkier items you won’t be taking out a lot are in the back, while comfy clothes for the kids, jackets, travel games, and other items you may need to pull out at a moment’s notice can be easily taken out.
On the other, you’ll want snacks, reusable water bottles, and tablets to be within easy reach. Car organizers are a godsend for this. Also, have everyone use a trash bag so the interior doesn’t end up looking like the aftermath of a food fight.
Smart Snacking
Few sounds you’ll hear on the road are as frightening as a child’s grumbling tummy, and hungry kids are cranky kids. Luckily, the prepared road tripper keeps a supply of snacks for such occasions. They’ll ideally be healthy, like fresh fruit, trail mix, and the odd granola bar. Pack a few favorites regardless of their nutritional value in case you need to diffuse a brewing tantrum.
Either way, make sure that the snacks you bring don’t crumble or smear. That means chocolate is definitely out unless you buy some at a rest stop and eat it right away.
Bring the Right Tech
Road trips are the perfect opportunity to touch grass and reconnect with the real world. That doesn’t mean modern gadgets don’t make it easier, though. Wouldn’t you rather navigate using GPS or a map saved to your phone than get entangled with a paper one? We thought as much.
Family bonding and traditional road trip games should take precedence. That said, tablets used in moderation (and with headphones on!) will keep kids occupied while letting parents focus on the road and each other. Don’t forget to bring a power bank and an adapter to keep your gadgets running, especially if the trip will take you across the border.
Speaking of, don’t forget what leaving the country will do to your internet access. Set up an eSIM beforehand so you can use local cell tower coverage as soon as you cross the border, yet pay only a fraction of the price for even the largest data plans compared to what you’d need to shell out for roaming.
Streaming service offerings also change based on your location. Rather than face a meltdown because your teen suddenly can’t binge her favorite shows, simply set up a VPN on iPhone beforehand and have it change the device’s IP address to that of your home country.
Remember to Relax
How stressed you end up getting has less to do with what actually happens on the trip than your mindset. Taking things in stride and with good humor will help you avoid annoyance. Stay flexible and in good humor, and your attitude will rub off on everyone else.
We also mean staying relaxed literally. Make sure everyone gets plenty of sleep each night, and have your partner take the wheel when you start feeling tired or unfocused.
