Family road trips can become some of your most treasured memories…or your biggest headaches. With a little planning and a few family meetings, you can have a fun adventure you will all remember for years.
RoadTrip America offers these travel tips:
Get ready …
- Hold a planning meeting with your family and pull up a big map on a screen. Talk about where you’re headed (Grandma’s house or Aunt Carol’s place), and see if there are any fun attractions along the way.
- Decide whether you will make reservations for your lodgings ahead of time or if everyone is comfortable staying with relatives.
- Consider assigning part of a day to each child to plan activities and stops.
- Have your vehicle checked out by a mechanic.
Get set …
- Pack a "Go Kit" with food, water, maps, weather-appropriate outerwear (rain jackets, blankets, etc.), a first-aid kit, hand sanitizer, extra disposable masks, and essential safety devices and tools.
- Charge your tablets, laptops, phones, and portable DVD players, and be sure to pack the chargers and power banks in your bags.
- Pack a cooler with plenty of water and healthy snacks, including fruits and vegetables. Include enough ice packs to keep the cooler below 40 degrees.
Go!
- Remember that road trips become part of family lore; keep the pace relaxed and fun, not overly ambitious or stressful.
- Take the unexpected exit and make it a true adventure.
- Take frequent breaks at rest stops. Get everyone out of the car to stretch and walk a bit.
- Eat in unique, nonchain restaurants when possible. Mom and Pop restaurants have really suffered this year, so if you’re stopping to eat, try to find a local diner.
- Stay socially distanced and safe!
- Be patient. Drive fewer hours and spend more time enjoying each location.
- Drive safely.
By following these tips, your family will have a happy adventure you will all remember for years.
