It turned out my husband was right.
He often is. Even if I’m slow to admit it sometimes.
But, on this particular occasion, I was never happier to be proven wrong.
We’d just completed our first notable family vacation. One that involved a lengthy road trip with two littles.
And I’ll admit…I’d went into the long drive less than optimistic about its success. But my husband was convinced our kids would do great.
And guess what…they did.
Now, I’ll give myself a little credit. I planned well and packed all the family road trip essentials I could think of.
But I’d been pretty sure a thirteen-hour drive with a four and six-year-old wouldn’t be a walk in the park.
I couldn’t have been more off base! It was fun and enjoyable.
Even more important, it was packed full of the kind of memories that vacations are all about.
A trip to remember…
We live smack dab in the middle of the United States. Due to budget and time constraints, our vacation destination needed to be within driving distance. But we also wanted to visit a new and exciting place.
After a good amount of research, we chose Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The drive was doable. And the scenic mountain town was an American favorite.
Once we’d laid out the the basic plans, I started thinking about the logistics of the trip. Especially the part about getting to and from that cabin nestled in the Smokies.
I mentioned the drive was doable. Not short.
Especially for two young kids who’d never been on a long road trip.
So, I spent the weeks leading up to our vacation planning how that trip could be as enjoyable as possible. After all, traveling is a big part of the whole vacation experience!
Here’s the family road trip essentials that helped make our drive a big success.
Family road trip essentials…
Be realistic.
Consider the age of your children. Do you have a colicky newborn? A toddler? It might not be the right time for a trip across the country.
Or maybe you have elementary school age children? You might be able to travel a little farther. Either way, take into account your child’s developmental stage when picking a destination.
Kids are adaptable. But push them beyond their limits and your dream vacation can quickly spiral.
Plan well.
Spontaneity is much needed to keep life interesting. But, when it comes to planning a road trip with young children, having at least some kind of a plan is a good idea.
Research possible routes. Pick out highways with scenery you can all enjoy. Find options that include interesting places to stop.
We found it worked well to take our time on the way there. We broke our drive into two days on the front end. We made several stops and then stayed overnight somewhere in the middle.
On the other hand, we drove all the way back in one day. We made less stops and did some driving while the kids slept.
Every family is different. What worked for us might not be your best option.
But find a plan both you and your husband can agree on. And one that works out best for your kids.
Clean out your car.
You may be tempted to leave this off the list of family road trip essentials. And I totally get it.
Who has time to clean out the car when you’re planning, packing, and preparing to leave?
But I promise…the feeling of climbing into a fresh and clean car will start your trip off right.
It’s worth the few extra minutes to make it comfortable.
Allow plenty of time.
A road trip with little kids is almost guaranteed to take longer than you think. Whether it’s multiple bathroom stops or an unexpected bout of carsickness, there are sure to be at least a couple things that get you off schedule.
Avoid the stress of running behind by planning in extra time. The trip will be more relaxing if you’re not constantly playing catch-up.
And the bonus? If you’re fortunate enough to avoid any unpleasant surprises, you’ll have extra time to explore your destination when you get there!
Be willing to stop when needed.
Another benefit of padding your schedule is the flexibility it allows.
Are your kids going stir crazy even though you just stopped for lunch two hours ago? Pull over and let them run up and down the sidewalk at a rest stop.
Is everybody suddenly craving the ice cream on that last billboard even though you just had lunch? Take the time to stop for a quick treat.
After all, you are on vacation, right?! Don’t be afraid to make a few unplanned stops-just for fun.
But don’t stop too much!
That being said, you’ll never get to your destination if you’re never on the road! And when your little ones realize you’re willing to stop here and there, they’re sure to ask every chance they get.
You’ll have to reign them in.
Enjoy a break from the car when it’s reasonable. But stay focused on the end goal-that vacation spot you’re all looking forward to.
Explore along the way.
One of the best things about road trips is that your vacation starts as soon as you pull out of the garage. Some of your best memories will probably be made long before you actually arrive.
Pick out a few interesting sights along your route. Make plans to stop and explore.
Consider taking a couple of days to get to your vacation spot. Spend the extra time checking out venues along the way. It will break up the drive and make your trip more enjoyable.
Don’t procrastinate the packing.
Packing. My least favorite of all the family road trip essentials.
I loathe packing. Whether it’s overnight or for a whole week. It always seems to take forever and I never fail to forget something.
If you’re anything like me, you might be tempted to put packing off until the last minute.
My best advice…don’t. Especially if you’re packing for your kids too.
Make sure laundry is done. Give yourself plenty of time to gather it all together.
I always try to pack the day before we leave. If there’s anything we need to grab last minute (toothbrushes, phone chargers, etc.) I make a list and leave it on the kitchen counter.
I’ll be sure to see that list the next morning. That system makes it much less likely to forget something when we’re rushing out the door at go time.
Want to know exactly what to pack in your car to make your next road trip a huge success? Check out, “A Practical Family Road Trip Packing List.”
Make a road bag for each child.
My mom inspired one of the most valuable things we took on our Gatlinburg trip. She gave our girls a few simple games and activity books.
And that got me thinking.
We have storage box in our car filled with books and coloring pages. Why not make something similar specifically for our time on the road?
So, I filled a backpack for each child. I let them pick out several of their favorite books. I added new sticker pads, drawing tablets, and the gifts from my mom. We also put in all different kinds of things to write and color with.
Those bags were our saving grace!
They kept the girls busy for hours. And having everything in one, convenient place for each child kept things organized and easy.
Plan some road games.
As a child, my family took yearly road trips to visit friends in a neighboring state. One of my favorite memories from those days are the games we played along the way.
Long before smartphones and streaming on the go, my parents thought of creative ways to keep us entertained. We passed the hours with all kinds of fun games.
We were only limited by the scenery and our imagination.
Pull from some of your own childhood memories and see what kind of fun you can invent. I bet your kids will remember them a long time from now too.
Limit screen time.
When faced with long hours on the road, it can be tempting to simply charge up your kids’ favorite devices and pull out headphones for everyone.
And there’s nothing wrong with utilizing technology to make a long drive a little bit easier. But make every effort to keep it in check.
Lengthy time together in the car can bring on some pretty amazing conversations. Not to mention all the new scenery and fun road games you’ll miss with everyone’s eyes glued to a screen.
Our girls had very little technology time on our drive to Tennessee. And with a wealth of other things to keep them busy, they hardly missed it!
It’s not easy. But limiting screens and getting creative with how to pass the time is sure to create memories that are well worth the effort.
Need more inspiration to plan your next family trip? Check out “Five Reasons to Go on Family Vacation.”
Bring on the snacks.
We have pretty strict rules about eating in the car. Normally we just don’t do it.
But we make exceptions for long trips.
There’s something about lengthy drives and delicious snacks that just feels right together. So, we each pick a few of our favorites. We try to choose things that aren’t messy or hard to pack.
And we make a point to enjoy those goodies while on the road. It’s just all part of the memory-making process.
Don’t miss the scenery.
One of the biggest advantages to driving versus flying is the incredible scenery you get to enjoy along the way.
One of my favorite memories from our Tennessee road trip was the beginning of our early morning drive back home. We left before dark. We chose a scenic highway and followed the mountains as far north as we could.
As we wound our way through the edge of the Smokies, we watched the sun rise over the mountain range.
It was breathtaking.
I’ll never forget the pure beauty of that view. And the peaceful silence as we simply drank it all in.
Keeping yourself and your kids busy to pass time on the road is good. But don’t miss the wonder right outside your car window.
Take advantage of teachable moments.
Road trips provide many learning opportunities. And the teacher in me simply can’t pass up the chance for a good lesson.
But you don’t need an education degree to turn a road trip into a series of teachable moments. Keep an eye out for the chance to incorporate some knowledge into your trip.
It might be a history lesson about a passing landmark or a math problem about how many miles you have left. Regardless of the subject, the open road is a great classroom.
Use real maps.
I’m a firm believer that GPS is one of the greatest inventions of our time. But there’s something to be said of a good, old-fashioned map too.
Before we left on our trip, I printed off maps of the United States. As we drove along our route, I helped our girls highlight our path. They loved tracking our progress and marking off cities as we traveled through.
A genuine map to hold in your hand should definitely make the list of family road trip essentials. It’s fun and educational at the same time!
Do some night driving if necessary.
If your kids are worn out or you need to do a big chunk of driving at once, consider traveling while they sleep. Leave before sunrise or drive into the night.
It’s not always the most pleasant option, but sometimes it’s necessary.
Build in a recovery day for when you return.
Vacations are wonderful. But they can also be exhausting. Especially road trips. And even more so, road trips with young kids.
If at all possible, plan a recovery day into your schedule.
Take one day after your trip to catch your breath. Let everyone sleep in. Give yourself time to catch up on laundry and restock groceries.
This can be challenging. But I’ve done it both ways. And the extra day is definitely the better option.
Memories in the making…
Our girls still talk about that vacation to Tennessee. And many of their memories are centered around the drive there and back. The same goes for my husband and I.
Vacations play a vital role in building a strong and healthy family. There’s nothing else that can quite replicate a great family vacation.
And every family’s vacation experience should include at least one memorable road trip. These family road trip essentials can help you plan the perfect one.
So, wherever you’re headed, may the road be open and the memories be many.
Happy traveling!
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