14 Tips for Planning a Family Road Trip

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 …

1. 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.
2. Decide whether you will make reservations for your lodgings ahead of time or if everyone is comfortable staying with relatives.
3. Consider assigning part of a day to each child to plan activities and stops.
4. Have your vehicle checked out by a mechanic.

Get set …

5. 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.
6. Charge your tablets, laptops, phones, and portable DVD players, and be sure to pack the chargers and power banks in your bags.
7. 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!

8. Remember that road trips become part of family lore; keep the pace relaxed and fun, not overly ambitious or stressful.
9. Take the unexpected exit and make it a true adventure.
10. Take frequent breaks at rest stops. Get everyone out of the car to stretch and walk a bit.
11. 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.
12. Stay socially distanced and safe!
13. Be patient. Drive fewer hours and spend more time enjoying each location.
14. Drive safely.

By following these tips, your family will have a happy adventure you will all remember for years.