For many American and Canadian families road trips are a rite of passage. Both Canada and the States are extensive countries blessed with stunning landscapes, lots of interesting cities to visit, beautiful National Parks and natural areas and a great network of highways and roads that make it easier to reach by car, van or SUV the multiple attractive destinations that deserve a visit.
However, family road trips can also be stressful if you haven’t taken the time first to prepare and plan the journey properly. Yes! Avoiding the apparently inevitable “ Are we there yet?” from the back seat is possible. Before you hit the road with your kids, consider these tips to keep everybody (including you) blissfully happy.
Road Trips in Covid-19 Era
Even though any form of travel poses risks, road trips are probably amongst the safest options according to epidemiologists and other health experts. They allow you to avoid crowded public spaces such as airports or bus stations, you’ll only be in close contact with your own bubble and you only need to be more careful when and where you stop.
However, a family road trip comes with its own safety hazards and it’s natural to feel concerned about spending long hours on the road with your partner and kids. Fortunately, there are many things that you can do to reduce risks and your stress levels. Here are some tips to give you the best possible start to your family road trip!
Prep Your Car
Believe it or not, not everybody realizes that having a car in excellent working conditions is essential for any road trip. Before hitting the road, take your vehicle to a reliable mechanic and make sure it’s up-to-date on its battery check, oil change, brakes, tire pressure and rotation, windshield wiper blades, and air conditioner.
Make an inventory of the items in your car to be sure that you have flares, tools, jumper cables, a flashlight, and any other emergency supplies you may need in case you get in trouble on the road.
It’s just as important to make sure your child’s car seat is safe, adheres to car safety protocols, and is well-fastened to the seat. A Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can check it to make sure your seat is in good shape and installed correctly.
Your child’s very first car seat should be a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the maximum weight or height limit specified by the manufacturer. Then they move onto a forward-facing car seat and then they use a booster seat so that the seat belts fit properly.
And What About Renting?
If your car is too old or not big enough to carry your family and the luggage comfortably it might be a good idea to rent one. Don’t let the agent talk you into renting a fancy sporty vehicle, something too big for you or an automatic car if you’ve never driven one of the sort before: road trips are not the best occasions to try things for the first time!
As a rule of thumb, opt for a vehicle with an ample boot space and bear in mind the driving conditions you’ll be facing.
Apart from investing in roadside assistance, in order to enjoy a safe ride you may want to consider purchasing a car rental damage insurance policy. There are many alternatives available in the market but not all of them offer the same coverage or are equally affordable.
From your own auto insurance to credit cards or the one the agent at the rental company will offer you, make sure you take your time to explore what each of them has to offer, their advantages and disadvantages. It’s very likely that an independent third-party provider like Bonzah is all you need.
Plan Your Itinerary… And Let Your Kids Know About It!
Having an itinerary is really important no matter how old your children are. Older kids may want to have a say and, if they are toddlers or babies, having a clear picture of where you’re going just makes things incredibly easier.
Don’t trust Google Maps or your GPS only; grab a paper map and take your time to map out your departure and arrival points, what you’d like to see along the way, gas stations where you can refuel your vehicle, hotels or motels where you can stay overnight and so on. Needless to say, calculate driving distances as well so that you can make the most of each driving period.
Do your research and check for alternative roads that may not be as quick but could be more interesting. Experienced travelers agree that the best road trips are those that combine highways and scenic roads.
Once you have things more or less sort out, start talking to your kids about the road trip. Allow them to make suggestions and ask questions. If this is their first road trip experience they’ll have plenty of questions and expectations! It’s important to include the kids from the start as they will probably be more helpful.
It’s a good time as well to establish some firm but simple travel rules so that kids know well ahead what’s expected of them during the ride.
When departure day is closer, make strategic seating decisions and do your best to keep children and cargo separate.
Know Yourself and Set a Realistic Driving Schedule
Tons have been written about the advantages of driving through the night as the children are sleeping but the truth is that being overtired during the day with one, two or more energetic kids on the back seat can be a nightmare.
With that said, nobody knows yourself and your family better than you so be realistic with your timing. Look at the route ahead and if you don’t like driving during the night or too early in the morning or you want to avoid peak traffic hours when traveling through a major city, or want to be somewhere at a specific time start your trip when it’s most comfortable for you.
Make Time to Let Steam Off
Rest stops should not be left to chance. If they are planned properly they provide plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs, let off steam, enjoy a nice meal, have beautiful picnics and visit plenty of interesting attractions such as historic sites, museums, charming towns, parks, lakes and waterfalls.
Rest stops are particularly important when you’re travelling with children as they can burn off some energy and they’ll probably tolerate better having to be restrained in the car seat afterwards. The key is to find stops that are going to be appealing for them and that at the same time are places you’d like to know better too.
For many families, it works out well to plan pit stops around meal time so that they can enjoy a more relaxed meal and then have some fun. The goal is to get out of the car and really stretch those legs. Bring an inflatable ball with you, a rope or a frisbee and get ready to burn off some energy! Plus, doing something fun along the way makes the car trip itself much more enjoyable.
Pit stops are also great to split long drives and change drivers. Being able to switch the responsibility behind the wheel and be in charge of the children for a while makes the journey easier for everybody.
In this Covid-19 times, remember to book your hotel room ahead of time if you plan to stay somewhere overnight or would like to visit an area for a couple of days. Being able to sleep on a real bed or have a delicious breakfast in the morning can really make you look forward to driving on the next day!
Snack Like A Champion
It cannot be overstated: you can never bring enough snacks to a road trip! Pack double what you think you’ll need! However, not only is it important to have enough snacks to eat during the drive but also make sure you have an interesting variety of them.
For some reason that is not clear yet, everybody gets hungry during road trips and therefore you need to include not only the almost unavoidable French fries, nachos, sweets, and soda drinks but also fresh fruit, plenty of water, cereals, homemade muffins, vegetable sticks… you get the idea!
Invest in a cooler or two as they make it easier to keep water, juice, fruits, vegetables, and even yogurt or hummus fresh. Hermetic containers are great to keep nuts, cereals, cookies, and popcorn crispy.
It’s a great idea to pack some basic food prep tools such as a peeler, travel cutlery, a knife and reusable containers to help you quickly prepare, store and carry food. It also helps to put up a picnic or a quick lunch easily and quick while ensuring healthy meals.
Since coolers and larger hermetic containers will probably be kept in the boot of the car and you won’t be able to stop every time any of your children are hungry or ask for something to eat out of pure boredom.
With that said, remember to pack individual bags with not-so-messy and not-so-sticky food and individual bottles for your children. Remember that you can always refill them at your next stop or you can have different individual bags prepared beforehand.
Keep Boredom at Bay
Road trips with children don’t necessarily imply having your children hooked up to electronic devices from the moment you get in the car until you get to the destination. That said, while you should provide them with different entertainment options so that you can avoid the so-much-dreaded “Are we there yet?”, it’s also true that there’s nothing wrong with boredom per se.
Take your time to prepare with your children a special bag where you can keep different toys, markers, crayons, books and comics, small magnetic toys, and devices at hand.
Needless to say, invest in a good pair of child-safe headphones for each of them as you don’t want the driver to get distracted with thousands of giggles and tingling sounds coming from the back seat, and make sure that you’re able to charge more than one device at once in the car.
To avoid the inconvenients of a sloppy or non-existent Internet connection, download movies, maps and series beforehand!
You may want to consider a new toy or two for the ride. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive at all! In fact, a small new toy can keep them engaged for hours as children love surprises! You can even keep the new toys with you and give them to them when the time seems appropriate.
If you’re traveling with your partner, one of you can sit at the back and share quality time with the children. You can point out to them whenever you drive past farm animals, a windmill, trees, or a castle! You can read a story out loud for them, play cards or simply play any of the old traditional car games you’ve played when you were little!
Invest in a lap desk as it makes it easier for older children to draw, play with legos or Playmobil’s as long as you stay away from very small pieces that can get lost.
Older children and pre-teens can alternate screen time with bingos, craft books, journals, scavenger hunts, card games, and other quiet activities that can keep them busy but calm as you travel. You can also teach them some essential reading map skills, which makes the whole trip more interesting for them as well.
Pack Like A Champ!
Nailing the art of packing can be life-changing in any family road trip. With long days on the road, late nights and early mornings you need to have everything at hand so that getting ready the next day is super easy.
From clothes to chargers and the essential first aid kit and sanitization items you need to take with you in this Covid-19 times, everything has to be well organized.
Packing cubes offer a practical way to keep clothes and supplies in order. You can have a packing cube colour scheme for each member of the family and organize items so they are easy to find: T-shirts can be in one cube, trousers and skirts in another one, warm clothes in another one, etc. Keep things to the minimum possible. You don’t need to have the boot of the car full to the top.
When deciding what clothes to pack, remember that “comfy” is the name of the game. Forget about tight and rough clothes and fluffy dresses and opt for joggers and sweatshirts. Car seats are constrictive and quite uncomfortable so make it easier for the children by dressing them in loose and relaxed clothes.
Keep an extra set of clothes for each child and keep those clothes in the car all the time. You don’t want to dig through the luggage at the bottom of the trunk to find what you need.
Have a sweater or sweatshirt, a spare t-shirt and a light blanket in case any of your children feels cold or has a spill-up. It can be a good idea to have a small soft pillow and their favorite stuffed animal as well.
You may want to have a special travel bag for overnight stops so that, if you’re staying at a hotel or motel you can leave everything in the car and just take a small bag with you. You’ll need a set of personal hygiene items, pajamas, underwear, and a change of clothes.
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