In just over 3 short weeks, the fam and I will be hopping in the car for a 7 1/2 hour road trip to sunny Daytona Beach, Florida! I am beyond excited – so ready for some family time, rear end in the beach chair, toes in the sand….probably something cold and tasty in a tall glass with an umbrella in it. (*wink*wink*)
I’m a planner…born that way I guess. So, naturally, I’m starting to make my to-do lists, what-to-pack lists, grocery lists…etc. I decided to share a few travel/road trip tips with you over the next few weeks while I plan our family’s vacation. Maybe some of my tips will help you have a great vacation, too! Each of the next 4 Fridays, I’ll be here sharing a little tidbit of goodness with you.
Today, I want to give you a few travel tips to cut down on stress so you can amp up the family fun!
Biggest piece of advice I can give: BE PREPARED!
My list of preparedness looks a little something like this:
- Schedule a vehicle “check-up” – tires checked, oil change, general maintenance. Be sure you have your jack, tire pressure gauge, spare tire, and other necessities, too.
- Pack a first aid kit to keep in the car – all the basics like band-aids, ointment, ibuprofen, etc.
- Pack a “hygiene” station – roll of paper towels, wet wipes, extra plastic shopping bags for trash (I also use a plastic cereal container with a plastic bag in it for our trash can.)
- Create a road trip play list – let each person traveling pick their favorite tunes, throw ’em all on the iPod, and when you travel, hit Shuffle! Everybody’s happy! 🙂 Me? I like a little Otis Redding, Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, and Jason Mraz….
{This is Mark jamming out playing his “drums” on the steering wheel.}
- Check/plan your route – especially for long trips. We are driving 7 1/2 hours, so we’ll be checking our route for construction and detours. We’ll also be checking for scenic routes that won’t kill too much time, but will make the drive a little more interesting 🙂
I hope these tips help you start planning a great family vacation! Be sure to stop by next Friday when I’ll be sharing more tips and tricks for a fun family getaway 🙂
9 Responses
And a six pack of monster energy drinks
Of course honey! 🙂 Can’t forget those! But they’re on the grocery list… LOL! Love you!
Just wondering… do you have a “To Do List” or some kind of checklist for packing??
I do! I’ll be sharing some packing tips soon, but if there’s something specific you’d like to know, I’d be happy to offer advice. Just ask!
That’s great! I have two small kids (3 yr old and a 9.5 month old)… I see us doing some travelling, at least day trips in the future/summer (beach, etc). And you will never meet a more absentminded person… EVER 🙂 So all the help I can get, I will definitely take.
Ugh… I forgot to hit the “reply” button… I’m the same “Anonymous” person. Look forward to seeing your tips.
Karin
So I thought about this for a bit and here’s an idea for the day trips:
– Keep a packed bag read to go – beach towels, diapers, Little Swimmers, wipes, sunscreen, hats, non-perishable snacks, bottled water, pool toys, small first-aid kit, etc.
– Make a checklist for this bag, put it in a Ziploc bag (so it doesn’t get wet), and attach it to the handle. Check it before leaving the house, and get in the habit of restocking when you get home, rather than right before you leave again.
– Keep a small “back-up” bag in the car you use most often – diapers, Little Swimmers, wipes, travel sunscreen, etc. – just in case you make a fun detour without your big bag.
Hope this helps! If you’ll email me (kthompson0412@gmail.com) I’ll try to think of other ideas to help 🙂
Sounds simple enough 🙂 Thanks so much Kirsten. I will email you right away.
Karin
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