Summer is just around the corner, and what could be more fun than planning a vacation for your family? Longer days, a little less responsibility, and lighter schedules mean you can take a road trip and see parts of America you haven’t experienced yet. Our family has taken several road trips over the years and it’s always a good time to make memories.
Whether you long for nature in national parks and campgrounds or long for fun and adventure in the big city, road trips are a great way to discover new parts of the country or old favorites. The great thing about the US is that there are so many different geographies and areas of interest that you may not have explored yet. And because it’s a huge country, you can spend time exploring a new part of it every year.
But before you hit the open road, don’t forget to plan. I made that mistake once on an 18+ hour road trip years ago! Planning is important when you have kids, and traveling is no different. If you put in the effort to plan a great getaway, you and your family will soon say, “That was the best road trip ever!”
8 tips to plan an epic plan Tour with your family
Traveling with children is fun, but it also requires a lot of planning and preparation. But don’t get bogged down or overwhelmed by trip planning. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to planning the perfect road trip for your family.
1. Make a road trip plan for where you want to go
The first step to an epic road trip plan is deciding what type of vacation you want.
Maybe you’re hoping to spend some time in nature and go camping. You can plan a trip to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana or Arches National Park in Utah. Or if you want to do some city sightseeing, you might want to visit Chicago or New York City. There is a beach vacation where you can go to Florida, North Carolina or California. Or you can visit the mountains in Colorado or Washington.
When planning, also think about how many places you will be staying. Do you have one home base where you take a few day trips and then go home? Or do you want to make multiple stops and spend a few nights at each location? Do you need to fly somewhere and arrange a rental car for your road trip? This allows you to see a part of the US that you cannot reach alone by car.
Another important factor is how long you can (and want) to stay away. Do you only have one week left? Or do you have a whole month (or longer) for a cross-country road trip? The amount of time you have determines where you can go. Don’t forget to take driving time into account when planning how long you can be away!
2. Plan your route
Now that you know how long and where you want to go, you can plan the route you will take. To do this, use an online map such as Mapquest to set up to 26 different stops to create a route. Or use Google Maps if you’re going to fewer locations (up to nine). Choose your starting point, fill in the places you want to go and end with your final stop. The software does the work for you!
This is a great time to use online road trip planners. This one from AAA makes planning super easy! Browse their library of road trip routes and find the ones that interest you. From New England to Arizona and even Hawaii and Alaska, it will give you directions and fun stops to make. They’ll even help you find pet-friendly hotels if you’re bringing your furry friends.
One thing to consider is finding scenic routes to your destination. If there are national forests or scenic byways on your route, you can drive through them along the way. You can also drive one route to your location and then a different route back. This way you can see even more parts of the country.
3. Find great places to stay
Where you stay depends on the type of holiday you take. Do you need to rent a camper or camping pitch? You can look at national parks, state parks or other campgrounds for places you can rent. Or is a hotel more your thing? Some have packages that can help you save money and get more amenities.
Would you like to rent a holiday home? These are a nice option if you are traveling with the family. You’ll have more space to spread out and even put the kids to bed earlier if necessary. You also have a kitchen, so you can save money when you eat out. Some even have swimming pools or playrooms with toys for the kids!
Use a wider search area to save money if it is an expensive area. For example, if you’re taking a road trip to Chicago, look to the suburbs to potentially save money. You won’t be in the city, but you can take the train into the city (which is a nice experience!) and then explore the suburbs for some quieter days.
4. Find fun things to do along the way
Remember that the fun is in the journey, not just the destination. Build in time along the way to stop and see fun things. The world’s largest chest of drawers? Bill! The world’s largest ball of string? Bill! A quick Google search with the name of where you’re going (city or state) and “tourist attraction” will turn up some interesting things to see along the way.
This is also a good time to think about gas stations and rest areas. With little ones (and even moms!), bathroom breaks are super important. Stretching your legs is also important for everyone. Although it will not always go perfectly and spontaneous stops may sometimes have to be made, it is good to be somewhat prepared for stops.
5. Plan meals and snacks
Eating on holiday with the family can be a challenge. It is difficult to go out to eat with a large group. Sometimes it’s hard to find quality food on the road, and eating out isn’t cheap! Planning meals and snacks will save you time, money and frustration.
Snacks are a big part of road trips (my kids always seem to be hungry in the car!). I like to have healthy snacks within reach. This is especially important if you are driving through parts of the country where there are not many stops.
Meals take a little creativity and planning. If you’re staying in a rental home, RV, or hotel room with a kitchen, you can plan meals to cook. If you have a crockpot, you can have dinner waiting when you get home from a day of exploring! In a hotel you have to be a bit more creative with meals from your mini fridge or cool box. But you can always pack your crockpot and set it up at the hotel!
When I’m on vacation, I love to make a meal plan and have the groceries delivered to my rental property (if it’s available) or stop by the store along the way. Or you can prepare your meals before you leave and take them with you!
When we eat out, I like to look for restaurants that serve fresh, clean food. If you have dietary restrictions, there are great apps like Find Me GF to find gluten-free restaurants that users have reviewed. They have dining options everywhere (even in Europe!).
6. Plan your entertainment
Don’t forget the car entertainment. Planning before you go keeps everyone happier, but it doesn’t stop the “Mom, are we there yet” questions!
Music is always a great way to pass the time in the car. Create a playlist of popular road trip songs or share your favorite songs from your childhood. Of course, there are endless playlists for kids. Make several and rotate through them when you need a change of pace.
Podcasts and audiobooks are also a great way to keep the kids entertained. There are so many great kids podcasts available, like Story Pirates and Circle Round. You can find audiobooks for children online or through your library.
An essential part of road trips with kids are car games. Think of the alphabet game where you find letters of the alphabet on billboards and signs along the road. Or the license plate game where you look for license plates from every state. There are so many options for car games. This post has a lot of great ones!
7. Pack your essentials
When packing your clothes and toiletries, don’t forget the car essentials. These are things you want to keep with you in case you need them.
I like to pack all the important essential oils I need for motion sickness or alertness. Garbage bags are always handy to have (especially if you have kids who are prone to motion sickness). Tissues are also useful to have on hand, as are hand wipes and homemade hand disinfectants.
Chargers are also great to keep on hand. I like to bring something with a lot of ports in case we need to charge a lot. It is nice to have one with sockets to charge laptops, for example.
8. Go with the flow and enjoy!
This last tip is probably the most important! Even though you’ve spent a lot of time planning a road trip, remember to go with the flow. Any time you travel, things can get out of hand, especially with kids. The best road trip plans can unravel very quickly. This is when problem solving and positive thinking come in handy so you can quickly make the best of any bad situations.
Remember that your children are watching how you respond to setbacks. This is a good time to teach them that things can get out of hand, but it’s not the end of the world.
Road trips are a great time to make family memories, good and bad (!). You’ll have stories to share for years to come, and the bond is totally worth it.
Do you like to take road trips? What’s your favorite tip for planning a road trip? Leave a comment and let us know!
