Planning A Family Road Trip This Year? Here’s How You Do It
Looking back, the time spent exploring new destinations with the nearest and dearest to you are the happiest memories. A plane ride was out of the question, so the prospect of a car trip induced giddy anticipation – with dad behind the wheel, your mom in the front seat, you and your siblings in the back, you would turn up the music and stop for fresh bagels and coffee. These trips weren’t extravagant, but they indeed were perfect.
You can and should influence the present, so give your kids a better childhood than you experienced without spoiling them. Nowadays, it seems like everyone wants life-changing bucket-list trips when they can just as easily opt for short excursions or do something special, creating long-lasting memories with the family. If you want to keep your vacations simple, here’s how to plan a road trip from start to finish.
Have An Idea Of Where You Want To Go
When you decide to take a family road trip, you’re less tempted to spend your hard-earned cash on worthless objects, and if you’re heading somewhere remote, you ensure your children are culturally aware, respectful of others, and maintain an open-minded outlook on life. Planning your next adventure can be a frustrating experience, especially if you’re bad with time management. Some brains are wired for order, others aren’t, but you can build resilience with planning. Where do you want to go? What’s the best route to take?
Map your route ahead of time so you’ll have a smooth and enjoyable trip. Spontaneous diversions are appropriate only in specific situations, and it’s critical to recognize when and where they’re suitable. To give yourself peace of mind, use travel guides, copy other people’s plans, or leverage Google Maps to create custom maps with multiple layers. For example, you can head to the Jurassic Coast, with stunning sea views, sandy beaches, and miles of coastal walks. You can hire a mobile home or even do a B&B.
Find Good Places To Eat, Cheap Gas, And Other Helpful Stuff
Research the favourites of local foodies on Instagram or TikTok using keywords such as “best brunch spots” or “best brunch restaurants near me.” You’ll enjoy your adventure more if your stomach is full. It’s better to eat something than to skip a meal altogether. Better yet, you can eat your way through the farmers’ market, where there’s a huge selection of fresh ingredients. Local markets are the best places to hear about great places to dine.
Whether you’re embarking on a short weekend getaway or a cross-country adventure, have a clear idea of your travel expenses from the very get-go. Estimate your mileage, that is, take note of the number of miles your car is likely to travel and include notable attractions along the way to plan more efficiently. Gas consumption goes up with speed, so if your car has cruise control, turn it on to avoid the constant change in acceleration and deceleration.
Given the choice between sitting in traffic and hitting the highway, anyone would prefer smooth sailing, but sometimes, you’ll have to make compromises. If you’re involved in a traffic collision – let’s hope not – you may be entitled to compensation for vehicle damage and other losses, but you must first prove you’re not responsible for the incident. Don’t let your dream vacation turn into hell. The risk of a crash is higher at night, so remain vigilant, as lights from other vehicles can temporarily blind you.
Strike The Right Tech Balance
The amount of time your kids spend using technology is harmful to their mental health, often leading to dependency and addiction-like behaviours, so take a technology-free vacation. If you can’t ban technology entirely, at least put limits on its use. Establish specific times during the day, such as in the evening when you’re back in the hotel; you can use a timer or set an alarm on your phone. Youngsters become immersed in their screens, but you can break things up with activities like reading or roleplay activity.
Have your loved ones use their phone or tablet’s camera outside the car. For example, they can take pictures of the coolest or funniest things they see to create a digital photo album they can share with their friends. Equally, you can have a trivia quiz based on your children’s favourite TV shows, music, movies, and other special interests, just write down the questions before leaving home. It can be hard to get the little ones to wrap their brains around a tech-free trip, but it’s worth giving it a shot.
Make Sure Your Car Is Reliable And Ready To Go
There are countless sites to help you find the perfect stop along the way, so when you need a hotel, you don’t have to sift through tons of options. Travel can be tough on your car. Have it inspected by a professional to have guarantee the memories you’ll create will be good ones. A complete checklist will include the tires, headlights and tail lights, car battery, oil change, brakes, vehicle fluids, and belts and hoses.
You should spend more time in fewer places and dig deep. If you don’t want to let your vehicle ruin your next adventure, solve any issues before heading off – you can use an OBD scanner to see what error prompted the warning lights. Prior to the trip, clean out the trash in your car, so you have more space for things like luggage and snacks. And lastly, have an emergency kit to help in case of breakdowns.
Wrapping It Up
There’s no better way to connect with your family and enjoy quality time together than cramming into your car and hitting the road. Planning doesn’t have to take a long time, but know where you’re going and what points of interest are along the way; get the kids to research the destinations. Safety must be a top priority, so handle any necessary repairs before the trip and stay focused and alert to avoid an accident.
