Planning a family road trip doesn’t have to be stressful at all, so long as you know all of the different components to take into consideration.
Planning a family road trip can sometimes feel like both the best and worst idea possible for a family vacation. The family road trip has a bad reputation for many reasons, particularly as the idea of staying cooped up in a car for hours on end while your children complain that they are bored can seem like a tiring concept. However, planning a family road trip doesn’t have to be stressful at all, so long as you know all of the different components to take into consideration; in fact, it could offer the perfect opportunity for bonding time and family fun. Here are some simple steps you can take to plan the perfect family road trip.
Get your children’s input
The more involved your children are with planning your trip away, the more likely they are to be excited for the vacation, and this will make them more willing to help out too! For example, you might consider letting your children choose some of the destinations that you plan on visiting on your road trip. Of course, giving your children free rein of the choices can be risky, as you can’t guarantee they won’t pick somewhere entirely unpractical. However, if you make sure to give them the pick of some pre-selected options that you have already approved, you can take this element of concern out of their decision making.
Start planning in advance
Planning doesn’t have to be the stressful part of your road trip. In fact, in many ways it can be the most exciting part, as you and your family can start thinking about all the fun things you want to do during your time away. For example, if you wanted to spend some time bonding with your children, then what better way to do that than by going to the library to check out some books on your chosen locations to do a bit of research together! Once you have an idea of activities that you’ll definitely want to do while you are away, make sure to book them in advance to avoid disappointment on the day.
Choose a comfortable method of travel
Road trips can be long and tiring, especially for young children, so it is important to choose a vehicle for your trip that isn’t only reliable, but that also has enough space to make the journey as comfortable as possible. For example, instead of traveling in a standard car, you might consider looking at RV rentals, so that the whole family can travel with a little more freedom.
Pack the essentials
If you have a relatively big family, it is going to feel like you have a lot of items packed for the trip before you’ve even covered the basics, so it is important to pack as lightly as possible. Try to take clothes that you can layer up to create different looks, and pack smart to avoid having lots of bags to try and fit in your vehicle. Also, make sure to pack the non-clothing essentials, such as drinks and snacks, as well as entertainment options for the journey.
