A road trip can be either a memorable family event or a long, dreary journey punctuated by whining kids (or adults for that matter). Your chances of enjoying a road trip improve if you plan for it in advance. Carefully choosing road trip food and planning road trip games can make your journey more enjoyable.
Make sure your car is in good working order before any long road trip. This may seem obvious, but in the flurry of activity before a road trip, you may forget. People often assume that if their car runs well at the beginning of a road trip, it will get them where they're going. That line of thinking can lead to a long wait for a tow truck in the middle of Death Valley. Service your car and have a licensed mechanic check it before a road trip. Top off all oil, windshield cleaner and other fluids, and ensure your tires are properly inflated. Make sure the spare tire is in usable condition and that the car jack works properly. Pack or purchase a roadside emergency kit, jumper cables and an empty gas can. In addition, pack the following gear:
Where you're traveling determines what documentation you'll need. If you're traveling out of the country, pack passports and photocopies of passport information (keep the photocopies in a separate bag than the actual passports). You may also want to pack:
A road trip means long hours in the car. During that time, you'll need road trip food, entertainment and essentials. Pack a small bag with everything you may need in the car and keep it with you. Items you may need or want in the car include:
Road trip food doesn’t have to be just greasy burgers and fries. A little preparation can help you eat better on the road--for less money, too! Dry, nonperishable snacks make good road trip food. Nuts, trail mix and granola bars are easy to eat in the car, and much healthier than a bag of chips or drive-through fries. Fruits and vegetables also make good road trip food. Grapes, bananas and apple slices are easy to eat in the car, and help keep blood sugar stable during long trips. Baby carrots, celery slices and broccoli florets also make good one-bite snacks. Have picky kids? Pack a small container of dip for the veggies. A cooler really increases your road trip food options, as long as the contents stay cool. You'll need to buy ice for the cooler as you travel, but your eating options improve tremendously. Opt for easy-to-eat foods like sandwiches and tortilla wraps. Try to avoid eating road trip food in the car. If you have small children, you're just inviting a mess, and you need to take breaks during a long road trip anyway. Eating at a scenic lookout or roadside park will let you stretch your legs and take a break from the drive. Picnic areas also allow kids to run around and burn off some energy.
Speaking of kids, the last thing you want to hear from the backseat is a chorus of "Are we there yet?" Road trip games and activities help keep kids occupied during a long trip. Classic games like I Spy, tic-tac-toe and battleship can be played with only a couple of pens and some paper. If you've got two kids in the back seat, toss them a pack of cards and teach them to play Old Maid and other simple card games. Books, comics, handheld games, portable DVD players, MP3 players and headphones can keep kids out of your hair when you run out of road trip games. Older kids may enjoy taking photos as you drive, so consider buying a simple digital camera if you don't already have one.