When you embark on a road trip with kids, and you haven’t done it before, it can feel a little daunting. How are they going to cope with the long hours? Would flying to your destination be a better option? Then there are concerns over what to pack.

With a little time and preparation, you can manage a road trip with kids just fine. It would be tricky to do a last minute trip with kids. But a allow yourself some time to prepare, and you’ll be having a smooth and simple trip with the kids. Here are some of my top tips.

These Travel Tips Will Make Your Road Trip with Kids a Breeze

Skip the Car Rental and Go for a Campervan 

The thing that makes everyone grumpy on a road trip with kids is the close quarters. Opt for renting a campervan instead. You’ll give plenty of room to stretch out, entertain, eat on the road and pull over when it’s time for bed. 

Do Your Research

Once you know where you are going to be going, do a little research into things like stores and local amenities. You might be wondering if you should pack things like diapers, wipes, or baby formula.

If you map out supermarkets or drugstores that will sell all of those things, it will make it much easier for you. So take a little time out to do some research before you start packing. You might be able to pack fairly light after all!

Double Up Items

When you are planning a trip for your family, you do need to think about what you are taking. You don’t want to take anything that is unnecessary as you’ll already be taking a lot when you’ve got kids in strollers and car seats. So one of the best things to do is to double up on items. Choose things that can be used for more than one thing. Take a tent, for example. It can be used in many different situations. You could use it for a camping vacation, as well as for in the yard at home.

You could also use it for shelter or for a baby shelter on the beach. When you take items that can be used for different situations, it will make life much simpler and make your baggage much lighter.

Check the Weather Forecast

If you know what the weather is going to be like when you are away, it can make it much easier to pack. If you know that it is going to be hot and sunny, then you don’t need to take big coats with you.

Light jackets might not even be needed. The kids might not need many sets of pajamas if it is going to be hot either. As they’ll be too warm to wear them at night. So checking the forecast will help a lot when it comes to packing.

Take New Toys

When you’re on a road trip with kids, it helps to take toys and books for them. One idea that I have found works really well is taking a new gift for your kids. It could be something small, but if it is wrapped up, it takes some time for them to open it. It also keeps their attention longer as they have not seen it before. So it is worth doing something like that to help them travel. For gift ideas for kids, click here.

In Closing

With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to having an amazing road trip with kids. And who knows, you might even do it again!