During the holidays we do seem to spend more time in the car than normal.
Those long trips to see the family that we don’t live so close to or just traveling places that we don’t normally go.
Having an organized vehicle will make those trips oh so much easier for this holiday season and beyond.
First make sure that you always have small, quiet things that you can do in the car with the kids. I used to get the shoe boxes from the dollar store and fill them up with things I thought each girl would like to play with. Also make sure these are new to them toys. Nothing is going to get the “I’m bored” quicker than toys that they play with all the time.
Also, invest in some headphones and a splitter for each child. That way if they are playing video games or watching a movie they can do with out you having to hear what they are doing. Trust me, they may seem very far off in that third row but when the movie starts blaring you will feel like they are watching it inside your head.
Batteries. Make sure you bring them. Because no matter how well the battery life is on that toy or game at home, when you hit the road and are in the middle of no where, they will run out. And they will run out quick.
Trash bags. Have lots of them. I like to make sure that I have some plastic bags available for the girls to throw stuff away. I always keep extras so that we can toss out the bags often.
Drinks and Snacks are a great thing to have in the car. It is cheaper in the long run and you won’t have to worry about the dreaded “I’m hungries” or the infamous “I’m thirstys.” My only hint here is to make sure that whatever it is is non staining and won’t make your kiddo hyper.
Plan your trip out so that you get to stop at least every couple hours to stretch out. You will be amazed at how much better everyone will be with each other if they just get 10-15 minutes of down time out of the car when traveling.
First aid kits are a must when traveling around town and on the road. You will be amazed at how often I have to replace the stuff in that little kit as my girls get at it whenever they need something. You don’t have to buy a kit, although this is pretty nice because you can replace as needed, but you can make up your own and keep it in a plastic container in the car.
And lastly always make sure that you are prepared for the emergency. Make sure your phones are charged, that you know the names of the highways you will be traveling on, and that you have an Emergency Road Assistance Kit.
What? You don’t have a kit? Well you are in luck. One lucky commenter will win this 42 piece AAA Roadside Emergency Kit
Flashlight with batteries
Keep in your car
8 gauge heavy duty booster cable
Compact storage bag with handles
Most trusted name in travel
To enter just leave a comment with a travel tip or suggestion of your own and I will use random.org to draw a winner on Friday October 30th. That’s it!!
Good luck and Happy Traveling!!
Disclosure I was provided one Emergency Roadside Kit to giveaway on my blog.
Wow! You covered all my trip tips! Well, all that plus if you have a DVD player(we do), make sure you remember the DVDs. (We forgot once. Now we have a stash of movies that live in the car!
never push too hard take time to pull over and rest thanks for the giveaway minsthins at optonline dot net
My tip is to plan your route ahead of time and do a little research. I love my GPS! It tells me which way to go and I can find restaurants and gas stations in a couple of touches of the screen!
My tip is never drive alone without your cell phone so you can call for help if you need it!
A few tips are: Avoid rush hour traffic, Bring a map (the real paper kind), Bring your own food and drinks and make sure you have a lot of patience.
always avoid rush hour traffic and plan your trip ahead!
bg_sweeps@yahoo.com
Make sure you have snacks along
My tip is if you use your GPS to always double check on line to make sure the directions are correct and I often print them out just in case you have problems with your GPS (no signal etc..)
Always check tire pressure and fluids before a trip.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
We live in earthquake country so have long lasting food bars, weather wraps and a first aid kit in the car. Also Los Angeles is a traffic nightmare (as is most najor cities) so timing the trip is key to controling time and frustration
tvollowitz at aol dot com
so many great tips here,I don't get to travel as much as I would like and I will sure use what is suggested here. Thank u for the opp
kendraco22@yahoo.com
Let's see, I'll at do the list, bring a fully charged cellphone ( and car charger if it has one)and make sure you tell people on both sides of the trip, the route you plan to take and where you are going just in case. A miniature sewing kit and a Tide or other branded stain stick remover.
I always check out www. tripadvisor.com for all the best places to stay. Charlotte
charlottewinters@cox.net
Be prepared, be in the know,
Traveling safe is the way to go!
I have a 9 year old and a toddler. I couldn't live without the DVD player in the van on long trips, along with headphones and snacks!!! Also, we travel with lots of travel games, coloring books and window clings!
my tip is to always keep a few dollars in change in your car just in case, for tolls, meters, and emergency phone calls. you can reach me at shitstarter05 at yahoo
Always get a car check up before a long trip.
Always keep a couple of quarts of oil and a gallon of water in the trunk.
When driving through California's Death Valley it's good to have a couple of gallons of water in your trunk.
I like to have a few extra blankets and pillows in the car. You never know when it may get cold or the kids get tired.
tarynlc86(at)yahoo(dot)com
stop and take breaks often
Keep a few cans of pop or other beverages, some food that doesn't spoil and a flashlight, and to have your car cell phone recharger with you.
msgb245 at gmail dot com
Bring dramamene (less drowsy is my favorite) for the ones who get carsick. Also, those seabands wrist bands are great!
We'd complain the entire ride if we didn't have something to help with the nausea!
We always travel in a car with a first aid kit, a small tool kit, flashlight, snacks and bottle water.
dlhaley(AT)hotmail(DOT)com
wear sunscreen while you drive – most people who get skin cancer get it on the left side from rolling down the window.
Don't rely totally on a GPS. Make sure you have printed directions an/or a map of the area you will be traveling.
Keep an emergency blanket in the car at all times.
My best travel tip would be if at all possible travel at night,not much traffic an the kids sleep!
vlbelk(at)hotmail.com
My tip would be to wrap small toys in gift wrap and when the children get bored, give them a gift to unwrap and they will play with it for a while until the newness wears off. They you can give them another gift.
nanoarta1 at gmail dot com
We keep our outdated cellphones in the car with a car charger – any phone (no plan needed) can call 911.
I try to make sure that I have every thing that needs batteries is charged–cell phone, camera battery, dsi for the grandkids. Make sure I have snacks and water for the kids. I don't have GPS. Since i have the directional sense of a diseased lemming, I make sure I have good directions from Google map.
Before we hit the road, my husband always checks the car over to see that it is in tip top condition. He checks the wear on the tires, tire pressure, antifreeze, oil level, etc. In the trunk we have a crate that has extra oil, antifreeze, distilled water. I also keep blankets and flashlight in the trunk.
I get directions (map) before setting out. I keep road flares in car. We get out and stretch every 3 hours.
I always carry my charged cell phone with me in case of an emergency.
Always have lots of snacks and drinks. It will save you a lot of money. Thanks.
magic5905@embarqmail.com
My main tips are to always get out and walk around at a rest stop when they're available. Have some form of GPS with you be it dashboard GPS or a phone with GPS capabilities.
I have a “trip” list saved on my computer. When it's time to pack, I print a copy and don't have to worry about forgetting something important.
kg4rmt at arrl dot net
Make sure you budget in the time for interesting stops. I am queenesperfect at yahoo.com
Always travel light you can buy on the way
We keep extra small blankets and travel pillows in the trunk for long trips.
lenz.nicole(at)gmail(dot)com
Books on CD/MP3 always make my trips speed by. Get titles that will be appropriate for all riders.
Focus on the journey, not the destination.
My tip is to pack extra clothing such as a sweater or a light jacket. You never know if the weather will change on your trip.
My tip is to always carry towelettes to clean up sticky fingers.
My tip is to never drive without your cell phone
make sure the oil has been checked and the tires too
When you drive late into the night. You can usually negotiate with the hotel manager to get a reduced rate. The room would be vacant if not for you. . .
Check your spare before leaving!
You mentioned batteries, but almost everything electonic that we own comes with a charger – so I make sure everything is fully charged before we leave & carry all chargers in one tote for easy access on arrival.
Even a 5- or 10- minute rest stop does wonders for little boys who get tired of sitting in the car. We pull off at any exit with a restaurant and let them run (or crawl, in the case of our 11-mo old) in the grass and that will last them another couple hours of driving before they start whining again!
Always take your cell phone iwth you in case of an emergency.
ortizvelasquez at yahoo dot com
I am never without baby wipes, a roll of paper towels and several plastic grocery bags. When we go on a longer trip I throw in some deodorizing spray and clorox wipes. Let's just say I've had my fair share of cleaning up after carsick kids.
Toilet paper in the glove box. You just never know.
tdlsfm(at)gmail(dot)com
I recommend scedualing breaks and stops ahead of time and doing them around points of interest, that way you know when to stop for breaks and you have something to look forward to!
jennifer.lleras@gmail.com
My best tip i can give when traveling is always have a can of fix a flat if you dont have a spare or if your on a dark scary road you can use the fix a flat to get to a lit up place with people around. (chucosbabygirl(at)yahoo(dot)com)
My tip is to travel with plenty of water and healthy snacks. Thank you for the lovely giveaway.
sewmuchstuff at ymail dot com
My parents live about an hour away–but it's all uphill and on windy one lane roads–my kids get car sick every time–and there's no room to pull over–so I travel with ziplock bags–when someone throws up we quickly zip up the bag before it sets of a train reaction. In the past one would throw up and it would get on the others or the smell would set off the others and by the time we arrived everyone was crying and covered in vomit.
kakihararocks@gmail.com
My tip is to make sure you plan ahead of time, print out maps, and know where you are going it saves time! suelee1998 @ gmail.com
We always bring snacks for the kids and us,also portable gamesystems
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com
We always make sure to have plenty o Potty breaks so no one has any accidents!
heatherstamper09@aol.com
My tip is to know what route your are on and which direction and notice mile markers so that if anything happens you can tell emergency workers exactly where you are
Make sure you always have a blanket and a first aid kit in your car, for emergencies.
michelle (at) harrisbb (dotcom)
We keep a cooler full of ice in the back. It's good for boo-boos as well as keeping food and drinks cold.
We always keep a blanket (even if it's warm outside they can come in handy for various reasons, and they take up little room) and a gallon of water.
msurosey@yahoo.com
tip- dont wear an underwire brazierre thru airport security it will set off alarm I heard
bring lots of stuff for the kids to do in the car, keep them busy and make a few stops to let them run and play
susansmoaks at gmail dot com
family friendly audio books are great to listen to on car trips its like someone telling you a story and helps pass the time
i live in earthquake country so i carry granola bars, H20, a blanket and toothbrush and toothpaste.
I always make sure I bring small blankets and travel pillows for the kids. One time we were stuck in traffic in a stand still for 2 hrs. and this sure helped.wilcarvic
[at]gmail[dotcom]
My tip is 2 bring travel games,cold drinks,snacks,small light blankets&pillows,fully charged cell phone,battery cables & flash light.
Make sure you clean both your DVD and CD players before you leave for a long trip. It sucks having to buy a new one on the road…when you have like two or three at home already.