Who says road trips with kids have to be miserable? With a little creativity and some clever family road trip hacks, you can transform your hours-long “Are we there yet?” broken record into an enjoyable and memorable drive.
Here are our 25 must-try road trip tips that help will keep your next family adventure from flying off the rails. If you’re traveling with kids on your next road trip, then these road trip hacks will help save your sanity and guarantee a much smoother long car ride.
And if you’re looking to easily plan your next road trip, we have a free travel planner to help you plan your trip from beginning to end!
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Here are our top 25 family road trip hacks to keep you sane on your next long drive:
Scout Out Bathroom Breaks
Don’t wait until it’s an emergency. Download the Flush Toilet Finder app, so you’ll be able to scout out all the nearby public restrooms and avoid any side-of-the-road potty breaks.
Plan Your Route with Apps
Use apps like Roadtrippers to discover scenic routes and hidden gems. Schedule fun pit stops to stretch and explore quirky attractions. Turn an otherwise painful journey into a family adventure.
Navigation Helpers
Get older kids involved with navigation apps or paper maps. Teach them basic skills and make them feel like co-pilots on the journey.
DIY Mess Clean-Up Kit
Equip your car with a DIY mess clean-up kit that will have you prepared for spills, car sickness, or any other unwelcome accidents. Complete it with a bath towel, gallon-size Ziploc bags, grocery sacks, wet wipes, sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer, paper towels, bottled water, and a spray upholstery cleaner. You’ll be thanking yourself down the road.
Car Sickness Survival Kit
Pack Dramamine, ginger candies, motion sickness patches, Gatorade, and salty snacks to help combat nausea. Keep your clean-up kit on hand for emergencies. As a sufferer of motion sickness, this is a must-have for every road trip!
DIY Car Emergency Kit
Put together a DIY emergency kit with supplies for vehicle repair, first aid kit, and weather protection. You never know what you might experience out on the road and you don’t want to be caught in the middle of nowhere without supplies in the case of an emergency.
Car Organizers and Storage Hacks
Use over-the-seat organizers, trunk bins, and under-seat storage. Label compartments for easy access to snacks, toys, and gadgets. A little order does a lot to your sanity when you’re spending hours on long rides.
Ditch the Dirt
Keep the sand, crumbs, and dirt under control with the rechargeable car vacuum. Kiddo spill a bag of Cheetos on the backseat car floor? Did a day at the beach mean a layer of sand everywhere? Stay on top of it with the handheld vacuum.
DIY Car Trash Can
Use a large plastic container lined with a grocery sack or small garbage bag as a makeshift trash can. Keep trash contained and dispose of it easily at rest stops.
Fitted Sheet Seat Covers
Cover the back seats with a fitted sheet to catch crumbs and spills. Cleaning up is a breeze – just shake out the sheet and toss it in the wash.
Snack Attack Containers
Pack healthy snacks, things like cereal, pretzels, dried fruit, or trail mix in reusable containers. Avoid messy food and keep everyone happy and fed. You’ll save money and eat much healthier this way!
Hydration Station
Ensure everyone has a reusable, insulated water bottle that you can keep filled the entire trip. Instead of reaching for another soda or juice, have cold water on hand to help cut the sugar habits. Keep some extra water bottles in the cooler for easy refills or hit up a drive-thru and ask for cups of ice water.
Individual Activity Bags
Create personalized activity packs with sticker books, fidgets, toys, puzzles, and coloring supplies. Rotate items to keep kids entertained and curious. If you’re short on space, I love these binder-sized activity kits by MamaPapaBubba!
Essential Front Seat Caddy
Repurpose these diaper caddies to keep all your road trip essentials on hand in the front seat. You can stash tissues, chargers, headphones, medicine, money, etc for easy access. It’s a great way to keep everything you need within reach.
Audiobook and Podcast Party
Download kid-friendly audiobooks and podcasts to keep the little minds engaged during your road trip. Use Bluetooth or portable speakers to share the experience and enjoy the ride together.
Road Trip Playlist Extravaganza
Compile a killer playlist with everyone’s favorite tunes to make a long ride much more enjoyable. Take turns DJing and keep the vibes high and positive.
Interactive Car Games Bonanza
Plan road trip games like “I Spy,” “20 Questions,” and road trip bingo. Use travel game boards and free printable game sheets to keep the fun rolling.
Watch a Movie in Your Backseat Cinema
Turn the backseat into a mini cinema with a tablet or portable DVD player. Pre-load movies and shows the kids like and let them enjoy their favorite flicks. This is my kiddos’ favorite way to pass the time on a road trip.
Comfort is King
Dress in comfy layers to adjust to changing temps. Also, be sure to pack a cozy blanket and travel pillow for maximum comfort and shut-eye.
Frequent Fun Breaks
Set alarms for regular stretch and play breaks. Find parks or rest areas with play spaces to let kids burn off energy and break up the long stretches sitting in the car.
Road Trip Rewards
Establish fun ground rules and reward kids for making good choices. Bring small inexpensive toys, or special snacks, or plan fun stops as rewards.
Memory Makers
Task the kids with capturing memories. Whether you choose to kick it old school with a Polaroid camera or try out the newest photo editing app, kids will love being the photographers during your road trip journey.
Magnetic Games for the Car
Give the kids magnetic boards and pieces for favorite board games like tic-tac-toe, Yahtzee, or Connect Four: no more lost pieces and endless entertainment for kids. You can easily turn any game into a magnetic car game with this DIY magnetic game guide by Choose to Thrive.
DIY Window Art
Let the kids use dry-erase markers or washable window markers to draw on the car windows. It’s a creative outlet for both the big and little ones when you’re out of ideas and can be easily cleaned off at the end of the trip. And the kids will think you’re a super fun parent.
End-of-Day Reflection Time
Wrap up each day with a family debrief. Give the kids journals if they enjoy writing or drawing their thoughts. Share highlights and plan for the next day’s adventures. It’s a great way to bond and reflect on the fun moments.
Wrapping Up: 25 Family Road Trip Hacks
With these 25 family road trip hacks, we promise that your family road trip will be way more enjoyable and way less chaotic. Stay organized, keep the vibes high and frustrations low, and make unforgettable memories on the road. The journey to and from your destination is part of the experience of family travel and the memories your family is making on the road will last a lifetime. Happy trails!
