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How To Prepare For A Family Road Trip


Roadtrips are not just for summer. With the Thanksgiving holiday many people are getting ready to go on a road trip to see family, these may be shorter trips then the ones you do in the summer. Either way, a road trip does take a bit of planning.

Whatever your reason for a family road trip – whether you’re heading to a relative’s home over the holidays or you’re simply trying to let the road bring you together as a family, there are some things that you absolutely need to do before you head out.

If you don’t have the soundtrack, the snacks and the entertainment ready, then you can be sure that you’re going to be biting your siblings, kids or even your significant other’s heads off as if you’re 13 again within the first hour of the drive. Not ideal, huh? Here’s what you need to consider.

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Mark out stopping points

If there’s one thing worse than being stuck in a car for hours, it’s knowing that you’re stuck in a car for hours with no prospect of getting out for the whole time. A road trip is great because of the places that you visit along the way, so break up your journey a little by agreeing on some things that you want to see and stopping to check them out. No breaks = dead legs, bored family members, and a not-so-memorable road trip.

Get emergency supplies

OK, so you never think that your road trip is going to leave you abandoned in the middle of nowhere at night, but you can’t be too careful when you’re heading out there for a long drive. Do you have a flashlight, some blankets, and food and water in your car just in case? Of course, you’re unlikely to need these things, but it’s good to know that they are there. Should you need to fight traffic ticket costs, some emergency numbers are handy too.

Plan a scenic route

Although it’s important to think about the stopping points on your road trip, you also need to ensure that you’ve planned a pretty scenic route, too. Nobody wants to be looking out of the window at the same road for hours on end, so see what detours you can take to spice up the journey, and see a little bit more of the area that you’re traveling through in the process. Taking time to do this will really benefit you and your family!

Put a great playlist on

Though you may think that it’s quite easy to put a playlist together for your family road trip, you may find that this takes a little bit more care and attention than you originally thought. If your brother likes Metallica and your Mom likes ABBA then you have a tough crowd to please, so think about adding in a few songs that will make everybody happy. If you can smash the playlist, you’ll be a road trip legend forever.

Make some healthy snacks

While it’s great to stop at restaurants on the route, the cost of doing this can add up, and you’ll probably get tired of eating roadside burgers and fries after a while (yes, that is possible). Put together some healthy snacks such as fruit pots, veggies, and nuts, and don’t just opt for candy straight away. You’ll need the energy for when you stop at all of the cool places you’ve chosen, so stay hydrated, and eat healthily!





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