Family road trips can be fantastic. Vacation time is the best time to visit family members in other cities,
but also to do some sightseeing on your way there. However, there is another side of the story. These
road trips can also be very stressful. The roads are busier during the holiday season, so you may have to
spend more time than anticipated in your car, and let’s not forget the weather, which can mess up your
whole trip if you’re not ready for it. Well, in order to have a stress-free family road trip and minimize the
risk of any problems, you have to do some preparation and planning before you leave. Check out these
useful tips to make your road trip go as smoothly as possible.
Make a solid plan
Before doing anything else, you need to make some important decisions about the trip. First of all,
choose whether you’ll travel in your own car or get a rental. Once you decide on that, you should think
about the best route for your trip and if you’ll take the highway or stay on the smaller roads. The
highway is usually faster, but smaller roads allow you to go through some nice little towns along the way
and maybe see something new and interesting. Another thing to consider is the best time to leave.
Choose the day of the week and the time when there’s less traffic and make sure to take a peek at the
weather forecast, so that you can avoid any extreme weather conditions. Finally, if you’re planning on
sleeping in a hotel or a motel somewhere, make sure you book your rooms well in advance. Due to the
increased number of people traveling during the vacations, you might end up too tired to drive any
further in some town with no vacancies in sight, which can cause a lot of stress.
Have your car checked up
Even if your car is new, you should drive it in for a checkup before you go on a longer trip. Of course, you
can check some things on your own, but having a professional do it is a much safer option. If you live in
some parts of America or Canada, you’ll want to get snow tires, rather than the all-season ones. On the
other hand, if you’re Australian, the only thing you should worry about is the blazing heat. This is
probably why people there prefer their car to be repaired in front of their own home, to avoid venturing
too far from their air-conditioned homes or even offices. This is why finding a trustworthy mobile
mechanic in Perth is a convenient and simple solution for them. However, no matter where you live, you
need to check your oil and make sure you have enough windshield fluid. When your car is in order, you’ll
feel safer with your family in it.
Be ready for an emergency
Just like in any other situation, when you’re going on a road trip, you should hope for the best, but
prepare for the worst. This is essential, since you can never know what could happen on the road. So,
your emergency kit should include a first-aid kit, things like jumper cables, some basic tools, maybe
snow chains, a flashlight and some batteries. Also, have some warm clothes at hand, and perhaps even a
sleeping bag, along with enough water and food to last you all a day, in case of a snow storm. Load your
car with gasoline and get a paper map, so that you don’t have to rely on technology alone. Charge all
your devices, but also bring a car charger or a power bank, just in case. Have all the emergency phone
numbers at hand, so that you don’t waste your time looking for them if something unexpected happens.
Make your drive fun
The things you plan on seeing and places you’ll visit look amazing and you’re sure you’ll love all of them,
but don’t forget that you have to spend a lot of time inside your car. Making sure your family are
entertained during your drive is essential, since bored and nervous children whining for hours won’t
really make your trip a pleasant one. Bring along some games for your little ones, some toys or a tablet
computer they can watch their favorite cartoon on. Create a cheerful playlist, bring a book or some
crossword puzzles for the adults in the car and try being creative with your time and activities. For
example, you can all engage in a good old sing-along, or play some old-fashioned road trip games
together. If everybody is relaxed and in a good mood, you can use your car time to bond and learn more
about what your children are interested in.
When you invest some time and thought into getting everything ready for your road trip, there’s no
reason for you not to enjoy it to the fullest. So, be smart and have a safe journey!
About the author: Mike Johnston is a home improvement blogger and DIY enthusiast from Sydney. He is
a regular writer at Smooth Decorator and contributor on several interior design, lifestyle, real estate and
eco-friendly blogs. Mike’s goal is to create and share meaningful content that helps and inspires people.
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