Eight Family Road Trip Tips to Keep You Sane this Memorial Day

Family Road Trip

Did you know that 31.8 million Americans will be driving 50 miles or more this weekend — up from last year’s 31.4 million and a post-recession high.

Do you have any Memorial Day plans yet? We don’t have definite plans this weekend but I’m sure my family and I will be doing some driving around to do something exciting.  But before you head out this weekend, check out these eight great tips from Cars.com/family.

1. Get a Maintenance Check: Check your car’s oil level, tire inflation and condition and windshield wiper fluid. Also, make sure you’ve got an emergency roadside kit with a flashlight, extra batteries, drinking water, food, battery booster cables and a first-aid kit.

2. Be Prepared for Anything: If it’s your child’s first time in the car for an extended period of time, make sure to pack Psi Bands or Sea Bands in fun colors. All-natural Preggie Pops use essential oils and aromatherapy to soothe the sickies away, and they’re a delicious treat on the road.

3. Set Your Playlist and Charge Up Electronics: Pack or download some music the whole family can agree on. If you have an iPad or tablet, make sure they are fully charged the night before. Be sure you also have the proper adapters to keep them charged while in the car.

4. Play Road Games: Whether it’s I-Spy for the little ones, Road Kill Bingo or even the license-plate game for older ones, find an easy game that everyone in the family can enjoy and feel part of the fun.

5. Make Fun, Healthy Snacks: Get creative with pureed foods to freeze in a Sili Squeeze – they’ll keep themselves cold and can be munched upon as a slushie or a sauce. They also keep taste buds from getting bored with typical “travel food.”

6. Embrace Your Kitschy Side: Plan extra time to stop at kitschy roadside attractions. Taking an hour horseback ride, stopping at a local farm or even seeing the World’s Largest Ball of Twine breaks up the trip and creates fantastic memories.

7. Unplug: Try spending the morning without electronics. Pack low-tech games like MadLibs, stickers and magnetic travel games. They’ll keep the kids entertained longer than you’d expect.

8. Ask Questions: This may seem obvious, but it’s too easy to get sucked into a movie on the iPad. Pick up a set of table topic cards to get the conversation rolling. You’ll be amazed at your kids’ insightful views on everything from new toothpaste flavors to which celebrity should play them in a movie.

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