Car Traveling Tips for Long Distance Road Trips

Since my family will be off on a long distance road trip in the coming weeks, I have been brushing up on a few helpful car traveling tips to help us survive the experience. No matter where you’re headed, these easy car traveling tips will make your long distance road trips a lot more fun!

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Hitting the road for long distance travel? No matter where you're headed, these easy car traveling tips will make long distance road trips more fun!

Driving Long Distance Can Be FUN!

My husband and I live far away from our expended family which makes visiting them a bit complicated. We could travel by plane across half the United States but honestly, have you checked out the cost of air fare recently? It’s ridiculous! So, instead of flying we usually embark on a two week long car trip which allows us to visit both sides of the family plus a number of friends all in one long vacation adventure.

Like these car traveling tips? Read these vacation planning tips, too!

Car Traveling Tips for Long Distance Road Trips

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Car Traveling Tips for Long Distance Road Trips

For those of you who have never spent two weeks in a car traveling thousands of miles, it is not easy to plan. In fact, I think military battles require less planning and precision than our trips from Georgia to Vermont and back again! We have been making this trip every couple of years for the last 15 years, the first one being when my son was 2 and my daughter was only a few months old. Yeah, that was fun…NOT! There have been flat tires, screaming kids, a few wrong turns and a whole bunch of chaos over the years but by now we have this thing down to a science! I thought I would share a few of my car traveling tips with you in case you are considering long distance travel by car this summer!

automobile engine being checked

Get maintenance done on your car before you go. 

Most automotive places will offer a ‘vacation’ package or 16 point service or something similar. Get the oil changed, the fluids checked, new wipers, new tires (if needed) that are filled to the right air pressure,  Rainex the windows, make sure your lights all work and clean out the interior (yes it will get trashed on the way but at least you will start out clean!)

You will not only save yourself a lot of hassle you will also make your car as fuel efficient as it can be which will save you money on gas! Car traveling tips that save money are always high on my list of things to do!

Car Traveling Tips for Long Distance Road Trips

Invest in AAA.

Honestly, I pay $85 per YEAR for my husband and I to be covered for all roadside emergencies and that is for any car we are driving. It is SO worth the peace of mind to know that if you break down on the side of the road you have somebody you can call!

Check your car insurance and make sure it is up to date and ask what sort of benefits it offers in terms of road side assistance. The AAA website is FULL of useful car traveling tips, whether you are going by plane or car so I suggest you check that out before you go!

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Know when to stay with friends and when to hit a hotel! 

Staying with friends and family along the way can be fun…or it can be a living hell. It totally depends on the people involved, their current family situation, and how long you expect to be there. Ask yourself if you truly want to stay with those particular people for the length of time you will be there. Don’t just assume their guest room is available.  Check with them well in advance of your trip.

And always be a good house guest! Bring food or pitch in some money to help feed your family. Offer to help cook or clean or even treat everyone to a restaurant meal a night or two.

Car Traveling Tips for Long Distance Road Trips

 

Don’t just wing it on the itinerary. 

Now, maybe this is just the anal retentive part of me but I HATE not knowing what the next leg of the journey holds! I want to know what city I am stopping in and what hotel I am staying at (or who’s couch I am sleeping on!).

Don’t cram things in so tightly that you have NO flexibility but having a general plan creates a lot less stress than driving at 11 PM and not being able to find a hotel because of some conference that is happening in town. That has happened to us! We were tired and cranky driving to the next town at 2 AM because all the hotels we came across were full. I wish I had read up on a few car traveling tips before heading out on THAT adventure.

Choose a hotel with plenty of amenities. 

It is tempting to look for a cheap hotel but honestly, some of the nicer ones offer free breakfast which for a family of 4 may cost a lot of money if you have to find somewhere to eat out. And finding a hotel that has a pool or game room allows you to entertain the kids without paying anything extra.

And if you can find one that has a wine and cheese buffet in the late afternoon, even better! Wine for mom, pool for the kids. Happy travelers all around!

Car Traveling Tips for Long Distance Road Trips

Pack a cooler! 

Trust me when I tell you that eating fast food for days on the road will make you feel very gross! Even the healthiest of choices at a fast food restaurant leave you with a ton of trash in your car until you hit the next rest stop. Pack your travel cooler full of fruit, sandwiches, cheese and crackers, nuts, dry cereal, trail mix, granola bars and whatever other healthy foods your family likes to eat. Pack napkins and reusable water bottles and don’t forget a plastic bag for trash if you are eating while riding (eating while DRIVING is a bit of a hazard but yes, it happens when traveling.

Just be careful!)  Stop at rest stops with picnic tables when you can and let the kids out of the car to run round for a while during lunch. We usually stop for one substantial meal per day when we are on the road. Eating out is very expensive and can really break the budget so try not to do it three times a day.

Know when to take a break. 

Some car traveling tips are just for comfort, this one could save your life. Driving can make you incredibly tired. There is something about sitting behind the wheel on a sunny afternoon that just makes me want to fall asleep. Consider passing driving duties off to another adult every few hours. Stopping to stretch your legs every 2 hours will keep the blood flowing.

My husband and I have been known to do a bit of jogging and light stretching at rest stops. Jumping jacks, sprints and other blood pumping activities will help get oxygen to your brain and keep you awake. Yes, people look at you like you’re insane when you do jumping jacks at the gas station but hey, whatever keeps you awake behind the wheel!

car traveling tips

Pack light. 

You do not want to be crammed into your car without room to move around a bit. We have a pickup truck so we are lucky that the suitcases, sleeping bags and cooler can go in the bed of the truck. However, the kids bring pillows, lovies, toys, games, books and the kitchen sink into the back seat with them. It is a tight fit but one they seem to be okay with since they do it every time we travel.

Start your packing list and to do list weeks ahead of time. 

I will be laying in bed at night and bolt upright going “OH! I need to remember to pack…..” There are so many things to remember…refill your medications, make boarding reservations for the dog, call and hold the newspaper, ask a neighbor to grab the mail and water the plants, figure out how to put your lights on a timer (I STILL can’t do that!).

If you wait til the last minute you WILL end  up forgetting something which will create a whole bunch of stress that will make your vacation very UNenjoyable!

car traveling tips

 

Plan for potty emergencies. 

When I made our first cross country car trip I had a 2 year old that was being potty trained. Talk about insane, right? We brought the potty seat with us (yes, we traveled with a toilet!) along with a whole bunch of extra clothes and bathroom wipes. Along with a bag for disposal. We STILL travel with bathroom wipes because do you know how many gas stations are out of toilet paper at 3 AM? Seriously, more than you would think!

There is nothing I hate more than drip drying on a long distance car ride. And with kids, potty emergencies are ten times worse! Bring toilet paper, wet cleansing wipes and a plastic grocery bag. Whether you are dealing with a messy 2 year old, a teenager locked in a gas station bathroom with no toilet paper, or an emergency roadside tree visit in the middle of nowhere you will be VERY happy that you planned for this particular emergency!

Long distance road trips can be a lot of fun and are a really great family bonding experience. Provided that you don’t maybe strangle your family before the trip is over! (kidding!) Start your trip with an open mind and a flexible schedule and you will have a wonderful journey.

Have any other car traveling tips to share?

 

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8 thoughts on “Car Traveling Tips for Long Distance Road Trips”

  1. These are great tips. We had a spontaneous road trip last year, and while it wasn’t terrible, I wish I was able to research and have a set itinerary. Long road trips with a 2 year old are not pleasant, especially when she isn’t used to being in the car for so long. Next time, I will need to bring a portable dvd player so that she has something to keep her entertained while we’re on a long drive.

    Reply
  2. These are some great tips. I am planning a lengthy road trip and love the tip about having a loose plan so we can know where are sleeping each night.

    Reply
  3. We usually travel 9 hours to my in-laws. Those are all great tips you shared. We had to learn the hard way about getting maintenance on the car before we go! We do stay at a hotel, because it gives us a break, and we make sure it’s one that has breakfast every day. I would love to be able to plan ahead, but my husband usually decides a day or two before that we’re going to go!

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  4. I love all of these tips to traveling in the car this Summer, or really all year round! You have really thought of everything here and I hope it hepls others enjoy travel together!

    Reply
  5. These are all great tips. I didn’t even need this to give me the idea to plan and pack weeks ahead of time. I am so anal about it, I usually have a packing list ready to go at least 6 months ahead of time.

    Reply
  6. I love traveling. Travel gives you more experience, i have had those experience in my traveling. Last year i have had a car travel. It is quite interesting compare to others. It will gives you peaceful moment. Here in your article, providing a tips was very interesting.

    Reply

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