Family Road Trip Tips
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At least twice a year I take the kids on a road trip from San Diego, CA to Prescott, AZ which is about a 7 hour drive normally, but of course with kids takes quite a bit longer. Over the past 3 years, we have perfected the trip on what to pack and where to stop. This trek is mostly through the Arizona and California desert, so we always make sure to be prepared with lots of extra water and snacks. My Subaru also has the capability to have wifi, which I always activate before we take the trip as it works with having cell service through wifi calling and it is also great for the kids’ ipads. The wifi is only $25 for 1 month, and I cancel as soon as I get home so it only ever costs me 1 month and I feel its worth the $25 for that peace of mind if we ever needed cell reception in the middle of the desert.
When I first started to make the drive, finding where to stop was also challenging. I need a place to stop that had clean bathrooms, had an area for changing diapers and also a safe place to run around. The rest stops along the way, never had any changing tables for diapers, and the car was so packed, I couldn’t change diapers in the back of the car like normal, so I would be changing diapers on the front seat. While manageable, it was not ideal. One trip, I happened to stop at a Home Depot in the last big city I was heading through before the real desert driving began, and realized it was the perfect place to stop. The women’s bathrooms were spotless, had changing tables and a great place to let the kids stretch their legs for a bit. I just park the car, and take a long walk through the garden center and through the store to the restrooms. It’s the perfect first stop on our family road trip. I also found an outside, free museum on the way that is a great place to stop. There is also an app you can download called Roadtrippers that you can plug in your destination and starting point and can find fun stops along the way. This app is best when you are not doing mostly desert driving, but has some great ideas for break up a family road trip.
Of course, bringing the ipad is a lifesaver for when road trip fun starts to wear off for the kids, but there are some other great things we found that the kids enjoy for the trip. The Melissa and Doug water coloring is mess free and great for the car. This Blippi search book is easy for young kids as well. Here are a few more ideas that my kids love for the car ride:
Of course, before I make any road trip or long car ride, I ensure that I am prepared for anything. As I mentioned earlier, water and snacks are key, but of course, I want to be prepared in case of an emergency or vehicle breakdown. I like to keep a portable jumper in the car, which I love because it can also charge my phone. I like to have this car first aid kit just in case as well as this emergency vehicle breakdown kit.
What do you like to take on a family road trip?
