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As a mother of four children who has extensive travel experience, I`m here to help you plan your next family road trip!
Our family has been embarking on road excursions since my kids were just a few months old. We’ve driven from California to New York, and to many places in between! This guide features some of the best family getaways, as well as family travel recommendations. These insights are sure to make your travels more affordable, less stressful, and a whole lot more pleasant.
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Table of Contents
11 Best Places to Road Trip with Kids
The Utah Big Five
Hit all 5 of Utah’s national parks in one epic road excursion.
📍 Map site | Guide to Utah National Parks | 👉 Browse Moab Hotels on Booking site
This scenic southwestern road excursion starts at Arches National Park. Canyonlands National Park is nearby, as is the town of Moab. There is such a lot fun things to do in Moab — the whole family can go rafting, horseback riding, and more!
Then, head to Capitol Reef and the other scenic landscape of Bryce Canyon. Finish up with the cliffs and canyons of Zion National Park, one of the finest locations to explore in Utah.
💰 Save Big: Be sure to purchase an America the Beautiful Pass! It will more than pay for itself before this trip ends.
Southern California
See the stars, visit Disneyland, and play at the shore.
📍 Google Maps | Guide covering stops on a California self-drive tour | 👉 Browse lodging options in Los Angeles on an online travel site
You can stretch out a southern California road trip as long as you prefer – there`s always something new you can add to your itinerary! Head down the coast from Hollywood to Orange County and farther south to San Diego.
Then, head inland and back north to hit up Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. Check out our definitive travel guide to Los Angeles for even more enjoyable activities!
👉 Expert Suggestion: This makes for an excellent spring break road trip! Temperatures in the Palm Desert can be scorching in summer but are perfect during the other three seasons.
Independence Pass
View Colorado’s spectacular magnificence along a jolting mountain road.
📍 Google Maps | Guide To Independence Pass | 👉 Scan Aspen Accommodations on Booking
Taking an extended automobile voyage through the mountains is one of numerous amazing things to do in Colorado! The drive over Independence Pass begins in the vicinity of Leadville. It rises to 12,095 feet at its peak, and observers may spot bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and other wildlife along the route.
One factor attracting people to Portugal is its breathtaking shorelines. Thus, swimming attire or two is absolutely essential for this European location.
👉 Take Note: Independence Pass is usually accessible from the Thursday before Memorial Day until early November due to mountain weather conditions. Check the CO Dept of Transportation website when organizing your trip to ensure it is accessible at that time.
Upstate New York
Work your way through the historic sites and waterfalls of New York.
📍 Map of New York Route | Guide to Driving New York | 👉 Search for Lodging in Finger Lakes Region on Booking
Accommodations that are open to all genders at a comparable price are frequently less expensive than ones designated for a single gender. However, I highly advise females to seek lodging open solely to others of their gender, particularly at hostels known for social gatherings. This constitutes one part of multiple precautions and self-guidance for solo female travelers.
Take a dip in Lake George. Sample wines in the Finger Lakes region and marvel at Niagara Falls! Your trip also ends near NYC so you can spend a few days there too.
Nova Scotia
Enjoy a coastal getaway with lighthouses and lobster 🦞.
📍 Mapping website | Guide for touring Nova Scotia by road | 👉 Browse lodgings in Nova Scotia through an online booking service
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Seattle
Go to the historic Pike Place Market and sail to a nearby island.
📍 Google Maps | Seattle Itinerary | 👉 Browse Seattle Hotels on Booking
There are numerous activities available in Seattle to captivate children! Visit Pike Place Market, the top of the Space Needle, and the city`s finest museums and parks. Take an enjoyable ferry ride to Bainbridge Island and think about several other day trips from Seattle.
Lake Tahoe
Lake fun for kids and casinos for grown-ups!
📍 Google Maps | Things to Do in Lake Tahoe | 👉 Browse Lake Tahoe Hotels on Booking
Lake Tahoe features a vast expanse with activities for various interests! There are plenty of campgrounds and some of the best hiking trails in California. Head to Tallac Historic Site if you want to learn about the past. Go boating with sailing excursions, or rent your own through one of several nearby companies.
Casinos are located directly along the border between California and Nevada. Parents with responsibilities like babysitting or older children can head there for an evening out if they have help at home!
📚 Related read: 41 activities in California for kids to enjoy in 2023 (by a local)
Washington, D.C.
Take lessons from textbooks to real life during a trip to the capital city.
📍 Google Maps link | Things To Do In Washington D.C. heading | 👉 Browse Washington DC Hotels on Booking link
Washington, D.C. makes for an awesome road trip spot for kids who have studied history or government in school. Seeing places you`ve read about can`t be beat!
Spend time with youngsters at the Capitol Building, the White House, and the Lincoln Memorial. Other sites around town, like the best museums in Washington D.C., are also deserving of visiting.
Disney World
Summon your inner spirit of adventure and head to the country`s largest location of exciting attractions.
📍 Google Maps | Guidance for Disney World | 👉 Browse Accommodations Near Disney World on Booking
Road trips to Disney World contain an added advantage because once you arrive at this Florida destination, you don’t need to get in the car again until departing! You can access all areas of the resort by Disney’s buses, monorails, boats, or on foot.
📚 Related Reading: Travel Lemming writer Katie Neufeld spent 12 years working at Disney World. Be sure to read her Disney World Itinerary while planning your trip!
Boston
Experiencing history through hands-on activities is a major draw to this East Coast destination.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse accommodation options in Boston on this website
Boston is another great city for children who are studying the Revolutionary War-era in school. Go see the Old North Church which celebrates its 300th anniversary this year. Take a swan boat ride or visit nearby Salem for a day and learn about the witch trials.
Natchez Trace Parkway
This southern road excursion follows an original Native American trail.
📍 Online street maps | Popular Tennessee destinations | 👉 Browse Natchez lodging on an accommodation search engine
The Natchez Trace Parkway initiates near Nashville,Tennessee. It winds southern through the state and down into Alabama and Mississippi. There are many spots to stop for views and hikes. Be sure to visit the Double Arch Bridge and hike to Fall Hollow Waterfall.
🥾 Don’t Miss: Take a look at my guide to hiking with children to prepare for this and other family road trips!
11 Tips for Family Road Trips
#1: Keep Essentials Handy
Essentials can quickly become buried beneath cushions, blankets, and playthings in a back seat! Keep items like your wallet, diaper bag, and an extra set of clothes where you can access them without difficulty.
Most importantly, kids love kicking off their shoes in the car! Keep those shoes within easy reach for bathroom breaks.
#2: Pack Snacks and Meals
Transporting your own nourishment on an extended drive has several benefits. You can dine whenever preferable and aren’t limited by where you locate a restaurant. It tends to be more affordable, which is excellent if you’re embarking on a budget family excursion. You can also pack healthier foods than the junk sustenance you may encounter along the way.
We aim to pack mostly wholesome snacks and meals for nourishment along the way. But adding a special treat in the afternoon can lift spirits, just be mindful how melted confections may damage upholstery inside vehicles.
#3: Pack Colored Pencils Instead of Crayons
Melted crayons are even harder than melted chocolate to remove from a vehicle! Consider bringing colored pencils with a small sharpener instead of crayons if including coloring or drawing books, as these create much less of a mess.
#4: Have an Overnight Bag
Have one bag containing everyone’s things if stopping overnight on the journey to your destination. It’s much simpler to grab one bag for the night than unpacking the whole vehicle upon arriving at your motel!
#5: Pace the Electronics
We limit screen time while everyone’s in the vehicle. However, that doesn’t signify everyone has to use tablets immediately when the drive starts! We try to spend some time without electronics and take them out once people start feeling bored into the trip.
#6: Leave Early
There are differing viewpoints on this one. I know some individuals who prefer to drive at night when the children are asleep. There are two potential issues with that, however.
Firstly, you need to wake the kids up when you reach wherever you’re sleeping to move them to their beds. Secondly, kids get lots of sleep in the car, wake up upon arrival, and may want to get up and play at that point. However, parents are utterly exhausted!
Setting off early in the morning is simpler in my view. The driver can go to bed early the night before. You can put tired kids in the car in their pajamas with a blanket and let them go back to sleep. It’s amazing how much ground you can cover before most people are waking up for the day!
#7: Have Some New Toys
You don’t need to buy lots of costly items, but one or two playthings paced out during your road trip can break up the monotony! Obtain a fresh coloring publication, a moveable game, Mad Libs, or other small objects. You can even have a particular road journey bag filled with snacks and tiny toys and pull one out every few hours when people start to get weary.
#8: Stick to a Schedule
We aim to have snacks and meals at the same times on a road trip as we do at home. We also put away electronics and play quiet music in the early afternoon while the kids settle in for naps or quiet time. Keep to your routine as much as feasible, particularly for younger kids who like familiarity.
#9: Run Them Around When Possible
Attempt to locate a playground and allot some additional time for the children to run around when stopping for breaks or meals. Consider a fast food location with an indoor play area if the weather is unfavorable.
You may need to allot more time for rest stops than previously needed. However, the drive will be more pleasant! You could also save time in the long run by avoiding stops during major meltdowns.
#10: Be Ready For Car Sickness
Our record for a vehicle queasy child is 20 minutes into a road excursion. Her siblings then sang their unique composition, “I Threw Up In Thornton,” for an hour afterward.
Keeping children entertained and calm on long drives can be challenging. Factors beyond the winding roads like novel foods, heightened emotions over new experiences, and other elements may contribute to an upset stomach. Have bags, wipes, hand sanitizer, and spare clothing easily accessible in case of car sickness, though try to avoid mentioning this to reduce suggestibility.
#11: Leave Time For Family Weirdness
What brings me joy in family is each person`s unique quirks. You have yours, I have mine, our kids have theirs. Journeying closely together seems to amplify everyone`s individual qualities in an endearing way.
While you want activities and entertainment for road trips, leave opportunities for discussions that will only occur within your family. The unusual questions children inquire. The stories you share only when you are not stressed about work or pondering other things. The games siblings devise (although my kids invented a game they called “Slapface” which I do not recommend.)
You’ll build memories at your destination, but you’ll build them in the vehicle along the journey as well.
Essentials to Pack for a Road Trip with Kids
My collecting of items covers everything you’ll need for a vacation with the kids! Be sure to check it out and bookmark it for family road trips.
However, a family road trip also requires some special items specifically for the long car ride. Here’s a road trip packing list, including some items which might not be considered.
Roadside Emergency Kit
This is one of those things the greater part of us are glad to get however trust we never require! This streetside crisis pack comes with an air compressor to fill a level tire and ideally, get you to a serviceman. AAA has a few packs of shifting sizes, yet I like this one for the crisis triangle so drivers can see you on dim or forlorn streets.
Backseat Organizer
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It doesn’t take long for disorder to emerge in a vehicle transporting youths. This organizer is designed to corral the belongings kids will use on lengthy drives. Not only will cleanliness be maintained, but young passengers can easily access what they want.
The backseat child organizers include two storage compartments, permitting one unit to be situated on each of the front seats. Twelve pockets allow for drinks, snacks, notebooks, pencils, and more to be kept organized. There is even a dedicated area for presenting a tablet for kids to watch movies during travel.
Power Inverter
On long family road trips, we have found it necessary to charge many devices belonging to both children and adults. This BESTEK 150W Power Inverter permits charging through USB ports and has an inverter enabling charging of devices utilizing a three-prong plug.
Kids’ Camera
Kids’ cameras can entertain them well before arriving at your vacation spot. They’ll have fun taking pictures in the car as well. Let them click away to their heart`s content, or write up a scavenger hunt of things they need to capture while on the road.
The VTech Kidizoom Duo Selfie Camera is a durable kids’ electronic device that has lenses on both sides, so kids can take self-portraits as well. It also comes with 5 games to play.
Kids’ Headphones
For times when various media are consumed independently, these audio accessories work well delivering each person`s selection privately. Their battery lasts over two days and recharges swiftly. Volume control also looks after young ears.
FAQs About Road Trips with Kids
What can kids do on a long road trip?
Young passengers can engage in kid-friendly activities during lengthy road excursions, such as listening to suitable podcasts or playing on electronic devices. They can also participate in card games with siblings, engage in coloring, or watch movies on portable technology.
They can also play timeless road trip games which have been around for generations, such as “I Spy” or the license plate game.
How often should you stop on a road trip with kids?
How often you pause on a road excursion with kids depends on their ages and temperaments. Plan to stop every 2-3 hours if traveling with little ones during the day. Account for using the restroom, having a drink and maybe a snack, and allowing kids to burn off energy briefly before returning to the vehicle.
Plan to stop every 4-6 hours if breastfeeding an infant or driving with young children at night. Happily, as they mature, kids can generally remain seated for longer stretches before needing a respite.
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Hopefully, this article has furnished you with many pointers for your next road excursion with children. I wish you and your family many blissful years of road trips together!
