Road trips can be messy and hard. I’d generally prefer to be on a plane. But for trips that are less than 10 hours away, it usually makes more sense to drive.
Nashville is great because of how many towns are within a 5 hour radius, close enough for a long (or even short) weekend. The longest consecutive drive we’ve done was 14 hours to Omaha Nebraska for a baseball game.
Some parents swear by driving with sleeping kids early or late. We’ve found the gamble not worth it. While there might be a nap included in the drive, most of the way, we are all awake.
Of course, every kid is different. Our general guidelines are planned stops, and packing well: lots of snacks, an activity bag, and screen time when it’s dark outside/desperate times.
Mapping
We always keep Google Maps up and running so we can keep an eye on traffic detours. Recently, even though we knew that we would be on I-40 for 200 miles, we were glad to have Google Maps running as it redirected for a 5 mile segment to avoid an accident. That detour saved more than an hour off the trip. Google Maps is also key to looking for finding upcoming restaurants and gas stations.
We like to plan for a stop every two hours. (with a range of 1.5-3 hours) However, if there’s a sleeping baby, then you drive as long as you possibly can.
Bathrooms
Our go-to for bathroom breaks are Loves brand travel stops. They have reliably clean bathrooms, fruit packs to buy as a healthy option and some kind of restaurant attached. We are also ok with TA and Pilot travel centers. Depending on the timing, we also generally trust McDonalds and state rest areas for the bathrooms.
Food and Snacks
Starting trips with some pre-packed snacks from our pantry (usually from Costco) is a good plan. Ellie loves when I pack tomatoes. A recent trip included: A bag of fruit snacks, cookies, and a cheese/nut pack.
The kids also have their water bottles accessible at all times and we sometimes pack a few juice boxes and gatorades/sodas for the grown-ups. Don’t forget snacks for the adults. Chocolate and twizzlers are Ben’s favorites and highkey keto cookies and pork rinds are my low carb choice as of late.
For babies, feed before leaving and then plan to stop to feed, whether by boob or bottle. While you can sometimes bottle-feed while in the car seat, stops are good for everyone’s sanity. Also, the family could benefit from breaks.
I advise that you take advantage of Google Maps for planning out restaurant stops. If we’re stopping for food and we only have to make one stop. Fast food like Chik-fil-a and McDonalds often have play areas.
Fast food doesn’t have to be the go-to option. Maybe there’s a grocery store nearby. This can be a good air-conditioned place to walk through and pick up some lunchables or sub sandwiches
Get Your Wiggles Out
This applies to bigger kids and parents more than babies Don’t underestimate the need to stretch and wiggle. If we’re trying to get through stops quickly, sometimes we’ll throw in a 5 minute mini-workout with intervals of jumping jacks/lunges/burpees. Another option is a one-song dance party. Alternatively, run to a tree and back. Just find a way to get some wiggles out.
Keep an eye out for unusual stops. If you’re not in a rush, stop in a midpoint city and walk around a zoo or playground for an hour. We love stopping at Peach Park in Alabama for ice cream and a playground. Between Nashville and Chicago, we’ve stopped at a children’s museum in Columbus, Indiana for an hour.
Activities
For babies, I suggest small toys like grasping balls, books that crinkle, rattles, and mirrors. These provide good distractions.
For bigger kids, there are more options. At the front passenger seat, we keep a laptop size bag full of activities. If it’s a long trip or multiple legs, we’ll only have a few activities in the bag and the rest packed away. Favorites of ours include workbooks, coloring books, stickers, crafts, dot stickers, weaving letters, and small figurines for make believe.
Car games are also great; guessing how many blue cars we’ll see before the next exit or taking turns naming farm animals or dinosaurs that start with the letter A. Don’t underestimate the joy of counting down to the next state or making shapes in clouds and staring out the window.
As much as we’d like, we are not immune to screen time. Our phones have games on them and we also have an ipad that is for the family to share. Favorite apps include: PBS kids, Khan Academy kids, ABC kids, Starfall, Candy Crush, and Sesame Street Kitchen. For “TV time”, our general rule is that the sky has to be dark, otherwise they should be doing an activity. Pre-plan out a movie or tv show download if you’re driving through areas with questionable internet.
Favorite Kids Activities (Click on images to go to Amazon)
Wiki Stix
Magic Ink
iPad with Cover
