We all know how boring, cloying, and ultimately disastrous a poorly planned road trip can be! We might not set out to plan it in such a way, but sometimes we forget about the importance of staying entertained on the road. Indeed, in between your destinations and accommodation for the night, you’re going to be stuck in one vehicle with the same people all day long.
If you’re a parent with kids in the back, this can end up being one of the worst experiences you ever have. If you’re a young adult with a load of friends out on the road, this might be the catalyst for never speaking to each other again. Either way, what was supposed to be a fun and exciting road trip,that allowed you all to bond with each other while seeing the world up close, has now turned into something you’ll cringe over for years to come. You might never opt for a road trip again!
To prevent a disaster like this from occurring, you need to plan for those moments when you’re likely to get bored or feel uncomfortable. Pack the car with items that’ll keep you feeling cozy, distracted, and entertained and you won’t have to worry about trying to stay sane amongst the complaints, arguments, and ‘hanger’.
Here are some tips for surviving the long driving hours during your road trip journey.
Travel Tips for Road Trips
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Make Your Seats Comfortable Before You Go
How long will you be spending in the car on this road trip? Most people can expect to be strapped into a seat anywhere between 8 to 10 hours per day, with the driving broken up into blocks.
Even factoring in the time spent on your feet when visiting landmarks, heading into towns and cities for food, and simply stopping to stretch, you’re going to be in your vehicle most of the time.
When you’re sitting in a seat for hours on end, it’s going to get uncomfortable. Your bottom may go numb, your back might start hurting, and you might run out of comfortable positions to put your legs in. That’s why you should make your seat as comfortable as possible before you go. Add a cushion for more lumbar support and make sure there’s a blanket in easy reach for when you’re sleepy. For anyone not driving, you can put your bag below the seat to act as a footrest.
You should also get everyone in the vehicle and make sure you’ve all got enough legroom – or failing that, as much legroom as possible.
Don’t Go Hungry
Being hungry on a road trip is bad news. Even if you’ve never experienced ‘hanger’ before, if you also know that you’re stuck in the car for at least another hour and there’s nowhere to stop for a snack, you may be dealing with it very soon!
Don’t let yourself or anyone you’re traveling with go hungry like this. Pack plenty of snacks in the vehicle and make sure there’s a good variation of things on offer. Trail mix, dried fruit packets, dried meats and jerkys, and bags of candy that give a little energy boost.
Really, anything you don’t need to keep refrigerated and has plenty of portions for everyone to have a few good handfuls of. You can take fresh food like veggie sticks and dips if you have a cooler, but don’t rely on these for the entirety of the trip.
Plan a Few More Stops In Between Destinations
A lot of road trippers want to get there and back again in as fast a time as possible. You know there’s going to be long roads ahead and you want to cross them in record time. That way you get to see the sights you’re here for ASAP!
But driving for more than four hours at a time can be a bad idea. You’re going to need to take at least one break before you head off again, even if you’re keen to get on the road without any fuss. Taking regular breaks makes driving safer in multiple ways, as you get to stretch your legs, have a snack, and even take a nap if you need one. Addressing your needs will make you a better, more vigilant driver!
As such, if your next destination is about four hours away, and you’re planning to stop around the second hour mark, change the schedule so you stop around one and a half hours and then three hours. This way you get two stops for the price of one and you still only have to be on the road for about four hours in total.
If You Pack Any Games, Keep Them Simple
Very few road trippers set off without a few games in their bags. From packs of cards to a solitaire app on your phone, to a mini chess set and a travel version of The Game of Life, you can take all kinds of solo and multiplayer games on your trip without taking up too much space. Whatever you do, however, make sure the games you take along are pretty simple to play.
Simple games that are a lot of fun are the best kind for road trips, as they don’t involve explaining complicated rules while sitting in a vehicle that doesn’t allow for privacy if an argument erupts!
They’re also games that you can just get to playing, and you don’t have to double check everyone has the right pieces or go over the rules one more time. Losing board game pieces is annoying at the best of times, but if you’re in a car or an RV, those items could roll out of sight and never be seen again!
Come Up With Some Creative Conversation Topics
Conversation can go a bit stale when you’re talking to the same people for days on end. Sure, you’re either family or friends and you don’t need to throw out any awkward ice breakers, but you won’t be filled to the brim with fun things to say either. That’s why you should come up with some creative conversation topics before you go.
If you have pre prepared things to talk about that wouldn’t normally come up in conversation, your chats can go on long into the night without a problem. You can even make use of talking games that rely on memory or improvisation and have a good laugh with them and truly be present to appreciate the gifts from the road.
For example, you take it in turns to add items to a shopping list, but the next player has to remember everything else the previous players have said before adding their entry. To try and be memorable and prevent people from running out of ideas, make sure everyone knows that the items can be ridiculous!
Keep Your Vehicle Clean
A clean vehicle is a happy one. Make sure litter is swiftly dealt with when you’re on a road trip. Don’t let empty cans, bottles, and wrappers roll around the floor. Take a bag to put them all in and then drop off the waste from time to time. Keeping clean keeps our mindsets in the right place, and you certainly won’t have to worry about stains on a rental car!
Make Sure Everyone Has Their Own Road Trip Kit
Don’t want to be responsible for all the snacks and drinks and footwear and amenities? We don’t blame you! There’s a chance your fellow trippers, both adult and child alike, will be asking where something is every 10 minutes. But if everyone has their own road trip kit and is responsible for it, there will be fewer annoying questions and complaints in the car.
These kits should include favorite snacks, a refillable bottle of water, and things to do throughout the journey. You can have separate stashes of food and drink in the back, but if someone wants specific items, they need to pack them in their kit.
This will also ensure people pack their own headphones, chargers and portable battery packs, magazines and books, devices and any games they want to play. Now you don’t have to make sure everyone will be happy on the trip, and everyone who’s coming along has to take some time to pack their kit before getting in the vehicle. That’ll be a huge weight off for you!
You Can Stay Sane During a Road Trip!
If you’re about to head off on a road trip that has a lot of uninterrupted driving, we don’t envy you! However, we can help you to break the stuffiness of the trip and turn these hours into more pleasant experiences.
Firstly, take double the amount of breaks you think you’re going to need. Then make sure there’s plenty of filling snacks in the car – and don’t let the empty packets and water bottles fill up the floor either!
And finally, make an effort to keep the conversation fresh and fun; having something to talk about stops the atmosphere from becoming silent and awkward.
