Family road trips can seem like an ordeal that aren’t worth the trouble. Sure, getting in the car to travel is a lot easier and safer than getting on a train or a plane, but it can get cramped and noisy when all the kids are together, and who knows when the questions will start! However, not every family road trip has to work out like this… 

Once you’ve come back from your trip for one, going real wild down back roads, and realized just how much fun you had doing so, it’s time to bring the family on a similar trip! Because make no mistake, family road trips can be a lot of fun when they’re done right, and we’re here with this post to try and help you plan this kind of adventure out properly. So here are our top tips for taking your whole family on the road together, with little to no complaints from the back seats!

The Right Car Gear

Car gear is quite a broad category, so let’s narrow it down a little: when you head to the nearest car accessory shop, buy and pack anything that could help keep the kids comfortable in their seats for the longest period of time. For example, belt cushions and/or positioners, for the younger ones, as well as ergonomic booster seats to keep their muscles from getting ‘pins and needles’ on long drives. 

You should also think about organisers that attach to the back of seats as well, for the kids to keep all of their things in, neatly and in order, to stop the car from becoming a real pig sty! You won’t have as many questions or complaints about not being able to find a toy or book, and pens won’t leak all over the seats when one of your kids inevitably loses the lid and just lets the pen nib roll all over the place. All in all, invest in things to keep the kids occupied. 

The Right Tech

Tech is going to benefit both you, as the driver, and the kids you’ve got in the backseat. It’ll keep you all from getting bored, or feeling like you’re cut off from the rest of the world, and that’s very important on a road trip. We’re sure you’ve got most of the tech you already need, so we’ll keep this brief. Most of all, make sure you bring a car friendly charger for your smartphone! 

Aside from this, you can really take your pick. Maybe you could get a portable DVD player and screens, for attaching to the back of head rests, to keep the kids quiet on the longer periods of the drive. You could also create some kid friendly music playlists, for putting on when you all fancy a sing-song together, or even to just lull your kids to sleep with audiobooks when it’s getting late and you’re not to the hotel yet. 

The Right Tyres

Tyres are a heavily understated part of the road trip packing list. When you’ve got the right tyres underneath your car, you’re going to have a much smoother ride down any and all roads, as well as across terrains you don’t tend to deal with when just going from A to B. And when you’ve got the family in the car with you, you’re carrying a lot of extra weight (along with all the luggage), and you’re going to have to make a few emergency stops along the way, as well as take things a bit faster to keep the little ones happy. 

The right tyres help your car’s fuel economy, they bear a lot more weight and pressure, and they’re going to suit the terrain on your uncharted adventure a lot better. So, before you go, make sure the tyres are at the right pressure at the very least, and even think about making a worthy investment in some new treads. Of course, depending on where you’re going, the cost of switching out your tyres for something more appropriate is going to vary – and the work doesn’t stop at the tyres either, but the entire wheel system. 

Take a 4×4 for example – they’re already set for offroading, so updating your 4×4 rims for some heavier use aren’t going to be too pricey. All in all, take some time now to research the tyre types suitable for your current car model, and see if replacing your tyres for a new set would save you any money down the line. 

The Right Road Essentials

And then we come to the ‘Misc.’ section of your family road trip packing list, a.k.a., the road essentials you should never leave home without when off on an adventure. These are the kind of things that’ll keep breakdowns in the rain from being a scary affair, and ensure you’ve always got some bandages in the back for cuts and bruises. 

First of all, make sure you’ve got a map of the area you’re traveling to stashed somewhere. You never know when your phone or SatNav will lose signal, so make sure you’ve got some paper to rely on – it’s a good way to get the kids involved too, with them calling directions from the backseat. Make sure you’ve got a flashlight in the glove compartment too, with some spare batteries, and a pack of wet wipes or two for those messy days with dropped food or mud all over your kids’ shoes. And don’t forget to pack a bag for putting any trash in! 

A family road trip can be made much more comfortable in a variety of ways. Make sure you’ve got the right gear and tech in the car with you, and that you’ve got nothing to worry about from your car’s engine or the wheels that are carrying you. If you want you and the kids to be all cosy and comfy while cruising down the road, this is really what it takes!