Summer Roadtrippin’
In the words of Will Smith, “Summer, summer, summertime”! Although I can do without the extreme heat of summer, I love all the fun and exciting activities and travel adventures we can experience during this time. One of the fun things I enjoy is a good road trip. If you have little ones, road trips can be stressful IF you don’t plan accordingly. My family and I recently took a road trip to Panama City Beach Florida. It was a smooth road trip with very few stops or inconveniences.
Now you might wonder how you travel with a child or children and not have to stop often. We pack a cooler and fill it with water, juice, and sandwiches. We have a bag of snacks such as chips, fruit snacks, fruit roll-ups, and any other easy-to-clean up or less messy snacks. We limit the liquid consumption to keep from having to stop and use the restroom as often (this rule applies to adults as well). I purchased a travel activity desk from Amazon for car rides. The tray connects around the car seat or behind the child and rests on the child's lap. Don’t worry, it’s extremely lightweight. It allows the child to have a play area in the car so they can draw, write, place a tablet on it, and eat on it. The travel desk also has compartments on the side that allow other items to be stored such as a water bottle. This was a lifesaver because it kept my daughter occupied with a couple of activities before she went into nap mode. Also, a travel potty (another Amazon purchase) is a lifesaver because sometimes gas station restrooms are not always the best. Keep a gallon zip-loc bag with essentials such as hand sanitizer, Lysol on the go, sanitizing hand wipes, Kleenex, and don't forget a roll of paper towels.
I enjoyed our road trip to the beach. Road trips are a great opportunity to bond with the family or your significant other more intimately. I mean it's just you, them, and the open highway. So, it's a great time to have a conversation, bond over music, and even play old-school games like "I Spy". I hope these tips have been helpful to you in planning your next family road trip and that you will incorporate them into your travel adventures!
Ashley Jones
Ashley Jones is an HR Professional, writer, wife and mother. She loves to read, journal and listen to live music. She is passionate about encouraging people to journal as a way of releasing their thoughts and feelings. She lives by the motto: "Do what's best for you and works for you."