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By Jennifer Halter
We’re in the middle of the busy summer travel season for families. While some will enjoy the convenience of flying to destinations further away, others are planning to hit the road and travel by car. The thought of traveling two or three hours from home may seem daunting for some (any road trip can present challenges). For others, traveling a shorter distance may not seem like a significant trip or like a “real” vacation. But there are many things you can add to your trip to make even the shortest drive full of fun!
Map Out a Plan
Getting the entire family involved in planning any trip can instantly make it more exciting for everyone. Once you have chosen your destination, map out your route. Decide if you will be making any stops for meals, fuel or just to stretch your legs. For each stop, let a different family member choose the activity, such as the restaurant where you will eat or the park where you will take a walk or play break. If you’re on a time schedule, make sure you take that into consideration for each stop. You can even assign one person to be the official timekeeper for the trip to help keep you on track.
Look for Local Fun
Want to find fun in nearby spots? Research the visitors’ bureaus of areas you will be driving through to see if there are any unique landmarks, shops, museums or other free or low-cost options to visit to add to your trip. Look into the downtown areas for other fun places to explore, especially if you’re not on a tight time schedule. This time of year is great for finding outdoor concerts and activities to enjoy.
Road Trip Games
Once you’re on the road, fill the time with road trip games. Create a scavenger hunt based on the theme of your trip. Heading to the beach? Include spotting things like a seagull or beach umbrella, for example, in your list of things to find. If you have younger children, keep it simple by adding items such as a bus or a bird. For older children, make this game more challenging by adding more specifics such as finding a particular color of car or a certain restaurant.
I-Spy is also a great way to keep everyone entertained. To make this easier for younger children, you can start out by saying, “I spy with my little eye, something that starts with the letter…” or “something that is blue” to give them a jumpstart on guessing.
For those with older children, the license plate game can also be a fun challenge to add to your trip. Every time you see a vehicle on the road or in a parking lot, make note of the state on the license plate. Keep a tally of each state you spot and see who finds the most by the time you reach your destination.
Conversation Starters
With a shorter drive time, this is a great opportunity to have the kids stay off electronics and connect through conversation. Find out what they are most looking forward to doing once you reach your destination or to share something interesting they have seen along the drive so far. Need more ideas for things to talk about? Ask questions such as, if you could open a store of any kind, what would you sell? Or, if you could be invisible, where would you go?
You could also play a game of “Would You Rather?” and ask questions like, would you rather grow up quickly or stay a kid forever? Or, would you rather have the ability to run fast like a cheetah or move slowly like a snail?
Enjoy Local Food
Depending on your destination, it may be easy to find unique foods to try not available at home. Look for fun snacks when you stop for fuel or ask for any local favorites or recommendations when dining out. For a fun activity for the kids, have them keep a journal of what you try and if each family member enjoyed it or not.
Make a Memory at Every Stop
One of the best parts of any trip is being able to look back at photos and remember all the memories you were able to create. Make a point to snap a photo every time you stop, even if it’s at a gas station or random park. Look for murals or statues and have a photo shoot. If you have one, take your own tripod for your phone or camera to get photos of the entire family at once.
No matter how far or near you travel from home, there’s always fun to be found if you make a plan to look ahead!
Jennifer Halter is owner and publisher of Macaroni Kids Woodbridge.
