DRIVING • June 2021

How do you… plan the perfect family road trip?

Are you a parent who scoffs at the idea of a ‘perfect’ family road trip? Well, what if we told you that back-seat squabbles and breakdowns were all part of the fun? With more than a few tricks up his sleeve for when things go wrong, Rob Taylor, creator of 2TravelDads.com, shares top tips from his new book, The Road Trip Survival Guide

Get ready to compromise

Because the road trip you have in your head right now isn’t necessarily the one you’re going to take. For instance, while half of my family want snowy mountain villages, the other half of us would prefer the warmest beach. So how about taking one break in January and one in August? Or head somewhere like Cyprus, where the ski-able Troodos mountains are just two hours from the nearest beach? If you’re not up for a compromise, you’d better have an incredible plan to sell to everyone else.

Research the route

For me, half the fun is in the pre-planning. This includes using online maps to zoom into your route and find green spaces and roadside attractions you know the family will enjoy. One successful detour to something fun, and suddenly you’re a hero. I like to make a list in order of the route, pencilling in potential hikes and interesting stop-offs, highlighting the must-see sights, and looping in some back-ups in case we end up with extra time or something doesn’t work out with a planned stop.

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Involve the kids

When kids are brought into the fold during these early stages of planning, they become so much more invested in ensuring that everyone has a good time. As you’re researching, be sure to get their opinions. And if there’s something they’re interested in normally at home, find a way to incorporate that interest into your road trip plan (do they love science? Then why not detour for a museum?). Just remember that emotional buy-in is just as important with kids as it is with adults.

Be flexible with time

Planning a road trip on a tight schedule is just asking for trouble. To organise the ‘perfect’ excursion, you need to build at least a bit of a buffer in your daily travel plan. No matter how extensive your research, you’ll always stumble upon things you didn’t anticipate – that’s the joy of the trip, plus it’s clever to account for unexpected traffic along the route. By building in more time to get from A to B than you think you’ll need, you’re more likely to arrive at your overnight stop early and relaxed.

Pack for boredom, aim for fun

I wish I could say that every moment on the road is just a dream come true, but that’s not the reality. Long drives can get a little boring if you allow them to. To keep the kids off their tablets for as long as possible on hefty drive days, we pack a bunch of no-hassle toys and games. Buying a mobile table top for the back seats makes it easier for kids to entertain themselves. And try group car games, too: road sign alphabet hunts, I-spy, 20 questions, the lot.

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Don’t let hunger ruin the trip

Even if you’re not one of life’s natural snackers, without question somebody in your travel group will probably be prone to ‘hanger’. Packing easy-to-eat snacks makes easing hunger pangs a breeze – but ideally you’ll go for options that don’t make a huge mess. That means cashews or grapes as opposed to pistachios or bananas. It’s also helpful to plan for picnics in advance by keeping a cool box of charcuterie or sandwich fixings at the ready in the back of the car.

Find balance

You don’t have to be a Buddhist to know that life requires balance for happiness, whether that’s at home or on the road. So when it comes to road tripping, a balance of sightseeing and activities against travel time in the car is very important. Yes, you need to get from point A to point B, but enjoying time out in the real world is crucial. And that goes for the activities themselves, which should aim to be a mix of relaxing (shopping malls, restaurants) and strenuous (hikes, ball games).

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This article has been tagged Adventure, Driving