Benefits of a Family Road Trip
Many of us have experienced disruption to our travel plans this year. Thanks to global travel restrictions, our journeys abroad may have been postponed due to the pandemic. We know this sucks, but that doesn’t mean there is no scope for a summer vacation.
Family Road Trip
As life slowly gets back to normal, you might want to consider a road trip this year. This doesn’t have to be the ‘second-best’ option either, even if you were dreaming of a trip abroad, as there are lots of reasons why a road trip is an excellent idea.
For some practical tips, check out our advice for taking road trips with kids.
And then consider the benefits you will experience by reading what we have to say below.
- A Road Trip Is The Safest Option In 2020
In a year where social distancing has become the norm, road trips have become the safest option for anybody looking for a vacation. You won’t need to risk busy crowds at the airport, and you won’t need to sit near any strangers who may or may not be ill on an airplane.
You don’t need to risk a stay in a busy hotel either, as you could take a tent with you on your road trip, or you could buy or hire an RV for your vacation.
Of course, most airports and hotels will have safety precautions in place, as will airplanes. But for your peace of mind, you might still choose a road trip, as you will have full control of the safety measures that will keep your family safe.
- Your Dog Can Join You On Your Trip
After months in lockdown, you won’t be the only one going a little bit stir crazy. It might be that your dog has suffered too, especially if his daily walks have been limited because of lockdown measures.
As a valuable member of your family, it’s only right that he has time away from home too, and a road trip is the easiest way to incorporate him into your travel plans. It’s also cheaper than booking him into a kennel (where he will experience a literal lockdown), and you won’t need to pay any airport fees either.
Check out these dog-related road trip tips for some useful advice.
- A Road Trip Will Bring Your Family Closer Together
In a very literal sense, your family will be closer together when you’re all cooped up in the car. And while we know this can be a strain, you can still ease the pressure by maximizing the fun factor.
You can play road trip games, have singalongs, and tell jokes to one another, as examples. You can also share stories, and have conversations with one another, which is something you might not have the opportunity to do in places where you are all spaced apart and doing your own thing.
In this regard, you might want to place limits on mobile devices too. While you might decide against taking them off your kids (in fear of a meltdown), you might still plan what you might do in the car in advance to reduce the need for screen time.
- A Road Trip Is More Affordable
When you decide on a family road trip, you won’t need to pay for a flight or a hotel room. You will have less temptation to spend your hard-earned cash on knick-knacks, and if you’re heading somewhere remote, your children won’t be pestering you for things they want you to buy for them.
You can pack your own food too, so you won’t have to spend too much money buying snacks and meals when you’re on the road.
Of course, you will still have to pay for fuel, and you might need to pay for parking spots too, but using the linked tips, you can save money on your road trip, so your vacation can still accommodate your budget.
- You Have The Freedom Of The Open Road
On a family road trip, you don’t need to be tied down to a schedule set by a tour guide. You don’t need to be limited to one destination for your family vacation. You can pretty much do what you want and go where you want, as you have the flexibility to chart your own adventure.
The freedom of the open road awaits you and your family, so while you might still plan a little, you should also show a bit of spontaneity as you might discover something great if you take those roads less traveled.
These are just a few of the benefits you can expect from your family road trip, so if you’re fed up because your vacation plans have been waylaid, consider a journey on four wheels, as your family might just enjoy it.
Family Road Trip Tips
With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to plan the perfect family road trip.
Think carefully about where you would like to travel to. Write down a list of potential destinations, and focus on figuring out the most straightforward route you will take that ticks each place off your list.
Research the places you are going to carefully, so you know exactly how you want to spend your time upon your arrival.
For example, if you were looking to put together the perfect Nashville itinerary, you could start by finding out about all of the fun things to do in Nashville.
While it may seem tiresome, an itinerary can help ensure you make every minute of your trip count – especially as you may only have a limited time to spend in each destination.
Carve out some time in your schedule for the trip, avoiding periods where you know you will feel too busy or overwhelmed to truly relax. This holiday should be fun for everyone – yourself included.
Ensure your vehicle is prepared for a long-haul trip, and pack wisely. While you don’t want to be carrying too many things around with you, under packing often means that you are underprepared.
Write down a list of everything you want to achieve on the trip.
Do you want to sleep in every day past 10? Note it down.
Do you want to challenge yourself to try something new? Add it to the list.
Ensure that every family member gets a say – as this is the easiest way to keep everyone happy.