Why Your Next Vacation Should be a Family Road Trip

The traditional family road trip remains top of the American vacation list with a whopping 79 percent packing up their cars, according to a AAA Survey. Setting off on a family road adventure is a fantastic way to spend quality time together without too many distractions that social media, computer games or busy work schedules can bring into the daily family circle. Although there are certain precautions to take when planning a road trip with the kids, it’s a perfect way to create a unique bonding experience you can all share for years to come.

Photo Credit

Before setting off
Start planning your road trip well in advance by getting the whole family together so you can all discuss where everyone wants to go and what type of holiday each member wants. Talking through your plans as a family is likely to help everyone bond as a family and will encourage responsibility in your children. Additionally, consider all factors of the car’s details which should include whether to rent or take your own car and be based on having enough space for everyone’s belongings, a vehicle's reliability and level of comfort.

Deciding where to go
Making the decision where to drive on your road trip can make or break the vacation. Although the journey itself is equally as important as the final destination, you don’t all want to be crammed in the car so be realistic about how far you can travel in a day which should include pit stops, especially if you have little ones. You might want to visit one of America’s National Parks for all round activities and beauty; alternatively, hitting the coast and spending time around the water might be more preferable.

Get creative for the journey
Part of ensuring the family bonding experience grows stronger on the journey is to lay down some rules in relation to how often kids are plugged in to their electronic devices. While it’s handy to watch a film when they're tired, also get creative with how you all spend time together in the car. For example, get them to take photos while you’re travelling so they can put together a scrapbook on their return home. Similarly, share your personal stories from past vacations or your childhood and that in turn will encourage them to open up too.

Taking a family road trip and feeling stuck in the car for days on end doesn’t have to be hard work; providing you successfully plan ahead, it can be one of the most enriching vacations where bonds become stronger and happy memories will last a lifetime.