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Travel Inspiration

Fantastic family road trips we loved (and how you can plan them too).

Epic family road trip ideas: best road tips with kids in Europe and the US we loved! Updated October 2023.

Family road trips are my favorite type of family vacation.

I love being in the car while the landscape flows around me and the car is filled by chats of the kids in the back and the mud from the radio.

I love the sense of purpose of being on the road to a destination, the freedom to stop when you wish and the excitement of reading on the maps and road signs new, promising and exotic names.

Our kids share this love.

As much as they like to hop on and off trains and ferries, a road trip is always comforting for them (yes, also when they inevitably bicker and try to hit one another!). The car is like a little house on wheels while we travel!

We have taken many road trips with the kids in Europe and during our vacations in the US.

This is my selection of the best road trips for families, based on our experience. For each, I have shared highlights and vibe, so you can plan your own!

Table of Contents

How we choose these road trip ideas for families

When choosing the road trips to showcase in this article, we took into considerations:

• How successful these trips were for us as a family with young kids
• Overall beauty and interest of the destination
• Child friendly attractions on the way
• Reasonable distances
• Advantages of having a car vs traveling by train. Some areas of Europe are exceptional for families but if you want to visit Amsterdam-Brussels-Paris, or Rome-Florence-Venice, then the train is your best friend!

Best road trip destinations for families in Europe

Europe as a whole has an excellent train system however some areas are better explored by car.

These are our favorite road trip destinations for families with kids in Europe.

Family road trip in Ireland

Ireland is the perfect country for a family road trip in Europe.

The country is famous for stunning, remote landscapes, windswept cliffs, abandoned castles and green lawns and there is no better way to reach the most beautiful places in Ireland than to hop on your car and follow the road.

There are plenty of family friendly places you can reach with your own vehicle.

We road trip around Ireland often: did you know we live part of the year in Dublin? We do! And from here, we often venture West, to explore this beautiful Emerald Isle, its castles, cliffs and windswept landscapes.

Based on our long and short road trip here, we highly recommend you seek out:

Dublin , Ireland’s capital and a fun place to visit with kids. I recommend you use it as a starting point for your road trip or an end one, since the car is useful to get here but a bit of an hindrance to explore the town.

Find here our Guide to Dublin with kids | Best things to do in Ireland with kids | Tips for planning a family trip to Ireland | Tips for driving in Ireland

Glendalough : a fantastic historical monastic site with also lovely hiking routes perfect for hikers of all ages. Find our tips for visiting Glendalough with kids here

Blarney Castle , a beautiful castle with stunning family friendly grounds. You can read about it and all our favorite castles in Ireland here.

The Cliffs ofMoher, among the os famous cliffs in Ireland, very impressive and surprisingly easy to visit with kids. Find our tips for visiting the Cliffs of Moher with kids here.

Killarney, the stunning National Park in the West of Ireland. kids of all ages will love. Find our guide to Killarney here .

As well as stunning locations, an Ireland road trip is perfect for families thanks to the short distances, which means you don’t need to subject the kids to crazy long hours in the car each day and still see much of the country.

To top it all, the family friendly attitude of the Irish will make feel your kids welcome anywhere you go!

Kid-friendly Portugal road trip

Portugal is another fabulous destination for a family road trip in Europe.

We took this road trip with my children and parents (we love multigenerational holidays!) and we all adored it.

The grandparents loved the monasteries and architecture, the kids loved the beaches and family friendly resorts, everyone adored the laid back atmosphere of Portugal and the country’s beautiful nature.

There are many places to visit n Portugal with kids , but some we recommend are:

Lisbon , a stunning city with amazing art, atmosphere, food and a plethora of kid friendly attractions to keep even young kids busy and entertained. You can find our guide to Lisbon with kids here .

Porto , wonderful and fun for kids thanks to its lovely parks and impressive river

Cascais , a lovely coastal town with one of the best family resorts we have ever visited

The Algarve , the spectacular southern coast of Portugal, famous for spectacular beaches and also well equipped se and sun holiday resorts that are great for families.

The best place to relax after days driving!

Loire Valley, Brittany and Normandy road trip for families in France

One of the best family road trips I have ever taken was a trip that saw us traveling across the Loire valley and Brittany in the North West of France, some of the best places to visit in France with kids of all ages .

It was a road trip so varied, so easy and so successful I have actually taken it more than once and it never disappointed me.

Here, the distances are reasonably small, there is a huge variety of landscapes and attractions (small villages, castles, wild coastlines), you will have a nice mix of warm and cold weather and you have the abundance of delicious for that France does so well.

Some of the best places to include in this northern France road trip with kids are:

Paris – the starting point of our loop, a place that needs no introduction and that is, as they say, ‘always a good idea’.

You can find here our favourite things to do in Paris with kids | The best hotels for families in Paris

Blois , a lovely town and a great base to discover the stunning Loire Valley castles with kids . I particularly love the castles Chenoncenau, Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau and indeed Blois itself, all easy to visit with kids and very beautiful

Belle Ile en Mer , lovely island off the coast of Brittany with stunning beaches, pretty villages, stunning lighthouses and a lovely cycling loop easy to cycle with kids too

Brittany lighthouses – the wild and beautiful coast of Brittany is full of fabulous lighthouses, some perched in the middle of the stormy sea, some at the end of easy, family friendly coastal paths and all very scenic!

St Malo , stunning Brittany historical towns with pretty streets, a nice coast and family friendly atmosphere.

Le Month saint Michel, one of the most incredible places your kids will ever see and one that will make them feel like the stepped into a storybook!

The D-Day drive in Normandy, a beautiful and daunting drive to some of the most important locations of the II World War, perfect for school-age kids and kids who love history.

Roadtripping with kids in Iceland

I have only been to Iceland in the winter and even with the challenges posed by less than idea weather conditions, the place strikes me as one of the best in Europe for a road trip with kids.

Iceland is stunning, scenic, varied and has plenty to offer especially to outdoorsy families.

Here you can see stunning waterfalls, bathe in in hot springs, ride Icelandic horses and see cute animals like puffins!

Driving in Iceland is easy.

There is basically no traffic and plenty of wonderful and easy roadside stops so you can stretch your legs.

Also, you’ll find infinite opportunities to feel like you are alone in nature while still staying safe close to a main road.

Places we loved are:

Reykjiavik – a family friendly town with a beautiful city center, kid friendly museums, excellent family hotels and a lot of outodoor space for kids to run around and get the road tripping tiredness offf their legs!

You can find my guide to Reykjavik with kids here | What to see in Reykjavik in one day

Waterfalls – Iceland has many scenic waterfalls that you can reach by car. Many have well equipped viewing areas and access points that make them easy to enjoy with kids

Geysers – what can be more exciting for kids than to have pit stop while road tripping at an erupting geyser?

Þingvellir National Park  – stunning a historical national park famous for having had the first Icelandic parliament and where you can see the meeting point or tectonic plaques: incredible for kids (and adults!)

Vik and its black beach – one of the most scenic and impressive beaches and sceneries you will ever see, and an easy drive from Reykjavik you can easily do with kids

With all of these kid friendly attractions, good roads and short distances between landmarks, Iceland is one of the best road trip destinations in Europe for families with kids.

You can find our itinerary in Iceland in winter here

Devon and Cornwall UK road trip for families with kids

Devon and Cornwall are among the most beautiful areas of the UK and a delight to vista by car.

This area of the UK is blessed by a lovely coastline, delightful small towns, stunning castle and some of the best weather in the UK.

If you road trip here in summer, you may have lovely opportunities for days at the beach as well as sightseeing!

Like in other itineraries recommended in this best family road trip roundup, the distances here are not vast, they can easily be negotiated even with small kids in tow or toddlers and there is plenty to see.

You can easily come here from London, if you wanted to also treat the children to that fabulous city!

You can read here >>> how we spent a wonderful day in London with the kids

This is one of the first road trips we ever took, and still a favorite.

Among the many things to see and do with kids in Devon and Cornwall there are:

Devon beaches – did you know the UK has stunning beaches? It does: have a look at this list of the best beaches in Devon and tell me: aren’t they simply wonderful?

Tintagel – stunning, scenic castle associated with the legends surrounding King Arthur, a magical place for kids and a stunning one for parents too.

Land’s End – a fun landmark for kids, marking the Most Westerly point in the UK

Dartmoor National Park , an area of great natural beauty that is so easy to explore with kids, it is considered one of the best family vacation destinations for families in the UK .

Lots of adventure parks and National Trust properties , perfect for mixing sightseeing and fun times playing!

The distances in this area are not vast, perfect if you want to avoid long car drives with kids, and the area is very well equipped to welcoming tourists and families.

This area is simply perfect for a family road trip but there are ma y more places you can also add to your adventure if you have the time. You can find here more wonderful road trip ideas in the UK perfect for all tips of visitors.

Tuscany road trip for families

Tuscany is probably my most favorite family destination in Europe and the absolutely perfect destination for a family road trip.

This region of central Italy is blessed by a variety of attractions and landscapes like no other.

Within a short driving distance you have rolling hills, hilltop villages, art cities and even the sea!

I am from Rome and Tuscany is my backyard. I have been roadtripping here since my childhood and every summer we still try and get our Tuscany fix by getting the car and driving up!

Places I recommend you include in your family road trip to Tuscany are:

Siena – stunning, UNESCO World Heritage town with a family friendly city center and an absolutely wonderful park for kids, Orto de’ Pecci. Find my guide to Siena here.

Pienza – lovely, family friendly small town with a car free city center great for small kids, nice playgrounds and lovely farmhouses perfect for animal encounters! Find my guide to Pienza here .

San Quirico d’Orcia – another small town with a lovely kid-friendly town center, a nice park, playgrounds and plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, good for all ages.

Saturnia and Bagno Vignoni – two small and stunning hot spring destinations in Tuscany , where you can soak in hot thermal water with your kids!

The Etruscan Coast – beautiful stretch of coast in Tuscany with kid-friendly beaches and lots of outdoor activities for kids. Find my family guide to the Etruscan Coast here.

Lucca – lovely, historical family friendly town with a wonderful thing for kids: the opportunity to cycle along its impressive city walls! Find my guide to Lucca with kids here

Florence – a powerhouse of art and beauty and a surprisingly family friendly city, that you can use as a starting point for your family road trip. You can find my guide to Florence with kids here .

Tuscany has well kept road and many scenic drives that make it perfect for a relaxing and beautiful road trip with children.

I recommend you check out our tips for planning a Tuscany itinerary and our guide to the b est things to do in Tuscany with kids .

Southern Italy road trip vacation with kids

We went road tripping around Southern Italy with the kids last year and it was one of the best family roads tips we have ever taken.

The area is slighly lesser visited than others in Italy and has a lot to offer.

Here, you find lovely small towns and villages, beautiful Unesco World Heritage Sites, stunning beaches and a lots and lots of kid friendly food, served to you with the typical family-first attitudes Italians are known for!

Places we recommend you visit while road tripping in Puglia and the south of Italy with kids are:

Trani and Castel del Monte, respectively a lovely town and beautiful castle, a short drive from each other, guaranteed to spark the curiosity of kids of all ages. Find my guide to Trani here .

Locorotondo and Martina Franca , two adorable white towns in Italy that are easy to reach by car and to explore with kids, thanks to their gif-friendly town centres.

Alberobello – the home of real hobbit-like houses, i trulli , which are a delight to see with kids as they seem out of a fairytale!

Matera – stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site that will make your kids feel like they stepped into a different world, thanks to its incredible history and cave houses

Paestum – a fantastic archaeological park with incredible Greek temples on large lawns, one of the easiest historical places to visit in Italy with children and one of the most beautiful!

You can find our recommended Southern Italy itinerary by car here.

Road tripping in Sicily with kids

Road tripping is also the best way to visit Sicily, one of the most beautiful destinations in Italy and a place that will conquer the heart of both adults and kids.

Sicily is a world and a road trip here can be as short or as soling as you want: basically, you will not run out of things to see in Sicily!

Some of the best places we recommend you plan to see during your family road trip in Sicily are:

The beaches of the Riserva dell Zingaro area , easy to reach by car from Palermo and perfect even for little kids. You can find a list of our favorite in this post about Scopello , one of out favorite places and the perfect first stop on an island rod trip adventure!

Taormina and the area of Mount Etna – a lovely area in the east of Sicily that is easy to visit by car and with lots of beaches and kid-friendly towns and localities. You can find my guide to Taormina here.

Siracusa – a stunning town and one of my favorite places to visit in Italy with kids, thanks to a kid-friendly city center, a very beautiful and interesting archaeological park and the proximity of nice family friendly beaches. Find my guide to Syracuse Sicily here.

You can find our recommended itinerary in Sicily here and our guide to Sicily with kids .

Continental Greece road trip with children

Our family road trip to Greece is the one we took most recently and it was a huge success! We are in love with Greece!

Like other places on this list, Greece strikes us as perfect for families road tripping as it has short enough distances, a very varied offering in terms of attractions (sea, mountains, archaeological sites) and a friendly, relaxed atmospheres.

You can read here >> our exact road trip itinerary between Athens and the Peloponnese

Places we have on our Greece road trip itinerary are:

Athens – powerhouse of history with the unforgettable acropolis, a sight that I believe should be in any child travel bucket list and one of my favourite European cities to visit with kids.

Epydaurus and Olympia , beautiful and and meaningful archaeological sites that are guaranteed to get your kids hooked to Greek history and mythology

Koroni and the Peloponnese , an area with wonderful family-friendly beaches, perfect to relax after all the driving.

Good to know! If you want to mix road-tripping and time on the beach, you can also opt for a Greek island such as Crete, one of the best Greek islands for families – the car will be invaluable here and you will find a mix of sightseeing opportunities and beaches the whole family will love.

Best Road trips for families in the US

Driving california pacific coast highway with kids.

Driving the Pacific coast highway way from San Diego to San Francisco had been a dream of mine for ages and when we finally did it, this road trip delivered all I had expected, and more!

The area is simply stunning and truly deserves its fame as one of the most scenic drives in the world and the perfect road trip for families and not just!

The landscapes here is incredible and there are plant of things that make this road trip great for kids.

The first part, Southern California , is full of kid find attractions.

Depending on how many days and stops you want to take, you can visit here Disneyland , the pirate tower of Laguna beach , Santa Monica and its fun pier, Venice Beach and its cycling path or you can even use th area to explore LA with kids (the city requires a car anyway)

The middle park, the area of Cambria and Big Surprise, has landscapes so expansive the children (and you) won’t believe your eyes and once you get to San Francisco wow, there is so much to see an do with kids the problem won’t be how to entertain them but how to get them away!

On top of this, you can also plan side trips around California, that can be mini road trips great even for small kids.

We loved for instance exploring Joshua Tree National Park from LA and we adored our road trip from San Francisco to Yosemite .

Grand Canyon and Monument Valley Arizona road trip for kids

If you want to treat your kids to a road trip to two of the most iconic places in the USA then you can follow our itinerary for they southern US road trip that ad us Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and Monument valley.

This road trip can be done in a handful of days, like we did, however, there is a bit of long driving involved especially to get to Monument Valley so my advice is to mix days in the car with more relaxing one exploring the great outdoor that, in this area, is stunning.

You can find our full South West USA road trip itinerary in this area here.

Not to be missed are:

Gran Canyon South Rim , National Park, one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and one that is perfect for kids thanks to the excellent junior programme offered by the park rangers, that gives them plenty of ways to exolore and learn about the park in their own time. Find my guide to Grand Canyon with kids here.

Monument Valley , stunning, and a great place for kids to take in scenery and also learn about the Navajo people who own and live in this land. This is the quintessential American road trip destination! Find my guide to Monument Valley and where to stay in Monument Valley .

Sedona , fantastic place with red peaks and lovely hiking opportunities for the whole family

Flagstaff , a nice town with an outdoorsy feel fun for kids big and small

Utah and Arizona road trip for families

Utah and Arizona are two perfect states for a family road trips thanks to large beautiful roads, plenty of opportunities for kid-friendly stops and well equipped National Parks, offering endless entertainment opportunities for kids of all ages and scenic drives.

Places we fond of particular interest were:

Bryce Canyon , a stunning canon with increible rock formations and many kid friendly hikes.

Zion National Park one of the most beautiful nations parks we have ever seen, packed with kid friendly hikes.

You can find our full recommended itinerary for a road trip in Utah and Arizona with kids here.

I hope you enjoyed this selection of epic family road trip ideas and it sparked your family wanderlust. Safe travels!

This post was written in 2020 and has now been updated with recent photos from our travels and additional links to our guides, based on our family travels.

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Marta Correale

Marta Correale is the creator, writer and creative mind behind Learning Escapes. A travel loving mama of two from Italy, Marta currently lives in Ireland with her husband and two kids, they take frequent trips to European destination, the US and beyond. A professional travel blogger for over a decade, Marta is passionate about traveling with kids and helping others to travel more and better as a family.

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2024 Ultimate Family Road Trip Packing List (+Free Printable Checklists)

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

Planning a family road trip can be exciting but also overwhelming, not knowing exactly what to pack. That’s where our experience road tripping comes in handy.

We’ve created the ultimate family road trip packing list and FREE printable checklists to make things easier for you on the open road. Drawing on our years of experience from countless road trips with our kids from babies to teens. Including cross country adventures, and week long road trips, to everything in between.

This guide covers everything. From road trip essentials for the whole family, to car and safety gear, plus tips on what to leave behind. Which you can easily adapt for wherever you’re traveling to.

With our travel-tested advice, and free printable checklists, you’ll be perfectly prepared for your adventure, making packing stress-free, straightforward, and do we dare say even fun!

Table of Contents

ROAD TRIP PACKING LIST FOR FAMILIES

Road Trip Essentials for the Car

When heading out on a long road trip, there are a few car essentials we think are important to add to your family road trip checklist.

We’ve found this, to be a fantastic tool for planning our routes & collaborating with others on the road.

• Driver’s License, Car registration and roadside assistance info – Check your glove compartment box before leaving your house to make sure you have any (and all) information you may need in a very worst case scenario.
• Extra Set of Car Keys – make sure to store it somewhere you won’t lose it, or give it to another family member. One of my fears is losing our car keys in the middle of no where, so having an extra set is peace of mind for me.
• Rental Car Agreement – If you are renting a car for your road trip, make sure to bring the agreement with you in the glove box.
• Sun Shades for the Windows – The sun can get a bit overwhelming, especially if you have really young children in the car. We’ve found Sun Shades like these super helpful.
• Cell phone holder – Especially when using GPS, having a Cell phone holder can be a game changer for your road trip.
• Car Seat or booster seat – Choose one that’s suitable for the ages of your kids, and somewhat comfortable for a long drive. We’ve found that stopping every two hours max keeps everyone happier.

Emergency Vehicle Kit

A Roadside Emergency Kit is one of the most important things we bring. It’s better to be safe than sorry and be prepared to handle the unexpected, like a flat tire is our motto.

It always gives us peace of mind knowing we have the basics, and think it will for you too.

Plus I don’t know how many times it has come in handy for helping other travelers out along the way during our own trips. It should include:

• Jumper cables
• Tire Pressure Gauge
• Flashlight & batteries ( we prefer head lamps)
• Jack & Tools
• Matches / Lighter
• Food / Energy Bars

What to pack “Just in Case”

Accidents happen. But, how you handle them can be completely different if you are prepared. Not to mention there are certain things you just don’t want to forget for a long car ride. 

Add these to your road trip with kids checklist:

• Map  – You may not ever need it, but make sure you have a paper or book road map. In case your phone dies, google maps steers you wrong, or anything else happens, you will be glad you have it.
• Paper Towel & Toilet Paper – Keep these handy for unexpected bathroom stops, or unexpected spills. Well with kids you can expect a mess!
• Wet wipes –  Whether you have a baby or not, we think baby wipes are life savers & road trip necessities.  You can clean up spills, hands, and even clothing with a few baby wipes. My daughter is 10 and we still use baby wipes for all our travels. Not just for kids!
• Small trash can – To keep your car clean, and organized with a small spill-proof car garbage can. Don’t forget the trash bags.
• Plastic bags – No one wants to talk about this, but you need to have extra bags in case anyone gets car sick. We also like to have a designated car garbage bag we empty out every day. That way the mess stays somewhat in check.
• Towels – As a safety precaution, it never hurts to add a few towels to your packing road trip. This can help in various situations of spills, sickness, and comfort.
• Licenses & wallets – Just as a reminder, make sure you have everyone’s licenses, wallets and debit / credit cards before you even walk out your front door.
• Health Care Cards / Medical Insurance Info – Also make sure to have your health care cards or medical insurance info handy.
• Extra food, water & games – In case you get stuck somewhere unexpectedly. Water is also good in case of overheating.
• Family First Aid Kit

Family First Aid Kit Essentials

If you are traveling anywhere, I highly recommend keeping a First Aid Kit in your car, and a smaller one in your backpack if you are off on hikes for the day.

Besides, if your kids are anything like mine, they go through bandaids like they are going outta style.

Here are some items we include in our family first aid kit, in addition to the usual suspects:

• Extra Band aids
• Blister Band Aids
• Disinfectant
• Polysporin / Antibiotic cream
• Acetaminophen & Ibuprofen (Kids & Adults)
• Prescription Meds
• Gravol / Motion Sickness meds
• Allergy Meds
• Rehydration Tablets
• Medical Tape
• Mosquito Repellent
• Hand Warmers
• CPR pocket mask
• Small Flashlight
• Small Pocket Knife
• Hand Sanitizer
• Plastic Gloves

PRO TIP : Buy a small cloth first aid kit, or toiletries bag and fill or switch out with your preferred Family First Aid Kit items. Keep First Aid Kit and medications handy and within reach.

Family Road Trip Essentials

When packing for your entire family, you may find that you don’t need (or want) as much as others. Or, on the flip side, you may find that you like to bring everything but the kitchen sink, just in case. No judgment here!

Do you have to bring everything we recommend on this list? Absolutely not! Specific items you pack for your family road trip will vary based on preference and destination.

Here are some family road trip essentials that can useful supplies for your next trip:

• America the Beautiful Park Pass – If you are planning on visiting USA National Parks, then a park pass will save you $$.
• Mouthwash – If you plan on bringing snacks, or even stopping to eat, having mouthwash is a must. Between having fresh breath and smelling fresh breath, you don’t want to forget this. Mints or minty gum also does in a pinch.
• Portable Charger / Power Bank   – Save yourself trouble with a pre-charged battery pack. If you have teens, a portable power bank is a must for a successful family road trip. Or in our case keeping a device addicted adult happy.
• Car Chargers  – Not only should you have a portable power bank, but bringing extra chargers that can be plugged directly into your car are a good idea. Don’t forget your device cables too for when you are in the hotel room. (Kindles, cells, tablets, gaming devices, laptops etc.)
• Camera / Go Pro – While you are out creating memories, be sure to document the fun, silly and sometimes ridiculous and unexpected moments along the way.
• Walkie Talkies – When traveling with friends and family in a convoy, we find walkie talkies are a great way to stay in touch.

Entertainment Essentials

The thought of packing for a road trip with kids can be overwhelming. But, it doesn’t have to be.

Keep in mind that you want to be including items for them to keep your trip stress-free as well. Road trip activities to keep them entertained.

• Tablet – For those moments when you just can’t take hearing another “are we there yet?”
• Headphones -You do not want to hear everything everyone is listening to on your road. A symphonic cacophony is not the most relaxing of sounds. So, save yourself the trouble, and pack headphones for everyone. If you are bringing wireless headphones , make sure to charge them before the trip.
• Books – If no one is prone to getting car sick, pack a few books or a Kindle for your family members to enjoy on your road trip. You can include learning books, entertainment, or even coloring books.

PRO TIPS: Make sure you charge any devices before you leave. Also, you will want to download any games, music, or apps beforehand.

PRO TIP : We’ve found it helpful to make sure each kidlet (and adult) has their own small travel backpack or bag with their own activities, devices, snacks, waterbottle & a change of clothes. Keep it beside them so they can easily reach it.

Kids Road Trip Essentials: Road Trip Activities for Kids

• Road Trip Bingo
• Coloring Book & Activity Pages
• Road Trip Kit
• Travel Magnetic Tangram Puzzles
• Entertaining Questions to Spark Conversations
• Paper/ journal – If you have creative kids, I recommend packing some journals, a sketchbook or paper to practice art, writing, and crafting with. Let your kids keep their own memories of their trip, with a kids road trip journal.
• Crayons / Pencil Crayons : Pack a few different crayons / pencil crayons and let them go at it! You can also add markers or pens in your overnight bags, so they can “fill-in” later if you’re worried about felt pen marks in the car.

PRO TIP: We’ve found these twistable pencil crayons are perfect, so you don’t have little bits of shavings all over your car.

• Road Trip Activities – Bring a variety of age appropriate activities. Especially if you are traveling with toddlers & preschoolers.
• Outdoor Games – Bring a few outdoor activities like a frisbee, or bubbles. We’ve found this really helps to get the wiggles out at rest stops and provides entertainment at campsites along the way.
• Road Trip Playlist – While you could just listen to the radio, making and playing a road trip playlist will up your parent cred, and make groovin’ in the car a hit. Don’t forget to embaress your kids by singing at the top of your lungs. We do 😉
• Audio Books or Audible – Perfect for keeping everyone from young kids to the older kids entertained on long trips. 

PRO TIP : Use a Back seat organizer that fits over the front seats keeps all the snacks, electronic devices, books, small toys contained and in reach of the kids.

Comfort Items

• Change of clothes – The last thing you want to happen is to have a mess with all of the extra clothes packed deep in your luggage. To alleviate the chance of this happening, pack an extra outfit in one small bag that stays on top of everything else.
• Pillows for Kids – A little comfort during your road trip can make all the difference. You don’t have to pack king size pillows, but letting each child bring a neck pillow (at minimum) is a great start! My daughter loves this bcozzy travel pillow.
• Travel Pillow for the adults – Just like for your children, the passenger also needs to be comfortable. Don’t forget to pack a pillow for you and/or your partner!
• Blankets – Kids love them & you’ll be happy to have them in winter months, or if you are driving overnight.
• Diaper bag –  Include an extra in car diaper bag for  easy access with young’uns. Fill with extra diapers, wipes, a plastic bag or a resuable wet bag, a couple of changes of clothes that is easy to grab and carry at rest stops.

Bring Road Trip Snacks & Meals

Packing road trip snacks and meals will save you time and money while heading to your final destination.

Avoid the nasty gas station food and have healthy travel snacks on the go. Making a family vacation meal plan will make your meals easier.

• Cooler – If you have extra room in your car, or you are trying to save money on food costs, you can’t go wrong with packing a cooler. Just make grocery store stops along the way to pick up supplies.
• Road trip meals: Check out our Easy Road Trip Meal ideas
• Snacks – Healthy snacks are a must. This will save you hangry kid and partner moments and money. The best road trip snacks to pack are things like nuts, granola bars, sandwiches, beef jerky, protein bars, and string cheese. Avoid packing sticky and messy snacks.
• Drinks – Just like snacks, you need to pack some of the drinks your children like. We use resuable water bottles, and refill them as needed.

⭐️ Grab some easy travel snack recipes here for your next trip.

PRO TIP: Freeze a water bottle or two full of water, then you can have cold water as it melts. It can also double as an ice pack in your cooler.

🚙 Check out our delicious road trip snack ideas .

Road Trip Packing List: Clothing

I will highlight a few key pieces of clothing for family road trips.

• Rain jackets – Instead of carrying an umbrella, pack some light rain jackets for everyone. Keep everyone warm & dry. We like this one for kids , this one for men and this one for women .
• Footwear – Bring a few options. Walking / hiking shoes, easy slip on sandals for the car and warm weather, then boots for rainy and winter season. I admit I love my Crocs for road trip travel days. Easy to slip on and of and comfortable for walking around all day if needed.
• Sunglasses – Sunglasses will cut the glare, protect your eyes, and keep you in the height of fashion.
• Hats – Sunhats, ball caps, garden straw hats, water hats. The possibilities are endless to keep the sun off your face.
• Seasonal Gear – Depending on the time of year you road trip, you may want to bring ski equipment, bikes, boogie boards, kayaks etc. What you bring will depend a lot on the size and type of vehicle you are traveling in.
• Packing Cubes – For keeping your clothes organized
• Swimwear, suits, coverups – Check out our full Beach Vacation Packing list here

PRO TIP : If you are moving around a lot on your road trip, pack each days clothes into a ziploc bag or in a packing cube . Then you can just bring into the hotel with you, rather than bringing all the bags in and out each time.

What NOT To Pack for A Family Road Trip

Now that we have our road trip essentials list, let’s get into some things we think you don’t need to pack on a family road trip

• Everything but the kitchen sink – Once you pack in the kids, cooler, dog, clothes, road trip activities you may not have as much room as you think. Consider if you can rent gear, & what’s absolutely necessary for your families enjoyment, comfort, and safety.
• Lots of toys – Inevitably with too many toys, pieces get lost, favourite toys get left behind, or there are fights amongst siblings. Pack a few car games, and maybe one small toy, but leaving most of them home.
• Too many sweets – While it is fun to have some treats, too many sweets can bring everyone’s mood high and then low. A bad combo in a confined space! Balance it out with combo of whole fruit, and protein (nuts, jerky, trail mix).
• Avoid large & hard shell suitcases – Because they’re space hogs. We much prefer small duffels, or backpacks. I have even been known to just bring my clothes in a reusable shopping bag. You can pack them in tight around stuff.
• Messy car snacks – need I say more?

Road Trip Destinations:

• Big Sur Road Trip: Epic Places to Visit & Hike
• 7 Day Family Friendly Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon Itinerary
• Yosemite National Park, Awesome 2 Day Itinerary
• Vancouver Island Canada Bucket List
• Boston to Bar Harbor & Acadia Road Trip

✅ Kids travel backpacks are perfect for holding their road trip activities, snacks & water

Free Road Trip Checklists for Families

FINAL THOUGHTS: What to Pack for A Family Road Trip

There you have our list of what to bring on a road trip. Although you may need to be a bit more mindful when packing for a road trip with your family, it doesn’t have to be too complicated.

When making your packing list, ask yourself:

• How long will we be in the car?
• What necessities can my children not live without during this time?
• What will provide the most comfort for my family on this road trip?

Once you answer those questions, you will have a solid road trip packing list for your family.

Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

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12 Road Trip Hacks Every Family Needs

Nov 9, 2020

See recent posts by Lisa Milbrand

Road trips are a rite of passage, but the inevitable “Are we there yet?” from the back seat doesn’t have to be a part of the scenario. Before you hit the road with your kids, consider these tips for road trips with kids to keep everyone (including you) happy.

1. Drive at Night

This will definitely help, especially if your kids are younger. We used to do this when our kids were the 2-and-under set, and it made for a more peaceful experience. Keeping babies or toddlers occupied for even a couple hours at a time is never easy. “Sleeping children meant my husband and I actually had uninterrupted conversations, which in our busy life is rare, and was much appreciated,” says fellow night owl Corinne McDermott, a travel agent and founder of Have Baby Will Travel.

2. …Or Leave Bright and Early

Other parents swear by the early morning wake-up call for mastering the road trip. For longer road trips (10-plus hours), it’s often easiest to leave in the middle of the night.

3. Take Care of the Driver

While happy kids are important, a safe driver is also essential. “You need to make sure the driver is rested,” says Gretchen Breuner, founder of Road Scholarz, who traveled around the country on a road trip with kids in an RV for several months. “I would even pull over and sleep for 10 minutes, giving me just the boost of energy I needed.”

4. Give Up the Wingman

While having your partner in the passenger seat is nice for navigation and company, it might be better to put an adult in the back for at least part of the trip. “This will make playing games or simply chatting with the kids a lot easier,” says Jennifer Durbin, author of Baby Traveling Tips for the Clueless Chick. This is especially key when your kids are still riding in car seats that face backward in the car.

Related:  6 Best Travel Car Seats for Babies and Toddlers

5. Don’t Overload on Electronics

Movies and travel apps are great, but this is the perfect opportunity to help your kids find more imaginative ways to entertain themselves. “It’s okay to leave them to their own devices and let them be bored,” says Eileen Gunn, founder of FamiliesGo! “When my daughter has absolutely nothing to do in the car, it’s amazing the way her imagination kicks in and she spins all kinds of imaginary scenarios for herself. I think it’s important to give them the space to come up with their own ideas, rather than constantly feed them data with DVDs and video games.” Just use the DVD player and iPad a little more judiciously, and consider playing some classic, electronic-free games instead. We like this road trip hack!

Related: 9 Tech-Free Distractions for Your Next Family Road Trip

6. Get Crafty

Craft supplies are super easy to pack and can keep kids occupied for hours. I swear by origami paper folding kits (we’ve filled the back seats with paper cranes and cats), but any kind of crafts — from paper and crayons to beading and pipe cleaner sculptures — will work. “My girls loved making friendship bracelets, and those are so car-friendly,” says Breuner. “Just use a piece of duct tape to attach it to the back of a headrest and they’re ready to go.”

7. Spend Quality Time with the Kids

“More than anything else, kids crave their parents’ undivided attention, and being stuck in a car or plane for several hours is a good opportunity to give them a little bit of it,” says Gunn. “Telling your kid about where you’re going, asking about what they liked and didn’t on the way back, letting them ask questions or express what’s on their mind can be a good way of learning about what’s going on with your child at the moment, and can also be highly entertaining.”

8. Pack Healthy — and Not-So-Messy — Snacks

Skip the drive-thru restaurants and go for healthier homemade food for this road trip tip. “I boil eggs, slice apples, bake bread and make honey-rosemary roasted pecans the night before a long trip,” says Sarah Sloboda, a frequent traveler. “It is very tempting and easy to eat poorly in transit, and this can lead to meltdowns — not just for kids, but for adults, too! Do yourself a favor and avoid the crash by eating well.”

9. Map Out Breaks

Don’t leave your rest stops to chance. Do a little research on your route and find local eateries, great roadside attractions , and other spots for a good pit stop. “Find interesting places to stop for breaks, like historic sites, museums, charming towns, and also beautiful places for picnics, including state parks, lakes, and waterfalls,” says Lia Batkin of In The Know Experiences , a travel consulting agency. “The important thing is that the kids burn off some energy. The more active they are outside the car, the more likely they are to fall asleep inside.” If nothing else, stopping at a playground for 20 minutes during your family road trip will do the trick.

10. Stop the “Are We There Yet?” Questions

“Distraction” is the name of the game here (and it’s why playing road games is one of the most widely recommended hacks for road trips with kids). The next time you get the age-old “Are we there yet?” question, simply hand over the map . “Ask your child to figure out how much longer you’ll be on the road,” Batkin says. “Knowing how to read a map is a valuable life skill, so it makes me happy that he’s learning, and he’s happier that he has a job to do.”

Quarters are a also a good way to keep the kids distracted, and can be used toward souvenirs. Give each child a roll of quarters prior to the trip. Every time they ask how much longer it’ll be until you arrive at your destination, take one quarter away.

11. Be Prepared for Emergencies

We’re not just talking about an emergency stash of lollipops for a sugar crash. Make sure you have a roadside emergency kit stocked with extra food, water, and blankets , especially during winter travel. Tangela Walker-Craft, a mother and travel writer, always brings along frozen juice boxes on road trips with kids, which can keep other snacks cool before becoming a refreshing treat. She also carries large Zip-Loc bags , which can hold soiled clothing or serve as a toilet for a small child in an absolute emergency. Emergency numbers are also key. “Always have a list of contact numbers — pediatricians, relatives, and roadside assistance — in the car,” she says. “If you print out a map and/or the written directions for long trips to have in the car, write contact numbers on the map. This information might prove invaluable, especially in the event of an accident.”

Related:  Ouch! What to Do If Your Child Gets Sick of Injured on Vacation 

12. Spoil Your Kids a Little

Lydie Thomas splurges by giving her kids a few special treats they don’t normally get — like lunch at a fast-food restaurant or a little candy. “I let them buy one or two toys that they have been wanting for a long time, and I also let them pick a special snack. That special snack or toy can only be enjoyed after one hour of driving without complaining,” she says. “I bury my feelings about eating healthy food and getting educational toys when we are doing long trips — we are asking them to make an effort, and they should be rewarded.”

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The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Family Road Trip

• Date: November 12, 2021
• Time to read: 13 min.

If you find yourself with some vacation days a road trip is a great, affordable vacation idea. If, like us, you have a lot of young kids, road trips are the ideal vacation. Traveling with your own car can be the most comfortable and convenient way to travel with kids because it is like your house on wheels. 

It can also be a really low stress vacation. I have a great resource to help ensure that your trip is as low stress as possible.

If you want to plan an epic trip, I got you covered. 

I have a great Road Trip Planner for you to download and print. This planner will give you great pages to organize the whole thing and make sure you are not feeling overwhelmed or disorganized as you embark on your adventure!

So download that thing and let’s get started!

Plan a Destination  

Chances are you have an idea about where you want to go. It might be a vague idea, like the beach, the mountains or an educational destination. Even if you want to have multiple stops on your road trip, start with the main destination, then we can fill in the rest. Choosing the big destination will help you figure out your timeline and narrow down your route choices.

If you are looking for some inspiration on a destination, I love OnlyInYourState.com , they have some really cool lists of places you might not know about in your own backyard. You could also use this tool to explore great sights in neighboring states. 

Growing up, we were always going on a road trip to visit family in another state, so there was really no discussion about the destination. This might be your objective too, but don’t stop there!

The first step is to get an exact destination in mind, but with a road trip, the journey is just as important. Let’s plan to have a great trip, not just a great destination. 

Add Some Points of Interest

Once you have your main destination, look at the route on Google Maps and see if anything stands out. Are you passing close to Atlanta? The redwoods? A friend from College?  If nothing stands out try using RoadTrippers to explore some points of interest along your route .

Road Trippers has some limitations using their free version, but it is a great discovery tool. Once you plug in your main destination, it will show you restaurants, points of interest, landmarks, nightlife, and camping/RV parks along your route. They only allow 5 stops when planning a trip. If you are planning a longer, more detailed trip, use the tool for each leg of the drive individually. 

It would be good to include something for everyone. A great BBQ place that Dad will love, a museum for your art lover and a bookstore for the kids. Change it up, keep it interesting. 

You can download my road trip planning workbook here, it has some great inspiration for choosing the points of interest. 

Planning a Timeline

Once you have added a few stops it’s time to split the distance up into smaller chunks. I would recommend dividing drive time into about 5-6 hour legs with stops every 2 hours. 

If all the passengers are adults the stops are less important, and you might want to stretch it out to every 3 hours. 

If you have a newborn or very young child you want to stick to that 2 hour schedule. This is a safety issue for the very young, if they are allowed to stay in one position for too long they can slump into a position that restricts their breathing. Make sure you monitor your kids in the car to make sure they are staying appropriately strapped into their seats and breathing. 

WHAT?! EvErY tWo HoUrS?!?! Ok, Dad, I know, it seems like a lot. My family drove 12 hours each way to visit family twice a year for my entire childhood. We stopped once, at the same half way gas station every year, for over a decade. There were a lot of complaints as we grew up that we never took a vacation. Making these stops will make the trip a vacation. Spending the night somewhere, stopping at a museum, it’s worth it. I promise. 

For Example

Two plans, one prioritizes speed, one prioritizes enjoying the trip. 

Dallas to DC Family Road Trip 

Total Drive Time: 19 Hours 27 Minutes

Why Slowing Down Will Save You Time

As you can see, prioritizing speed on the drive you are not really gaining that much time at the location. In example 1 you arrive on Monday early afternoon, while in the second example you arrive Sunday evening. Consider organizing your time differently and enjoy the trip. 

If you are only driving 4 to 6 hours a day, you can leave Friday after work. This is a great option if your vacation time is short. 

Driving less each day makes the overnight more enjoyable. If you only have 4 hours to drive that day, it’s easier to say yes to stopping to see the world’s largest ball of yarn. 

Having a plan to stop will make it smoother and quicker than just pulling off the highway to find a clean bathroom for your 10 year old every 6 hours. 

Once you have decided where you are going, and how long you will be gone, let’s talk money. 

Road trips have a few set costs; gas, food, lodging, and entertainment. You can spend as much or as little as you want in all these categories except gas. If you have already chosen your destination, you have a set gas cost, so let’s start with that. 

Gas cost = Miles to drive divided by your car’s Miles Per Gallon x cost of gas per gallon. 

Let’s look at the Texas to DC trip again for an example

Miles: 1,330 

Car’s MPG: 19

Current Gas Prices In My Area: 2.46

1330÷ 19 × 2.46 = $172.2

I’ll round that up and add it to the budget worksheet. 

I like having that final column to keep a running total of money I have left after an expense. This makes the most sense for me. 

Dont forget that may states have toll roads, there are toll roads internationally as well. The fine for missing a toll payment in Puerto Rico is $100.

Tolls are so complex that I wrote a whole separate guide to make sure you have all the information that you need about which toll transponder you may want to use, if you should rent one in a rental car, and how to save money on tolls.

Be sure to check it out so you aren’t surprised by a toll, you can even find out which state charges up to $250 per missed toll ! Yikes.

This will include all the food you are packing, and any food you plan to buy on the road. I like to start with my normal weekly food budget, $125. It is helpful to divide that by the number of days you will be on the road and see if that is a reasonable amount to feed everyone. For this imaginary trip, that is 125/7 days is only $17 a day.  I start here then add more to accommodate for the convenience food and restaurant trips. 

I recommend creating a separate budget like this for your road days so that you will have a good idea about how much money you have for food at your destination. 

Sample Plan:

There are many different ways to plan your food on the road. I think a Hot Logic is an invaluable tool to keep costs down and satisfaction high. It can warm food, or cook food that you buy at a grocery store. Im a Hot Logic superfan, unapologetically. You can see me raving about it on my YouTube chanel . 

Research noteworthy restaurants in your destination city and try them out!

Find Places to Sleep

I recently found this YouTube video that introduced me to a bunch of great websites to find cool accommodations! If I have convinced you to slow down and enjoy the trip, this is your next step. Reserve your sleeping spots!

www.hipcamp.com

Hip Camp is a collection of campsites, cabins and RV parks. Their tagline “Find yourself outside” is inspiring. This was a really great experience booking. They start by giving you a really simple survey so they can recommend properties that might interest you. This is a great option if you are planning to camp, glamp or car camp with your family. You can filter by amenities that are important to you, such as RV hookups, toilets or picnic tables. 

If you are new to my site, you might have already guessed that I am obsessed with my van. We have spent the night in our van quite a few times. I think this is a really great option for your family on a road trip. If you are hesitant to stop because of cost, this is such an affordable way to jazz up your road trip. A lake, swimming pool or even just a playground is going to make a memorable day for the kids. You can find a great affordable spot to park on Hip Camp. 

www.glampinghub.com

This is a very impressive collection of more rustic places to sleep. Great for finding farms, treehouses, cabins and retreat center types of locations. We have a treehouse getaway in our future!

www.tablethotels.com  

On the other hand, Tablet Hotels is a collection of boutique and luxury hotels. This is why you want to slow down and soak in the luxury. This might seem excessive for a road trip, and for some it is, but this is a good gift for your family. Let everyone experience a really beautiful hotel. 

www.airbnb.com

My family has used AirBnB often. We have used it for last minute stays when we were just having a great time and did not want to go home. I love that you can message with a host and that their selection is HUGE. It can take some getting used to, but staying with regular people is awesome. There are options for every level of comfort. You can stay in someone’s guest room or a complete rental home to yourself, and since the selection is so big there is almost always something available. If you have not tried AirBnB I can not recommend it highly enough. This is a really great option if you decided last minute to stop and sleep. They have an instant booking filter which will show you what is available immediately. 

Find Places to Eat

I like starting with Road Trippers for discovering neat places along your route. They will help you find interesting and unique places that you would not find close to home. Search the menus and read reviews and add one of these local gems to your itinerary. 

You do not need to plan every meal, and food is a big part of entertainment on a vacation, but having a few cool places chosen ahead of time is a good idea. 

You can spice things up by putting a few choices in a hat and have someone pick the place you’ll eat. You could also choose a theme for the day, like mexican, foods that start with C, round food or only new places. Helps make the decisions more fun. 

Create a Master Plan  

Get it all on one page. 

Having all the plans written down on a really simple chart is going to make it easier to keep everyone on the same page. It will also make packing easier. Having everything accessible at the right time will keep the kids comfortable and mom sane. 

Write this down before you start packing and keep it out for yourself to add notes as you tie up loose ends and communicate with anyone else connected to the trip. 

I love being able to share this with the people who will be house sitting for us, and the friends and family we will be visiting on the road. 

Here is my imaginary TX to DC Itinerary:

Create Detailed Packing Lists 

Now that you have the whole trip planned out, make a packing plan. 

When you are traveling as a family, pack as a family. Each destination should be packed together. This is going to make it much easier to get out of the car at each stop. You will just grab what you need. 

Even if you are traveling alone, I recommend that you pack a separate bag for each location. Once you have used it, you can just put the dirty laundry back in the bag and then it is all contained and stays well organized throughout the trip. 

My lists might looks like this 

Put the bags together. Packing cubes like these are a very popular option and I have used them. Many moms use ziplocs for this as well. When I am planning a longer trip for my family I have sewed up a bunch of drawstring bags use as packing cubes to save on plastic use. 

In my van I use totes instead of suitcases for some stops. We are camping on the way to one stop, the things we need for that night are in a tote. It works better to organize the car like your house when you will be sleeping in it. (We have built out our van a little so that we can sleep in it).

There are a lot of ways you can choose to pack, just make sure that you can easily grab what you need for each stop on the trip without unpacking everything every time.  

Whatever you use, keep it organized and make sure to pack a large bag or trash bag for dirty laundry and when possible, do a load of laundry. Stinky dirty clothes make the car smell and a big pile of laundry is not the best souvenir. 

Get the Car Checked Out

No matter how new your car is, ask a mechanic to check it out. A roadside emergency will be memorable, but probably not in the best way. 

I like to use this checklist from a Girl’s Guide to Cars and I tell our mechanic that we are going on a long trip and they should be able to tell you if there are any concerning issues. You might want to consider signing up for a roadside assistance program, like AAA. They can offer help if your battery dies, a tire pops or you need a tow. 

Arrange the Car Seats and Luggage

I wrote a post about how to arrange the car seats in a 12 or 15 passenger van. That was very eye opening. Make sure you choose the safest position in your car for any car seats (the middle of the second row in most cars). Once everyone has a seat, it’s time to pack it in! 

Pack in the order of the trip . So start by packing the last things you will need and put the things for the first night on top! This is easy to overlook. When there are so many moving parts, by the time you get to packing you might have a lot of helpers and chaos may have set in. 

If you do nothing else, know where the toiletry bag is and have one outfit per person in an easily accessible bag. Your future exhausted self will thank you.  

Document the Trip 

Get the most bang for your buck by making sure you have a plan to document the trip. You can take the pictures and videos and work on them when you get home, or you can build a family journal on the road while you are still on the trip. 

I have a bunch of ideas for creatively documenting your trip, you can read about them here. 

Whatever you do, make sure you document the awesomeness of the trip. Its gonna be great. 

Plan the Next One  

Make sure you put the next trip on the calendar! Make it something you do on the ride home. 

The irony of vacation is that, when you get home you are ready for a vacation. Make sure you have something to look forward to when this one is over. 

If you are like us, and you get 1-2 weeks of vacation every 12 months, plan a weekend. Do not let it be a year until the next trip. 

Ok, this was undoubtedly a lot of work, I hope it was fun work, but work. You are amazing and this is a great gift you are giving your family. Thank you for investing in your family. Time to treat yourself. Its ok to feed them frozen pizza and some takeout for the next few days while you recoup. 

I’m so glad we did this. 

Are y’all doing a road trip this year? 

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How to Plan a Family Road Trip Itinerary

• Pinterest 3

Planning a family road trip to a new spot this year? Check out these easy tips for planning to make your job easier.

It is Road Trip Season! I wait all school year long for these precious few months where our family can hit the road in search of adventure together. I spend those long months in-between daydreaming about the destinations we’d like to explore and plotting ways to make it happen.

Whether it’s to a new spot or an old favorite, the key to traveling with kids is having a plan. I grew up with a dad who insisted we have a travel itinerary for every trip we took because having a plan actually gives you the freedom to then break your own rules and branch off and explore new things. Know what is most important for you to see and do and it relieves pressure during your trip to figure things out on the go. You’ll actually have more freedom to explore new unplanned things knowing you won’t miss anything important.

And if you’re going to take the time to make an itinerary, why not take advantage of the effort and enter to win an Epic Road Trip for your family?? I recently discovered an amazing web site called Roadtrippers.com where I was able to create a custom itinerary for a recent trip to Charleston.

I used Roadtrippers to make our custom itinerary when we recently took the kids on a return visit to Folly Beach outside of Charleston, SC. Our first trip there last year was so great we wanted to go back again this year, but I knew our weekend schedule could be even better. I wanted to create an itinerary that ensured we tried out some new things while revisiting our favorite spots from last year.

8 Steps to an Easy Road Trip Itinerary

Making plans for your road trip itinerary is easier than you think. Here are my best tips.

1. Organize the Info and Make a Map

My dad used to plan our itinerary on a simple sheet of paper we brought with us. There are so many better options today!

I’ve discovered an awesome website called Roadtrippers.com that allows you to gather your travel destination hot spots onto an interactive map that dovetails with the Roadtrippers mobile app where you can easily access your trip information from your phone on the go.

I planned our entire Charleston trip on Roadtrippers : I found restaurants we wanted to check out and sightseeing spots we wanted to hit all within easy distance from our hotel and the beach.

2. Start with Your Home Base

We chose our hotel for it’s distance to the beach (our first priority) and it’s walking distance to restaurants knowing that after the beach we’d be exhausted and want to easily grab some food and head to bed.

The Holiday Inn in Downtown Charleston was the first point I plotted on my map.

I planned all the other points around that destination.

You can see my full Charleston guide here .

3. Plot Your “One Thing”

Yes, our favorite rule for Disney visits applies to all of our adventures now.

We know it’s been a successful adventure if we are able to mark our “One Must-See Thing” off the check list.

For our Charleston visit Folly Beach was the obvious One Thing that we were planning the entire weekend around but for this year’s trip it was more important to me to have a new hot spot be our One Thing.

Last year, Tim was disappointed we never had time to visit Fort Sumter which requires a boat trip and a little more planning so I quickly added that to our itinerary to make sure we made time for it this year.

4. Plot Second Tier “One Things”

Once you have your major hot spot on the itinerary, assess how much more time you have at your destination and add in one must-do item for each day of your trip.

With Fort Sumter on Day 1, I added “Swimming day at Folly Beach” to day 2, and “Watch the dolphins from the pier” for day 3.

5. Plan Your Meals Around Activities

There is NOTHING worse than having an entire family full of kids melting down after a long day of sightseeing and not knowing where you’re going to feed them.

You do not want to be stressing wait lists or reservations at 4:30 pm when everyone wants to eat NOW.

Even if you’re not a foodie who cares about trying particular restaurants, it is great to have a plan in place for food options for each meal.

For me, trying specific restaurants is one of my favorite parts about traveling and I enjoy researching menus ahead of time so I know everyone will be happy.

Last year, we passed by an adorable restaurant that was overflowing with people and impossible to get into. I’ve been curious about it ever since and thought that it might be worth checking out.

I plotted it on our Roadtrippers map and saw that it would be an easy taxi ride away from our hotel so added it to our map and made reservations for Friday evening dinner.

It turned out to be one of the most amazing meals from the whole vacation and it would never have happened on the fly.

6. Find a Few “Plan B” Options

With your main highlights and meal spots in place on your map, now it’s time to go looking for some filler spots to see in case something falls flat:

• beach is over crowded
• rain makes your walk in the park unfeasible
• one of the kids gets sea sick from your boat trip, etc.

You never know what might happen on a trip with kids so it’s great to have ideas of alternative activities.

Roadtrippers is perfect for this. I love how you can research both mainstream tourist highlights of your destination along with more off the beaten path type things. (Largest ball of twine, anyone??)

There’s a good chance you may not see your Plan B items during this trip. Or, you might discover you have a pocket of time where one slips in just perfectly.

You can always save them for your next visit, maybe they’ll be on the One Thing list next year like Fort Sumter was for us!

7. Don’t Panic

Despite all your planning, surprise things are still going to happen.

During our drive down to Charleston, Tim called ahead to make boat reservations for the trip to Fort Sumter. We discovered that the launch spot for the boat on the time we wanted to depart was not in Charleston itself but actually across the water on Mount Pleasant.

I had planned lunch near the city launch spot but now we had to cross a bridge to the other side of the bay after a 3+ hour drive with 2 very hungry kids.

Tim pulled up the map in Roadtrippers and hunted for a new restaurant by the revised launch spot.

We ended up having an amazing lunch that was the perfect start for our trip and took us in a section of town we never would have seen otherwise.

Instead of just seeing Fort Sumter, we also were able to visit a maritime museum and see enormous war ships on the water.

8. Leave Room for Unplanned Adventures

You have a solid plan. You know exactly what comes next on the itinerary.

And then you discover the PERFECT spot to have ice cream or stumble upon an adorable market with tempting little shops.

You want to pad your schedule with plenty of cushion time so that you have the option to go ahead and skip your next planned itinerary item for the amazing thing right in front of you. 

Even if the next item on your itinerary is your One Thing, you get to be the judge over whether the new adventure is worth sacrificing something else knowing exactly how it will impact the rest of your trip.

In Charleston, we were heading to the park to visit the famous Pineapple Fountain but passed along a picture-perfect row of adorable houses with flower boxes.

Instead of just zooming past on the way to our next itinerary spot, I slowed the family down and we had an impromptu photo session with the girls in front of this awesome gate.

I’m not sure I would have added “Take Pictures in front of Historic Gate” to our itinerary (or maybe I would have!) but I was grateful for the time to add it in on the fly.

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Survive the Family Road Trip in 10 Easy Steps

By Author Tara Schatz

Posted on Published: July 19, 2023

Categories Travel Tips , Family Travel , Planning

Are you planning your next epic road trip with kids? You’re not alone!

American families all over the country are packing their bags and hitting the road, probably in higher numbers than at any time in recent history.

In my humble opinion, family road trips are a necessary part of growing up, and if you have children on vacation from school, chances are good that you have at least one road trip planned for the near future.

That isn’t to say that a road trip with kids is easy.

In fact, some of our family road trips have been right up there with dentist visits and taxes, but that doesn’t stop us from embarking on them. It’s kind of like childbirth – once the pain is over, all you remember are the magical moments, and you are ready to do it again.

Anyway, family road trips will be a lot more awesome if you are willing to plan ahead, at least a bit.

If the family road trip anxiety is already settling on you like an early-morning fog, don’t fret. 

Not only can you survive the family road trip this summer, but with a little planning, you can make it a delightful and memorable experience for everyone.

After more than 20 summers of road-tripping all over the United States with our kiddos, we want to share some of our best tips for planning, executing, and enjoying your next family road trip.

Table of Contents

1. The Right Food Will Make or Break Your Family Road Trip

Hungry kids are cranky kids, and the same can probably be said for moms and dads too.

Typical American road-trip food will often consist of lame vending machine selections or fast food, which will not add anything to the magic of your trip. You don’t have to be the perfect mom and dole out carrot sticks and kale juice, but finding a good balance between nutrition and taste will satisfy your kids in more ways than one.

Special treats are critical to the success of your road trip, but it doesn’t have to be all junk food all the time.

Road trip staples in our family include hard-boiled eggs, granola bars , trail mix, fresh fruit, and yogurt, and we always bring along a small cooler and a picnic basket so that we can restock at supermarkets along the way.

Our favorite grocery-store snacks include string cheese, grapes, and smoothies, but we’re not perfect. Potato chips are a weakness, and the boys love beef jerky. 

If your family is juggling special diets or dealing with food allergies and sensitivities, you have an even more significant incentive to pack your own food.

Restaurants and grocery stores are getting better at providing food choices for different diets, but it’s not worth taking a wait-and-see approach if a special diet is crucial when traveling.

Traveling gluten-free? Here are some great tips for traveling gluten-free with kids.

Read Next: Kid-Friendly Recipes for Road Trips and Hiking

2. Plan a Few Surprises for Back Seat Road Trip Emergencies

Unexpected surprises are always a great way to soothe bruised egos and cranky kids, as long as you plan strategically before you embark on your family road trip with kids.

Before heading out on any long car ride, I try and buy or borrow a few new toys and games to distract my kids from what is otherwise a long and arduous journey.

A few years ago, we received this awesome road trip game box, which is essentially a shoebox filled with different games and activities for kids. It even included a custom score-keeping book (thanks, Aunt Kristin!).

We change up the contents of the game box every so often, and because it only comes out during the family road trip, it’s kind of like being re-acquainted with an old friend.

Not only is our game box for long car rides, but it’s great for camping trips and hotel rooms too. It also makes an awesome gift for any travel-loving family!

The contents of the game box change over time, but over the years, we’ve included:

• Playing cards – we love cribbage!
• Coloring books and crayons
• Bananagrams
• drawing pads
• Travel editions of our favorite games – Connect Four, Battleship, Scrabble, Checkers, etc.

3. Change up the Seating Arrangements During Your Road Trip

Adults often take it for granted,  but the front seat is where you’ll find the best views, most comfortable seating, and access to the radio.

If your kids are old enough, allow them to take turns sitting up front. A short stint in the front seat on the family road trip will easily work its magic on a grumpy child.

As an bonus, the front-seat passenger can keep the driver company while Mom or Dad takes a snooze in the backseat.

We also give the front-seat passenger the important job of being the family navigator.

This was way more important before we started using a GPS, but we still use a paper map so that we have a visual of our journey.

While sitting up front, our kids are looking for parks and historic sites, places to have our next roadside picnic , and important landmarks.

Insider tip: Our favorite USA atlas is the National Geographic Road Atlas because it includes lots of natural areas, campgrounds, and scenic routes. We still use our GPS for bringing us to specific destinations.

4. Make Time to Exercise on Long Road Trips

An important and often overlooked component of the family road trip is making frequent stops that allow everyone to move their bodies.

How often you do this depends on your kids, but we tend to stop every two hours for at least 20 minutes. Keep a Frisbee or ball in the car for break time, stop at a playground, or play a game of tag. Everyone should get in on the action, even parents. Especially parents. We stiffen up so much quicker than the kids do.

We try and find parks instead of rest areas or truck stops for our breaks, but that’s not always possible, so we make do with whatever we find.

5. Become a Back Road Rambler

There’s nothing less exciting than driving 65 miles per hour for days on end – past billboards, rest areas, and truck stops. I know that interstate travel is sometimes necessary, but if you have time, travel the back roads for a portion of your trip.

On back roads, you will likely come across some interesting picnic spots and photo ops, and your kids will remember your road trip for the new and exciting roads you’ve chosen to take.

Let your kids take turns taking photos as you meander around the country. There are so many beautiful places to discover!

6. Listen to Your Favorite Audio Books

Nothing makes the hours melt away on a long car ride like a good story, and audiobooks are available for just about any story you can think of.

For your next family road trip, pick something new or a family favorite and listen together on your car’s stereo.

Our favorite audiobooks for long car rides include every single one of the  Harry Potter books , Anne of Avonlea , The Little House on the Prairie series, and the Narnia books.

We never leave home without a few good audiobooks downloaded from Audible . is truly something we never leave home without, and our kids begin researching ideas as soon as they learn of an impending trip.

7. Let the Kids Choose Stops on Your Road Trip

Want to avoid the dreaded, “Are we there yet?”

As I mentioned above, letting your kids navigate your route will keep them busy and teach them to use a map. They will also feel incredibly accomplished if you also tell them that it’s their job to choose a spot for lunch or your afternoon hike.

While my kids don’t always choose the same spots I would have, it’s been really interesting to see where we land with kids in charge.

Surprisingly, they almost always try to find a place that we will all enjoy.

Some of our favorite road-trip stops have been chosen by pint-sized navigators. These have included an aerodrome, a roadside botanical garden, and a super awesome wolf sanctuary.

Read Next: The 10 Best Apps to Download Before Your Camping Road Trip

8. Play Family Road Trip Games

Road trip games are a nice distraction for long stretches of highway.

Here’s one of our favorites:  Ask one person to secretly choose something outside of the car to count. It could be mailboxes, street signs, police cars – just about anything goes.

Each time the chosen item is seen by that person, he counts it out loud. The rest of the family has to try and figure out what he is counting. Whoever guesses correctly gets a turn to count.

The goal is to stump your family by counting something that nobody can figure out.

Need a few more road trip game ideas? Fun Loving Families has some ideas for a family road trip scavenger hunt that will keep the kids busy the whole trip.  Or play some of these road trip games from Family Vacation Critic.

 9. Master the Fine Art of Parental Patience

I will never forget one memorable road trip when my kids were 13 and 11. We were driving on a lonesome stretch of highway and the boys were bickering nonstop.  We had been dealing with it for hours and had enough.

I am ashamed to say that we pulled over and threw our oldest son out of the car and told him to walk. I still can’t believe we did that, and it often comes up in conversation when we look back on our most memorable trips (I’m so sorry, Rowan!).

Every parent will have moments where they want to take drastic measures, but I can tell you from experience, that they always backfire. 

A family road trip with kids can be an exhilarating adventure, or it can be a tiresome struggle. It’s important to keep in mind that your kids are away from the routines and structures of home.

They will act out at times. Despite the urge to reprimand, shout, or pull out your hair, remember that keeping yourself calm will have a soothing effect on your whole family.

If you have the urge to throw one of your kids out of the car, pull over. Instead of banishing someone, make everyone get out of the car.

If your kids are old enough, they should find a place where they can escape from their parents and their siblings. If they are young, then parents should split up so the kids can have time apart. Take a deep breath. This too shall pass.

 10. Be Flexible 

Don’t be afraid to deviate from your family road trip schedule.

In the moment, you may not be able to remind yourself that the journey is more important than the destination, but it is!

Your family will remember spontaneous side trips far longer than hours and hours in the backseat. Now that our kids are young adults, I can say this from experience.

They remember both the good days and the bad days, but they definitely do not care to remember the endless hours in the car.

Are you ready to hit the road with your family?  What are your favorite tips for dealing with long hours in the car with kids? 

Follow us on social media for more road trip tips!

Tara is a freelance writer and travel blogger with a passion for outdoor adventures. She is the co-author of AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont and currently blogs at Back Road Ramblers and Vermont Explored , where she shares travel tips, adventure destinations, and vacation ideas for the wanderer in everyone.

Road Tripping in the USA | The Ultimate Family Road Trip Ideas

As a family travel expert and a dedicated road trip enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share with you the best USA family road trip ideas that promise fun, excitement, and quality time together. Buckle up and get ready to embark on the journey of a lifetime with your loved ones!

Are you ready to transform your family’s next vacation into a thrilling adventure filled with unforgettable moments? Family road trips are more than just vacations; they’re opportunities to bond, explore, and create cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

In order to tick of these Top American Family Road Trips, and enjoy a once in a lifetime family road tripping in America experience, you need to rent a self drive car, and we recommend you to book your Rental Self Drive Car in Texas on Discover Cars and RentalCars.com

1. The Classic American Road Trip

2. disney magic on the road, 3. national park adventure, 4. coastal charms, 5. the wild west adventure, 6. southern comfort, 7. the great lakes getaway, 8. rocky mountain adventure, 9. island hopping in hawaii, 10. new england discovery, 10 best family road trip ideas in the usa.

Start: Anywhere, USA

End: Your Dream Destination

Total Distance Covered: Varies

The classic American road trip is the stuff of legends, offering your family the freedom to shape your adventure. Chart your own course, create your playlist, and hit the open road. Explore iconic landmarks, discover hidden gems, and craft an itinerary that caters to your family’s interests. From Route 66 to the Pacific Coast Highway, which are some of the Best Road Trips in the World , this adventure is a canvas for your imagination. The open road invites you to make spontaneous stops, share laughter, and revel in the joy of being together.

Start: Your Hometown

End: Orlando, Florida

If your family is enchanted by Disney, then imagine a road trip to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando . Along the way, you’ll explore thrilling attractions, visit captivating theme parks, and create enchanting memories. These 10 Disney World Tips and Hacks , will further enhance your epic family vacation in Disney World. And why stop at Disney World? Extend the magic by visiting Disneyland in California or Disney resorts in Hawaii for an all-encompassing Disney experience that your family will treasure forever.

Start: Your Choice of National Park

End: Your Choice of National Park

America’s National Parks offer the ultimate playground for family road trips. Whether you’re marvelling at the geysers of Yellowstone , uncovering the ancient history of Mesa Verde , or gazing in awe at the majesty of the Grand Canyon , these treasured landscapes are a living classroom for your family. Hike scenic trails, camp under the starry skies, and dive into the heart of nature while discovering the heritage and beauty of our great nation.

Start: San Francisco, California

End: San Diego, California

Total Distance Covered: Approximately 500 miles

A road trip along California’s captivating coast is nothing short of breathtaking. Savour scenic drives along the iconic Highway 1 , explore charming seaside towns such as Monterey and Santa Barbara , and visit landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and San Diego’s world-renowned zoo. This road trip marries the beauty of nature with family-friendly destinations, promising your family a stunning journey.

Start: Denver, Colorado

End: Rapid City, South Dakota

Total Distance Covered: Approximately 350 miles

Transport your family back to the days of the Wild West on this incredible road trip through the heart of the Rockies. Discover national parks like Rocky Mountain and Badlands, step into the historic town of Deadwood , and gaze upon the grandeur of Mount Rushmore . Exciting outdoor activities, from hiking to wildlife watching, await your family in this thrilling journey through the Old West.

PS – Useful Travel Resources to use while heading to different parts of USA to tick off these Best Family Road Trips in America – 

• Book your Rental Car in USA on Discover Cars and RentalCars.com
• Book the best USA Tours at GetYourGuide or Viator
• Book your Accommodation in America on Agoda or Booking.com
• Get an eSIM by Airalo to stay connected and Save on Roaming Fees
• Sign up for a Priority Pass before flying to anywhere in the USA, to enjoy premium Airport Lounge Access.
• Sign up for a Travel Insurance to enjoy a hassle free road trip vacation in the United States.

Start: New Orleans, Louisiana

End: Destin, Florida

Total Distance Covered: Approximately 250 miles

Delight in the warmth of the American South with a family road trip along the Gulf Coast . Immerse yourself in the rich culture of New Orleans , unwind on the pristine beaches of Alabama , and savour the fresh seafood of Florida’s Panhandle. This journey weaves together the melodies of jazz, the flavours of southern cuisine, and the tranquility of coastal living, creating an unforgettable experience for your family.

Start: Chicago, Illinois

End: Mackinaw City, Michigan

Unearth the beauty of the Great Lakes region with your family road trip. Delve into the cultural tapestry of Chicago , explore captivating cities such as Milwaukee and Detroit , and bask in the serene landscapes surrounding Lake Michigan . Take ferry rides to enchanting Mackinac Island , where your family will create memories against the breathtaking backdrop of the Great Lakes.

End: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Total Distance Covered: Approximately 600 miles

Experience the majesty of the Rockies and the wonder of Yellowstone on a thrilling family road trip. Explore the mountainous terrain of Colorado , visit the geysers and wildlife of Yellowstone, and engage in outdoor adventures like hiking and rafting. This epic family road trip, which covers some of the Best Places to visit in Colorado , promises a fusion of adventure, nature, and education for your family.

Start: Honolulu, Oahu

End: Hilo, Big Island

Imagine a journey through the tropical paradise of Hawaii , where island-hopping becomes a reality. Explore the unique culture of Oahu , traverse the lush landscapes of Kauai , and witness the volcanic marvels of the Big Island. Snorkel in crystal-clear waters, attend enchanting luaus, and give your family the gift of diverse experiences against the stunning backdrop of the Hawaiian Islands.

This 7 Day Oahu – Hawaii Travel Itinerary and 7 Day Kauai Trip Itinerary, will help you plan your Family Road Trip Adventure in Hawaii.

Start: Boston, Massachusetts

End: Bar Harbor, Maine

Immerse your family in the rich history and natural beauty of New England , which is one of the Most Colourful Destinations in the USA . Explore historic sites in Boston , savour the coastal charm of seaside towns, and delight in the fresh seafood of Maine . Lighthouses, scenic coastal drives, and the unique culture of this northeastern region await your family’s discovery. Do the New England Family Road Trip during the falls, and fall in love with the colours of the fall.

These are not just road trips; they are epic family adventures waiting to happen. Whether you choose the classic American road trip, a Disney-themed journey, or an exploration of national parks, these USA family road trips guarantee fun, bonding, and lasting memories.

Pack your bags, chart your course, and hit the open road for the best family road trips that will fill your family with joy, laughter, and a treasure trove of shared experiences. The adventure of a lifetime awaits your family, where the journey is as meaningful as the destination. Road tripping with family is a promise of endless discovery and a celebration of the extraordinary gift of togetherness!

Don’t forget to Pin this USA Travel Bucket List featuring the Top USA Family Road Trip Ideas for an Adventurous Family Vacation.

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MECKY / Getty Images

Road trips are an ever-popular way for American families to take vacations. In fact, a 2019 study by OnePoll on behalf of Ford found that 73 percent of Americans prefer road tripping to flying. It's oftentimes cheaper to drive, not to mention easier than navigating chaotic airports, especially when traveling with kids.

However, although a long summer road trip can be a great bonding experience, too much time cooped up in a car together definitely has its challenges. Younger children can get bored and restless sitting through long stretches of dull scenery and eating a snack-filled diet for too long can make anyone feel lethargic and cranky. Here are several tried-and-tested tips parents swear by to make their road trips less stressful and more fun for the whole family.

Use Mobile Apps for Planning and Entertainment

Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

Having the right apps on hand can take a family vacation from "meh" to marvelous. For parents, there's DealNews for coupons and Foodspotting to help you find new restaurants that local guidebooks and "top 10" lists might not have picked up yet (think: fewer crowds). Hotels.com is essential for sifting through accommodation options with attractions for kids. You can reserve your stays easily right through the free app. For music, Spotify and YouTube offer thousands of songs and playlists for kids.

The backseat crew can be kept busy with mobile games like the familiar favorites: Minecraft, Animal Crossing, Super Mario Run, and more. Road trip-specific mobile games include Smule, a karaoke app, Road Trip Bingo, Geo Touch (a fun-but-educational app centered around geography), and Road Trip Travel Games , a collection of kid-friendly road trip classics like Slug a Bug and Cloud Shapes.

Play Offline Car Games

Anna Peisl / Getty Images

People were taking road trips long before the advent of cell phones or iPads and you can bet that parents were minimizing backseat squabbling with variations of the same classic car games still being played today.

I Spy is a road trip staple. The first player says "I spy with my little eye something..." then gives a clue to something they can see that other participants must look for. Another popular pastime is the Alphabet Game, where players must find objects that begin with each letter of the alphabet. For cross-country trips, playing the State License Plate Game is a great way to pass the time and help school-aged kids learn the names of states. To play, make a list of all 50 states, then have your kids try to spot a car with a license plate from each state, like a backseat version of a scavenger hunt.

Gather Toys and Tools for Kid-Friendly Travel

Sue Barr / Getty Images

Although fighting off backseat boredom can be a big issue when road tripping with children, finding ways to avoid messes and excessive noise can also be challenging. Fortunately, there are a few car toys and organizational gadgets that can make it a little more manageable.

For little artists on board, Crayola's Color Wonder Art Kit is a mess-free alternative to standard markers and crayons. Its coloring pages come with stampers and special markers that will only show up on actual paper—not skin, clothes, or your car. Travel Bingo boards feature slide-able squares for trains, police cars, and airplanes. No stamps or chips are needed. There are road trip-specific Mad Libs and magnetic checkers on the market, too.

In terms of organization, you can get seat-back bags, trash bins, and collapsible dishes at Target to help keep things tidy. Otherwise, some resort to using shower caddies for meals on the go, or putting cupcake liners in cup holders to keep them clean.

Manage Car Sickness

VOISIN / Getty Images

Speaking of messes: Many kids are prone to car sickness, which can pose yet another challenge. If you anticipate that someone in the vehicle will be motion sick, then it's a good idea to travel with some disposable bags (medical-grade, if possible). But before resorting to using them, try to keep sickness at bay with ginger or peppermint food products, clinically proven to help prevent nausea , and by putting the queasy passenger in the front seat in order to see the horizon. The reason drivers don't get motion sick as easily is because the act of driving itself engages motor skills. The front seat also has less movement than the back of the car. Although some foods may help with nausea, consuming less, in general, helps to prevent getting sick. Spicy foods, for instance, can irritate the feeling even further.

Find Alternatives to Fast Food

Jupiterimages / Getty Images

Quick-casual restaurant chains are relatively cheap and abundant, so it's easy to fall into a fast-food rut when you're away on vacation. However, with just a little planning, you can track down healthier, just-as-inexpensive options that are sure to please kids all the same. When your family is on the go, look for supermarkets that might have deli counters or salad bars (like Whole Foods and Kroger stores), local farmers markets, or food trucks, which you can find on the TruxMap app.

Alternatively, keep a cooler packed with picnic provisions, healthy snacks, and low-sugar beverages so that you won't always be at the mercy of roadside food stops. Pick a great scenic pull-off at which to stop and enjoy a pick-me-up while stretching your legs.

Stop to Cool Off

kali9 / Getty Images

Remember that it isn't just about the destination. Stop off regularly at the quirky roadside attractions, whether it be Amarillo's Cadillac Ranch, Utah's dinosaur footprints, or the alien artifacts in Roswell, New Mexico. These little breaks may add time to the trip, but they're always memorable and offer opportunities for bouts of exercise, which is essential for kids.

You could even take it a step further and seek out theme parks along your route. Maine is home to Wild Blueberry Land, Virginia to Dinosaur Land, and Minnesota to Paul Bunyan Land, for example. Pack your swim gear and cool off at a water park along the way—there's one in almost every state.

Visit National Parks

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The best family road trip will introduce your children to the natural beauty and diversity of the U.S., whether it be the barren deserts of the Southwest, the lush pine forests of the Pacific Northwest, the beaches of the East Coast, or the mountains of Colorado. Find which national parks may be near your road trip route and make the effort to stop and explore them. The historian Wallace Stegner once called the national park system "America's best idea." There are more than 400 spread throughout the country, with more than half of the states boasting at least one.

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by Sarah | Adventure

Embarking on a family road trip is a fantastic way to create lasting memories and explore the beauty of the open road.

Whether you’re visiting national parks, bustling cities, or scenic landscapes, a well-planned road trip can be a great adventure for the whole family.

In this blog post, we’ll share a free printable with essential tips to ensure your journey is enjoyable and stress-free.

Tips For a Family Road Trip

Traveling with kids is like embarking on an epic quest where you’re the overburdened hero.

Five minutes into the open road, the chorus of “Are we there yet?” begins.

Just when you think you’ve found peace, someone needs a bathroom.

Welcome to parenting on the move, where every hour drive feels like a full-blown saga! But, fear not, we’ve got the tips to help you have an enjoyable experience!

1. Plan Your Route and Stops

We absolutely love a good family road trip, and know you will too!

When planning your trip, consider the destinations you want to visit.

Some great options for a family road trip include:

• San Diego : Famous for its zoo, beaches, and Balboa Park.
• San Francisco : Home to the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Fisherman’s Wharf.
• Los Angeles : Visit Hollywood, Universal Studios, and Santa Monica Pier.
• Las Vegas : Beyond the Strip, enjoy family-friendly shows and attractions.
• New York City : Explore Central Park, museums, and iconic landmarks.
• Niagara Falls : Marvel at the majestic falls and explore the surrounding parks.
• Yellowstone National Park : Experience geysers, hot springs, and wildlife.
• Grand Canyon National Park : One of the most iconic natural wonders.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park : Enjoy hiking and the beautiful scenery.
• Shenandoah National Park : Known for its Skyline Drive and scenic views.
• Yosemite National Park : Famous for its stunning granite cliffs and waterfalls.

2. Pack Smart and Stay Comfortable

Comfort is key for long drives, especially with young children. Make sure to pack:

• Car Seat : Ensure it’s properly installed and comfortable for long periods.
• Water Bottles : Stay hydrated throughout the trip.
• Snacks : Healthy snacks can be lifesavers. Stock up at a grocery store before you leave.
• Travel Journal : A great way for kids to document their adventure.
• Entertainment : Books, games, and screen time can keep kids occupied during long stretches.
• Blankets and Pillows : For naps in the back seat.

👉 FREE FAMILY ROAD TRIP CHECKLIST

3. Plan for Fun Stops

Breaking up the drive with interesting stops can make the journey more enjoyable. Some fun ideas include:

• Children’s Museums : Many big cities have them, perfect for a break.
• Amusement Parks : Like Disney World in Orlando or Universal Studios in LA.
• Botanical Gardens : Relax and enjoy nature.
• Rest Stops : Stretch your legs and have a picnic.
• Antique Shops : Explore and find unique souvenirs.
• Ice Cream Parlors : A sweet treat to break up the drive.

4. Explore the Great Outdoors

National and state parks offer amazing things to see and do:

• Icefields Parkway  in the Canadian Rockies: A breathtaking scenic drive.
• Hot Springs : Like those in Yellowstone for a unique experience.
• Water Sports : At places like Lake Tahoe or Costa Rica.
• Hiking Trails : In parks such as the Great Smoky Mountains.

👉 FREE NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT FOR KIDS

5. Stay Flexible and Enjoy the Journey

While planning is essential, leaving some room for spontaneity can lead to unexpected joys:

• Scenic Detours : Like the Blue Ridge Parkway or North Coast drives.
• Local Attractions : Coffee plantations, antique shops, and historical sites.

6. Stick to a Budget

Eating out can be expensive, so consider preparing your own meals:

• Fast Food : An occasional treat, but try to eat healthier options.
• Grocery Store : Stock up on essentials to save money and time.
• Picnics : A great way to enjoy fresh air and family time.

Here are 15 Easy Road Trip Lunch Ideas

7. Capture the Memories

Don’t forget to take lots of photos and videos to document your trip. A travel journal for each family member can also be a great way to remember your adventures.

8. Safety First

Ensure your car is in good condition, have a first-aid kit, and know the locations of nearby hospitals along your route.

Plan regular breaks to avoid fatigue and ensure young children have plenty of screen-free time to avoid motion sickness.

Here are our favorite tips for organizing the car for road trips .

9. Consider Alternative Travel Modes

Sometimes mixing up your mode of travel can add to the adventure:

• Boat Trip : Explore lakes and rivers.
• Train Ride : A scenic and relaxing alternative to driving.

10. Embrace the Adventure

Remember, the best road trips are about enjoying the journey as much as the destination.

Take your time, explore new sights, and create wonderful memories with your family.

A family road trip is a great way to explore the United States and beyond, from the stunning landscapes of national parks to the bustling energy of big cities.

With careful planning and a spirit of adventure, your road trip can be a fantastic experience for the whole family. Enjoy the ride!

Before you go, here are more posts you’ll enjoy:

The Secret to Gardening With Kids

Our Getaway Weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains

35 Stylish Bedroom Accent Wall Ideas

Family Road Trip

Sarah & Travis

Welcome to Our Blue Ridge House in the mountains of NC. 

We love house projects, plants, the outdoors, family adventures, and natural remedies. 

We’re here to share it all with you!  Learn more about us HERE and let’s connect!

6 tips for surviving a road trip with a large family

As a family of eight, our household has always traveled somewhat differently than other families. A lot of that difference comes from the fact that a small cost quickly becomes a large cost when multiplied by eight. Consider the relatively small $5.60 tax on your "free" award ticket: For our group on a round-trip itinerary, that's nearly $100. Then, there are the often astronomical fuel charges , also known as "carrier-imposed surcharges."

Because of that, our family often skews more toward "drive" in the classic "drive versus fly" debate. The economics of transporting eight people in one vehicle make family road trips a staple of our travel plans. That's still the case when gas prices are high. (Here's a list of the best credit cards for road trips , best credit cards for gas purchases and advice for maximizing points and miles on road trips .)

A family road trip can be a great idea any time of year if you want to go somewhere close or don't want the expense of airline tickets. Over the years, we've come up with several family road trip tips which you can read about them below.

Agree on screen time

When I asked my 12-year-old daughter what her best road trip tips were, she said "screens, snacks and space." Our family is fairly strict on limiting kids' screen time, but a road trip is one time when those rules go (mostly) out the window. We do try to mix things up with other forms of entertainment (see below), but it's true that most of a long road trip consists of kids on various screens.

Our road trip screen time game has evolved over time. When our kids were younger, our go-to move was a portable DVD player attached to a platform hooked into the headrest posts of the driver and passenger seats. The only problem with that came as the kids got a little older. We found that there isn't a movie in this world that a 14-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl can agree on.

As the kids got older and technology advanced, we moved toward individual screens. Older kids usually play on their phones, and we have tablets and other devices for the younger kids. On our most recent road trip, each kid had their own Nintendo 2DS system (pictured below), which worked great.

Don't skimp on snacks

Making sure you have enough snacks for the trip is another of our must-dos. We bring cups to pass out "messier" snacks (like Goldfish, pretzels, Cheez-Its or oyster crackers). This way, the "snack master" in the front can pass out snacks all the way to those in the back. The more snacks you bring, the more self-sufficient your road trip can be. In other words, you won't have to make as many stops. (Check out TPG's list of healthy snacks to pack on trips.)

My favorite road trip snack story comes from when my oldest daughter was about 5 or 6 years old. She was in the back row of the minivan, and our other kids were too little to be any help passing out treats. At snack time, our only option was to literally throw options back at her and hope they landed in range so she could reach them without getting out of her car seat.

When we finally got to our destination, we looked in the back of the van and found about 20 sandwich cookies (and parts of cookies) littered throughout the back seat.

Consider space

Space is the next consideration. Unfortunately, it's one that you probably don't have a ton of control over. In most cases, the vehicle you drive is the only vehicle you have.

Also, when your van starts out for a road trip looking like this, you know that space is coming at a premium.

If you're renting a car instead of using your own, one possible option would be to rent two cars instead of one larger car. We covered that in our article on which rental care company is right for you.

Not only is the two-car option cheaper than renting a minivan (or worse, full-size van or large SUV), two cars also lets you split up kids that can't seem to get along. One downside when renting two cars is that both my wife and I have to drive all the time instead of being able to switch off.

Maximize your break time

Depending how long you're traveling or the ages of your kids, you'll likely need to stop several times along the way. If this is a route you've taken many times (like the way to grandma's house), you probably have your favorite rest stops already picked out. We like to turn those stops for food, gas and bathrooms into mini-exercise breaks.

Rather than all stumbling to the bathroom, we will stop at a rest area, find a grassy spot and do anything from calisthenics to a quick game of hide-and-seek. The older kids participate grumpily (then again, teenagers seem to do everything grumpily), but the younger kids enjoy running around.

If you have a little extra time in the schedule, take advantage of some free and unique things to do on the way — here are some tips for finding those stops .

Find entertainment where you can get it

As I mentioned earlier, our main source of entertainment on family road trips nowadays tends to be individual screens (phones, tablets and game systems). We do have a few other things that we use to pass the time on our family road trips. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Books on CD. The "Harry Potter" series read by Jim Dale is a family favorite.
• Of course, there's always the classic "Alphabet Game."
• A family game titled, "I am something in the world; what am I?" is basically a souped-up 20 questions where one person thinks of anything in the world, and everyone else uses yes or no questions to figure it out. I am constantly amazed at how we can guess even the most obscure things with enough questions.
• When our kids were younger, we printed out sheets with license plates from every state on them and had the kids mark the ones they saw. Bonus points if you live in a state (like Ohio) with county-level stickers on its license plates.

Set a realistic driving schedule

My last piece of road trip advice is to be realistic with your timing. You know your family best, but be wise about when you start your trip. Look at your route and when you'll be traveling through major cities. I have not-so-fond memories of being stuck in rush-hour Chicago traffic with a screaming infant.

I know some families will drive through the night to maximize vacation time. The one time our family tried that, my toddler daughter screamed her head off for over an hour straight to the point that my wife made me turn around the car and return home. (Naturally, she finally fell asleep on our way back home, so we turned around the car again and reached our destination about three hours late.)

Those of us in the miles and points world also like to break up long road trips with a night at a hotel. Be liberal with your breaks — being stuck in the back of a minivan for more than 10 hours is no fun.

If you're not sure where to start with mapping out your schedule, check out the Roadtrippers website .

Bottom line

I hope these family road trip travel tips will help you plan your next vacation. When in doubt, remember to pack enough snacks, bring enough activities for kids and make sure everyone gets ample time to stretch at each stop.

Related reading:

• 7 mistakes every road tripper makes at least once
• The ultimate road trip through the coastal South
• Driving one of America's best road trips: 3 days in Big Sur
• The ultimate guide to road tripping with an electric car
• 6 of our favorite road trips from Las Vegas
• 5 awesome road trips you can take from Nashville

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10 of the Best U.S. Road Trips for Families

Create memories with your kids on these short but sweet journeys that feature stunning scenery and unique landmarks.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

A road trip is a classic American vacation, but it takes planning to make it great — especially when little ones are involved. To help you plan your family's next journey, we've rounded up some of the best road trips around the United States for families with kids, from single-day jaunts to journeys that can take more than a week. With stops the whole crew will enjoy, these drives are sure to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Charleston, South Carolina, to Savannah, Georgia

Explore two popular Southern cities on one trip with this short-distance getaway. The drive from Charleston straight to Savannah takes just under two hours, but we'd recommend extending your itinerary over a few days so you can stop to enjoy the outstanding hotels and beaches along the way. You can stay at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island an hour south of Charleston, or fill up the tank for a beach day at Hilton Head , only an hour farther. Once you've passed through Savannah, drive one more hour south for a stay at The Cloister at Sea Island . This five-star resort is another good option for families, with plenty of swimming, fishing, and nature walks.

San Diego to Los Angeles, California

At around two hours, this drive is easy for parents and just long enough to be exciting for the kids. San Diego, Los Angeles, and the stretches of coast between them are packed with beaches and a plethora of crowd-pleasing attractions. Explore the San Diego Zoo, Legoland California, and Disneyland, about a 30-minute from downtown L.A. in Anaheim.

New York City or Boston to Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Whether you choose to stay in a shingled cottage or beachfront apartment, your kids will fall hard for the Cape . Wellfleet is a particularly great destination for families, reachable in two hours from Boston or five hours from New York City. You'll want to stop in other charming towns along the way, like Falmouth and Chatham, before settling in the sands of the Outer Cape. Once you're there, no trip is complete without a visit to Mac's on the Pier , where you can gaze out at the harbor and feast on whole belly clams. Exploring one of the Cape's kettle ponds, which families often have all to themselves, is also a must, as is checking out the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary , home to five miles of trails and salt marshes.

Pacific Coast Highway, California

Beginning in Orange County's Dana Point and reaching north to San Francisco, this popular drive can be completed in under eight hours. But why keep it short? With many major stops — from Los Angeles to Carmel-by-the-Sea — you could make this road trip last for days. Driving northward, head to the top of the Topanga Lookout in Malibu for incredible views of the San Fernando Valley. A few hours north in Santa Ynez wine country, relax with a glass of vino as you plot your visit to Hearst Castle. Kids and adults alike will marvel at the media magnate's vast estate, with its sprawling gardens, Roman-style pool, and extensive art collection.

New York City to Philadelphia to the Poconos

At Woodloch Resort in the Pocono Mountains, you'll feel like you're back at summer camp — in a good way. On and off the property, there's plenty to do, including golf, paintball, fishing, and more. A variety of accommodation options are available, too, perfect for families of any size. Whether or not you're headed to the Woodloch, though, the Poconos are an easy getaway for East Coasters. New York City is about a two-hour drive and Philadelphia is about three hours; the two cities can easily be combined with a Poconos visit for a fun multiday adventure.

Boston, Massachusetts, to Stowe, Vermont

Stowe, Vermont, is a great destination in all seasons for families road tripping within New England. Just three hours from Boston, the town offers some of the East Coast's best skiing in wintertime and an abundance of outdoor adventure in summer. On your warm-weather visit, cool off with the kids at the Waterbury Reservoir in Waterbury Center State Park , or enjoy the fresh mountain air with a hiking or biking excursion.

There are few roads as iconic as Route 66 , so why not take your kids on this classic American trip? Whether you embark on the full journey from Chicago to Los Angeles or opt for a smaller section, you're bound to have a memorable time. Little ones will love the route's kitschy roadside attractions (world's biggest ketchup bottle, anyone?), while adults will be wowed by the scenery, from the wide-open spaces of west Texas to the mountains of Santa Fe.

Tucson to the Grand Canyon, Arizona

Lauren Breedlove/Travel + Leisure

Take in some of the country's best views on a multiday road trip through Arizona . Start in Tucson and visit Saguaro National Park to see the namesake cacti before heading to Scottsdale. Next up, drive to the stunning, red rock-surrounded town of Sedona. Finally, continue north to Grand Canyon National Park for a couple of days in the great outdoors, reveling in this massive natural wonder.

Rocky Mountain Loop from Denver

If you'd like to swap red rocks for snowy mountaintops, set off on a Colorado road trip through some of the state's incredible national parks and charming small towns. From Denver, head northwest to Boulder and Estes Park, a perfect home base for exploring Rocky Mountain National Park . Drive farther into the mountains to check out towns like Glenwood Springs, Telluride, and Durango, all located in the western part of the state. Spend a day at Mesa Verde National Park , home to ancient Native cave dwellings that will fascinate kids and grown-ups alike before turning back east. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Colorado Springs are great stops en route back to Denver.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Beautiful year-round but especially colorful in spring and fall, the Blue Ridge Parkway makes for an excellent family road trip. Connecting Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park , the Blue Ridge Parkway offers scenic mountain and foliage views across the Appalachian landscapes of Virginia and North Carolina. Plus, there are plenty of great hikes for all skill levels and places to camp along the parkway if you want to spend a few nights under the stars.

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The Family Vacation Guide

15 of the Best Family Road Trips in the US

posted by James Brockbank on November 29, 2021 // last updated on November 29, 2021

Road trips are the perfect opportunity to spend time with family and create lasting memories. While packing up the bags and getting everyone together for the trip may be a hassle, the adventure you find along the way and watching the scenery change around you is an experience you won’t soon forget. 

Experiencing these new places with your family is by far the best part of family road trips as you live the stories you will one day tell years down the road at holiday dinners. 

If your family is an avid road trip family, you may be running out of family road trip ideas. If this is the case, there is no need to worry as we have compiled a list of 15 of the best family road trips in the US.

Branson, Missouri

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Families all across the United States find happiness in partaking on a road trip adventure. However, inspiration for these road trips can be hard to come across, depending on the time of year and home location. 

Whether your family seeks road trip adventure regularly or you are partaking on your very first family road trip, here are the best road trips in the US for families. 

There is nothing quite like a trip to the good ole midwest. Whether you are a midwest native or as far from the midwest as you can get, a trip to Branson, Missouri, will not disappoint. 

Branson is a year-round destination spot with the best times to visit in the middle of the summer or Christmas. Because Branson is located on Table Rock Lake, like time activities and beautiful lake condos are a draw to the area. 

Once you enjoy a day out in the sun on your boat rental, drive down the Highway 76 Strip to experience what is known as “Little Vegas.” The Strip is bursting at its seams with entertainment opportunities. 

A significant draw to Branson is the Winter Wonderland it transforms to in November and December. If your family needs a vacation destination for Christmas, Branson will not disappoint. Visit The Branson Landing and immerse yourself in Christmas music and a Christmas light show. Or, visit Silver Dollar City to take in the millions of sparkling Christmas lights on display.

One of the best parts about a family road trip to Branson is no matter which direction you come from, the beauty of the Ozark hills allows you to see for miles. The rock formations on both sides of the highway let you experience the area’s true natural beauty before reaching the majestic Table Rock Lake-town.

Route 66 is one of the most well-known family road trips in the United States, stretching from Chicago, IL, to Los Angeles, CA. This 2,448-mile trek is a must for every family. 

The historic route goes through the heart of the midwest. It allows you to mark the states of Illinois , Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas , New Mexico, Arizona , and California off your list of states you’ve visited. 

One of the most beneficial parts of the Route 66 road trip is that you don’t have to travel the whole thing to enjoy what it has to offer. Start on I-44 Springfield, MO, and travel to Carthage, MO, to see a Drive-In movie at 66 Drive-In Theatre .

After your movie and a night’s stay in The Westport Lodge , make your way to Oklahoma City, OK, to check out the American Banjo Museum. Once you have your fill of banjos, stop at Boomarang Diner in OKC before continuing your trip East towards Texas. 

You can’t drive through Amarillo, TX, without stopping at the unique Cadillac Ranch , where you will find ten Cadillacs buried nose-first in the ground. These ten Cadillacs represent the succession of the car line, and the cars used were either older or junk cars. We promise your trip on Route 66 will not disappoint!

It’s no secret that Vermont is a premier fall foliage destination. Stowe, Vermont, was named one of the best places in the United States to view the autumn colors. If your family enjoys the beauty of the leaves changing from their green colors to vibrant oranges and reds, a road trip to Vermont in the fall is a must.

Starting in Bennington, VT, travel north through Weston and Killington. After stopping and exploring Killington, continue north and cross over the Winooski River into Middlesex. Once you arrive at Middlesex, stop by Red Hen Baking Co. and enjoy a fresh piece of Apple Pie and a glass of milk. 

If you’re not served a dairy side with your pie, such as milk, cheese, or a big scoop of ice cream, you may have to call the authorities as it is illegal for restaurants to serve apple pie without a “good effort” to serve dairy side in Vermont .

A list of the best family road trips in the US wouldn’t be complete without the Grand Canyon . If natural beauty is the name of the game, the Grand Canyon takes home first place. The stunning views of the canyon, mixed with its surrounding natural beauty, make it one of the most highly sought-after vacation destinations in the world. 

Because there is so much natural beauty surrounding the Grand Canyon, it would be a shame for you to visit the Grand Canyon and not explore the surrounding canyons. That is why this loop of the area is elite. 

Starting in Las Vegas, travel to the south rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. Here you have the opportunity to take in the majesty of the canyon and enjoy the most visited part of the park. After taking in the views and visiting the visitor center, hop back in the car and head towards the north rim, then continue onto Page, AZ, where you can view the canyon’s east side.

From Page, AZ, make your way to Bryce Canyon for a less-visited canyon, but still popular nonetheless. The red clay mixed with the unique rock structures of Bryce Canyon makes it a unique destination you won’t soon forget. 

Once you have your fill of Bryce Canyon, continue onto Zion National Park then, finish your loopback in Vegas. 

Although the Pig Trail is a renowned motorcyclist trail, it is also the perfect family road trip to take in the beauty of the Ozarks. Starting and ending in Fayetteville, the Pig Trail gets its name from the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, which call Fayetteville home. 

Motorcyclists heavily trafficked this trail during Bikes, Blues, and BBQ , an annual bike fest with a BBQ destination in Fayetteville. This festival is typically held on the last weekend of September. 

If a family road trip on the Pig Trail is on your bucket list, you may consider refraining from taking this trip during the festival. Otherwise, you may have issues with bikers attempting to pass your vehicle on the curvy roads, preventing you from enjoying your drive.

Take in the beauty of the Ozarks and the small, historical towns along the way. Make sure you stop by The Farmer’s Table Cafe and eat an authentic Arkansan breakfast. You may also consider stopping in Eureka Springs, comparable to Gatlinburg, TN, and walking the historic downtown area while enjoying the rolling hills.  

If you love the ocean breeze and live for beach vacations, there is no doubt that you’ve heard of the popular Pacific Coast Highway. Running along the Pacific Ocean from Washington to California, the Pacific Coast Highway is full of ocean views, magnificent cliffs, and picturesque towns.

Composed of highway US 101 in Washington and Oregon and California Highway 1 in the Golden State, this 1,675-mile stretch is sure to impress everyone in your family. 

Starting in Olympia, Washington, head south on US 101 and make a stop at Hoh Rainforest . A rainforest in Washington? That’s right! Because of the precipitation the area receives, this area qualifies as a rainforest—the foliage is a sight to see. 

After a small hike through Hoh Rainforest, continue south, stopping at the various beach destinations through Washington and Oregon. One of the more unique beach stops is Devils Punch Bowl, where you will find a unique rock formation in the ocean. 

Once in California, you must drive through the redwood trees in Humboldt Redwoods State Park and stop to take a quick hike. Further south, you will find the Fort Bragg glass beach that is full of sea glass. 

Continuing down the Pacific Coast Highway, you will find numerous stops with fantastic views and unique experiences. You must stop and get some seafood along the way. Even if you don’t prefer seafood, fresh and professionally prepared seafood may change your mind. 

There is a reason Arkansas highways are on this list more than once. The Highway 7 Scenic Byway is known as one of the best drives in America , which totals 290 miles. 

Another popular drive among motorcyclists, this byway begins on the southernmost border of Louisiana and Arkansas in El Dorado, AR. It ends in Diamond City, AR, near the Arkansas and Missouri border. 

This scenic route winds through four of the state’s geographical regions and passes through the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. The Ouachita Mountains are known for their quartz crystals, while the Ozark Mountains produce winding roads with spectacular views.

While on your scenic tour of Arkansas, be sure and stop in Hot Springs, where you can enjoy the Hot Springs National Park. The national park is known for the naturally warm waters that you can experience along Bathhouse Row . 

It is also imperative that you partake in a true midwestern activity at Ron Coleman Mining in Jessieville. Give your legs a stretch in Jessieville by visiting Ron Coleman Mining, where you can dig for quartz and crystals. Anything you find you are free to take home, which makes for a unique souvenir.

You will also find numerous hiking spots along the way, with some of our favorites in Newton county along the Buffalo National River. Don’t miss out on the beauty the Ozarks have to offer by planning your road trip on Highway Scenic Byway today!

Lake Superior is known for its scenic shoreline and crystal clear waters, which makes the North Shore Scenic Drive one you have to experience. Located in Minnesota, this drive takes you along access points to eight different state parks and through Superior National Forest. 

Make a stop at the 1910 Split Rock Lighthouse , which has become a Minnesota icon through the years. Or, take some time out of your vehicle to visit the commercial fishing museum in Tofte. 

If reading about the area’s history doesn’t strike your interest, stop at the Superior Hiking Trail and go for a short hike to stretch your legs while taking in the surrounding scenery. You can also visit the local golf course, mountain biking park, and ski area to add multiple activities to your quest. 

Don’t forget to stop by the New Scenic Cafe in Duluth, MN, to experience local cuisine like Canadian hot chicken or smoked beets. It’s also a must to stop by Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors, MN, for some Banana Cream Pie. 

It’s nearly impossible to compare the vast difference of the natural scenery from one side of the United States to the other. You have the canyons and desert in the west and the majestic mountains in the east, which offer immaculate views. However, if I had to pick my favorite family road trip destination, it would have to be Blue Ridge Parkway.

Blue Ridge Parkway is located along the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Carolinas and Virginia and offers some of the most spectacular views in the US. Begin your journey on Blue Ridge Parkway at the base of Shenandoah National park in Afton, Virginia, and end in Cherokee, North Carolina , near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Along the way, you will travel through mountain towns like Roanoke, Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina. In Roanoke , you can shop at the local markets and boutiques along the historic downtown stretch with views of the mountains as the city’s backdrop. 

Continuing along the parkway, you will travel through the quaint little town of Blowing Rock, NC, before finding yourself in Asheville, NC. In Asheville , you will find numerous recreation and nature activity options mixed in with an artistic atmosphere. 

Whether your family is all for getting out and exploring nature or prefers to enjoy the local culture, you are sure to find something that the whole family will enjoy along the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

Known as the “All-American Road,” Scenic Byway 12 in Utah is sure to get your kids off their phones and fixated on the scenery out the window. Just over 122 miles, this stretch of road takes you through the desert mountains, where you will see slickrock and how the sun reflects off the red rocks.

This Scenic Byway connects US 89 near Panguitch to SR 24 near Torrey. Stop at the scenic overlook along the route to take in the 9,000-foot view where you can see for miles and take in what the area’s natural beauty has to offer. 

Be sure to stop at the Dixie National Forest, where you can explore the area by food and view various peaks and plateaus, lakes, and valleys. You can also stop along the way at the Capitol Reef National Park, where you will find a stretch of the Waterpocket Fold with multi-colored rock and rolling hills.

The Hogback Area of the byway stretches along a narrow ridge, with both sides of the road dropping drastically. This stretch is one of the more famous parts of the byway, and for good reason.

With so many naturally beautified spots along Scenic Byway 12, it’s tough to pick and choose which ones to stop at and enjoy and which to pass up. While all stops along the way are 100% worth it, one of the more unique stops is the Lower Calf Creek Falls. 

In the middle of the desert, it is refreshing to find a scenic waterfall. While this waterfall does require a hike, it is a must-stop along the byway. You can find the trailhead that takes you to Lower Calf Creek Falls at the Calf Creek Campground . 

Mountains, desert, forests, farms, and Spanish and Indian villages, The High Road to Taos Scenic Byway in New Mexico has it all. A road trip out west is one of the most American road trips you can take as you engulf yourself in the area’s rich history and enjoy the beautiful scenery that surrounds you.

Pack your bags and load the kids; this scenic highway is one we are sure will not disappoint. This byway runs between Santa Fe and Taos and provides mountain views with historic Spanish and Indian villages along the way. 

See local architecture that you don’t see anywhere else as you travel along the byway. Stop at the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz de la Canada, a massive church that has seen continuous use for 250 years. Sharpen your western US history by visiting the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian Arts and the Georgia O’Keefe Museum. 

Don’t forget to try some of the local Spanish cuisines in Taos , such as tamales, enchiladas, chile Rellenos, and posole. 

It is difficult not to enjoy a road trip along the ocean. But what about a road trip on the sea? That’s right, the roadway travel from mainland Florida to the Florida Keys is a road trip you take on the ocean.

The seven-mile bridge that connects keys makes you feel like you’re driving on water. While the bridge that connects the middle keys to the southern keys is seven miles long, the total road trip from Key Largo to Key West is 110-miles and is known as the “Road to Paradise” by locals. 

With a mixture of the blue waters to the tropical scenery, you won’t get tired of looking out the window along this road as you can point out the marine life swimming through the ocean waters or the tropical birds floating in the wind. 

Stop at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park to stretch your legs and discover what lives on the ocean floor and how it survives. You will also have the opportunity to learn a history lesson by visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. 

As with any other road trip, you must check out some local cuisines by visiting Mangoes Key West Cuisine in Old Town Key West for some Cuban seafood stew. 

It’s time to get your hula skirts and sunscreen out because we are going to Hawaii . Saddle Road in Hawaii is one of the best family road trips in the United States because it offers pure adventure. 

Saddle Road is named after its geographical location in the valley or “saddle” between the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa Mountains. The technical term for the stretch of road is Hawaii Route 200, but we like Saddle Road better. 

This 54 mile stretch of land gives you the Hawaiian experience as you can view the pastureland of Hawaii while passing by dried lava flows. You will also experience the edge of the rainforest and desert fields. 

You are sure to get an experience like no other on this road trip because who else can say they experienced a rainforest, pastureland, and dried lava on the same road trip?

Don’t forget to get out of the car and stretch your legs along the way by stopping at one of the trailheads or a quaint lunch spot along the highway. 

You may have to rent a vehicle to embark on this road trip, but it is a must for your family road trip bucket list. The George Park Highway is in Alaska and is the road that connects Anchorage and Fairbanks, the two largest cities in the state. 

Running approximately 320 miles, this highway takes you through Alaska’s wild wilderness for an experience you won’t soon forget. Keep a close eye out for wild moose or even bears as you travel the George Park Highway.

You can also take in the magnificent views of Denali , the tallest mountain in North America. But why just look at the mountain? Why not make a pit stop and explore? With over six million acres of untamed land, Denali National Park is a must-stop on your Alaskan road trip. 

Make sure you take the time to stop along the way for a taste of Alaska at Moose-AKa’s , an Eastern European Restaurant and Tavern. At Moose-Aka’s, you will find appetizers such as Schnitzel Fingers and Mekice, which is fry bread with red peppers and cream cheese.

If you think their appetizers sound unique, wait until you see their main menu with stuffed peppers, Moussaka, and varying types of schnitzel. We promise you will fall in love with the Eastern European cuisine Moose-Aka’s has to offer. 

Whether you enjoy experiencing new places for the scenery and adventure, or the delightful food, Alaska has plenty of both to offer along the George Park Highway. 

Colorado is known for its steep mountains and beautiful scenery. That is exactly what you’ll find along Colorado State Highway 82. The highway is engulfed in mountainside scenery that makes you feel finite.

At 12,095 feet above sea level, this 85 mile-long stretch of road is the highest paved road on the Continental Divide in North America and the highest road in Colorado. This means the views from the highway are unmatched, as you can see for miles along the route.

Because this pass is so high above sea level, it is closed in the winter months as winter weather causes driving hazards that shouldn’t be risked.

Stop along the route at one of the many hiking trails to stretch your legs and take in the fresh, crisp air. You may also want to stop by The Twin Lakes Inn Restaurant and enjoy a Tasso Green Chili Omelet for Brunch or a Shrimp Bisque for dinner. 

Family road trips are an excellent way to bring the whole family together to create lasting memories. Whether you plan to travel far from home and take a road trip somewhere you’ve never been before, or if they are to stay close to home and see a different side of your local terrain, there are road trips all across the United States that will not disappoint.

Explore the midwest by hopping on Route 66 and driving through the heart of the US. Or, take a more tropical road trip down south to Hawaii along saddle road or the infamous Pacific Coast Highway in California. If you’re in for more of a western adventure, drive along The Highroad to Taos and enjoy the beauty nature has to offer.

Taking a vacation as a family doesn’t just have to be about the destination; let the road trip to your end destination be the adventure your family seeks. What is your favorite family road trip in the United States?

More about our TFVG Author

James Brockbank

A seasoned traveller, Dad, and avid sports tourist, James foundered The Family Vacation Guide to share his expert vacation experiences- especially when it comes to being a travelling family man.

Featured in Travel articles such as Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy and SFGate, you know you're reading some of the best vacation tips online.

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50 Best Family Vacation Ideas on a Budget for 2024

From all-inclusives in the Caribbean to quick getaways in the U.S., there's something for every traveler in your group.

It's not lost on us that travel, like everything else, is getting more expensive, so we focused many of our picks on properties that provide great value. When we feature splurgy spots, rest assured they're worth every penny.

Whether you're looking to chill out at an all-inclusive resort , get active in the great outdoors , check out new attractions at a theme park, hit the beach or cozy up at ski resort , there's a destination or experience here to match every vacation vibe and party size. After all, bringing the grandparents comes with so many benefits, not the least of which is babysitting so you can score some much-needed time for an interruption-free dinner, spa treatment or romantic walk on the beach.

Use this guide to help narrow down your options, and then check out the Good Housekeeping Institute 's tried-and-tested list of essential travel gear and accessories to get ready for your trip. You can also consult our guides on how to choose a family-vacation hotel as well as how to keep all ages entertained . Since the early bird gets the best deal, shore up your spring break and summer vacation plans now.

Mexico and the Caribbean

Spend your days rolling in the waves, relaxing by the pool or enjoying quiet time (thanks to some superior kids' clubs) at these island resorts.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya, Mexico

With massive waterparks, daily slimings and Nickelodeon characters galore, the kids have it made at the all-inclusive Nickelodeon Hotels & Resort Riviera Maya, a Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Award Winner. But grown-ups aren’t left out of the fun. Tequila tastings, spa treatments and romantic dinners can be on your agenda thanks to the supervised club for kids ages 4 to 12. And while you probably wouldn’t be booking a SpongeBob-themed room if you didn’t have the kids in tow, the decor is as mod and classy as it can be. All the accommodations are suites that sleep up to five and have two bathrooms. Suites have direct access to a pool from the balcony. (Yes, even on the top floor!)

RELATED: Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana Is the Best Place to Travel With a Baby and a Sibling

Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas

Winner of a 2024 Family Travel Award, Atlantis is a top choice for families of all ages looking for a mix of relaxation and adventure. Its adrenaline-pumping waterpark features high-speed slides, including a one-of-a-kind tube slide down a Mayan pyramid. Animal encounters, like getting up close to a dolphin, are thrilling in a different way. But on the other side of the massive resort, the beaches are super chill. The gentle water is just perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Supervised clubs for kids, tweens and teens truly wow, so adults can enjoy the casino and a meal at one of the resort's fine-dining restaurants.

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Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, Dominican Republic

Movies under the stars, trapeze lessons, windsurfing — with cool activities like these, kids will never want to leave this newish resort in the lush, away-from-it-all part of the island. Supervised clubs for babies through teens keep the good times rolling while you’re at the adults-only Zen pool or doing treetop yoga. (Yes, that’s a thing.) Solar panels, recycling, plastic-free water bottles and other sustainable initiatives are part of the eco-minded resort culture.

Beaches Negril Resort & Spa, Negril, Jamaica

While this all-inclusive resort and 2024 Family Travel Award-winner caters to all ages, toddlers and preschoolers will be star-struck. Sesame Street characters entertain them with story times, dance parties and even puppet-making! That’s on top of the mini water slides, splash areas and a playground that makes little ones squeal with glee and wears them out, so they’ll hit the sack early.

Private childcare and supervised kids’ clubs (for babies through teens, including those with special needs) are an option when you want a spa treatment, a quiet dinner or just to read a book on the resort's idyllic 7-Mile Beach. All the rooms and suites got a glow-up in 2020, plus there are new villas with butler service (sign us up!)

RELATED: 20 Best Caribbean Resorts for Families to Visit

Fairmont Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

When it comes to baby and kid gear, this luxury resort has you covered. Need a bottle warmer? They got it. How about a step stool for a toddler to reach the sink? Yours for the asking. With these worries aside, you can concentrate on the beauty of the surroundings (the resort is surrounded by a lush mangrove forest) and incredible bucket-list activities, like kids’ carnivals and night kayaking. All the rooms have received a glow-up and there's a sleek new beach club to boot.

Rock House Resort, Turks & Caicos

Your family may never leave the water at this Mediterranean-inspired oasis , which opened in May 2022. In addition to a full kitchen and roomy living room, many of the villa-style accommodations feature a spacious private pool. (Yes way!) And if your crew ever tires of it, fun awaits at the resort’s oceanfront infinity pool and stretch of white sand beach, which is exclusively for resort guests. Just note that while a cliffside setting makes the resort incredibly picturesque, it’s impossible to navigate with a stroller — so bring the tweens, teens and even grandparents if they don’t have trouble climbing stairs.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort

A brand that's popular with families because it offers separate sleeping spaces for kids and adults, Embassy Suites recently opened a location in Aruba. (Pinch us now.) The 330-suite hotel boasts a kids' pool and playground and is just steps away from the iconic Eagle Beach. A breakfast buffet (with made-to-order items) is included in the price, which is already a value. Rooms also feature a kitchenette, so you can stash drinks and snacks and save your budget for the island's many incredible water activities.

New England Cozy

Lakes, lighthouses and hiking trails make New England a great place to visit in almost any season.

Quisisana Resort, Lovell, ME

Kids will get a digital detox at this all-inclusive lakefront resort , but they’ll be too busy playing to miss their devices. Without TV or a Wi-Fi signal in the comfortable, air-conditioned rooms and cabins, they’ll be fully immersed in the slew of included activities — from paddle boating to tennis to sandcastle-building. They might even learn to kayak or catch their first fish.

At night, music fills the resort. Broadway-style shows, held in a new outdoor theater, entertain all generations. There’s something about the fresh air and a choice of lollipops that keeps most kids from getting too wiggly, and the caliber of the performances is at least on par with good community theater.

The three included daily meals — with menu items like lobster rolls and Maine blueberry pie — will leave your crew’s bellies happy and full. And if you do need Wi-Fi occasionally, you can pop in the main lobby for a signal. Shh: The kids will be fine without it.

Hidden Pond, Kennebunkport, ME

Open from May to October, this nature-focused retreat provides a refuge from city life. Yoga sessions in the garden, a shed filled with arts and crafts supplies for kids, guided nature walks and outdoor art classes are easy-going yet exciting at the same time. Cottages with fireplaces foster togetherness, and complimentary breakfast arrives at your door every morning so there's no need to rush out for coffee.

Smugglers' Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT

Nestled in the Green Mountains, this resort is just as fun in the summer months as it is during prime ski season. Besides eight heated pools (some with waterslides!), the action-packed lineup of family activities has plenty to do whether you’re traveling with a toddler, teen or both. Sing-a-longs, magic shows and scavenger hunts keep little ones entertained while older kids will welcome the chance to take a guided hike, design and launch a water rocket or play glow-in-the-dark volleyball. A GH 2024 Family Travel Awards winner, condos at this property accommodate up to five bedrooms, making it possible for extended family and friends to stay together.

Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club, Brewster, MA

Beach, pool, eat, repeat — that’s how your crew will spend laid-back days at this Cape Cod gem . The private beach has gentle surf and at low tide, kids can spy little sea creatures in the tide pools. When the tide changes, head to the heated outdoor or indoor pools. Outdoor movies are the perfect wind-down to bedtime. And if you can pry the kids out of the water, activities like scavenger hunts, curated by the resort’s new director of fun (for real!) await. Just make sure to stay in the “mansion” section of the resort because that’s the part with private beach access.

Sebasco Harbor Resort, Phippsburg, ME

Kids will never forget sleeping in a lighthouse next to the ocean. The resort’s 1945 lighthouse contains recently renovated guest rooms with amazing views, sea breezes and conveniences like a fridge and microwave. The lighthouse rooms are also near the resort’s iconic oceanfront saltwater pool, which recently got a makeover. A vintage bowling alley, weekly pirate cruise and old-school kids’ club add to the New England charm.

Bluebird Cady Hill Lodge, Stowe, VT

A fantastic value, this new '70s-inspired cozy lodge is perfect for families who want to explore Vermont's Green Mountains. The scenic trails of Cady Hill Forest are just steps away and downtown Stowe is about a 10-minute walk. Two- and three-bedroom cottages at Bluebird Cady Hill Lodge have plenty of space for families and a kitchen to boot. A game room, fire pits for s'mores roasting and a pool make hanging at the lodge a nice respite in between nature activities.

California Dreamin'

Choose your Cali adventure: You can find bustling cityscapes, tranquil trails, stunning beaches and even a fairytale castle.

Los Angeles, CA

Tweens and teens won’t roll their eyes if you suggest a vacay in L.A. — where, trust us, they’ll ask you to eat at In-N-Out-Burger (look cool and say you already had it on the list). Some more must-dos: Visit the Griffith Observatory for the out-of-this-world exhibits and a stellar view of the Hollywood sign, and if you're an outdoorsy family you can hike down from the observatory to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and famous TCL Chinese Theaters .

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures , where anyone 17 and under gets in free, is conveniently located near the classic La Brea Tar Pits and the cool LACMA ( Los Angeles County Museum of Art). Some outdoor shopping at The Grove L.A. and a beach day in Santa Monica with a spin on the iconic wheel at the Santa Monica Pier will get you more well-deserved parent cred. Or, you can take a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood , where, for now, you can find the only Super Nintendo World open in the United States. Stay at The Garland in North Hollywood, a Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Awards winner. It has a swanky trolley that transports guests to and from Universal, as well as other kid perks like dive-in movies and a retro-chic family suite with bunk beds.

San Diego, CA

Can’t decide between heading to the beach or exploring a big city? San Diego has the best of both worlds, with near-perfect weather to boot. Make your home base a beach resort like the Kona Kai San Diego Resort & Spa , San Diego Mission Bay Resort or, if you're bringing a big group, Shore House at Del, a Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Award winner. Intersperse oceanside fun with short drives to the city’s famous zoo and museums in Balboa Park. Plan to spend at least a half day at Liberty Station , a cultural attraction that has many places to eat and shop. New stores and restaurants are open at Seaport Village , which has a classic carousel for kids to ride.

RELATED: The Best Things to Do in San Diego With the Whole Family

Monterey, CA

The number one reason to book a vacation in this coastal town: the aquarium. Yes, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is that good. It levels up the typical touch tank experience by letting little kids crawl through tunnels surrounded by tropical fish displays and use squirt toys to learn how animals stand up to big waves. There’s even a padded zone with eye-level exhibits for toddlers! And the whole family will be wowed by the aquarium’s newish exhibition, "Into the Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean." Some of the creatures in the 21 live exhibit areas are newly discovered and haven’t even been named yet. Mind blown! Stay at the hotel next door, InterContinental The Clement Monterey .

Disneyland Resort and California Adventure, Anaheim, CA

If you're looking for a Disney trip with young kids, Disneyland may have the edge over an Orlando vacay. Here are some reasons why: You can get on more rides without as much walking in California, so that means fewer tired and cranky kids. Summer weather is also usually better in Anaheim than in hot-and-humid Florida. And rides like Radiator Springs Racers, which looks like it’s right out of the movie Cars , are Cali-exclusive. The new Villas at Disneyland Hotel offer options that sleep up to 12 guests plus the decor is whimsical.

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How to plan a Europe road trip: Top lessons learned from a seasoned driver

June 5, 2024 // By Larissa Milne

By Larissa Milne June 5, 2024

There’s nothing like hitting the highway on a European road trip to get "in country," be it on a high-speed motorway or a narrow, winding country lane. My husband and I have explored Europe by car more than 20 times and experienced the joys and sometimes headaches of driving in foreign countries. Here, we share our tips on planning a Europe trip by car to help you make the most of your vacation.

Tips for renting a car for a European road trip

Do I need a driving permit when traveling Europe by car?

Some (but not all) European countries require you to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) when traveling around Europe by car. Check the International Travel Page of the U.S. Department of State's website, which provides information by country. You can obtain IDPs at your local AAA office (you needn’t be a member) or by mail.

We haven't always needed it, and some car rental agencies are stricter than others. Our policy is "better safe than sorry."

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Should I get a manual or automatic transmission?

Most rental vehicles in the U.K. and Europe are manual transmission. Cars with automatic transmission are more expensive to rent, adding to the cost of your European road trip. But this is not the time to learn if you don’t drive a stick shift at home. You don't want to be grinding gears and stalling out on the autobahn.

Do I need additional insurance?

Rental car insurance is expensive. Check what your home policies cover in advance (some credit cards may offer full or partial coverage) and adjust your rental coverage accordingly.

Inspect your rental car before you hit the road

It's often tempting to jump in the rental car and zoom off on your grand adventure. But inspecting your rental (and documenting any scratches and dings) before you depart protects you from getting charged for them later. You don't want to end your vacation on a sour note — or have this conversation in a language not native to you!

Additionally, take a moment to learn the location of headlights, wipers, hazard lights, and other safety features on your rental before starting your trip, so you won't have to fumble for them while driving unfamiliar roads.

Rent a car in a remote location

For our road trip in Norway, we started in Oslo. However, instead of picking up our car in that crowded city, we took the train to a suburban location and picked up our car there to explore the fjords. With fewer cars on the road, it was a less frenzied start to our journey.

Use a combination of printed maps and apps

Nothing ruins a European road trip like getting hopelessly lost. Depending on your destination, a GPS device in your rental car may be worth the price. We rely on a combination of GPS, apps, and paper maps for navigation. Old-school printed maps provide an overview of the area that a tiny screen can't manage and often highlight landmarks or scenic roads worth a detour.

Data connections can be spotty (and expensive) in remote areas, so download maps and directions before starting out for the day. Also, note that apps such as Google Maps might not be as accurate in Europe as in the U.S. — as we learned the hard way when it routed our car down a steep hiking trail in a German national park. Yikes!

Anticipate the costs of driving in Europe

Many European highways charge tolls. Sometimes, you can pay cash or credit as you go; other times, it's automated. Your rental car company can advise you on the best payment method. Also, fuel costs in Europe are approximately double that of the U.S., an important calculation to include in your Europe road trip planner. (Gas prices are listed per liter; multiply by 4 to approximate a per-gallon price.)

Other than avoiding toll roads, you can’t escape these costs. Consider it a necessary trip expense and enjoy your journey. Upon returning home, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for "low" gas prices in the United States.

Plan a general route in advance

Think about the sights you want to see and the type of road trip that makes the most sense for you. Making a large loop, going from point A to point B, or taking a series of day trips from a "home base" are all viable options. This may impact your rental car costs, lodging choices, and onward journey.

Be realistic about distances

American road trips conjure images of zipping through wide open spaces along the interstate. When exploring Europe by car, it's important to adjust your mindset to more densely populated countries with shorter distances (and those winding country lanes). You may not rack up thousands of miles, but you'll likely find charming towns and interesting sights more frequently.

Don't be caught "hangry"

Restaurants (even simple cafes) in many European small towns still observe traditional mealtime hours; don't count on finding something open at any random time of day. If you don't want to be tied to a rigid food schedule, pack a picnic lunch and a few nibbles to stave off grumbling stomachs and grumpy conversations.

The exception to this rule is rest stops on major motorways. These restaurants usually have flexible hours and serve up good food. When did you last see fresh salads and desserts served with china at a highway rest stop back home?

Know where you'll sleep

Whether you’re staying in a hotel, an RV, or a tent, make sure you've arranged for accommodations as part of your European road trip planning. Travelers are visiting Europe in record numbers post-COVID; you don't want to be stuck camping by a busy road or getting the last motel room next to a dumpster.

What is the best European road trip?

The best European road trip depends on what interests you. If you're unsure where to start, here are some trips we've taken and loved.

Experience the Black Forest on a road trip through Germany

Enjoy a mixture of old and new with postcard scenery of the Black Forest's quaint half-timbered villages (and famous Black Forest cake!), while cruising the high-speed thrills of the autobahn. Make pitstops at the headquarters of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz . Vroom!

Best route : Start in Stuttgart or Munich outskirts.

Explore Sicily on a road trip through Italy

Take a week or two to circumnavigate the island, visiting ancient Roman and Greek (!) ruins, the stunning Mount Etna volcano, and gorgeous beaches. Pizza, pasta, gelato, repeat.

Best route : Start and finish at Palermo Airport.

Tour Brittany on a road trip through France

Explore amazing Mont Saint-Michel, see dramatic coastlines with quaint harbor towns, and marvel at the prehistoric monoliths at Carnac, all while eating crepes and sipping cider.

Best route : Take the train from Paris to Rennes, then loop through the region.)

No matter where you choose to go on your Europe road trip, remember that the journey is the destination; indulge your curiosity. It’s the little detours and unscheduled stops that make the trip fun.

About Larissa Milne

Larissa Milne has been traveling the world full-time with her husband Michael since 2011 in search of historic and quirky spots around the world and to date has visited nearly 80 countries and all 50 states. She's passionate about food and can often be found seeking out local flavors at a destination--whether it's a fancy restaurant, local market or the best hot dog stand. Learn more about the Milnes' global adventures on their award-winning travel blog, Changes In Longitude  and their recommendations on Arizona at Arizona Journey . 

Read more about Larissa Milne here.

Connect with Larissa via: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

The 7 best road trips in Thailand

Oct 30, 2023 • 10 min read

The roads in Thailand are relatively well maintained, but driving rules are often flouted © Thattaphon Sukborwornophat / Getty Images

If your first port of arrival in Thailand is Bangkok, you might feel a little apprehensive about the idea of taking to the highway on a road trip. In the Thai capital, cars are stacked bumper to bumper, motorcycles duel for space with pedestrians and seemingly anything goes when it comes to road rules. But breathe easy: Bangkok is not all of Thailand.

Escape the capital and traffic conditions calm considerably, though you’ll still need to be cautious of speeding trucks and buses and the steady throng of motorcyclists. The good news is that Thailand’s roads are mostly well-maintained, car and motorcycle rental costs are moderate and there’s so much to see that even a short road trip takes on an air of adventure.

The smart way to road trip in Thailand is to start outside Bangkok, renting a vehicle in one of Thailand’s smaller towns. The further you go off the tourist trail, the quieter the roads and the more there is to discover in the towns and villages you pass through on the way. For inspiration, here are our favorite road trips in Thailand.

1. Mae Sa Valley

Best road trip for first-timers Chiang Mai–Chiang Mai; 80km (50 miles), allow one day

A great taster trip to get you used to driving or riding in Thailand, this circuit through the forested mountains north of Chiang Mai will introduce you to village life and the jade-green rainforest landscapes of northern Thailand. After leaving Chiang Mai, the crowds drop away as you get closer to Nam Tok Mae Sa , a natural swimming pool that makes a lovely picnic spot. 

Continue to the Queen Sikrit Botanical Gardens , a collection of plantations, walking trails and greenhouses, with a family-friendly natural history museum. From here, you enter a part of the country that was once used to grow opium poppies before hill tribe farmers were persuaded to switch to fruit and flowers by the Thai royal family.

Experience village life with a detour north to the Hmong community of Nong Hoi, where local restaurants at Mon Cham serve tasty village food and Thai fruit liqueurs in pavilions overlooking the valley. The loop back to Chiang Mai on the 1269 passes Samoeng village and a series of spectacular viewpoints where you can pause for photos, before swinging back into the Northern Thai capital.  

Planning tip: Get an early start to make the most of this day-long road trip. Grab a portable breakfast at the Talat Thanin food market before you set off.

2. Phuket to Satun and back

Best road trip for island adventures Phuket–Satun–Phuket; 1100km (690 miles) round trip, one week

Because of political unrest in Thailand’s far south, the Andaman Coast is best explored as an out-and-back road trip starting from Phuket , avoiding the troubled east coast. With hundreds of idyllic islands offshore, you’ll want to stop regularly for overnight sojourns on tropical islands along the way.

Starting with a seafood feast in Phuket, follow the Andaman Coast around Phang-Nga Bay, stopping for a boat trip around the otherworldly karst islands of Ao Phang-Nga Marine National Park . Keep following the bay south to Krabi and the epic rock-climbing cliffs around Railay , one of the world’s most enjoyable adventure sports hubs.

Let the coast call you south to Ko Lanta for more time on the sand, then return to the mainland to reach Trang , gateway to its own collection of idyllic karst islands. The final leg south passes through townships that feel almost Malaysian in character. Turn around at Satun and take a couple of days to snorkel and hike on the unspoiled islands of Ko Tarutao Marine National Park before you retrace your steps to Phuket.

Planning tip: The seas off the Andaman Coast can get very choppy from May to October and many ferry routes and some national parks close for the season, so it's best to avoid this time of year.  

3. Bangkok to Chiang Mai

Best road trip for history Bangkok–Chiang Mai; 583 km (362 miles), three to four days

If you’re brave enough to start from Bangkok, the drive from the capital to Chiang Mai packs in a lot of history and some of Thailand’s most spectacular ancient sites. The hardest part is the beginning, escaping Bangkok’s gravitational pull on route 347. Fortunately, it’s only 90 minutes to Ayuthaya , the first stop on the route.

Explore the ruins of the imperial city that was Siam’s capital from 1350 to 1767, then continue north on route 32, making a detour east to view Lopburi’s monkey-thronged Prang Sam Yot temple. Back on the highway, it’s a sustained slog north to Phitsanulok , where you can pay your respects to one of Thailand’s most revered Buddha images at Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat .

The next stop is stunning Sukhothai , whose ruined stupas and temples were the hub of a powerful Thai kingdom from the 13th to the 14th century. Break the journey north with a homestay at Ban Na Ton Cham or an overnight (or longer) stop in hip Lampang , where cool cafes throng with more local movers and shakers. Lamphun is another worthy stop before you roll into Chiang Mai and head straight for the night markets to feast.

Detour: To add some contemporary history to the trip, tack on a detour to Kanchanaburi between Bangkok and Ayuthaya. Made infamous by the Burma-Siam Railway, this town on the Mae Nam Khwae Yai river is today a hub for encounters with history and day trips to splash in the waterfalls of Erawan National Park .

4. Mae Hong Son Loop

Best road trip for traveler vibes Chiang Mai–Chiang Mai; 604km (375 miles), four days

A more ambitious road trip from Chiang Mai meanders through the green hills to the southwest, following Route 108 and Route 1095 through the lively traveler town of Mae Hong Son . This twisting loop is famous for having 1864 curves and the Chamber of Commerce in Mae Hong Son issues souvenir certificates for drivers who complete the circuit. On the way, you can swing into some of the most interesting townships in northwest Thailand.

Leaving Chiang Mai on the 108, the first stop is Doi Inthanon National Park , a lush, green mountaintop that is one of the few places in Thailand to see temperatures dip below freezing. You’ll want to pause for a day or two at Mae Sariang, a relaxing riverside town that’s a great base for hiking and sustainable adventures in the hills. 

There’s time for another stop at Khun Yuam to explore wartime history before you roll into Mae Hong Son, one of northern Thailand’s best hubs for monastery-hopping and treks to hill tribe villages. On the loop back to Chiang Mai on route 1095, make stops at the Su Tong Pae bamboo bridge, the “Little Switzerland” of Pang Oung and the bustling traveler hub of Pai , where you can kick back for a while, enjoying everything from treks to yoga classes and cooking schools.

Planning tip: Be ready for cold temperatures at Doi Inthanon National Park; chilly fog can swirl around the summit year-round so bring a warm layer. 

5. Hua Hin to Surat Thani

Best road trip for low-key beaches Hua Hin–Surat Thani; 580km (360 miles) one-way, three to four days

Southern Thailand’s long, slender profile doesn’t lend itself to looping road trips, but there’s plenty to see by drifting along the coast. Start in Hua Hin , Thailand’s original beach resort, where one-way car rentals can be arranged through Thai Rent a Car . Slide south through the low-key, locals-oriented beach towns of Prachaup Khiri Khan, Ban Krut and Bang Saphan Yai to Chumphon , where the Muslim culture of southern Thailand starts to surface. Before ending the trip at Surat Thani , duck inland to Khao Sok National Park , a 160-million-year-old rainforest that provides shelter for bears, tapirs, gibbons, elephants and tigers, myriad birds and the enormous Rafflesia kerrii – the world’s largest flower. The fun doesn’t have to stop at Surat Thani; the town is a jumping-off point for the Gulf Islands of Ko Samui, Ko Pha-Ngan and Ko Tao, where you can bask, party and enjoy some of the world’s cheapest scuba diving.

6. Chiang Rai to Phayao

Best road trip for dramatic vistas Chiang Rai–Phayao; 250km (155 miles), three days

Chiang Rai is northern Thailand’s second great city – crammed with temples and cultural sites like Chiang Mai, but with less of a backpacker vibe. A stop at the “white wat” of Wat Rong Khun is almost obligatory if only to view the pop culture murals showing such diverse subjects as the 9/11 attacks and Keanu Reeves in The Matrix.

To reach the Lao border town of Chiang Khong , follow back roads through a region that was once notorious as the heart of the opium-growing Golden Triangle. Take your time drifting through villages tucked along forest-cloaked ridges, then stop for a day or two in Chiang Khong to soak up the Lao influences seeping in from Huay Xai across the Mekong River.

Divert south on the 1020 and follow routes 1093 and 1155 through dramatic emerald hills to epic viewpoints such as Pratu Siam and Phu Chi Fa. Pause to enjoy the hot waterfall at Nam Tok Phu Sang before you roll onwards to finish up in leafy Phayao , an overlooked northern Thai town with pretty wooden houses, wetland scenery and a lost-in-time mood that will give you a sense of what all of northern Thailand was like before the arrival of mass tourism. 

Planning tip: This route follows many back roads off the main highways; turnings are usually signposted, but if not, ask at roadside cafes and petrol pumps.  

7. An Isaan loop

Best off-the-beaten-track road trip Nakhon Ratchasima–Nakhon Ratchasima; 830km (515 miles), one week

Travelers gush about Thailand’s Isaan region – the tract of land running northeast from Bangkok against the Lao and Cambodian borders. In this gently slumbering corner of the country, the cuisine is spectacular, the pace of life unhurried and crowds are rare… in other words, conditions are perfect for a slow road trip by motorcycle. Spare yourself the drive out of Bangkok by taking a bus or train to Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) and pick up some wheels there.

Hit the trail and meander east through Phanom Rung Historical Park , a striking Khmer temple complex atop an extinct volcano. Track the Cambodian border eastward to reach Ubon Ratchathani , an off-the-tourist-track town studded with handsome monasteries and balanced beside the Mae Nam Mun river.  Loop through Yasothon (worth a stop during the rocket festival in mid-May) and lake-centered Roi Et to reach Prasat Puay Noi , a fine Khmer Hindu temple complex from the 12th century. Keep the Khmer theme going at Phimai , a grand temple ruin fusing Hindu and Buddhist motifs, then close the loop back in Nakhon Ratchasima, grazing on Isaan delicacies at RN Yard .

Planning tip: A big part of traveling in Isaan is sampling the food. Essential Isaan dishes to try include laab (a zesty ground meal salad with lime, mint, chili and toasted rice), som tam (a pounded salad of green papaya, green beans, peanuts and shrimp) and sai grok isaan (a sour, smoky, fermented pork sausage).

Tips for driving in Thailand

Thailand officially drives on the left, though be wary of locals flouting the rules, particularly motorcycles, which often ride against the traffic flow on the hard shoulder. Always give way to larger vehicles such as buses and trucks, and watch out for pedestrians. Driving slowly is always sensible. You can hire cars, motorcycles and scooters with a home driving license; take out as much insurance as is available and keep your license and passport (or copies of the identity pages) handy for police checks. 

This article was first published Oct 14, 2022 and updated Oct 30, 2023.

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