What to put on the road

When preparing for a road trip at the top of your list should be working out the itinerary. Gather your family together and decide on where you will go, what you will do, and what you will see. It is important for everyone to agree if you all want to have a good time. Once you have it all figured out take the time to map out your route each day. Check off the places you’ll stay, the things you’ll see, and the places you’ll eat. Eating is often the biggest problem because you don’t want to stop for too much fast food and you cannot afford to eat in expensive restaurants. Look for family restaurants where you can have the food your family always enjoys like shrimp fajitas  or shrimp enchiladas, Being able to eat at restaurants where your family can relax and have a good time is important. So before you start out have your road trip itinerary all written up and keep it in a place that  is easy to get to and you can check off what you have seen and done as you go along.
 
Gear and clothing are as important to your trip as the itinerary. You have to be sure you have all the essential necessities before  you start off because you don’t want to have to buy things along the way. Make sure that your clothing is seasonal and appropriate for where you are going. Make sure to pack the right clothing for your smaller children or assign an older sibling to help them. Always be prepared for the weather turning colder or warmer and make sure you have additional clothing for these circumstances. Once you have everything packed and are ready always check the children’s baggage because especially smaller children tend to pack stuff they don’t really need and leave behind what they do need. Make a treat for everyone to enjoy once all the packing is done like rum cake and take what is leftover with you when the trip begins.
 
Music and Games
 
Preparing for a road trip with the family can be frustrating because not everyone always agrees on what music and games they would enjoy while taking the trip. You want to be prepared to have music that the whole family can enjoy and keep switching when they get tired of one thing or another. If you have teenagers you might want them to take along their earphones so that they can listen to the music they like and they won’t complain if you listen to what you want to hear. Take along games that can be played in the car like cards. Make sure the smart phones have plenty of game apps and teach your children to have family fun guessing games along the way. It will make the trip seem much shorter if everyone is having a good time and no one complains along the way.
 
First-aid Kit
 
It is important for you to make sure that you have a proper first aid kit once you’re on the road. Depending on where you are going have the appropriate band aids, elastic bands, and ointments and creams for fast first aid. What you’ll take will depend on the season and time of year and if you’re having a summer vacation remember you can never have enough sunscreen.