During Spring Break, a lot of families take the opportunity of having a week off from school to visit family or travel to various destinations by car. Before going, there are a lot of things things that must be considered, purchased and packed. Juan Carlos Daetz of Maxwarehouse, an online home improvement center that delivers products, offers these 6 Spring Break road trip tips for a safe, organized and stress free tips.
1. Schedule a Service Check on Your Car. Before you take off on a car trip, take your car for a trip to the service station for a tune up. A well-maintained car will be more reliable and safe. Check the oil, power steering fluid, windshield wiper fluid, transmission fluid, and brake fluid. Also check your tire air pressure, have tires aligned and replace if necessary. Have your brakes checked and get brake pads replaced if needed. Lastly, check your lights to make sure all are working—including headlights, high beams, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
2. Pack Emergency Items. In the event of an emergency, make sure your car is well-stocked. Start with a first aid kit. Also, make sure to pack extra water and cell phone chargers. Keep the following stashed in your trunk—jumper cables, flairs, blankets, water, fire extinguisher, mini tire compressor, basic tools, rope/bungee cord, and a flashlight. Your trip will likely go off without a hitch, but it never hurts to be prepared.
3. Plan Your Accommodations in Advance. Always book hotels or make overnight arrangements ahead of time. Spur of the moment travel can be fun, but usually not when traveling as a family. Spring Breaks are a busy time and many hotels book full during this time. Planning ahead also gives you the opportunity to research the area a bit and make sure you are staying in a safe part of town. You can also make sure you get the amenities you’re looking for such as a pool for the kids, gym or continental breakfasts.
4. Bring Healthy Food & Snacks. Pack a small cooler with lots of healthy, easy-to-eat snacks so you’re not at the mercy of a gas station, convenience stores or fast food chains. Depending on where you are in the trip, you can go many miles without running into anything and end up with hungry, cranky kids which can make a long road trip even longer.
5. Road Tripping with Kids. Schedule plenty of restroom breaks along the way. Allow the kids to get out and stretch. Focus on the journey, not just getting to the destination. Make it fun by stopping at points of interest to take pictures and learn about the sites along the way. It doesn’t have to be the Statue of Liberty, kids love seeing World’s Biggest Ball of Yarn or the Corn Palace.Take along travel games, audio books, movies, art supplies, electronics, and tell stories or sing to make the time pass more quickly. The kids can scrapbook or write about the trip when they return home.
6. Childproofing for Your Destination. Whether your destination includes staying at a hotel, friend’s house or with family, bring along electrical outlet covers and travel baby gates to protect your child in a new environment. Be aware that cribs or play yards provided by hotels may not meet current safety standards. If you have any doubt about the safety of the crib or play yard, ask for a replacement or consider other options (for example, put a mattress on the floor).
Good luck parents and have a safe trip!