Give me your best road trip advice!

[Anonymous]

It’s been years since we’ve been on a true road trip. I’m talking pre-Spotify and Apple Podcasts, pre-unlimited data, and pre-kid.

We will be making an (only) 8 hour drive (I know…) and as someone who has gotten used to air travel, it feels daunting.

We (including our 14yo) will be leaving around 6am and hope to arrive by 4, including quick stops for food and facilities. Is it going to be as horrible as I imagine? Any general road trip advice?

[Anonymous]

With kids we alternate the whole car listening to an audio book together and then devise time. One hour on/off helps break things up and I find the time goes by faster.

[Anonymous]

A 14 year old? Don’t worry! If you had a 4 year old then I would get your stress.

Do they have a device? I would talk ahead of time about your expectations. An hour on an hour off or 45 min on 45 min off is a good rule so they aren’t buried the whole time. Everyone but the driver bring a pillow so you can rest. Make a Spotify playlist and everyone add to it before the trip. Pack healthy snacks but also stop for fun treats.

Atlas Obscura is an app that shows some random sights along your route. We have used it a few times.

[Anonymous]

Why is this even a thread?

[Anonymous]

Download this https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w13xttx2/episodes/downloads

It's Thirteen Minutes to the Moon. It kept us entertained for hours.

Remember to get up and stretch every couple of hours.

Use Waze to redirect you around traffic jams.

[Anonymous]

Extra charging devices, ear buds, snacks and water should be good for a teen.

[Anonymous]

My teen would be asleep for at least half of it. The other half I'd be fine with them just listening to their own music or watching something on their device or whatever. I don't enjoy road trips so very much in the camp of whatever anyone wants to do to get through them vs putting restrictions on devices.

[Anonymous]

We love audio books.

My kids have been roadtripping for years (15-17 hours each way) and they handle it better than drivers. They sleep, eat, watch their ipads.

Something we always run out of is water, so bring gallon jugs of water to fill water bottles.

[Anonymous]

Where are you going?

[Anonymous]

8hrs is easy.

We have driven straight from the Gulf of Florida to VA in one day.

[Anonymous]

For 8 hours, we would only stop once. If leaving at 6am, stop around 11am for brunch and bathroom.

[Anonymous]

My son is 12 and we play the license plate game on roadtrips. It becomes a competition and we take it VERY seriously. As a result we all spend time looking around and talking vs. on our devices. Wouldn't work for a full 8 hours, but fun to designate "license plate" time. Each passenger has their own clipboard, sheet and pencil. Someone else keeps score for the driver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For 8 hours, we would only stop once. If leaving at 6am, stop around 11am for brunch and bathroom.

I personally stop every two hours or so. I need to pee, stretch my legs, etc. Driving with people like you is exhausting.

[Anonymous]

+1 find an audio book that everyone can enjoy to listen to together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 14 year old? Don’t worry! If you had a 4 year old then I would get your stress.

Do they have a device? I would talk ahead of time about your expectations. An hour on an hour off or 45 min on 45 min off is a good rule so they aren’t buried the whole time. Everyone but the driver bring a pillow so you can rest. Make a Spotify playlist and everyone add to it before the trip. Pack healthy snacks but also stop for fun treats.

Atlas Obscura is an app that shows some random sights along your route. We have used it a few times.

They are 14. They can use a device the entire trip.