Lately it seems we have been in the car every single weekend and our calendar doesn't seem to be slowing down. Our families are both four hours away in opposite directions, so we travel a lot to visit friends and family.
The past few weekends we have gone away on weekend trips, one to Maine and one to Boston have learned from past mistakes and successes that we need a plan and a checklist when traveling. Here are some of our essentials when hitting the road.
(York, ME)
1.
Snacks-do not leave the house without snacks, even if you're traveling alone. Being gluten-free, this is especially important. Some of my go-to travel snacks include:
-cheese & gf crackers
-veggies like carrots, cucumbers and celery
-apples and peanut butter
-cheese sticks
-rice cakes
-grapes & other fruits
2.
Water-pack a bunch of water. We use Nalgene bottles and I pack one for each of us. This saves so much money and prevents a million stops when people get thirsty.
(Freshly out of a 3 1/2 hour car ride to Boston)
3.
Music-I don't know about you, but music is a must for me. We do audio books sometimes too, but I like music and I like variety. As you can see by my
Spotify Playlist, I enjoy variety maybe a little too much, but songs that are throwbacks for you, good sing alongs, or just that song that you hear and think, "wow! I'm so happy this song came on!" are songs you should add to your list.
My playlist is a collection of some of my old faves and nostalgic songs, mixed in with a few newer ones that I've been enjoying. Yes, you'll find Underoath and also Justin Bieber and some Hanson. Bayside makes an appearance twice because they are my favorite. In any event, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Aubree, if you're reading this, Mariah was for you. Alyce and Bec, I don't have to tell you what ones were for you. It's a long list but I know I'm forgetting some, so I'll likely be adding to it as I think of them!
4.
Cash-don't forget to grab cash before you leave so you can avoid the ATM fees and having to stop for some if you encounter a toll you forgot about or just in general needed some cash on hand. We've made this mistake before and it gets expensive.
5.
A reliable car-this sounds like a no-brainer, right? But believe me, we've packed up the car and headed out on an adventure and had the "oh crap" moments of cars breaking down. Our transmission went once. It was the worst.
If you're taking your own car, do the run down of tires, oil check, gas check, wiper fluid, all of it. You'll be happy you did. And if you are a AAA customer, be sure to grab your card!
If you're renting, be sure to check out the CD player too, especially if using a rental company like
Turo. You might just find a surprise playlist! Turo is a really neat
car rental option where you rent from a person, rather than a company, essentially the Airbnb of cars. It's a great option too if you want to make a little money off you're car too and they have ways to save when parking at airports as well. To find out more about Turo,
you can go here.
6. Entertainment for the Kids-We don't do movies in the car, but we try to bring supplies to keep the kiddies entertained. Generally speaking, they are fantastic in the car, but our two year old gets a little bored sometimes. We pack books, coloring supplies, all their favorite stuffed animals and let them choose four things each to take with them in their own backpacks. They love to pack their bags, and the rule is, if it fits it can come. If it doesn't, it stays home.
7. Your Knitting!-If you're a yarner like me, do not forgot your projects! I usually bring my current one and a spare just in case we get stuck in traffic or something and I get some extra time on my hands.
Do you have any Road Trip Essentials? Please share them!
