Schedule twice as much time as you think you will need. If you are planning a 4-hour road trip to the family reunion, leave 8 hours before the scheduled event. If you arrive early, find a local playground and let the kids run off some steam before they have to politely greet all of their aunts and uncles.Next, take a colouring pad and crayons with you. A great way to keep the little-ones happy is to let them colour in and doodle, so giving them some paper and pencil crayons will probably keep them happy for quite some time.
You will need to figure out where you want to start and end your road trip. You will want to spend at least 3 days in Anaheim visiting the Disney attractions, and at least 2 days in San Diego and one day in Los Angeles. You might want to see what other attractions you are interested in while you are in those cities, since you do have 14 days in which to use the City Pass. There are lots of other great things to see and do.
Before you hit the road, one of the first things you should do is create a packing list. If you forget something important such as a handheld video game or a favorite doll, your child may likely complain the whole way. Packing and To Do lists help keep you organized and can save your life over and over again.
Take books along with you. If you don’t want your kids screaming and jumping at the backseat, be sure to bring along their favorite books to read. Keeping them busy will keep them seated and less irritable.
Use online trip-planning websites to locate kid-friendly parks, historic monuments, and other attractions in advance. Plan at least one kids’ activity each day, even on those driving days. Involving your kids in the planning of your vacation will help them to get excited about the trip, too.
Get your toddler or preschooler accustomed to going to the restroom when everyone else does. For the very newly toilet-trained, consider bringing a potty chair that can be used in an “emergency.” And don’t forget to bring along hand sanitizer and toilet seat covers for rest stops and gas stations.
Before you pull out of the driveway and onto the highway, make sure your car is in good working order. Take your car to a reputable auto service station. Have your oil and air filter changed. You will get better gas mileage. While you’re there, have them check your windshield wiper fluid and the freon level in your air conditioner.
No road trip would be complete without snacks.It is best to choose snacks that are not too messy to be eaten in the car. Create an individual goodie bag for each child with their name on it. Get the kids involved before hand by having each child pick and choose what snacks they want to take along.