There is something very exciting about hitting the road to explore places you have never been before.  When my husband and I were dating, we would just spontaneously jump in the car and drive from California to Wyoming.  We did throw in the tent just in case we were unable to find a place to sleep.  Those were the days we had no care in the world!  

When we decided to take our first major road trip with our two kids, a bit more planning went into it.  We had traveled with our kids before, but most of our trips consisted of six hours or less on the road.  When we decided to take a ten-day road trip through California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Oregon, it was a whole new level.

Knowing that our almost four year old was still going through a major tantrum phase, I knew I had to put a lot of thought and preparation into this road trip.  So what does a mom do in a situation like this? She spends countless hours on Pinterest! What I found blew me away!  The detail with which people prepare for road trips is probably the same amount of effort the NASA engineers put into a rocket launch!  Road tripping with kids is like a whole new industry!  There was so much information, I knew I had to break it down by categories: logistics (maps & hotels), car entertainment, snacks, and organization in general.

First, I mapped our trip.  Knowing that six hours a day in the car is our limit, I marked our stops using the six hour a day rule.  I came up with a plan: from Irvine, California to St. George, Utah, then to Park City, Utah, then to Boise, Idaho, then to Bend, Oregon where we stayed for a few days before turning south to head back to Irvine.  I also printed out ideas for fun places to see along our way.  If you’d like to be more spontaneous, you can skip this and just visit the local Visitor Centers or get recommendations from the locals.

Next, I spent some time on Booking.com and VRBO.com, booking our homes away from home.  Don’t get me wrong, I love staying in a hotel, but I knew that after a few days of driving, it would be nice to enjoy the comforts of an actual home.  We moms have to be realistic…there will be laundry to be washed and by day three, we will all be tired of eating out.  It’s nice to have your own kitchen and your own bed (I can only take so many kicks in my back sharing a hotel bed with my little one).  When booking houses, I try to look for houses owned by other families with little kids.  Why?  Because there are usually toys, board games, kids DVD’s, and sometimes even bikes and scooters to use. 

The next important step was to find as many car activities for the kids as I possibly could.  That is where Pinterest comes in!  I found endless options of printable car games and printed several pages of games like Scavenger Hunt, License Plate and Car Color.  

One thing I am very good at is organization, and I knew this skill of mine would come in handy.  First, I ordered the Backseat Organizer which comes in packages of two. I stocked them with the printed road games, pencils, art supplies, magnetic games, DVD players, movies and headphones for each kid, books, and a few of their favorite toys.  I also purchased several new children’s audio books and music CD’s just to be safe.  You can also rent those from your library if you don’t want to spend the money. 

Next, I knew that to prevent “hangry” meltdowns, I wanted to have plenty of healthy snacks on hand.  I invested in a Backseat Snack Holder& Cooler and filled it with healthy, low-sugar snacks like carrots, sliced apples, nuts, cheese sticks, Chobani Greek Yogurt Tubes, strawberries, grapes, and popcorn.  I also packed stainless steel water bottles for everyone because plastic bottles get hot super-fast.  And don’t forget to add a few large zippered plastic bags!  You can refill them with ice at gas stations so you can keep your snacks and water nice and cool.  Plus, you might need them if your kids suffer from car sickness or in case you need to ice a bumped knee.

There are a few other things I strongly recommend. If you have a toddler in the midst of potty training, bring a portable potty.  There were a few times we were in the middle of nowhere, with no gas station or restaurant in sight, and that potty came in very handy.  Also, make sure to stock up on plenty of hand wipes, a bottle of Tylenol and a car trash can (some old plastic bags will also do). 

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When all the preparations are done, there is only one thing left to do. Have fun! During those ten days on the road, our kids learned about the different landscapes, saw Joshua trees for the first time, experienced a fierce hail storm and then witnessed a beautiful rainbow over the majestic mountains of Utah. They soaked in the beauty of Zion National Park, hiked among the lovely birch trees around Park City, Utah, experienced a simulated avalanche and virtual reality ski jumps in the Alf Engen Ski Museum in Park City, Utah.  They got to paddleboard on peaceful Elk Lake and wake boarded on beautiful Crescent Lake, and then admired the views of volcanic Crater Lake (all in Central Oregon).  The highlight of the trip was visiting with friends and family along the way! 

Did it go all smooth?  No. Were there meltdowns?  Yes, two big ones to be exact.  Were there a lot of “Are we there yet?” Oh yes! But we survived and grew even closer through it all.  The thing is, when traveling with kids you have to be flexible and always give yourself a little cushion.  Unexpected stops happen, kids have meltdowns, weather doesn’t cooperate…but that’s life in general.  I promise you, that a few years from now, you will only remember the good stuff.  Like that beautiful sunset we witnessed driving down Mt. Bachelor. Those memories will stay with you forever. 

Hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any great suggestions on road tripping with kids or could share some other hacks to make road traveling easier, please comment below.

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