Road trips have always been a big part of my life.

Growing up, anytime we would start a road trip my dad would have all of us kids in the back yell “ROOOAAADDTRRIIIIP!” at the top of our lungs. I’m not entirely sure why it started, but it became one of those little family traditions that stuck. It’s one of those core memories I still think about today.

I’ve tried to pass this tradition down to my own kids… but they’re usually too distracted by the overly stimulating activity bag I’ve packed for them.

And by overly stimulating, I mean it contains:

no less than 13 different snacks
an iPad loaded with movies, shows, and games
coloring books
fidget toys
random little travel games
and probably a few things I forgot I even packed

Kids today (at least mine) aren’t exactly counting cows or playing the license plate game like we did before screens were a thing.

Even with all the activities though, I still get asked “Are we there yet?” approximately one million times on every trip. Sometimes we’re not even on the highway yet before the first one comes.

This blog probably won’t solve that problem entirely (I think only noise-canceling headphones could do that), but hopefully it will help anyone who feels nervous about road tripping with kids — or who has tried it before and sworn they would never do it again.

I used to be that person too.

But a 30+ hour cross-country drive to our new home in Arizona — with two toddlers, two dogs, and a cat — forced me to learn quickly.

And now that we live in the Southwest, within just a few hours of some incredible places, road trips have become one of our favorite ways to travel as a family.

Here are a few tips that have made them much more enjoyable for everyone.

Road Trip Tips for Traveling With Kids

Map Out Your Stops

If you haven’t learned this about me yet, I can be a little obsessive when it comes to planning.

When we road trip, I like to turn each stop into a small part of the adventure rather than just a break from driving.

Before we leave, I’ll map out:

good lunch spots along the route
parks where the kids can run around
short hikes or scenic stops
interesting roadside attractions

Even just 20 minutes at a playground can completely reset everyone’s mood.

Some of our favorite road trip memories have actually come from these little stops along the way.

Pack More Snacks Than You Think You’ll Need

If there is one universal truth about road trips with kids, it’s this:

You will never regret bringing too many snacks.

But you will absolutely regret not bringing enough.

I usually pack a mix of things like:

fruit
granola bars
crackers
squeeze pouches
treats they don’t normally get at home

Sometimes I’ll even pack a “surprise snack” that I pull out when morale starts to dip. It’s amazing how quickly attitudes improve when a new snack appears.

Keep Drive Days Manageable

When possible, we try to limit drive days to around six hours.

That seems to be the sweet spot where the kids can handle it without the entire day feeling like it was spent in the car.

Of course, that’s not always possible depending on the trip, but when we can break up longer drives into smaller chunks it makes the whole experience much more enjoyable.

And honestly, it gives us more opportunities to discover fun stops along the way.

Expect Some Sibling Drama

If you’re traveling with more than one kid, chances are there will be at least a little bit of sibling drama along the way.

At some point during the trip someone will probably be upset because:

their sibling looked at them
they’re “breathing too loud”
someone is looking out their window
someone touched their toy
someone made a weird sound

You know… the usual.

A few things that have helped us:

Seating separation when possible. If you have a third row, spreading kids out can work wonders.
Individual activity bags. When everyone has their own things, it helps avoid arguments.
Headphones. These can be a lifesaver when someone wants quiet time.
Quick reset stops. Sometimes everyone just needs to get out of the car for a few minutes and run around.

And sometimes… you just turn up the music and wait it out.

Create Activity Bags

Before each trip, I put together a small activity bag for each kid.

Inside I usually include things like:

coloring books
crayons or markers
small toys
sticker books
fidget toys
travel games

I also download movies, shows, and games onto their tablets ahead of time so everything works without needing Wi-Fi.

Sometimes I’ll even introduce activities slowly throughout the drive, which makes them feel new and exciting instead of everything being pulled out at once.

Rotate Activities

One trick that works surprisingly well is not giving them everything at the beginning.

Instead, I rotate activities every hour or so:

coloring
snack break
movie
car game
new toy

It helps break up the drive and makes the time pass much faster.

Try a Few Car Games

Screens definitely help, but sometimes it’s fun to mix in a few classic road trip games too.

Some easy ones kids enjoy include:

I Spy
A simple classic that works well for younger kids.

The Alphabet Game
Find letters A–Z on road signs, license plates, or billboards.

Would You Rather?
Kids love silly questions like:

Would you rather live in a treehouse or a castle?
Would you rather eat pizza forever or tacos forever?

Road Trip Bingo
You can find printable versions online or make your own.

Expect a Little Chaos

Even with the best planning, road trips with kids will probably include:

a spilled snack
someone dropping something they can’t reach
a bathroom emergency five minutes after you passed the last exit
at least one meltdown

And that’s okay.

Some of our favorite family memories have come from the slightly chaotic moments along the way.

Road Tripping With Babies & Toddlers

Road trips look a little different when you’re traveling with babies or toddlers, but they’re still very doable — and honestly sometimes easier than flying.

A few things that helped us during those early years:

Portable potty

There was a phase where one of my kids absolutely refused to use public toilets that flushed automatically (if you know, you know). We kept a small portable potty in the car just in case, which saved us more than once.

Sticky notes for automatic toilets

This might be my most random parenting travel hack, but sticky notes work perfectly for covering the automatic toilet sensor in public bathrooms so it doesn’t flush while your toddler is sitting there. If you’ve ever had a kid terrified by that, you understand why this matters.

Extra clothes within reach

Not buried in the suitcase — actually within reach in the car. Road trips have a way of producing unexpected messes.

Flexible expectations

When kids are really little, the key is building extra time into the drive. More stops, slower pace, and lots of snacks.

The good news is that kids tend to become excellent road trippers with practice.

Why We Still Love Road Trips

Despite the occasional chaos, road trips have become one of our favorite ways to travel as a family.

There’s something special about watching the landscape change out the window, discovering new places along the way, and turning the journey itself into part of the adventure.

And while my kids may not yell “ROOOAAADDTRRIIIIP!” the way we did growing up, I like to think someday they’ll look back on these drives as some of their own favorite memories.

And if you’re lucky, somewhere along the drive you’ll experience the ultimate road trip parent win… when the car finally gets quiet and someone falls asleep.