Essential tips for the Canadian family road trip
Vehicle maintenance checks, GPS and even entertainment are necessary for long drives
No one loves the outdoors and open roads more than Canadians. Whether you have time for a longer trip or only have a weekend to spare, the quintessential Canadian family road trip is worth it. Here are some suggestions for road-tripping with kids:
Do a thorough maintenance check on your vehicle. Taking care of the car means keeping your family safe on the trip. Before hitting the road, I always take our van in for a full maintenance and service check, making sure the brakes, tires, oil, oil filters, air filters, batteries and heating and cooling systems in particular are in good working order. I like to also make sure we have an “Executive Car Safety Kit” and an up-to-date roadside assistance membership just in case.
Go-to Gadgets. Don’t hit the road without some key technology to help you along the way. Invest in a good GPS; a cross-Canada trip can take you to many remote places. A portable charger for the car is a must to keep your gadgets running when you need them most. One that I like is the Noco Battery Booster; it’s small but mighty. You can charge it up ahead of time and keep it in the car for as you travel, using it to power up your gadgets along the way. In an emergency, you can also use it to jump start your car battery, too.
Get organized. When you’re spending so much time together in a packed vehicle, and are constantly packing and unpacking, I recommend smart storage and cleaning solutions. It makes for an easier and more enjoyable ride. I like keeping a tub of disposable car-cleaning wipes handy for spills on the go, and this line of handy Glovebox car organization products (available at canadiantire.ca), too.
Keep the kids entertained. We like to pack an “entertainment bag” for each one of our kids. They each pick out what they want to bring and customize it with items like their favourite magnetic car games, puzzles, decks of cards, tablets or books.
We like to limit device screen time for our kids to about 45 minutes a day; it’s important for them to unplug and enjoy the scenery along the way.
Keep healthy snacks stocked. A van full of hungry kids is a recipe for disaster and tantrums will escalate quickly.
Let kids get involved in the planning. Whether picking the locations, restaurants or activities, letting them in on the planning makes kids feel more connected to the trip and gives them some extra excitement. Treat your family like a team.
Limit driving time to five to six hours a day. While it’s tempting to think about pulling a 12-hour marathon drive, I find the kids will naturally go a little nuts after sitting still for so long.