by Susan Lower

Created on: November 08, 2008   Last Updated: January 16, 2009

Several times a year our family automobile gets filled with luggage and loved ones. We head off to predetermine destinations with excitement and adventure in our mind. Yet, before the fun starts, we must undergo a lot of planning, preparation, and packing for our road trip.

It's best to start mapping out your road trip early on. This gives you valuable information such as, how long the trip will take and where potential stops might occur. Unfortunately, we can't always account for road construction and detours, so if you don't have a GPS you may want to keep a map inside your dashboard for such an occurrence. Online sites like Mapquest.com or AAA.com can help guide you in your travel plans.

When you embark upon your journey, you need to remember that every person going along on the trip is precious cargo. So, before you even leave the driveway, the most important thing you need to do is give to your car a complete check-up. You'll want to check all your fluids, including oil, transmission, brake, and windshield. Test hoses and belts to ensure they are tight and in place. Tires should be inflated to the recommended poundage in your owner's manual and the tire treads shouldn't be worn. Check your battery charge and if all this overwhelms you don't sweat it, you can drop your vehicle off at your local garage and for a small fee they will check all this for you.

Once you've mapped your destination and tuned up the car, it's time to get packing. Like a lot of families traveling, you've probably got a lot of stuff to pack. Begin by setting out each person's suit case a few days ahead of time. During the day, you can fold and place important clothing essentials in everybody's suitcase as you go on with your household chores. Your family can add the last minute items they need and close up the suitcases before they're loaded.

During your trip, you may need to stop several times for everyone to stretch their legs and tend to personal needs depending on the distance you are traveling. Be sure to stick together and don't allow family members to wonder off on their own. Stopping about every two hours is ideal. Small children, especially, are known to get bored, hungry, and need to potty at impossible times, like when you just passed the last rest stop for another twenty miles or so.

Be prepared for emergencies on your road trip. The best way to do this is to keep an "emergency kit" inside the car. Take a plastic container with a lid and fill it with the following items: baby wipes, first aid kit, napkins, a bottle of water or two, small snacks like crackers or fresh cut vegetables, medications (as applicable) , a phone card (your cell phone may not always get signal where you're going), and an extra set of clothes for your children. The container itself comes in handy when you've got a little one who's got to go potty, and if someone's feeling sick you have a quick solution on the go. You can clean it out at the next stop.

Now that you've got a plan, prepared the car, and packed, you're all set to head out on your family road trip. You're destinations are limitless.

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