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Most everyone that embarks on such a journey does so with a positive outlook. Somehow the prospect of travel in any form fills our minds with thoughts of fun and recreation. The idea of "Getting Away" for a while on a road trip seems less stressful than another day or week at the office. But often times we find that partaking of activities far outside of our normal routine can not only be stressful, but can tire us to the point of feeling relief when we return home. How can you survive a cross-country road trip with your sanity intact? Proper planning and a comprehensive approach can work together to make your road trip much more enjoyable and fun for the whole family. Here are some tips for planning a more enjoyable and exciting road trip.

1. Plan your trip route carefully, keeping in mind the miles that you will travel throughout your trip. Don't push it. Trying to put too many miles on the road in a single day can make your travel a lot less enjoyable, and more tiring. Keep your route more scenic if you can. A few extra miles added for a more scenic route can make your road trip much more exciting and pleasurable. Plan plenty of stops to keep the family from getting too restless and cranky, especially if you have children, since they will need the extra restroom stops anyway. Plan some of these stops at popular landmarks and more scenic areas, and discuss the uniqueness of these stops with your family to build on the excitement of the trip.
2. Plan to pack games, snacks & drinks, and music that the entire family will enjoy. Playing games such as "Travel Trivia", "Guess Who I Am", or "Car Counting" will bring the family together in conversation, and is a great bonding experience. Gear these games appropriately for the age of your children, and be creative by rewarding correct answers with snacks, or points that will lead to extra shopping money or privileges on the trip. Bringing healthy snacks on your trip will reduce stops and extra expenses, but may also reduce the anxiety factor by keeping sugary snacks away from your children that may alter their moods. Bringing the right music along facilitates family sing-a-longs that may add hours of additional fun to your road trip.
3. Teach your children how to read your map or atlas, and let them play a role in planning the trip. Once you're on the road, make the children feel important by letting them navigate. This will not only make your children feel more important and useful to the

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