Many of us are hitting the roads, or taking off into the skies this time of year. Vacations and family reunions are the top reasons. While we may look forward to getting some time away from the daily grind, travel is stressful. That's especially true if the back seat is full of clamoring children.To help avoid some of the angst, whether you're on a road trip or flying across the country, here are some helpful tips. Let's make it a real vacation, so you arrive with your sanity, hair, and sweet disposition all intact.
Road Trips
1. Load your GPS with all of your stops and final destination a day or two before you leave. Don't expect your spouse to do it on the fly...oops we missed an exit. It wouldn't hurt to look an actual map before you leave too. It's good to see the big picture of your trip.
2. SNACKS! Why is it that you're immediately hungry on the road? Individual-sized snacks in zip-loc bags make it easy. Divide up chips, etc. yourself to get the best price. Don't bring sticky or crumbly snacks, like jelly doughnuts or Twinkies. Popcorn, plain chips, pretzels, apples, grapes, crackers, raisins, and nuts are much easier to handle. Remember cheesy chips or BBQ snacks have a nice orange coating that will appear on upholstery and clothing.
3. "I'm thirsty, Mom." Bottled water is best. If spilled, it's not the end of the world! Flavored water is good too. Coffee for adults. No caffeine for the kids, no matter what age. You want them to be lulled to sleep, don't you?
4. Entertainment is essential with kids. The advent of DVD players has saved the sanity of many parents on road trips. (Where were they when we needed them?) If everyone tires of movies, dust off some of the old-fashioned games like looking for out-of-state license plates, memory games like "I looked in my grandmother's trunk and found (alphabetical list) items that each in turn has to remember and add the next appropriately lettered item. e.g. I looked in my grandmother's trunk and found an apple, a bear, a clock, and...so forth. Audio books on iPods are great and of course conversation is a good one.When was the last time you actually had the time to talk with each other?
5. Everyone needs to stretch their legs and take a potty break. Plan to take 15-20 minutes every three hours. Some would argue every two hours, but you decide.
Airline Trips
1. Make sure all ID documents are in hand BEFORE you head to the airport. Print off reservation information for rental cars and hotels, and keep in an accessible place.
2. Print off boarding passes and check in online at home. If you can drop off your luggage at an outside kiosk, you'll save time in line and get to the gate sooner.
3. Don't forget to get rid of liquids before you go through security. Finish that coffee or you'll lose it. Empty pockets of change and put it in your carry-on.
4. Remember to corral small liquid items in a quart-sized zip-loc bag packed in the carry-on. Personally, I put all liquid stuff in the checked luggage.
5. Laptop sleeves are great for getting your computer through security quickly. The power cord is in your carry-on and you won't have to haul it out from the bag, etc.
6. Snacks are important on flights too.Airlines are stingy about snacks, so bring your own. I recommend the road trip snacks above. Those sitting next to you will agree. Messy snacks on a tightly packed flight are dangerous to yourself and others.
7. Entertainment is important since flying is a hurry up and wait activity. Books and electronic gadgets are nicely packable and provide lots of variety. Play nice and observe the instructions to use them when given permission. Don't be guy who holds up the flight because you have to yak on your phone or play one more level of a game. You are NOT the most important person on the flight. Yes, I've sat next to that person before.
Wherever your summer travel takes you, be safe and enjoy! Happy Trails!
1. Load your GPS with all of your stops and final destination a day or two before you leave. Don't expect your spouse to do it on the fly...oops we missed an exit. It wouldn't hurt to look an actual map before you leave too. It's good to see the big picture of your trip.
2. SNACKS! Why is it that you're immediately hungry on the road? Individual-sized snacks in zip-loc bags make it easy. Divide up chips, etc. yourself to get the best price. Don't bring sticky or crumbly snacks, like jelly doughnuts or Twinkies. Popcorn, plain chips, pretzels, apples, grapes, crackers, raisins, and nuts are much easier to handle. Remember cheesy chips or BBQ snacks have a nice orange coating that will appear on upholstery and clothing.
3. "I'm thirsty, Mom." Bottled water is best. If spilled, it's not the end of the world! Flavored water is good too. Coffee for adults. No caffeine for the kids, no matter what age. You want them to be lulled to sleep, don't you?
4. Entertainment is essential with kids. The advent of DVD players has saved the sanity of many parents on road trips. (Where were they when we needed them?) If everyone tires of movies, dust off some of the old-fashioned games like looking for out-of-state license plates, memory games like "I looked in my grandmother's trunk and found (alphabetical list) items that each in turn has to remember and add the next appropriately lettered item. e.g. I looked in my grandmother's trunk and found an apple, a bear, a clock, and...so forth. Audio books on iPods are great and of course conversation is a good one.When was the last time you actually had the time to talk with each other?
5. Everyone needs to stretch their legs and take a potty break. Plan to take 15-20 minutes every three hours. Some would argue every two hours, but you decide.
Airline Trips
1. Make sure all ID documents are in hand BEFORE you head to the airport. Print off reservation information for rental cars and hotels, and keep in an accessible place.
2. Print off boarding passes and check in online at home. If you can drop off your luggage at an outside kiosk, you'll save time in line and get to the gate sooner.
3. Don't forget to get rid of liquids before you go through security. Finish that coffee or you'll lose it. Empty pockets of change and put it in your carry-on.
4. Remember to corral small liquid items in a quart-sized zip-loc bag packed in the carry-on. Personally, I put all liquid stuff in the checked luggage.
5. Laptop sleeves are great for getting your computer through security quickly. The power cord is in your carry-on and you won't have to haul it out from the bag, etc.
6. Snacks are important on flights too.Airlines are stingy about snacks, so bring your own. I recommend the road trip snacks above. Those sitting next to you will agree. Messy snacks on a tightly packed flight are dangerous to yourself and others.
7. Entertainment is important since flying is a hurry up and wait activity. Books and electronic gadgets are nicely packable and provide lots of variety. Play nice and observe the instructions to use them when given permission. Don't be guy who holds up the flight because you have to yak on your phone or play one more level of a game. You are NOT the most important person on the flight. Yes, I've sat next to that person before.
Wherever your summer travel takes you, be safe and enjoy! Happy Trails!
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Travel Tips