This article is about 7 years old

Summer road trips: Tips for travel, delightful destinations

WASHINGTON — Pack the snacks and pick the playlist: With summer just a few weeks away, it’s time to start planning your road trips.

Parenting and travel writer Guiomar Ochoa shares a few destinations that are perfect for family fun — plus tips on how to stay sane in the car, where to stop along the way, and what to do when you reach your destination.

‘Are we there yet?’ Tips for taking road trips with kids

A little bit of planning and preparation can help make your road trip a more peaceful experience. Here are some of Ochoa’s top tips for traveling with kids:

  • Make sure to download all forms of entertainment — movies, TV shows, music and podcasts — on phones and tablets before you get in the car, in case you run into areas of spotty service.
  • If your journey requires an overnight stop before you reach your destination, make hotel reservations ahead of time. “Especially in the summertime, it’s important to try to find your halfway point before you leave and make a reservation somewhere because a lot of these hotels and motels book up pretty fast,” Ochoa said.
  • Be mentally and physically prepared for traffic. “It can be grueling on all of us, so you just need to prepare yourself for that. And you will find traffic, no matter what route you take — especially if you’re traveling on holiday weekends,” she added.
  • Slurpees? Soft serve? Ochoa said allow for splurges at gas stations and roadside stands along the way. “Sometimes, you all need a break, you all need to stretch your legs, and a little bit of sugar can go a long way as far as getting you to go another (hour or two) in the car.”
  • Pack lots of snacks for the car trip. Having something to munch on can help break up boredom. Plus, stocking up on your family’s favorite snacks ahead of time will save money at gas stations along the way.
  • Bring a pack of baby wipes with you. These will come in handy in the car and on stops. (It’s not uncommon for public restrooms to run out of toilet paper or paper towels.)
  • “And lastly, pack lots of patience because you’ll need it,” Ochoa said.

Ready to hit the road? A few favorite family road trips:

This June 26, 2015 photo shows visitors taking a horse carriage tour of Cape May, N.J. The city's hundreds of Victorian homes constitute what the National Historic Landmarks program calls “one of the largest collections of 19th century frame buildings” in the United States. Their gables, towers, domes, arched windows and inviting front porches, often trimmed in bright colors, create charming and whimsical streetscapes.  (AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz)
Road trip to Cape May, New Jersey There are a few different ways to get to Cape May, a charming Victorian beach town at the southern tip of New Jersey and one of the oldest vacation resort destinations in the country. One option is to drive north on Interstate 95 to Wilmington, Delaware, and then southeast to the destination. This drive takes about three and a half hours from the D.C. area.   (AP/Beth J. Harpaz)
(1/10)
This June 26, 2015 photo shows visitors taking a horse carriage tour of Cape May, N.J. The city's hundreds of Victorian homes constitute what the National Historic Landmarks program calls “one of the largest collections of 19th century frame buildings” in the United States. Their gables, towers, domes, arched windows and inviting front porches, often trimmed in bright colors, create charming and whimsical streetscapes.  (AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz)
An $11.5 million passenger terminal for the Cape May Lewes Ferry opened Thursday June 7, 2001, in Cape May, N.J. The terminal includes a glass enclosed bridge which connects to the ferry as well as a art gallery, gift shop, out door playground and miniature golf course. (AP Photo Chris Polk)
This June 26, 2015 photo shows Leith Hall on Ocean Street in Cape May, N.J. The house is one of hundreds of late 19th century structures included in Cape May's National Historic Landmarks designation. The Victorian houses' gables, towers, domes, arched windows and inviting front porches, often trimmed in bright colors, create charming and whimsical streetscapes. (AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz)
Mike Bradshaw finishes packing his van, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004, in a park near Islamorda, Fla., while he prepares to leave the Florida Keys after a three week vacation wind surfing, as Hurricane Ivan's projected path forced an evacuation of the entire 100-miles Keys. He will go to North Carolina before heading home to Montreal, Canada. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR VISIT MYRTLE BEACH - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is best known for its 60 miles of gorgeous coastline with white, sandy beaches and welcoming ocean waters. According to a report from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, released on March 18, the entirety of the area's ocean waters – from North Myrtle Beach to Garden City Beach – are clean and safe for the entire family to enjoy, just as they have been for years. For more information on the area and to plan your trip visit www.VisitMyrtleBeach.com. (Willis Glassgow/AP Images for Visit Myrtle Beach)
FILE - In this Aug. 2, 2017, file photo, local residents and tourists enjoy a day at the beach in the South Beach area of Miami Beach, Fla. South Beach can be a great place for parents and teens to vacation together, especially if they can go their separate ways at times for beach, pool, shopping and dining. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)
Tourists aboard the ship San Jose listen to tour guide Scott Buckley, standing by glass bottom, describe fish and features in the coral reef in Key Largo, Fla., at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999. The ship holds 98 passengers and makes 3 trips to the coral reef 6.5 miles from the shore of the park. A new boat coming this spring will hold 150 passengers. Well over 100,000 people take the glass bottom boat tour every year. Along with the glass bottom boats they also have 3 snorkle boats the take approx. 60,000 snorklers and divers to the reef throughout the year.  (AP Photo/Mickey Krakowski)

Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up