The holidays are the busiest travel time of the year. More than any other time of year, people are on the road and in the air traveling to visit loved ones and taking holiday vacations. During this time of year, a little pre-planning and preparation are key to having a fun trip and arriving at your destination in good spirits. We have a few holiday car travel tips to help you on your next family adventure.
Road Trip Tips for the Holidays
With many road trips and long distance moves under our belt, there are a few things that we’ve learned along the way. Several of our mishaps have occurred because of a lack of planning. Some of our most memorable, for all the wrong reasons, are leaving the interior car light on and killing the car battery during a camping trip, finding ourselves on the sea wall (20 miles in the wrong direction) during a thunderstorm because the GPS didn’t work, and going WAY over budget on food because I forgot the cooler on the kitchen counter.
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Lessons learned. Now we make sure we and our car are ready for any trip. Here are my top tips for making sure you have everything you need for a holiday road trip.
Check All the Fluids
Check the levels of all vital fluids, including motor oil, coolant, transmission fluid and windshield wiper fluid. Top-off, or change, fluids as needed. Motor oil does more than just lubricate moving parts. In colder temperatures, it keeps the engine from freezing, too.
Keep An Emergency Kit Ready
Be sure that you have a car emergency kit in your trunk for any unforeseeable car issues.
Kits should include a flashlight, jumper cables, batteries, electrical tape, a rain poncho, a reflective safety vest and an emergency blanket.
Make sure you also have a medical emergency kit equipped with band aids, gauze, alcohol antiseptic pads, insect bite relief and any necessary medications.
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Check Tire Air Pressure – Including the Spare
Over- or under-inflation can weaken your tires, cause uneven tread wear and impact your gas mileage. Many drivers think the proper tire pressure can be found on the actual tire, however, that’s incorrect. Refer to your vehicle owner’s manual or to a decal often found in the doorjamb or glove compartment for the proper tire pressure.
Check the pressure when the tire is cold/at air temperature. Do not check the pressure after an extended drive on the highway or after driving for more than five minutes.
I prefer a digital tire pressure gauge as it is easier for me to read. Don’t forget to check the spare tire! Make sure you also have a jack in the trunk.
Stay Charged
A weak battery is unreliable and may take longer to start on cold mornings. Have the battery tested before long road trips to make sure it has enough cranking power to withstand the cold. To minimize strain, start the vehicle with the heater, lights and window defrosters turned off.
Bring a Few Tools
Along with a jack and battery cables, we like to have a few important tools in the trunk. Pliers, a hammer, and a set of wrenches don’t take up much space but can be very useful for minor fixes on the road.
Pack Smart
Clean out the car, inside and in the trunk, and get rid of anything not needed for your trip. Pack the night before you leave because it always takes longer than you think. Stage everything you plan to take near the vehicle and load based on when you need the items.
Bags/items you’ll need first will be loaded last for easier access. By packing smart and loading the night before, you can leave first thing in the morning before rush hour.
Avoid the Dreaded “Are We There Yet?”
Pack a collection of toys and games to play on the trip. A plastic shoe box or canvas organizer works well to keep everything together. Classic travel games like “License Plate Bingo” or “I Spy” help pass the time. With these games, there’s nothing to pack and no small pieces to lose.
Books on tape or downloaded audio files help keep everyone entertained. We’ll often download a combination of new and favorite books for a trip.
Plan Stops
Stop frequently at parks, rest stops, and attraction sites to get out and stretch your legs. Have a picnic for lunch outdoors if weather allows. Although stopping on the road causes longer travel times, it helps make travel more enjoyable. Everyone can move around and burn off energy before having to get back in the car.
We plan stops as part of our trip. When we are on the road, even though it may be a 15 hour trip, we say, “Our next stop is only 3 hours away” 5 times. This way it doesn’t seem like the trip will last FOREVER.
Don’t Forget the Snacks
Pack a soft sided cooler with snacks and drinks. Keep the cooler in the front of the car where you can reach them without stopping. Good travel snacks include trail mix, dried fruits, beef jerky, nuts, and fresh fruit. Pack a water bottle for each person to stay hydrated too.
Keep Everything Cleaned Up and In Its Place
Pack clean-up supplies like wet wipes, hand sanitizer, paper towels,or napkins to clean up after eating. A trash bag is also a good idea to limit clutter and helps keep the car mess free.
These holiday car travel tips will help you enjoy holiday travel with your family. What keeps your family smiling in the car?
More Road Trip Tips for Families
- How to Best Prepare for a Cross-Country Road Trip with Your Family
- Budget Hacks for Cheap Road Trips in 11 Simple Steps
- What You Need for a Family Road Trip + Weekend Packing List
- 8 Beautiful Road Trips to Take in the USA this Year
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Don’t forget to invite your friends to our Facebook groups! We would also love to see your vacation pictures!
Ready to Start Planning Your Trip? Use These Helpful Links to Book Your Trip!
- AIRFARE
- Find low fares with airfarewatchdog, Skyscanner, and WayAway.com.
- Get airfare deal alerts up to 90% off from Dollar Flight Club (free & paid membership options)
- Book your plane ticket with Expedia or Kayak
- Book your Airport Parking Reservations and save money.
- ROAD TRIP/CAR RENTAL
- Take the scenic route and rent an RV from RVShare
- Get packed for an epic road trip and don’t forget the Road Trip Games to Play in the Car Need more space? Get a rental car thru Discovercars.com.
- LODGING
- From hotels to private homes, find the perfect accommodation with Hotels.com or booking.com.
- For camping and RV campgrounds, find the ideal location with Campspot.
- PACKING
- Travel in style with a suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or handbag from Away and Eagle Creek.
- For packing cubes, we love these from Eagle Creek and these reusable silicon bags for a 3-1-1 bag from Stasher.
- TRAVEL PLANNING
- Looking to start travel hacking and want a place to keep track of it all? There’s the free TravelFreely site.
- For budgeting help, get our road trip budgeting tips here.
- ATTRACTIONS/ACTIVITIES
- Save on tickets to attractions, sightseeing tours, and more with
- Tiqets for cultural events, museums, Broadway shows, etc.
- CityPASS for multi-day attraction passes at up to 55% off in select cities
- Get Your Guide and Viator for guided tours/excursions, day trips, and activitties
- Groupon for discounted local attractions and event tickets
- Undercover Tourister for discounted theme park tickets
- Find guided outdoor activities led by local guides at 57Hours.
- Find information on local trails with the AllTrails App.
- Save on tickets to attractions, sightseeing tours, and more with
- LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
- We use and recommend Rosetta Stone to learn a new language. We bought the $179 lifetime option with unlimited access to ALL 25 of their languages.
- Need something else to plan your perfect trip? Visit my travel resources page for more trusted partners.
Good tips. I love when we are not on a tight time schedule and can stop at interesting places along the way. It’s fun to experience the adventure and find new places. Love the Willie Nelson bandanna with braids! Glad you had time for fun and silliness!