Going on a road trip with your whole family is a fantastic bonding experience that will bring you all closer. The freedom of being on the open road can create some beautiful memories for you all to treasure forever and introduce you to new and exciting places. But a lack of planning and boredom could lead to arguments, tantrums and hazards that could spoil your entire trip. So get yourself prepared and use these amazing hacks to get your family road trip started on the right foot.

Plan some surprise pit stops

Staying seated in a confined space for hours on end can make your family bored and agitated. So to avoid any tears and tantrums amongst your family members, plan some surprise pit stops along your route. You could spend the day at Wet ‘n’ Wild or visit a national park for the afternoon. This will give everyone the chance to stretch their legs and move around. It will also break up the journey making it less boring and tedious, especially if you are the driver. Seeing your kids faces’ when you pull into a theme park unannounced will be priceless. Plan in advance and search for coupons you could use to get some great family discounts on attraction tickets.

Create a road trip bag for everyone

Another way to keep everybody happy when driving is by creating individual road trip bags. These bags can have their favourite books, magazines, games and snacks inside. What you put inside should be determined by their ages of your family and keep them quietly entertained for a while. You can hang these bags over the headrests in your car, so everyone has easy access. You could also add disposable cameras to the bags so everyone can take pictures of the different landscapes along your journey. These will be amazing keepsakes that you can place into an album when you get home. Remember that these bags will also need to be refilled on your journey back too.

Set some rules before you go

Having some rules and boundaries may sound dramatic, but it can set the tone for your entire trip. Young children will need to understand what is expected of them and why these rules are in place. For instance, if you are towing a fifth wheel RV a rule should be in place to always lock the doors and keep it tidy. This will keep your belongings safe and secure. Or you could state that everyone has to go to the bathroom every time you stop and stick together. This will prevent any unnecessary delays and keep everyone safe. Explaining these rules the night before you leave will make sure every member of your family knows how to behave correctly. Print off your rules and take them with you to make sure the continue to be followed and always praise good behaviour.

With these hacks to help you, you road trip should go smoothly and successfully. Make it as fun as possible and plan an exciting route before you leave.