Collaborative post
Road trips can be an affordable and freeing holiday experience for all the family. With the cost of overseas travel increasing every year, staycations continue to be a popular choice for parents, especially during the school holidays.
If you’ve never taken your family on a road trip before, this guide will point you in the right direction with some tips and tricks to keep everyone happy. Let’s begin!
Choosing a route
First, you’ll have to decide on a start and finish point. If you weren’t already aware, there are so many incredible family road trip routes and destinations in the UK. Some of the most popular include:
- Snowdonia and North Wales
- Cornwall
- The Jurassic Coast
- The Lake District
- The Scottish Highlands and Islands
Each will have its own merits and challenges, and the one you choose should depend on your vehicle, the time of year you’re looking to travel and how long you think your kids can stand being in the car! There’s no reason why there can’t be something for everyone on a family road trip.
What to drive and where to stay
These two questions go hand in hand. If you’re thinking of driving your car, then you’ll have to stay in hotels or resorts along the way. You may prefer the flexibility this brings and the opportunity to sleep in a proper bed at night.
However, we’d recommend you take a motorhome or hire one for the duration of your trip. This way, you’ll have transportation and accommodation sorted, and it could save you a fair bit of cash. You can always find somewhere more comfortable to sleep if it’s not to your liking.
If you do go down this route, you’ll need to have an appropriate level of motorhome insurance, carry out some pre-trip checks and be confident in your skills to drive a larger vehicle on some challenging roads. Apart from that, it should just be pure fun!
What to pack
The next important question is what to pack. For a family road trip, you’re best being prepared for all eventualities. Aside from the obvious clothes, toiletries and essentials you’d usually take on holiday, we’d recommend the following too:
- A small first aid kit (just in case!)
- Safety vests, torches and other emergency equipment to keep in the vehicle
- Plenty of snacks for the long road ahead
- Games for when you’re on the move and when you’re not
- A family road trip playlist with everyone’s favourites
- Big smiles all around for the adventure of a lifetime!