Parental Arts
How to Take a Family Road Trip This Year
With air travel, family reunions, and getaways with friends off the table for most of us, a road trip may be your best travel option this summer.
- Written By
- Marnie Schwartz
After months and months of time at home, taking a summer vacation is looking pretty appealing right now. While staying home is still the safest option, if you’re going to take a trip, one via the open road may be your best bet. In fact, two-thirds of travelers say they’re likely to travel by car over the next six months, reports MMGY Travel Intelligence. Even in the Covid era, the romance of the road trip—the freedom, the open sky— can be alluring. But taking one now requires a little more logistical fine-tuning. Here, some things to consider.
Be a planner
If you used to be the “wing-it” type, now is the time to get organized. Figuring out logistics on the fly will be more stressful—and potentially even dangerous—in 2020. When Olivia Poor, a Brooklyn mom of three (ages 14, 11, and 7), took her kids (pre-Covid) on some epic, multi-week road trips across North America, she planned everything in advance, including where to eat meals, the exact route to travel, and where they’d stop along the way. While a shorter, one-destination trip wouldn’t necessarily require the same level of detail under normal circumstances, this year it could be helpful. Since restaurants are still outdoors-only in many states, and takeout is safer than both outdoor and indoor dining, think through where you’ll stop for meals or groceries, and look up restaurants’ modified hours and offerings. (It may also be a good time to choose lodging with a kitchen so you can prep some of your own food.)
Think through all of your activities and anticipate what you’ll need as well as any obstacles (like public restrooms) and how you’ll solve for them. Poor would always get her kids involved in the planning process, which helps them stay invested in the experience and excited about it.
Choose the right destination
A closer-to-home trip is ideal this year, as it will require fewer hotel stays, rest stops, and other situations that could put you at risk. In fact, 41 percent of Americans say their first pandemic car trip will be within 100 miles of their homes, reports Skift. Pay attention to the Covid rates both where you live and in the state where you’re going. If you live in an area with a lot of cases, you might consider staying home to prevent spreading the virus. Look up restrictions in the state where you’re headed, too, to find out what will be open, where masks are required, and if you’ll need to quarantine when you arrive. As for your lodgings, call ahead to find out hotels’ cleaning and disinfecting procedures and safety standards, or pay attention to any mention of them on AirBnB listings.
Consider this a good opportunity to get your kids into nature. “My kids are such city kids,” says Poor. “The first time we stopped at a national park… it was just such a different landscape than they had ever seen.”
Survive the drive
If the thought of hours in the car with kids fighting in the backseat makes you want to give up before you even hit the road, think ahead about how you’ll keep them occupied in the car. Poor advises finding places where they can stop and stretch their legs every few hours, and bringing plenty of car activities. She likes to pack books with fun facts about her destinations, to keep kids engaged in the experience. And don’t forget the snacks!
Stay safe!
Plan your trip around outdoor activities where it’s easy to socially distance, like hiking. (This chart from the Texas Medical Association can help you weigh risks.) And don’t forget to bring plenty of hand sanitizer, gloves, and disinfectant wipes to use on the way (especially when you stop for gas or bathroom breaks), when you arrive at your destination, and throughout your trip.
Be a planner
If you used to be the “wing-it” type, now is the time to get organized. Figuring out logistics on the fly will be more stressful—and potentially even dangerous—in 2020. When Olivia Poor, a Brooklyn mom of three (ages 14, 11, and 7), took her kids (pre-Covid) on some epic, multi-week road trips across North America, she planned everything in advance, including where to eat meals, the exact route to travel, and where they’d stop along the way. While a shorter, one-destination trip wouldn’t necessarily require the same level of detail under normal circumstances, this year it could be helpful. Since restaurants are still outdoors-only in many states, and takeout is safer than both outdoor and indoor dining, think through where you’ll stop for meals or groceries, and look up restaurants’ modified hours and offerings. (It may also be a good time to choose lodging with a kitchen so you can prep some of your own food.)
Think through all of your activities and anticipate what you’ll need as well as any obstacles (like public restrooms) and how you’ll solve for them. Poor would always get her kids involved in the planning process, which helps them stay invested in the experience and excited about it.
Choose the right destination
A closer-to-home trip is ideal this year, as it will require fewer hotel stays, rest stops, and other situations that could put you at risk. In fact, 41 percent of Americans say their first pandemic car trip will be within 100 miles of their homes, reports Skift. Pay attention to the Covid rates both where you live and in the state where you’re going. If you live in an area with a lot of cases, you might consider staying home to prevent spreading the virus. Look up restrictions in the state where you’re headed, too, to find out what will be open, where masks are required, and if you’ll need to quarantine when you arrive. As for your lodgings, call ahead to find out hotels’ cleaning and disinfecting procedures and safety standards, or pay attention to any mention of them on AirBnB listings.
Consider this a good opportunity to get your kids into nature. “My kids are such city kids,” says Poor. “The first time we stopped at a national park… it was just such a different landscape than they had ever seen.”
Survive the drive
If the thought of hours in the car with kids fighting in the backseat makes you want to give up before you even hit the road, think ahead about how you’ll keep them occupied in the car. Poor advises finding places where they can stop and stretch their legs every few hours, and bringing plenty of car activities. She likes to pack books with fun facts about her destinations, to keep kids engaged in the experience. And don’t forget the snacks!
Stay safe!
Plan your trip around outdoor activities where it’s easy to socially distance, like hiking. (This chart from the Texas Medical Association can help you weigh risks.) And don’t forget to bring plenty of hand sanitizer, gloves, and disinfectant wipes to use on the way (especially when you stop for gas or bathroom breaks), when you arrive at your destination, and throughout your trip.