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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RoadTripHacks #CollectiveBiasRoad #Albertsons

Road trips are a great way to connect with family and friends while participating in an adventure together. We have taken many road trips over the years and I have a few suggestions to help you be road trip ready for your adventure. #RoadTripHacks

Planning a Road Trip

•  Car Ready: Make sure that your car, van or multipurpose vehicle is up to date on oil changes and maintenance. At the least, be sure to check that the tires have enough air and that all of your lights are working. The last thing you want to worry about is having car trouble on your trip. Gas up the day before the trip.

• Home: Make sure you have taken care of your mail and secured your home. Turn off all small appliances and ask a neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your home while you are gone.
• The Plan: Be sure to plan for stops along the way to your destination for food, stretching and bathroom visits. A road trip should be comfortable for everyone and can feel unbearable with an unexpected traffic delay. Leave extra time in your schedule to explore a stop or two on the way.
• Maps: Once you have a destination and lodging, be sure to take along a printed map. GPS systems are only as good as the WiFi that connects them and sometimes you can lose the connection while on the road.

Snacks & Beverages

• Take along plenty of packable snacks and drinks for everyone. Use a small cooler with ice or ice packs for perishable items and beverages. I found some great items for road trip snacks at Albertsons the other day.

• Take food and snacks that are easy to transport and easy to eat in the car. These smaller bottles of Gatorade are perfect single servings. We like to bring crackers, fruit, chips and cookies because sometimes we are in the mood for a salty snack and other times, sweet. Speaking of sweets, these Oreo Thins are my new obsession. They are SO good!
• Take wipes or paper towels for cleaning up and removing stains. Also have a bag designated for trash and recycling so you can keep stuff from falling under the seats of your car and being buried there for months.
• Bring a flashlight if you are doing any driving after dusk. This is something that always is helpful after dark.
• Pack your road trip essentials in an easy carryall so you can find them easily while on the road.

Fun Road Trip Activities

Part of the fun of a road trip is enjoying the experience together. While electronics can help everyone on the trip, why not create some fun moments with interactive family fun as well.? These are some fun games to play while on a road trip:

• Alphabet Game – Each person takes a turn naming something everyone can see, that starts with the next letter of the alphabet. So the first person gets the letter A, and must name something they see that begins with the letter A. The next person gets the letter B and so on. When the kids get older, try this game, but instead of things, name songs – it is a little more challenging and a lot of fun.
• Scavenger Hunt – Make up a scavenger hunt by listing items on a sheet that passengers have to check off. This gives everyone in the car a chance to see the outdoors and discover new locations. List things like a flock of birds or an out-of-state license plate. Consider your route and choose some items that you are likely to see. Games like this give everyone a nice to get a break from looking at an electronic screen for hours.
• 20 Questions – One person thinks of an item, movie or book. Each other person in the car takes a turn asking one question to try to determine the answer. The questions need to be in a yes or no format such as, Do we have one at home? Or Is it a movie we have seen? The first person to determine what it is before asking a question, wins that round. Then the next person gets to be the person to answer the questions with their choice.
• Road Trip Stop Entry – This one is not really a game, but a family project. Take turns documenting each road trip stop in a book. Everyone that is able to write should contribute to the road trip diary. It is fun to get different perspectives from everyone and great for recalling memories later.

You can find some great road trip snacks at Albertsons. Be sure to enter the  to enter “The Best Road Trip Ever” sweepstakes too!

I hope you found these tips helpful. Where would you love to take a road trip with your family?