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Road Tripping Tips and Vacation Rental Packing List from Macaroni Kid!

Make your next vacation more relaxing and fun!

By Jess Searcy June 27, 2017

Road-tripping and vacationing with young kids is almost never relaxing.  But over the years, we've researched, tried different ideas and experimented, until we found the right road-trip "formula" for our family.  These methods make it more relaxing and as stress-free as possible, while the guys are still young.  Since a lot of you will be road-tripping this summer, we thought we'd share some of what has worked for us.

This past week was my father-in-law's 80th birthday, so we met up with family in a central location to celebrate.  That location just so happened to be Smithville, Tennessee, in a rental house, on a lake.  Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Cindy decided to tag along, so we had to deal with some bad weather and get a little creative.

The view of Center Hill Lake from our rental house.

Getting There - Tips for Traveling to Your Destination

Audio Books - We get some picture books from the library that come with CDs and download longer books from the library to our phone with an audio book app.  This article has more information on getting started with audio books for kids.

Maps - Print out a google map and highlight your route.  Have the kids watch out the window for city signs so they can follow your progress and avoid the dreaded, "How many more minutes?" question.  We also tell our kids the time of arrival according to the GPS so they can watch the time.

Road-trip Games and Scavenger Hunts - lots of ideas and printables on Pinterest, check out Macaroni Kid South Birmingham's board "Road Trip With Kids Tips, Tricks and Hacks" for ideas.

Puzzle, Sticker, Activity Books -  Some kids really get into these and can be occupied for hours.  Get some new ones before long trips and only pull out one at a time.  I have wonderful memories of my mom packing a "surprise box" for me on trips.  Every hour or so, she would pull out a new book, box of crayons or a small toy.

Screen Time - It is always a special treat to get to watch a movie or cartoons on a road trip.  But we also have nature shows like Planet Earth they enjoy watching (and we're happy they are learning!).  Don't have built-in screens in your vehicle?  We don't either.  Look for the DVD players that strap to the back of the front seats.  We have two that link together so both kids can watch the same thing.  Don't forget headphones in case the kids want to do different things or you don't want to listen to Frozen for the 50th time!

Take Macaroni Kid With You - Did you know there are over 500 Mac Kid Publisher Moms across the country and Canada?  Check to see if your destination has a Macaroni Kid website by going to Macaronikid.com and clicking on "change my town."  If it does, you will have a calendar full of fun things to do, as well as helpful local guides!


The kids enjoyed the hot tub when it wasn't raining.

Choosing Your Accomodations

Go with friends or family - Our favorite vacation memories are almost entirely made up of times we rented a house or condo with friends and family. Vacationing with other families allows you to save money, while renting a place with a full kitchen and nicer space.  When families go together, the kids can entertain each other by playing hide-n-go seek, board games, building forts out of couch cushions, etc.  And when the kids entertain themselves, the grownups get to relax more!

More stuff there = less to pack - Vacation rentals often provide extra equipment (umbrellas, boogie boards, carts, high-chairs, pack-in-play) and entertainment (board games, movies, puzzles and books).  Indoor entertainment is essential, especially when the weather turns sour.  One of our kids packed a maze ball that had all the kids (and even some of the adults) taking turns to beat the record.

Special Features -  Many vacation rentals have fun features that your own home may not.  This house had a hot tub (which the kids LOVED), a screened porch (which I loved) and a bunk loft with a ladder leading up to it.  In the past, we have especially enjoyed houses with pools, great for after beach/lake time and for hanging out around the house.


The kids played twister and other games when the weather was bad outside.

Other reasons to rent rather than book a hotel - Multi-bedroom rentals allow more space for everyone to get a good night's sleep, or for adults to socialize after kids are in bed.  Be careful where you put everyone though.  We had most of the kids in the bunk room on this trip and the first night they were up giggling until after midnight AND up early in the morning!  I'm sure they created some good memories though.

Another bonus to renting a home is most have laundry facilities.  This is especially helpful for the beach or when you run into bad weather like we did.  You can take everyone's towels and swimsuits and stick them in the dryer for the next swim session.  If you're staying longer, having a washing machine lets you pack lighter as well.

Websites for finding rentals - We've tried and like VRBO.com and Homeaway.com


The kids LOVED the lofted bunk room in this house.  The first night was a bit rough on the adults though!


Isn't this so much better than a hotel room?  And about the same price (or cheaper) if you split it with multiple families.  This house had three nice bedrooms and a fun bunk room for the kids.


This house had a really nice master bathroom.  Not a bad way to live for a few days!


I spent most of my time relaxing on the screened porch, even when it was raining.

Food

We've determined that finding a rental with a full kitchen is *essential* for stress-reduced vacationing with young children.  You'll end up saving money by not eating out as often and you'll have options for when everyone is too tired to go out to eat.  Bringing an easy dinner for the first night is key after a long, exhausting day in the car.  You can make something ahead and keep it in a cooler (my mother-in-law brought a pre-made lasagna for everyone...how great is that?) or just bring something easy like spaghetti and a jar of sauce.  If each family pitches in and plans one meal or lunch, it can be super easy and stress free.

Packing List

While most vacation rentals include most of the kitchen essentials and other things you will need, there are some things to remember.  Most do not provide dish soap, laundry detergent, sugar, spices or condiments.  We like to keep a running checklist that we print out before trips so we don't forget anything we might need.  This saves those parental brain cells that get fried in those hectic days right before going on vacation.  Here's what ours looks like, and you can get a printable version HERE.  Of course, you can always check and see what is provided before you go, but if there's anything you can't live without, pack it (**cough cough** corkscrew)!  There's also space to write in what you plan to eat so you can pack those things too!






This house had three dining areas.  This nice large area, a smaller area where the kids enjoyed sitting together and a few spots at a bar in the kitchen.


The view from the smaller dining area.


Some houses have the coolest features!  Here's the ladder to the lofted bunk room where most of the kids slept.  Being up there felt like being in the crow's nest of a tallship!


The kids could look out the windows and see the lake from the top bunk.  

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