Category Archives: Travel

7 Must Have Items When Traveling with Kids

We spend a lot of our summer in our family minivan. With 5 kids of all different ages we are constantly on the go due to baseball, dance, gymnastics, tae kwon do, summer school, and more.

Here is a list of things to have in your car when traveling with kids.

Books – Keep a few age appropriate books in the car at all times and encourage them to hone their reading skills or create their own story based on the pictures.
Blanket(s) – It never fails that we are headed somewhere and I hear that someone is cold or tired and they ask for a blanket.
Baby Wipes – These are a must have with kids as they can be used for so much more than changing a diaper. You can bet that someone will spill, or get an owie or rub up onto something and get dirty.
Snacks – Make sure you have something on hand for when the inevitable I’m Hungry comes out of their mouth.
Beverages – Of course, if you’re going to have a snack, you’ll want to have a car friendly beverage such as bottled water or a sippy cup.
Clothes – Yes, you’re traveling, you have a suitcase of clothes but you should always have an extra outfit readily available for each kid in case someone gets sick or has an accident.
Garbage Bag(s) / Trash Receptacle – I don’t know how they manage to do it but it never fails that there is a mess in the car when you are traveling with kids. Have something handy for them to throw their trash in.

Before heading out on your travels, be sure to have your car inspected by a reputable service center like the in-house service center at Craig and Landreth Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram!

Automotive, Travel

Tips for Pre-Booking and Planning Your Vacation

Anne Younger Leave a comment

Planning a vacation can take a lot of time and energy. It’s best to organize everything well in advance. Preferably before you start packing! Once you start packing, you’ll be so excited about your holiday you may forget about booking certain things. So stay ahead of the game and pre-book everything you need before you think about things for your suitcase! What does this cover? Everything in the following list!

Travel From The Airport

When you land in a new destination, you won’t have the comfort of your car. If there is a direct train from the airport into the city, then you may be able to book your tickets in advance. Would you rather drive yourself? Hiring a car for the duration of your trip will provide you with a lot of independence throughout your stay, making it easier to get around. It’s advantageous to book a car in advance, as it is usually cheaper.

Excursions and Day Trips

While you are away, you will no doubt want to see as much as possible. The best way to get out and do this is by booking your family a spot on excursions or organized day trips. You can, of course, wait until you arrive at your destination to book these. You might then have a better feel for the location and know exactly what you want to do and see. However, it can be a lot cheaper to book in advance. This also ensures you bag a place on the trip before it sells out!

Childcare

Depending on the hotel you are staying in, or the resort you will be spending your holiday at, you may be able to book childcare. Many resorts have kid clubs and offer entertainment for your little ones throughout the day. This gives your kids the chance to interact and play with other children on the resort. It also gives you and your other half time to relax for a few hours. Kids clubs can be very popular, so if you get the chance, book your kids a place before you jet off.

Travel Insurance

Under no circumstances should you and your family be travelling without insurance! You never know when something could go wrong, so it is always best to be careful. As soon as you know where you will be travelling to, book your insurance to prevent you from forgetting. You can buy insurance very cheaply these days. There is no excuse not to have any!

Road Trips

For those families taking a road trip, Audi Wilmington suggests having your vehicle fully inspected to ensure it is in good running order before heading out on the the open road. It is best to have a fresh oil change and tire rotation as well as making sure your fluids are topped off and everything is ready to go.

Now that you are well prepared, you can begin to get excited about your trip. Have a great time away!

Travel

8 Tips to Prepare for Your Summer Road Trip

Anne Younger Leave a comment

Summer is upon us and for our family, that means it is the perfect time to start planning some fun filled road trips.

Every year, around this time, I like to start looking into fun things we can do when we are off visiting family around the state or something to just get us out of town for the weekend.

With the planning of road trips, I thought it would also be a great time to share some tips on what you can do to prepare for your summer road trip. Here are 8 great tips to help you prepare.

Clean your car! Yes, its only spring but think about everything you did in your car over the winter. For us, we traveled across the state, we visited an indoor water park, we traveled to family member’s homes for the holidays. There was so much in and out of our cars along with the filth of winter, chunks of salt, holiday sweets, etc. that our cars are in need of a good deep clean. Once your car is all clean, make sure to keep it clean on your road trip as well by cleaning as you go!
Get your car serviced. Before you hit the open road, it is important to make sure your vehicle is ready to go. Get the oil changed, have your tires rotated and inspected, make sure your brakes are good to go, change your air filter, and top off all of your fluids. What is great is if you take your car to a dealership, like Lustine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, for an oil change, they will take care of just about all of that for you and let you know if your vehicle is in need of anything else.
Preload your electronic devices with entertainment for everyone. Yes, these days cars have the ability to have Wi-Fi and there are mobile hotspots on phones but, I can guarantee that it is easy to lose signal along the way and your kids will not be happy, especially if you are on a very long trip. We always make sure each device has at least one movie they like downloaded to it so they have something to keep them busy.
Put Together a First Aid Kit. If you don’t already have one in your car, now it the time to get one. Make sure you have everything you need if someone gets hurt, gets sick, or something happens. Always be prepared. In addition to the regular first aid kit, we like to make sure we have a blanket, a package of baby wipes and a gallon of water with us for emergencies.
Check Your Paperwork. Make sure you have a copy of your insurance and registration. Remember, laws vary from state to state and it is always best to have everything on hand. Also, make sure your license is up to date with your address or that it hasn’t expired and don’t hit the road if you have any unpaid tickets!
Extra Outfits. Even though you are traveling and will probably have a suitcase filled with clothes with you, make sure you have one outfit for each person that is easily accessible in case someone needs to change to illness, spills or ‘accidents’.
Plan for Stops Along the Way. One of the best things about road tripping is to stop and check out different roadside attractions. Before you leave, plan your route and see what kind of fun things there are along the way to visit. This gives you a chance to stretch your legs, use the bathroom, burn some energy, etc. Don’t miss out on seeing the world’s largest ball of twine.
Be Prepared for Things Not to Go As Planned. This is one thing I always need to tell myself. As much as I try to plan everything out and prepare for every little thing that I can, I have kids, they are young and things don’t always go as planned. By telling myself this, a few times, when something comes up, I find I am less stressed and able to deal with the changes.

Summer is just around the corner so get your road trip planning started today! Want to plan a trip with more people? Consider renting a bus from Amarillo bus rental! If you are looking for ideas on places to visit or stops to make along the way, we are always happy to offer some ideas!

Automotive, Travel

Be Prepared for an Emergency on the Road

Anne Younger Leave a comment

Regardless of where you live, you are sure to experience some form of dangerous weather. When severe weather occurs or your vehicle breaks down, you should always be prepared for an emergency. Here in Wisconsin, the weather changes in an instant and you have to be ready for anything. This list is a great tool to put together your on emergency kit to keep in your car when you are on the road.

What to Buy

First you will want to get a back pack or duffle bag, these work best for storing your items. If you want to protect your items, purchasing a water proof bag is the best investment.

For the remaining items, you may need to head to the store, if you don’t already have them on hand. Most of these items can be found at your local dollar store which also makes this kit very affordable.

First Aid Kit (you can purchase a premade kit or get everything you need and make one of your own.)
Jumpers cables
Flashlight/extra batteries
1 gallon of antifreeze
2 quarts of oil
1 can of Fix-A-Flat or other tire inflator product
Duct Tape
Paper Towel
Rags
Matches (pack into a waterproof bag such as a Ziploc)
Pocket Knife
Small toolkit with screwdrivers (Philips and standard), pliers, adjustable wrench
Blanket(s)
Water (1 gallon or several smaller bottles)
Non-perishable food items such as crackers, granola or energy bars, gum, and hard candies.
Roadside Flares

Once you have acquired all of the items needed for your kit, you will want to organize them into your backpack or duffel bag. I like to use a backpack because they offer more pockets and you can separate your items.

After you have everything packed into its place, your emergency kit is ready to go in your trunk or other safe place in your vehicle and you can rest assured that you are well prepared.

Adding an emergency kit to our car has come in handy, more than once and it is one of the best suggestions I received from Bedford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealership.

*Be sure to check your kit once a month to ensure that nothing is leaking, missing or not in working order. Also, if you use any items, be sure to replace them after each use.

Automotive, Travel

Be Prepared this Winter with this DIY Winter Roadside Emergency Kit

Anne Younger Leave a comment

This time of year can be a very dangerous time for road travel, especially if you live in a state that gets a lot of snow and seriously hazardous road conditions.

With weather, you never know what to expect, so I find it best to always be prepared for anything. As the seasons change, I like to make sure we have whatever we may need with us, in case of an emergency.

You can put together your own winter roadside emergency kit and ensure you are ready for anything this winter.

DIY Your Winter Roadside Emergency Kit

Grab a large backpack, duffel bag, or even a covered storage bin and add the following items to it to make sure you are always ready. In the winter, we keep a large storage bin in the back of our minivan whenever we travel more than 30 minutes from home or somewhere that we might not be able to find help immediately.

Here are the items you should have in your winter kit:

Blankets
Hand warmers
Extra gloves/mittens/hats
Non-perishable high calorie foods
Strike-Anywhere Matches
Bottled water
Roadside Flares
Small Shovel
Snow brush
Flashlight
Jumper Cables
Cat Litter (for traction)
Automotive cell phone charger
First Aid Kit

In addition to these items, it is also important to make sure your phone is fully charged before traveling as well as making sure your vehicle is in proper working order to travel in winter conditions. We recommend you have your vehicle inspected by a reputable mechanic like the ones at Performance Dodge RAM in Woodbury Serving Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, Mount Ephraim.