10 Things NOT To Do While Traveling

We travel a lot. And we’ve learned for sure what NOT to do on those long family travel trips.

Miles. Continents. Airports. Car rides. Taxis. Hotels.

That, friends, is crazy with a capitol Z.

5 people.

Clothing for all occasions.

Big suitcases

Little bags

Snacks

Shoes, Ministry stuff…

We have our travels are a well-oiled machine… most days.

There are things we do and have done that we think, “Uhm… yeah. We won’t do that again.”

1} Don’t keep restaurant leftovers while on the road for any length of time. They will make your car, your clothes, your everything stink terribly. Just say no to leftovers… especially at Chinese or Mexican restaurants.

2} Don’t leave home without a small bin filled with car care items. Some ideas are: paper towel, bungee cords, zip ties, car fluids, a small tool set, flashlight, air pump and jumper cables. These bins are perfect and stackable and small.

3} Don’t forget the power of a ziplock baggie. Buy some. In ALL sizes. Baggies are good for car ride snacks, crafts, games, toys… you name it… in a clear bag, it will travel better and keep your vehicle much cleaner!

4} Don’t waste a pit stop. Every time you stop you can throw away trash, re-organize the kids stuff, switch out toys or snacks for the next leg of the trip, run everyone into the bathroom to wash hands and, well, you know… grab coffee… think through each stop so that the next hours in the car are that much better!

5} Don’t underestimate the power of a good song. When we are all tired of driving and ready to get out of the car, sometimes a good song can give us all the burst of energy we need.

6} Don’t forget the charge cords. Make sure you have a good phone, ipad, ipod, GPS charging plan in place before you leave home. It is not fun when they all need charged at once and there is only one cord or outlet. This guy is a MUST.

7} Don’t be afraid to travel heavy. I always forget things when I’m trying to “pack light”. It might be an extra trip into the hotel or home we are staying in but it is worth it to have what we need with us on the road. We love IT Luggage because they hold up to the crazy of our travels, they are lightweight and soft-sided.

8} Don’t miss the scenery. Take a look around and enjoy the sights around you. Challenge the kids to find things, play games, make up games about where you are or what you are seeing. Google on your phone (from the passenger seat) the places you are seeing and learn something new! Which is why we love homeschooling on the go.

9. Don’t watch the clock. Nothing stresses us out more than being late or running behind or hurrying through our travels. Leave with plenty of time so that it isn’t so important. If you take a wrong turn or want to make an extra stop, you have the time to do so and it isn’t quite so stressful for everyone.

10} Don’t over shop while on the road. Being over-crowded in the car is not comfortable for anyone. All those little bags add up and cause major packing problems at the end of a trip.

These are just a few of the things we’ve learned over the years in our family travel experiences.

There are oh so many more…

Travel on a Budget

Tips for Living in Small Spaces

Family Overseas Travel Journal

But, tell me one of yours!

What is one of your family travel do-nots for traveling?

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