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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.”

Family Travel - 10 Things You Should Not Do While Traveling

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!

Family Travel - 10 Things You Should Not Do While Traveling

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…

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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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Filed Under: Travel 9 Comments

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marli Beukes

    December 12, 2016 at 5:03 pm

    Our family of 4 packed bags again today for the 15th time since June… With 2 toddlers I’m the one that’s responsible for packing everything. I thought I’m a pro by now, but I couldn’t find my new swimsuit today..
    Had it with me yesterday! It must be one of the most annoying thoughts… Trying to remember where to search.. What you did last with it.. How can it be..
    I really hope it will appear soon!

    A tip for people staying with people in their home.. Try to contain all your belongings in your room and at most 3 other places in the house..

    Reply
    • jenileegoodwin

      December 14, 2016 at 3:01 am

      That is a GREAT tip! Thanks for sharing!! And I’m so sorry about your swim suit… hopefully it shows up soon!

  2. Ticia

    October 6, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    Do not forget the audio books or Adventures in Odyssey!

    Reply
    • jenileegoodwin

      October 8, 2013 at 10:52 am

      yes! so fun to listen to that on the road!

  3. Kate @ The Ferguson Family 4

    October 4, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    Great advice!!

    Reply
  4. Tammy Ogden

    October 4, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    Don’t not forget a blanket! My husband freezes me to death when we travel. I find a blanket for me makes us much happier. (This same rule applies to airplanes! Lets face it this girl lives in the tropics for a reason.)
    ~Tammy

    Reply
  5. Stacey

    October 4, 2013 at 10:26 am

    Great tips! I would add, do NOT start a rousing song of 99 bottles of root beer on the wall! For sanity’s sake. 😉

    Reply
  6. Linda

    October 4, 2013 at 9:11 am

    Bless your hearts…this has been quite an adventure! I kinda get tired of traveling after only a week or so…so I can’t imagine 30,000 miles worth of it! 🙂 But I am sure God is right there with you each step/mile of the way! Our prayers go with you too!

    Love, Linda

    Reply
    • jenileegoodwin

      October 4, 2013 at 9:20 am

      Thank you Linda!

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