It’s that time of year, and many folks are hitting the road for the summer travel season. On this episode of RV Family Travel Atlas, we are talking about some ways to stay happy and healthy while getting from point A to point B.

We could all use some fresh ideas to make the journey a little better, so we have compiled tips for staying safe and having a bit more fun, even if you are a prisoner to your kids’ 99th round of 21 Questions.

You might want to throw on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and try to teleport to the next destination, but we want you to know that the journey really can be a great part of the adventure. So here are some fresh ideas for enjoying the ride…

Segment One: Staying Safe

It’s way more fun to talk about trip planning than safety, but the bottom line is that an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Take these precautions to make sure you arrive safe and sound at your epic destination…

• Check your tires, then check them again.
• Treat your tow vehicle to a tune up
• Know your rig’s true width and height
• Research your route in advance
• Triple check that your roadside assistance is current
• Create a tool kit to override any automatic systems on your RV
• Drive with the propane off
• Be aware of the risks of driving at night

Listen to the podcast to hear us talk about some of the experiences that led to these tips!

Segment Two: Stay Healthy

It’s a lot of work getting ready for a family vacation, and sometimes we can forget to plan for one of the most important things–eating healthy on the road. An RV allows you to drag your kitchen on vacation with you, so make sure you take advantage of that perk. Another challenge is finding ways to stay active on a driving day, so we have some tips to help you with that.

• Stock up on some healthy prepared foods from a local deli so that it is easy to avoid the fast food options
• Splurge on single portion snacks that are healthier, like peanut butter crackers, trail mix, and fruit pouches
• Pack fun, non-sugary drinks in a cooler
• Avoid high sodium food and drinks since you are sitting for long stretches of time
• Choose rest stops with picnic tables and play areas
• Find an activity that gets the kids moving at every stop
• Track your level of activity for motivation
• Get the wiggles out in the car with stretches and hand games

Segment Three: Have Fun

We know this is easier said than done, but seriously…there are a lot of ways to keep things interesting on a long car trip. First things first–remind yourself of all the car games you used to play before DVDs and iPads came along by reading this great blog post over at Go RVing. It’s a really comprehensive list of old-fashioned car games, some you may know and some you’ve never heard of before!

We also highly recommend the Overdrive App, which allows you to borrow audio books from your local library. Last year we listened to a lot of Magic Tree House and Junie B Jones…this year we have moved on to the I Survived Series. Our boys stay quiet for a full two hours when listening to an audio book. It’s a minor miracle.

Plus, here are some of the podcasts we recommended for family-friendly listening:

• Littles: Disney Story Central Podcast, The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian, But Why?
• Middles: Good Job, Brain!, The First, Remarkable Lives, Tragic Deaths
• Grown Ups: 99% Invisible, Radio Lab, Splendid Table, Burnt Toast

Listen to the episode to hear even more podcast recommendations and our descriptions of each of the shows!

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See you at the campground!

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