Road Trip Warrior

You may be an expert at road trips, especially if you have multiple kids, but for those of you who are new to the baby thing and are gearing up for some summer travel, here is a quick look at our weekend trip that could have easily resulted in disaster!

We decided pretty last minute to surprise Eric's parents by driving 13+ hours to Idaho for the Memorial Day weekend. Yes, we realize three days is only 72 hours and we realized it would take us 24+ hours just to get to and from the fun. We are crazy.

Packing

Step one is the prep. Just a little thinking ahead can solve some big problems once you get on the road. A favorite travel source of mine, Happy Family Travels blog, has great recommendations for planning your trips and I love what Ronnie says about packing:

When traveling with kids, you already have so much stuff you need to bring, don't add extra stuff that isn't necessary.

Less is more! We definitely agree. We brought along a simple Graco pack n play, our favorite Chicco umbrella stroller and a small portable hook on high chair. We recommend the Phil & Ted's Lobster.

Besides the basics for the trunk, we also packed our travel bag full of goodies. I let Audi help out with the packing process, which provided a little entertainment during the busy morning before we left town. Here are a couple of suggestions for your goodie bag:

• A couple of simple fabric bibs that can easily be washed, or tossed in the trash (if necessary). Since your little one may be sitting in the car for hours on end, they don't want to be messy or wet the entire time. This also helps avoid extra clothing changes.
• A cuddly blanket that can be washed because it is almost inevitable that it will be stomped on or may fall out of the car door at some point.
• A bag of baby wipes. We love Kirkland wipes from Costco, especially for travel, because they are so big.
• One or two little stuffed animals. Again, easy to wash is the key. (Maybe I'm a little too paranoid about dirt and food messes.)
• For toys, we packed the Ikea abacus, See n Say the Farmer Says, Vtech Slide and Talk Smart Phone, B. Fun Keys, B. Okideoke Microphone and our favorite Melissa & Doug puzzle. All pretty small and easy to pack, but full of buttons and easy to play with from a seat.
• And what is a long road trip without Disney movies! Audette picked out a few, a few too many, but they are small, so they don't take up too much space. (We actually didn't even use them because we ended up on the road for part of the night. Instead of watching movies, she just slept, but they are always good back up.)
• I also love our L.L. Bean Personalized Canvas Tote. It is just big enough for everything we need for road trip, beach or other travel adventures, plus it is unbelievably sturdy. Someone gave it to us as a baby gift and all the reviews say they last for 20+ years. This is something I would definitely give to anyone with a little one!

Clothing

If your road trip is as long as ours was, make sure your little one is in comfortable clothing. Layers are great too, so you can peel them off or put them on as you change elevation and climate. We love the little cotton dresses from Baby Gap that are as soft as pajamas. That way, if your little one falls asleep for the night, you don't feel bad about putting them straight to bed upon arrival.

Food

Snacks are essential. Don't be hesitant to pack fresh fruits and vegetables too. Even if you don't pack a cooler, it is likely you will eat through everything pretty quickly. Audette is a super good eater, but any kid will spend a decent amount of time eating and that can help "eat" away at the time you have to keep them contained to their car seat.

Also, make meal time an escape from the car. Pack a picnic or stop at a restaurant and eat. Drive-thrus are awesome when you are in a rush, but it is okay to add an hour or two on to the trip if it means letting your little one get out of the car and shake their wiggles out. Plus, you can enjoy those pretty scenic landscapes that you would typically cruise by and you'll probably eat healthier.

Take time to play

You will be surprised what you find along the road while you travel. We stopped for dinner in Coeur d'Alene and found the most darling toy store amongst a bunch of restaurants called Shenanigan's. They had the best retro toys and Audette walked around the store looking at everything with such wonder, saying "wow" to every shelf, like she had never seen a toy in her life. We just happened to stumble upon this treasure, but you can easily do a quick search for a toy or pet store as you drive through a town and spend 20 extra minutes letting your child play.

Short walks are another great form of play on road trips. Coeur d'Alene also features interesting moose and mouse statues around town and we found a few of them on our walk down to the lake.

To our complete surprise the trip was actually very delightful. No, we're not ready to jump in the car for another 24 hour driving adventure, especially Eric because I forced him to drive 99% of the way. But we have already planned our next road trip to Idaho and we are going to spend one of our nights camping in our new favorite town Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Audette voted to visit the moose again. Plus, any grouchy moments or cramped legs were all worth it when we saw Grandma's surprised face upon arrival.

I know we missed a lot, so whether you have tips on nursing moms or must-have car items we didn't list, please leave a comment and share!