There’s something nostalgic about piling into the car for a road trip—snacks packed, playlists ready, and the open road ahead. Add kids into the mix, though, and it becomes a whole different kind of adventure. Equal parts chaos, creativity, and surprisingly sweet moments. While I love to road trip, I love sanity more. Below you will find my tried and true tips and tricks for traveling with kids.

The Buc-ee’s Rite of Passage

If you’ve road-tripped through the South, you already know: stopping at Buc-ee’s isn’t optional—it’s a rite of passage.

You walk in thinking, “We’ll just grab a drink and use the bathroom. Maybe $20, tops.”
And then it happens.

The kids discover the wall of snacks. You spot the fresh brisket sandwiches. Someone grabs fudge. Someone else insists on a souvenir. Suddenly you’re holding armfuls of things you didn’t know you needed, and somehow the total creeps past $100 every single time.

No regrets though—it’s part of the experience.

The Real MVPs: What Saves the Car Ride

Let’s be honest—preparation is everything. A smooth road trip with kids isn’t luck, it’s strategy.

iPads or tablets
Screen time rules tend to… relax on road trips. Shows, games, and movies can buy you hours of peace.

Extra battery packs
Because nothing sparks a meltdown faster than a dead device halfway through a long stretch of highway. One of our must-haves is a solid power bank—this Amazon battery pack option keeps devices charged so the peace lasts a little longer

Mini magnetic tiles
Compact, mess-free, and surprisingly engaging. They’re perfect for little hands and don’t end up all over the car like traditional toys. Our favorites are the MicroMags Travel Magnetile Sets. They come in a few different cute sets and my kids love them.

Snack boxes in a cooler bag
Snack time is one of the easiest ways to keep everyone happy on the road, so I always prep ahead by packing each kid their own snack box and storing everything in a soft cooler bag within arm’s reach. Using divided containers like these leakproof bento-style snack boxes makes it simple to mix things up—fresh fruit, dips with crackers or veggies, cookies, granola bites, cheese… whatever they’re into that day. I keep it all chilled in a compact insulated cooler bag for road trips so nothing melts or gets questionable halfway through the drive. It sounds simple, but having everything organized and ready to grab means no digging around while driving—and a lot fewer “I’m hungry” emergencies every 20 minutes.

Coloring setups
For a screen-free reset, I always pack a dedicated coloring and activity kit that the kids actually get excited about. I use a sturdy scrapbook storage box with lid—it’s the perfect size to hold everything and doubles as a flat writing surface on their laps plus it fits under the seat. Inside, I load it up with essentials like colored pencils and washable markers set, a mix of kids coloring books variety pack, origami paper with easy folding guides, and even a few travel puzzle and activity workbooks. It gives them options beyond screens and keeps everything contained in one place, which means less mess, more creativity, and a surprisingly peaceful stretch of road.

The Secret to Sanity: Planned Play Stops

Here’s the real secret most people overlook: don’t just stop for gas—stop for energy resets.

On any route, I map out playgrounds every 3–4 hours. Not rest stops. Not quick exits. Actual parks with the biggest playgrounds and sometimes even splash pads.

We stop for about an hour, let the kids run wild, climb, swing—whatever they need to burn off that bottled-up car energy. Then we grab food (or eat what we packed) and have a little picnic before getting back on the road.

It makes all the difference. The kids reset, moods improve, and the next stretch of driving feels manageable again. They don’t ask are we there yet.

The Reality (and the Magic)

Road tripping with kids isn’t always easy. There will be messes, noise, unexpected stops, and probably at least one “Are we there yet?” loop that feels endless.

But there’s also something really special about it—the conversations you wouldn’t have otherwise, the shared snacks, the silly car games, and yes… even the overpriced Buc-ee’s haul.

Because years from now, they won’t remember the long hours in the car.
They’ll remember the stops, the treats, the playgrounds—and the feeling of going somewhere together.

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