A family road trip promises fun adventures, memorable moments and an unforgettable journey, but there are some things you can do before you depart to make your holiday even more enjoyable. Travelling with children is never easy, so we’ve listed the top tips to make your family road trip as smooth as possible. From hiring your rental car to knowing when to take breaks when driving, discover our best tips and tricks below.

When travelling with family - and children especially - it’s important to have a reliable mode of transport for getting around. With a Dollar rental car, you won’t have to worry about preparing the car for your trip, as all our vehicles come serviced and ready to drive. When choosing your rental vehicle, consider the size of your travelling party. At Dollar, we offer eight-seater vans to accommodate the whole family, as well as baby and child seats as optional extras. Booking your hire car in advance gives you confidence and reassurance when travelling in a new area, and Dollar makes it extra easy. Simply head to our website, choose your pick-up time and location and follow the prompts. With 14 locations across the country, including branches at major airports, Dollar is convenient and easily accessible, giving you one less thing to worry about when planning your next road trip, so you can focus more on creating memorable moments with your family and leave the rest to us. 

Now that you’ve booked your rental car, it’s time to plan your route for a seamless road trip experience. Make sure to research your route online before your trip to figure out where you’re going and how to get there. Consider things like when and where to stopover to stretch your legs, for meals and toilet breaks, any attractions or landmarks you want to see along the way and accommodation options to break up a multi-day road trip. At Dollar, we offer GPS units as an add-on to your rental vehicle, which can be useful when travelling through areas with limited signal and when wanting to save phone battery. Research different ways to navigate your road trip and choose the route that suits your travel plans the best, whether it be the fastest route or the shortest distance. When driving long distances, take regular breaks to stretch your legs, stopping every two hours or less is recommended.

When it comes to packing for your trip, things like clothes, toiletries and electronics may come to mind, however, it’s just as important to pack your rental car wisely - especially if you’re going to be on the road for an extended amount of time. Consider packing things like snacks, water and toys to keep your little passengers entertained, as well as essentials like first aid kits and pillows. If you’re travelling for most of the day, you’ll want to keep food handy. Consider packing a variety of snacks, light meals like sandwiches, and fruit and vegetables to give yourself and your family variety throughout your road trip. It’s worth bringing more food than you think you may need to avoid kids getting hungry and multiple stopovers on your drive. Pack your car with books, games and a camera to keep the kids entertained. Playing games like I Spy and Car Bingo can help the time pass, as well as loading up a playlist with your family’s favourite tunes to sing along to on the drive. Once you’ve sorted out what you’ll be packing your car with, try to pack as much as you can in advance to avoid rushing and forgetting things, as well as keeping items easily accessible to avoid having to pull over and rummage through bags while driving.

After booking your rental vehicle, planning out your trip and packing your car, you’re ready to go on your road trip, but family holidays don’t always go to plan, especially when travelling with children. Leave extra early to accommodate for any delays and give yourself extra time when booking things like activities or tours. Be flexible with your itinerary when on a road trip as variables like unexpected traffic and unplanned stopovers can cause your trip to take longer than what you’ve allowed for. This tip can apply to your whole trip, not just while you’re driving. Being flexible throughout your holiday can save stress and let you focus more on enjoying the journey, not just the destination.  

Now that you’ve prepared for your family road trip, it’s time to buckle up and enjoy the ride. Embrace the freedom of travelling with a rental vehicle and enjoy the journey ahead.