Top Tips To Survive A Road Trip With A Toddler

If you’re thinking of heading off on a road trip but you have a toddler, you might be wondering whether or not this is possible. To be honest with you, it completely depends on what your toddler is like, but most of the time it is possible if you know what you’re doing. There are just a few little things that we would recommend to make this as smooth as possible, ensuring that your toddler doesn’t just feel bored stuck in the back of the vehicle. 

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Let's talk about some of the different tips that we’ve got to survive a road trip with a toddler.

Stop Regularly 

The first thing that we’re going to say to you is that you need to find somewhere to stop on a somewhat regular basis. Of course, this does not mean that you should be stopping every fifteen minutes, but every couple of hours is a good goal to aim for. This allows your toddler to get out and stretch their legs a bit, they can use the bathroom, and they can generally not feel trapped in their car seat.

At the end of the day when you’re done for the night, you need to make sure that you have somewhere to rest that is safe and comfortable. There are plenty of options around, so it’s just a case of choosing one.

Plenty Of Entertainment

On top of this, you need to try and have as many different entertainment options as possible to keep your toddler engaged. You can bring items such as sticker books, coloring books, a device for them to watch some shows or movies on, games that you can play and so much more. 

The more entertainment you manage to sort, the easier it's going to be for everyone. Your toddler is less likely to get bored, which means you’re less likely to end up with a headache. 

Snacks, Snacks, And More Snacks

The last thing that we’re going to include on this list are snacks. Everyone loves a good snack, especially a small child, so ensuring that you’ve got a large pack of snacks is always going to go down well. Of course for meals you will need to stop and get out of the car, but snacks to get you through the day are necessary.

You can pack a variety of options so that nobody gets bored, and if you’re struggling for inspiration then search for the best road trip foods. More than anything though, stick to foods you like!

I hope this helps and you can now see some of the things that you should be doing in order to survive a road trip with a toddler. Is it always going to be easy? No. Are there going to be times where you regret your decision entirely? Potentially. The thing that you need to remember through it all is that you’re doing your best, and that’s all you can do to make this trip the best ever.

What are some of your best tips for traveling with a toddler?

Your Best Leaf Peeping for 2025

With such a long and hot summer, fall is going to change pretty quickly for some regions of the country. If one of your favorite things to do is see the trees change colors before they drop all their leaves, then you might need to really plan your leaf peeping, like, now. Some of our peak seasons are coming early and some of them are going to be fairly short, but here is info on how to see the best right now or very soon.

If road tripping isn't for you, no worries. You can visit some prime fall foliage while doing fun autumn activities, too, like going to corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and wineries. Who says you can't multitask? Here are some great fall  staycation ideas that also work when you go away from home. You can use the fall foliage map to see the best colors this season.

What are your favorite fall activities or best leaf peeping spots?

Do You Need An International Driving Permit?

It's been a while since I've gone out of the country and decided to drive. Aside from a few trips to Vancouver, the last time I drove outside of North America was a trip to Ecuador in 2009. I needed an International Driving Permit then, but it also was a small cardboard folder with my name and information on it. It didn't even have a photo.

Last week, Eric and I went to our local AAA to pick up some current IDPs, because they are only valid for up to 3 years and he needed one this time, too. The process is quick and easy. You can do it through the mail, or you can take, literally, 20 minutes out of your day to fill out the paperwork, get your picture taken, give them $25 (if you have your own passport-size photos, then it's only $20), and then leave with your permit to driving in a ton of different countries.

Why do you need an IDP? 

Honestly, I didn't know the answer to this. Apparently, it translates your identifying paperwork into different languages. You still have to have a valid driver license, so you will need to carry both if you are in a country that requires an IDP. If you are unfortunate enough to get pulled over while driving, an IDP is extremely helpful in showing you are serious about driving laws and for the officer to correctly identify you and your information.

Though we'll be driving in a country where our own language is fairly common, not everyone does speak English, so this small bit of insurance is nice to have, especially since we'll be renting a car (through Turo, but some car rental companies require you to present your IDP, as I had to when we rented a car in Ecuador). It's one of those things that you don't think you need it until you actually need it and you can get fined for not having one. Some countries, like Andorra, require you to present yourself and a registration fee at the local police station.

Where can you get an IDP?

I have only gotten mine through a AAA office, but you can get them other places as well. You do not need to be a AAA member to use this service. You don't get a discount by being one.

What is it valid for?

You can drive a motorcycle or passenger vehicle, as well as larger vehicles or those with trailers. You still need to be aware of driving laws in other countries and obey them to your best ability. In some cases, if you have to present yourself at the local police station, you will exchange your IDP for a local driver license. There are very few of these, but Cambodia is one of those countries. 

It's always smart to do research into any country you're planning to visit and for any situation you plan to be in. I have been looking up toll road information and whether or not they have rest areas. That may seem weird, but these are important things for me to know. The answer is yes, they have toll roads, but you can use your credit card to pay for all of them and don't need an app or a permit, and yes, they have rest areas that are most often coupled with a gas station. 

Have you ever needed to have any special paperwork to travel?