Long Travel Weekend, Preparation is key

As we head into the final weekend of summer, many families are preparing for a full schedule of travel. From the quick trip to the local theme park or a long road trip to the beach, smart preparation choices can make the whole experience even more enjoyable. 

Preparation for any trip can vary depending on length, destination and the group of people going. Even given these variables, a few key items can make everything go a little more smoothly. Here are my tips for an enjoyable long travel weekend. 

1.       Gather your favorite snacks: For some, car snacking is a huge fun factor for a road trip. Even if you don’t allow kids to have food in the car, snacks for your arrival can be helpful to avoid the hungry meltdown. The key to snacks is to have items that taste good and are good for the family. 

     A great example of snacks that travel well, taste great and have no funky stuff are Otis Spunkmeyer snacks. This line of snacks are known for their no funky stuff. Made and tasting like homemade treats, these Otis Spunkmeyer treats are huge hits in our household. 

    From muffins for breakfast to late night chocolate chip cookies, kids are happy to have special travel treats. More importantly, I feel good about feeding the kids items without all the additives. While I won’t be baking away from home, my kids have treats that taste like I did. 

    Otis Spunkmeyer snacks are available at various retailers. Multi-pack snacks are individually wrapped

2.       Don’t miss a photo op/moment: Have you ever noticed that some of the best memories from any trip are the unplanned ones? From a family’s travel karkokee to those amusing road signs, travel time comes with lots of amusement. But, smartphones may not be the best option to capture all the moments. A dashcam camera, like Goluk T1 Ei-Fi HD Mini Car Dash Cam is a perfect solution.

Easily mounted to a window or other surface, the Goluk camera can capture each and every moment. From longer video to individual photos, the accompanying app makes the whole process easy to complete. Now every moment is captured for posterity with Goluk. 

3.       Clean the smart way: No one wants to leave a home or come home to a dirty house. But, the packing, chaos, and life leading up to the trip can put cleaning on the bottom of the to-do list. What if you could have someone clean for you? bObSweep can make quick work of your dirty floors and during your trip.

bObsweep is an automatic vacuum that can clean up the most stubborn messes. From pets hair to kids’ spills, a family’s floor will be cleaner thanks to bObsweep. The vacuum can be used via an automatic schedule or used via a remote. 

Perfect for the weekend away, bObsweep can clean-up the floors while the family is having fun. Clean the house while you’re packing or have it cleaned while your gone. bObsweep has taken an item off your to-do list. 

4.       Don’t over-plan activities, just go with the flow occasionally: According to many studies, the best vacation moments are the unplanned ones. Many families want to make sure that they accomplish everything on the to-do list at a specific location. 

Think about it – what if you didn’t ride Harry Potter Gringotts at Universal because you didn’t plan ahead? Would it be the end of the world? Maybe your kids were so intrigued with all the magic wand activities around Universal instead. The kids squealed with delight, you smiled and memories were made. Maybe it was ok that the ride itself was missed. 

Don’t have regret. Planning and over planning every minute on a vacation can lead to more stress. Isn’t a vacation a break from the norm, every day, and schedules. Leave a little free time to just discover the area. From a simple day at a pool to even lounging in a hotel for a leisurely breakfast can be the re-charge moment that a family needs. 

What's your best travel tip?