Tips about Travel By Car

We've kept a diary of all of our road trips since 1998. We document the time we leave, weather, temps, arrival times in all the major cities. We document the traffic jams ( how long we're in them, & how ugly it gets!), and construction areas. We document unusual events ( the accident involving a semi hauling live pigs...poor piggees!) We document the hotel rooms we've had, the McDonalds @ exit 341 in Fla. that has the BEST breakfast sandwiches ever (yes, there is a difference!)and our Disney experience (crowds, weather, what worked, what didn't.) It's fun to look back and read about the special times we've had as a family. - Jan Kolkema, Muskegon, MI

Another thing we did was to plan at least one new thing or place to stop and see on the way home that would help keep the interest up so the trip home would not be such a let down. - Andrea Rose Ankeny, Iowa

Consider learning a new hobby to pass time in the car. My husband and I along with my parents recently took a road trip to Walt Disney World. We passed time by trying to teach ourselves how to crochet. Prior to the trip, I bought a "how to" book and the appropriate supplies from my local craft store. And even though we never could quite get the hang of it, it was a fun way to pass the time and provided us with lots of laughs. - Heather

After reading your column for several years now, I have never seen you mention good ol' "Febreze". The stuff is a God send after being in the car for hours, upon hours, upon hours..... Remember in the movie 'Vacation', Clarke mentioned the "smell from the backset" ? It never fails, the car STINKS after long car rides.... Spritzing Febreze, or even the new fabric refresher 'All' on pit-stops, alleviate this stinky odor! And, it can be spritzed in your hotel room, and on clothes you've only worn a few hours for dinner, etc. I always, always pack a mini-Febreze, and think a lot of readers will benefit from this anti-stinky-spray! :o) - Cathryn Augustine

And with parents who have 2 kids and only one back seat, create a barrier, like a pillow or a stuffed animal and make it clear who's side is who's to help alleviate the crankiness and fighting of a long road trip. If you keep the kids occupied with games, singalongs, etc... they will have little time to fight. Happy road tripping! - Rebekah

For our drive from New Jersey to WDW, we get a few of those glow sticks/neclaces for when it gets dark. It's not too much light so it won't disturb the driver and the kids seem mesmorized by them. - Susan R.

I checked a wonderful book out of the library that we took along, called Along the I-75. It is hard to describe the book, but we found it full of information and it was fun to follow along page by page, mile by mile. I-75 runs from Detroit to Florida. We were able to have lunch at Colonel Sander's very first restaurant in Kentucky (home of the famous Kentucky Fried Chicken) because of this book. We never would have known about it otherwise. If you are going to be traveling on I-75, I would say this book is just as important as your WDW guidebooks! - T-Nina Hermann

I always prepare a "goody" bag for the drive for each kid. I start with a gallon zip lock bag & put their name on each one. Inside put in colored pencils (I do not use crayons as they melt in the hot sun on to your car seats) coloring book, stickers, a spiral notebook which they can use for coloring pictures & also as a "journal" for the trip recording each days events. I also add some mcdonalds happy meal toys with a Disney theme. - Anne Marie Cronin

I have found that having a EZ Pass on your car is very useful if you are traveling from the north. All toll roads bridges and tunnels south of Conn. accept EZ Pass and you just zip through only slowing down not stopping. They keep adding new roads bridges and tunnels, ie. Summner Tunnel and Ted Williams Tunnel and also the Tobin Bridge all in Boston. - Frank Groom

I have a road trip tip that we have used on several vacations - Books On Tape. We happened on to this a couple of years ago when someone loaned us a Harry Potter book on tape for our vacation. We have two boys 5 and 9. We have found that this is something the entire family enjoys. We actually look forward to getting back into the car! For this most recent trip I checked out several books on tape at our local library. It made the two day drive pass more quickly and it was absolutely free. If your library can't provide, check out the books on tape program at the Cracker Barrel Restaurants or visit your local Blockbuster. - M.Archer

My suggestion is to have each person bring a pillow to rest their head on and to get a little more comfortable during the ride. Teenagers, too, like to nap along the way! And we always make sure the digital camera is nearby. We've recorded many funny moments in the car and it's always enjoyable recalling them once we're back home! - Dolly King

We have driven to WDW 7 times from Indiana, a little over 950 miles. The most recent trip our son was 2 and to keep him occupied I purchased sticker books and coloring books that he received as "presents" throughout the drive. For the adults (there were 5 adults) I made travel Bingo games, license plate games, and make/model of the car games. We also played Disney trivia, name that Disney song, and where at WDW would you find...(restaurant, shop, attraction). This made the ride more fun and it seemed to go quicker. - Angie Grimes

For all those heading up or down the I-95 corridor. Georgia closes their Welcome Center and rest stops on Christmas. We learned the hard way--no rest areas, no open gas stations or restaurants (not even fast food) in the entire state! So if your are traveling Christmas Day, stop BEFORE you enter the state. - Linda Clark from Virginia

For the car cooler, I fill up 2 Tropicana 96 ounce plastic orange juice bottles with water and freeze them before the trip. This way, they serve as ice blocks, they don't melt in the cooler, and we pour the cold water out of the bottles on the way down to Florida to use as drinking water. - Jane Vander Loop

For the car cooler, I freeze bottles of drinking water & juice boxes and use these in my cooler in place of ice. You have your drinking water and no ice mess to contend with and more space in your cooler. - Charlotte from Ohio