How to Do a Big Solo Road Trip With Kids

updated March 6, 2024. Every year, sometimes multiple times a year, I do a 15-hour solo road trip with my two little kids. And I love it.

I know that sounds insane, but hear me out- I’ve figured out so many hacks that make it seamless and enjoyable.

I’ve taken this road trip with kids so many times now that it’s only gotten easier over the years.

Here’s how it began:

I used to fly from NYC, where we live, to my hometown of Traverse City in Northern Michigan, a couple of times a year. My husband has a somewhat upredictable work schedule in the hospitality industry, so my trips were usuall solo.

And once my kids were born, they came along with me for the ride.

When I go to Michigan, I’m typically there for 2-6 weeks at a time. I work for my family’s IT company, so my work is remote and flexible.

We’re also incredibly lucky and blessed to have access to a family vacation home I share the management of with my brother, who also works remote.

It’s always great to visit my hometown, a family-friendly tourist haven. The kids run around in the fresh air, I get some work done on -site instead of remotely, and spend time with my family and friends on Lake Michigan.

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Back when I had just one kid, the flight from NYC to Traverse City wasn’t fun, but it was pretty straightforward.

And after my second was born in 2016, the flight got a little more hectic, for sure, but by breastfeeding him on the plane I was usually able to stop any drama before it began.

However, that nursing baby is now 8. Our breastfeeding days are long behind us. He’s old enough now that I have to buy him his own plane ticket. And I flying solo with kids is not for the weak.

I despise so much about flying solo with little kids: TSA checkpoints, packing (and worrying about the weight limit), running to catch connecting flights with a slow-moving older kid while babywearing and dragging 3 pieces of carry-ons, someone always needs to poop at a really inconvenient time, I spend the whole flight nervously stopping the kids from kicking the seat in front of us, and so on.

Then there’s the one-off problems and delays! Like the time my son knocked a huge cup of hot coffee all down the lap of the lady next to us and then cried for the next hour because his ears hurt. The time we got delayed in Detroit for 4 hours and it was midnight and there were no restaurants open and my snack well had run dry. The time we had two blowout diapers in the air and I didn’t pack a change of clothes.

I came to dread those flights up north. And once my youngest was three, my mind was made up: I was done with flying.

Plus, it became really difficult to do anything up there without a car. And renting a car for 3-6 weeks ain’t cheap, yo.

The first time I told my husband I’d rather drive the 15+ hours than fly like we usually did, he thought I’d lost my mind. This was in 2017 and we didn’t even own a car- so it was a huge undertaking.

Know what I discovered? That drive, even 15+ hours long, is so much easier than flying.

I hereby consider this my declaration: we are never flying again (unless, obviously, circumstances demand it.)

I’ve learned me some things since I started doing this drive and back once or twice a year.

Here are my BEST tips for making a big, solo road trip with kids (and keeping your sanity)

1. If you’re renting, get the car the day before you leave.

We used to pick up the car the day of, and while I’m pretty organized with packing, I wish I had more time to get used to how the car handles and the little ins and outs like, where’s the aux button? What are the wipers like when it rains? How hard is that brake pedal? I had to figure too much out while I was also managing traffic jams leaving the Bronx and passing snacks to the backseat. Next time, I’ll pick up the car the day before we go and take it for a test spin before hitting the open highway.

2. Always keep a bag of snacks where you can reach it.

I keep a large, soft cooler within grabbing distance on the front seat and pack it to the brim with snacks that take a long time to eat, like fruit leather or trail mix (they eat each ingredient individually, because kids). Then I just toss ’em into the backseat like it’s feeding time at the zoo.

3. Keep a toilet bag handy, including a portable potty.

I keep a bag packed with wet wipes, a roll of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and a portable potty seat like this one. This little contraption saved my life when my son was napping and my daughter needed to pee. She could squat on the side of the road and I didn’t have to wake him up to take us all into a rest stop.

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4. Embrace the tablet

We’re somewhat screen-lite over here, and my kids are only allowed to use their tablets when they’re at home (we don’t take them to restaurants, the doctor’s office, etc) There’s no data plan attached to their tablets.

So I spend some time a couple of nights before we leave downloading episodes of their favorite shows, favorite movies, and Spotify playlists to their ipad.

If we’re stuck in a traffic jam or something else that’s interminable, I’ll turn on my hot spot so they have some wifi streaming ability.

Then I hook this long iPad holder rod in between the headrests and plug in a headphone splitter so I don’t have to listen to the theme song for Bunk’d for 14 straight hours. They then get to watch “tv” on the ipad like I’m driving a 1990s Windstar minivan with a VCR in the ceiling.

5. Make sure you’ve got sturdy back-of-the-seat toy and drink holders.

These were inexpensive and perfect for our trip. Things were kept in easy reach and I had less crumbs to clean out of the seat pockets at the end of the trip

6. Take the exits that don’t go to truck stops.

Pull off the highway to those tiny towns and villages to use the bathroom or grab lunch, instead of always hitting the truck stops. It’s nice to see places other than Burger King and Waffle House.

7. But also, embrace the BK playspace at the truck stops.

The best part about a Burger King or McDonalds Playspace is it’s enclosed, so you can relax and let the kids run around and stretch their legs while you gather yourself for a bit. Then douse everyone with hand sanitizer before you get back in the car.

8. Download your podcasts and playlists.

Living in the city, I get so used to having strong data wherever we go. But when you’re in the middle of nowhere on I-80, data streaming gets real choppy. Make sure you’ve got some good stuff to listen to as backup for your solo road trip with kids.

9.Choppy data leads me to: Real life maps.

Google Maps is great but get a road map, just in case. It’s the last thing you want to be out of when you’re stuck in the middle of nowehere.

10. Ebooks are where it’s at.

Whether it’s Audible, Libro.fm, Hoopla, or Libby, audiobooks are fabulous ways to pass time on the open road. I love books that are full of twists, surprises, and are a little trashy. It makes the time speed by!

Check this post I did on some of my favorite audiobooks for road trips.

11. It’s all about the noise-canceling headphones.

I often joke that noise-cancelling headphones are my self-care, and nowhere is that more true than on the road.

I don’t actually use the full noise-canceling effect because safety, but my big headphones or my AirPod Pros effectively drowns out the kids yelling just enough that I can keep my sanity and hear my audiobook and everyone survives the trip.

12. “Hand on the car!”

Like I said, we’re city folk. My kids aren’t used to navigating parking lots; they’re used to subway platforms.

So I made it a rule that whenever we’re in a parking lot, they must keep their hands on the car at all times while I gathered my purse and keys and made sure the car was locked. Keeping their hand there stops them from running around in front of traffic.

13. Juice boxes for the kids and a ‘juice box’ for your phone.

My kids don’t get juice very often, but I’llstock up on juiceboxes for a road trip treat.

However, it’s mama’s juice box that I really depend on; not the drinkable kind, the battery kind!

Many cars only have one or two USB charging ports, and I take one for my phone.

 But we also have this hardcore chargeable “juice box” for charging phones, laptops, and tablets, and it is amazing. I charge it fully before we leave, and it holds enough battery for two days, even while charging three devices at once.

Forget to charge the ipads in the hotel room? This guy’ll help get you back to full power once you’re back on the road. If you want a more affordable option, this one is great, too.

14. Make-your-own surprise bags.

My kids used to love those packaged ‘blind bags’ with small toys in them, so I took that idea one step further for the road.

I make each of them 2 or 3 “surprise bags” in gallon ziplocks. I’ll mix in stuff we already have with things I get in the dollar store or online. Each ziplock held things that went together; a handful of Hatchimal toys for my daughter, a few matchbox cars for my son, playdough, etc.

When they piped up from the backseat, I handed back a ziplock bag and they stayed quiet for another hour or so.

15. Don’t try to do it all in one day.

I’ve learned this one the hard way over the years. Technically, you can make a 15-hour road trip in one day. I mean, it’s totally possible.

But is it worth it? I find we are all WAY happier if I stop with enough time to have dinner and stay at a hotel with a pool for the kids to play in and blow off steam. Then hit the road again first thing in the morning.

16. Get the long day out of the way first.

This is another hardwon truth for me. I’ve tried breaking our road trip with kids into all kinds of ways: half the way one day, half the way the next. Leaving at 5pm and letting the kids sleep while I drive at night. And, like I said, leaving stupid early and getting it all done in one go.

But it works best for me if I leave at the cracking crack crack of dawn the first day, drive til dinner, sleep at a hotel, and hit the road for the remainder of the trip the next day.

That second day is a SLOG, no matter how long or short the drive is. It’s best to make it short and sweet!

17. Pack an overnight bag

Pack a small bag of overnight things, including toiletries, and pack it last- so it’s easy to grab. You don’t want to haul in the big suitcases just to stay in a hotel for one night.

18. Soft car toppers for extra storage

We got this soft car topper that straps in our luggage on top of the car and I adore it. It rolls up so small that I just leave it in the car year-round. It holds our suitcases really well. And it leaves my back window nice and open. It’s worth not being able to open our sunroof for the duration of the trip.

19. Get the RoadTrippers app

I LOVE this app, available for Androids and in the App Store. It shows me every cool, interesting sight-seeing place nearby wherever we are, as well as restaurants, gas stations, and coffee shops. I can see at-a-glance what hotels are available and nearby, and book straight from the app. It also helps me visualize our trip before we go with interactive maps.

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That’s it!

Our 15-hour road trip with kids usually takes about a day and a half to finish, since it includes our hotel stop and 4,000 bathroom and food breaks. But all in all, over the years it has become super painless and what’s even better, I feel in control of our trip- unlike when we’re flying.

Have you traveled long car trips with kids? What are your best tips for my trip home? I’d love to hear them!

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