Long travel days can be quite draining. Between fuel stops and potty breaks and hungry, whining kids, tempers can quickly flare and ruin everyone’s day. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are some tips to keep everyone happy on moving days.

#1. Stop often!

I cannot stress this enough. If it’s been 2 hours or more since your last stop, even if you don’t need fuel and no one needs to use the restroom, you need to get out, stretch your legs, and get your blood flowing. This is especially important if you’re the only driver. The kids and pets also need to get their wiggles out or it’s going to be along drive. I try to stop every 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on how many miles we need to make that day.

#2. Bring plenty of snacks.

Extra important if you have toddlers or teens.

#3. Drink plenty of water.

Not only because you should anyway, but it’ll help you stop more often to stretch your legs and keep you from getting dehydrated and sleepy.

#4. Know your limits.

How many hours a day can you drive and still enjoy your morning and/or evening? How long can the kids sit in the vehicle before they’ve had enough? We like to stop by 4:00 in the afternoon after no more than 8 hours of driving. That gives us plenty of time to set up and make dinner before we settle in for the evening. If we know we are pulling out right away in the morning for another day of driving we might stretch that a bit, but we almost always stop before the sun goes down. I hate pulling into an unknown area in the dark.

#5. Have a variety of music, podcasts, sermons, books and games on hand to keep everyone entertained and not bored out of their minds.

Our kids enjoy listening to audio dramas such as Adventures in Odyssey and Discovery Mountain, coloring and drawing pictures, and playing games and watching movies on their various electronic devices. If you homeschool, travel days can be a great time to get some of that reading out loud to your kids you’ve been putting off.

#6. Map out your fuel stops in advance.

If you don’t have a co-pilot, or if your co-pilot lacks the skills necessary to be an effective navigator, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and headache if you know where and when you need to stop for fuel. With our 2000 Chevy we had to stop every 100 miles or so for fuel when towing our fifth wheel. That’s a lot of fuel stops! We’ll see how our new truck does when we get on the road again in September.

Speaking of fuel stops, whether you are driving a gas vehicle or a diesel, truck stops are going to be the best places to stop. They are easier to get in and out of and are typically on the outskirts of larger towns and cities. If you absolutely need to stop for fuel and there isn’t a truck stop near by, satellite image in your favorite map application will be your best friend. It’ll allow you to scope out the best entry and exit points, and which pumps you’ll be able to access. It’s no fun getting up to the pumps and discovering that you’ll have to back up to get out.

#7. Have more than one camping spot picked out.

If you get to your intended destination and (gasp!) there are no open spots for you to camp, move on to your second or third choice. There is nothing more stressful than having no place to set up camp when the sun is setting and it’s getting dark.

#8. Make sure you and your spouse and other adult passengers are on the same page.

We usually have the main route and destination in mind a couple weeks in advance. When it comes to travel days, though, I write out a plan for the day. This plan includes all fuel stops and any sight-seeing we want to do. Writing it out allows my husband to see when and where we will be stopping so he can help coordinate potty and food breaks.

#9. Lastly, enjoy the drive!

Seriously, what’s the point in moving on to the next destination if you don’t enjoy the journey to get there?

We absolutely love this full-time RVing thing. We’ve learned a lot since we got started over a year ago, which includes enjoying the drives as much as the destinations. Do you have any tips to add? Drop a comment below! And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Pinterest, and subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the page before you go. Have a great week!