Ask The Expert: Top 3 road trip packing tips

Susan Donley

May/June 2019

I love the excitement of hitting the open road in the summer. I remember one year with my family we went to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. We stayed at a condo on Table Rock Lake, and rented a party barge for one of the days. It was a great trip, and one I’d recommend for anyone with children. But with that, there are a few things to think about when packing for your upcoming road trip:

Keep the kids entertained.

Today’s family road trips are much different than what I remember with the variety of hand-held technology options available. But kids need a break from screen time. We have a great selection of children’s games in our stores. Of course, slug bug and the license plate game were always my favorites.

Pack for the weather.

I recommend packing a variety of clothing options, depending on the climate you’ll be traveling through. Dress in layers, and have jackets, sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, rain gear, umbrellas, etc. We have a variety of travel accessories in our AAA stores, as well as online (AAA.com/travelstore). Check them out.

Pack your in-car essentials.

In addition to packing your bags, don’t forget about your car. Be sure you have things like a cooler for water and snacks, chargers for all your electronic devices, travel tunes (in case you want more than the radio), travel pillows and blankets, and an emergency road kit that has jumper cables, flares, first-aid kit, flashlight, etc.

Susan Donley is a member service counselor in the AAA Colorado Springs store who has been with AAA Colorado for 15 years and is a North American Destination Specialist. She loves interior decorating, reading, and spending time with her grandchildren. Contact Susan at 7330 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs; 719-591-2222; or sdonely@colorado.aaa.com.

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