JetKids for Road Trips?

…we’ve got you!

As flying has become limited in the last few months and many of us suddenly had to change or even cancel our summer plans to fly abroad, we started thinking about alternative ways of traveling, not only in a way to still feel safe but also not to feel like we would miss this summer 2020. Following this situation, we noticed a trend among many of you on Social Media, one that many of us had particularly forgotten and it still brings charm to the way we enjoy holidays: road trips and camping!

@everydaywithus_

‘’I remember being a kid and my dad always wanting to go for a Roadtrip (he just loves them! a short or long one, it didn’t matter) and i remember my mom always preparing food and snacks for the road, both of them planning the route to, sometimes, really no where specific. The excitement on hopping into the car and not really having exactly where to go but driving and enjoying the view, the journey, was something that I now apply as a life rule. Whether it was an spontaneous trip or a well-planned one, it was always bout enjoying the ride more than the destination itself and even though as a kid I used to fall asleep for almost the whole journey, I eventually learnt to appreciate the quick landscape that was being paraded before my eyes’’ –
Rosmery, JetKids

It is summer in the north hemisphere and we have seen many of you turning plans of packing for a long-haul trip into putting things in a trunk of the car or mini van to go explore some really amazing places nearby.

The possibility to have more flexibility on your schedule makes you enjoy this type of traveling in a whole different way. You are not tied to timetables, you stay being surrounded almost exclusively by the people you are traveling with and if in family, you reconnect with them differently. Apart from dad getting lost and refusing to ask for directions or kids wanting to stop for a bit, etc., the stress is less and different.

@alexandtribe

We could talk about all the advantages or disadvantages of road trips but we guess you all have you own by now, so we rather give you a few tips to make the best out of yours:

Bring water: it is important to stay hydrated and we recommend small sips to prevent motion sickness for those who might be susceptible while occupying specially, the back seat
Stop and move: You probably will be seated for many hours and it is important to stretch the legs every now and then
Bring healthy snacks: it is not only a better choice, but fruits and nuts will keep you satisfied and fed longer; and will not make you as thirsty as savory snacks would. Besides, avoiding sugary snacks, will keep kids more calmed during the ride
Plan ahead or go with the flow: Decide before-hand if you are aiming for a destination or if it is just about the ride. Schedule your stops based on viewpoints and arrival time or decide for a nice route to follow to enjoy the view
Prepare for chaos: it is only normal to get bored even on a Road trip, especially if you are forced to take the highway for a portion of the trip or after you have been for a while on the road, not all can be exciting, right? Prepare a good playlist of songs you all know and like, check for car games you can bring or play or download a movie on your tablet for your kids (and you) can watch.
You can rest too: being seated in a car for too long can be tiring too, bring a small pillow and maybe a blanket to cozy-up with for a while to recharge
Charge! The car outlets may not be enough for everyone to charge their phones or tablets, so bring a power bank you can use for emergencies
Safety first: check your car’s condition before your trip, that you have a spare tire and everything you need in case you must replace one. Pack for a first-aid kit, toilet paper and a map as you may not always have access to GPS ?

@j.andhercrew

Finally, we reached out to a couple of you to ask for stories and this is what they told us:

“My family and I love to travel! So, when the news of the pandemic broke out, we were devastated to put all travel plans on pause. But once the restrictions eased in our part of the country, we decided to go on our first road trip as a family of 5. It was also a way to celebrate our 8th year wedding anniversary.

We are lucky that we live in such a beautiful province; we grabbed the opportunity to go and explore what it had to offer. We drove 4.5hrs up north to Kelowna and stayed 3 nights. We noticed the kids were having so much fun, we had to extend for another night to fully enjoy our staycation. The weather was unpredictable, but we didn’t let it ruin our trips to the beach, which was the only thing the kids wanted to do. Although it drizzled on and off, it made it more exciting for the kids as they swam in the water and played in the sand while a rainbow appeared in the distance. We knew we were going to be faced with different challenges by each child along the way, some we were expecting and some we were caught by surprise. We knew that our 7.5-month-old was not going to be pleased being strapped down for too long, but she was easily comforted with snacks and a few rest breaks. Boredom was inevitable especially for an energetic 6-year-old boy, but we played games in the car and frequent reassurance did the job. We were surprised by our middle child being car sick, but luckily, we had plastic bags within reach. Even then, heading home was the worst part as we did not want our mini vacation to end. One thing for sure, we will be more prepared for our 3 upcoming summer road trips 🙂 “
– Jerlyn Rodriguez @j.andhercrew

‘’Vacation plans might not be how we envisioned them at the start of 2020, but we still intend to make the most of summer by exploring our own backyard.

Road trips are such a great way to explore your own home, we’re lucky we live somewhere that has beautiful lakes and stunning mountains only a couple hours drive away. In a way it’s nice that we’ve been forced to slow down this summer. Its given us more time to spend time in nature, finding hidden gems like new beaches, campgrounds and hiking trails.

For our first trip of the summer we headed out to Lesser Slave Lake, the biggest lake in Alberta. It’s not the ocean, but it’s still great to be by the water! Three days of late bedtimes, S’mores, fishing and quad rides was as good as Disneyland for my outdoor-loving boys. Sometimes you forget how magical the smallest things can be to kids. My boys get as excited to find worms and frogs as they do going to a theme park. They just want to be outside; exploring new things, with people they love—like friends and family.

Our JetKid’s Daycation Bundle—which includes the Crew Backpack and Merino Wool blanket—was the perfect travel companion for the boys. Colton loved being able to carry his own things with him on hikes and the boat. The backpack more than accommodated his snacks and water and explorer toys on our hikes. For the drive, we had room for his blanket, stuffed animal, iPad and snacks. I love how it can expand when you need it to fit just a little bit more. The blanket was perfect to keep Austin warm when the boat got windy, and when he took a little nap.

A few days spent by the water and in the fresh air was just what we needed to recharge. Can’t wait for our next road trip, hopefully to the Rocky Mountains—and you know our JetKids bundle will be along for the ride too!’’
– Alexandra Sochowski @alexandtribe