Going on holiday by car? How to survive those dreaded long drives.

There are various ways to get to your holiday destination, but if you’re one who likes to sit in the car for hours on end, then you’ll need to do a bit of planning to ensure you all make it there alive. Here are some top tips on surviving those long holiday drives…

Plan your route

You may have a swanky satellite navigation system (or sat nav to regular people) that will do everything but actually drive your car for you, but it’s still wise to actually plan your route in advance so you know where you’re going. Sat navs can go wrong, or they might not be up-to-date with new roads and so it still helps to have a knowledge of where you’re going; if you do find yourself getting a little lost you can then avoid unnecessary stress of getting back on track.

Find something for the kids to do

If you’re travelling with children, then you have to make sure they’re entertained, or you’ll regret it. Children naturally get bored pretty quickly if they’re sat in the back of a car for long periods of time, so it’s only fair you find things with which to keep them entertained. They may have a handheld games console, which is a good start, but you could get involved too. You can play games with them to pass the time, which may seem a little boring but you might actually find yourself getting it a surprising amount!

Plan in case of emergencies

Should the worst happen and you break down or blow a tyre, then you need to be prepared. Make sure you have all the contacts you need for your breakdown recovery service (The AA) is a good place to start if you haven’t already signed up with one), and also ensure you pack some essentials in case you get stranded. Pack some food and drinks to keep you going, and also throw in some blankets. If you break down at night or in bad weather then you’ll be glad of them.

Break up the journey

You don’t have to do the whole journey in one go. Obviously you should take breaks every now and again to avoid getting tired, but you could also stop off at other towns, cities and tourist sites along the way. This not only freshens up the journey, but it also means you’ll be making more of your holiday by seeing and doing more. If you’re unsure of what you can go and visit, then there are plenty of websites such as UK Breakaways where you can find all sorts of great UK breaks and really make the most of your holiday – even the driving parts!

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