One small note about the car "checking out" and five separate bullet points about technology and entertainment... Bring food, drinks, something to keep everything cold, comfortable clothes. And please leave the VR headset out of the family bonding experience 😭 to think I used to get chastised for wearing an earbud during road trips.
I would agree with others here that you are going overboard on the electronics. Bring a handheld device for the kid. Adults will get the most out of the trip watching the landscape go by and talking. Instead, I recommend thinking of some good audiobooks or podcasts to listen to. Then you have something shared to do when the conversation lulls, and can talk about it as another conversation.
Lots of people pack junk food snacks for road trips, like chips and soda. My experience is that even when I consumed these foods regularly, their availability on road trips would typically cause me to carb crash and feel nauseous for hours. Instead, drink water, and get a cooler. Pack the cooler with food to make a real lunch, like sandwiches or something. Put the cooler in the trunk so you arent tempted by it. When it is lunch time, pull over at a rest stop/ gas station/ park/ whatever and sit down outside for lunch together. Don't snack in between meals.
When stopping for gas/ bathroom/ meals, take the opportinity to move around and exercise a little. Walk around, stretch, maybe do a quick jog or a few push ups. Really helps with fatigue and stiffness.
If you will be driving along some of the really long, straight roads in the American Southwest, watch out for highway hypnosis. This is where driving is just so repetitive and boring that you will rapidly fall asleep at the wheel.
As others have mentioned, have some basic tools for doing minor repairs. Tire pump, patch kit, and check to make sure you have a spare and it is inflated!!. Needlenose pliers for pulling nails out of tires and swapping fuses. An adjustable wrench in case you need to tighten your battery terminal. And, imo, gorrilla tape and bailing wire to fix body panels or plastic skid plates that start flapping in the breeze. If it is possible you will drive on dirt roads (especially in the southwest), I recommend packing an entrenching tool so you can dig yourself out of sand if you make a mistake and get in over your head. Tow straps are also good to have - if you get stuck in some sand or mud, flag down one of those big, lifted 4x4s and watch the owner light up with glee as they actually get to use their truck for its intended purpose for the first time in years.
Get a paper atlas, and pick up paper maps for any parks you'll be checking out. If you will be getting off the major highways for a while, download the area on your maps app ahead of time.
Find what kind of oil your car requires and get a quart of it to keep just in case. Also replace your windshield wipers and top up the windshield washer fluid. Check your tire pressure and make sure that the spare tire is in good condition. Basic car care goes a long way.
Do you have...snacks?
Amazed noone has mentioned a tire repair kit (that I saw across many comments at least). A spare tire is only so useful, especially if it's a donut. A kit will let you fix multiple flats and keep on trucking like nothing happened as long as it's not a sidewall blowout or something crazy.
Get a good repair kit, one with a rasp with a strong handle to clean out the hole, tar covered plugs, and the little hook device thing to stuff 'em in easy. Also possibly add some rubber cement to the kit, as if it's cold or a real nasty hole, the tar plug things might not completely plug the leak.
Naturally, that kit should include a tire inflator. Even if it's a hand bike pump, it's better than nothing, but they sell all sorts of pumps. From simple ones you hook up to the battery for power, to ones built in to power packs.
Also some basic tools will go far. At least some needle nose pliers. Way nicer to yank out nails or what ever with than figuring out some way to wedge it out with the tire repair tools.
Project Farm on YouTube has reviewed both tire repair kits and tire inflators, among many other types of tools if you want to get good recommends/alternatives and see how they actually fare before you buy.
Also make sure you know how to use the jack in your car if there even is one. If not, get one. Even basic scissor jacks work fine as long as you're not doing something foolish.
Prepare for failure and you'll do okay.
Butt pillows; even if the seats are comfy, just to shake things up, keeps you from being stiff afterwards
I'm seconding the other person - lay off the tech!
What's the point of doing a massive road trip if you're all going to be glued to a screen of some sort?
Take some books as they work without any reception, have you read any books about road trips? The most obvious one would be On The Road by Jack Kerouac.
How are you mechanically? Can you change a tyre? If not have you got breakdown cover?
I drive from UK - Spain twice a year. I tend to drive for 4 hours each day. I know I could do that trip loads faster but I prefer to do it and relax.
Tunes for when driving and then either read a book or watch something on the downtime
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
I don't know where you are going, but if it involves large stretches of desert, such as the American Southwest, bring hot tea, not coffee, for yourself to stay hydrated and cold water for your car. The temperature shock can cause a heart attack for people not used to drinking cold water in 100°+ heat.
Oooh yes!!
I've been wary of that since I was a kid. I don't remember the title but I read a book where there was a kid helping his family in the fields and got extremely hot and tired. Someone brought out some cold water and before anyone could stop the boy he drank deeply and passed out. Reading that has stuck around for a few decades lol
But thank you! We'll bring beverages that are hydrating. The trip will take us through a variety of environments. The drier climates are some of the most beautiful but daunting journeys
There's literally no point in taking the trip if you're just going to play video games the whole time.
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
Even worse, long car rides are the worst part of a vacation ... and people choose that as the main activity?
Too much of one thing is just not entertaining.
And you can't lump everyone into the same type of behaviour.
And some children don't get any value from driving around. Never heard or spoke the words "Are we there yet?!" ???
Then there's no point in the trip.
Do you even know the goal of the trip?
Maybe only the destination is of importance
Thank you. Yes, the point is to go bury my grandfather. I didn't want to include that but fuck me for trying to get advice for a long trip. I did not think I'd be torn apart for "not being one with nature" for 50 hours
But sincerely, thank you for actually thinking for yourself ♥️
Edit: ok, torn apart is a bit of a stretch but I wish that wasn't what people focused on
No no, you were basically chewed out.
And it grinds my gears if someone doesnt amswer the actual question and instead interprets it as something else and/or projects themselve on your position.
This is the age old problem you usually see on other pages like Stackoverflow.
Example:
OP: How can I do this thing?
Answer 1: This is stupid. Do this totally other thing. This will achieve what you want.
Answer 2: Marks post as duplicate and insults OP for using a Microsoft product
Optimal answer:
You could do it this and this way.
But this amd that way is more optimal and achieves your goal faster.
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