Whether it’s a traditional family meal or a modern Friendsgiving potluck, Thanksgiving conjures up images of full tables — and full bellies — with friends and loved ones gathering to celebrate the season of gratitude. At the same time, it may bring to mind thoughts of long car rides and restless little passengers. But with the right planning, it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re hitting the road this Thanksgiving, here are seven things you can do to make “getting there” one of the best parts of the holiday.
· Personalized fun boxes. Pack a personalized travel kit for each passenger with items like coloring books or travel journals and stickers to pass the time. Make opening these kits a fun event during the journey.
· FamFlix. Create a family travel video en route to visit your relatives. Watch it together before you serve the pumpkin pie.
· Road reads. Pass the time on a long drive by listening to a family-friendly audiobook or podcast that everyone can enjoy together.
· Karaoke singalong. Let everyone take turns picking a song from their favorite playlist — and playing the lead singer — for some family-friendly car karaoke.
· Travel trivia. Wage a friendly battle of wits. Choose an online trivia game and break into teams. Whichever team scores the most points gets to pick the lunch stop. May the best brains win!
· Motorcar Mad Libs. Bust up laughing and brush up on your parts of speech with a rousing round of Mad Libs. Fill in the blanks to make up an (adjective) story of your own.
· Go old school. Don’t forget tried and true road trip classics like “I Spy,” “20 Questions,” or the state license plate game.
A well-prepped trip is a more pleasant trip, so make sure you and your car are revved up and ready before you hit the road. Pack up a “go bag” with the electronics and chargers you need to keep everyone’s phones and tablets humming. A supply of favorite snacks and a small cooler with water or other drinks can eliminate some pit stops and save you money along the way. And don’t forget jumper cables, reflectors, and other emergency supplies. Before the drive, check your tire pressure and top off your wiper fluid and coolant. For a longer trip, schedule a visit with your mechanic to inspect your brakes, tires, oil, and essential safety systems.
Don’t spend your holiday waiting for roadside assistance eating snack bars instead of sitting down for a drumstick and cranberry sauce. To help keep your holiday safe, make sure your auto insurance has you ready to go “over the river and through the woods.” Schedule a pre-holiday check-in with your local We Insure agent to ensure you have the right coverage to get through a breakdown far from home, a fender-bender at the gas station, or an unexpected visit from an angry flock of wild turkeys.
Wherever the road takes you this holiday season, We Insure wishes you and yours a fun, safe, and Happy Thanksgiving.