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A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Tips for Taking a Road Trip With Kids and a Dog

** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise!

Graham and I both had to go to work in Phoenix last week, so we planned a family trip there from Chicago. We floated the idea of flying, but the reality was that we needed a car and a lot of stuff our kids require, such as two car seats, a stroller, a Pack and Play, etc. We decided that driving, although a long distance, was the best option for us to give us the flexibility we needed and the space to fit everything we wanted to bring. Along the way we learned many things that could make future drives flow more smoothly. I’m sharing these tips in hopes of helping other parents have a better time in the car.

Road trip tips:

  • Take your time. You will have to stop a lot to change diapers, take bathroom breaks, walk the dog, and eat. Practice patience and give yourself enough time and then some.
  • Don’t forget a changing pad or something to change diapers on. You’d be surprised how many rest stops or restrooms don’t have family bathrooms or even a changing table.
  • Plan car rides for when your kids are more calm and less fussy or antsy. For us, this means the morning and early afternoons. By late afternoon/early evening they start to get anxious to leave the car. It’s not fun.
  • Switch out toys every hour or so. I brought toys for the baby and V and then switched them out as often as needed to prevent boredom. I wish I would have brought more, but they both did great in the car.
  • Bring plenty of snacks and water/drinks. Reusable cups are perfect. If you can pack healthy snacks in glass containers, even better, because most of the snacks and food options on the road are not healthy.
  • Get a lap desk tray for toddlers to use as a table and to contain snacks. This prevented messes because it has a cup holder and kept V entertained because she could put her books on it and she could color. The tray was a recommendation from A Toddler and a Top Knot blog. 
  • Consider books vs. screen time. While we didn’t give V much if any screen time during the ride, we have in the past. I think long road trips are an acceptable time to bend the screen times rules a little bit if it means keeping everyone’s sanity. You can always reinforce your rules when you get home, if you have them. If you’re against screen time, coloring books and books that you can trace letters on are a great option.
  • Keep your pup contained with a pet barrier (if you have an SUV). I bought this at Weathertech to keep Capone in the back. In the past he liked to jump into the front and eat our food or leave dog hair all over everything. With this rack he is safely in the back and has plenty of room.
  • Pack a weekend bag in addition to luggage. Pack a bag with everything you need for the road trip (if it’s more than one day of driving), so you don’t have to unload and load multiple bags when you stop overnight. You can just leave your larger suitcase in the car if possible.
  • If you’re pumping/bottlefeeding, check whether any hotel room you book will have a fridge to store any milk/formula that needs to be refrigerated. Also, if you pump consider whether a car power adapter would be helpful to you.
  • Bring a Pack n Play or DockaTot for the baby to sleep/nap in. We brought both but she mostly slept in the Pack n Play.
  • Bring an extra bag for dirty laundry and a small detergent bottle to hand wash clothing on the go. Babies and toddlers especially wll have accidents and spills. It helps to be prepared to do some laundry in the hotel room if needed. You could also use the hotel’s laundry service, but it’s typically not cheap. Some hotels might also have laundry rooms.
  • Bring foldable, portable dog bowls. These are so easy to travel with and don’t take up much room. We also bring natural dog freshening spray for in between washes.
  • Invest in a small travel baby booster chair to use for feeding. Instead of bringing her hair chair, we bought an affordable one to use for travel in the future. We find that it’s too difficult to feed her unless she’s strapped into a chair because the girl is on the move and won’t finish her meals otherwise.
  • Have plenty of towels or napkins, wipes, air sanitizer and hand sanitizer.

And my best tip: Try to have fun and enjoy the journey! What tips would you add? What are your travel essentials?

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Related posts:

How to Make Road Trips More Eco-Friendly
Camping and Road Trip Essentials

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How to Make Your Road Trips More Eco-Friendly

** This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EarthDayDriveAway #CollectiveBias

It’s no secret my family goes on a lot of road trips. Some people think we are a bit crazy to travel far distances by car, especially with a toddler and a dog, but we love being on the road! In the past we have driven from Chicago to the Florida Keys, and from Chicago to Phoenix, so we know a bit about travel by road! Still, I am always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint while traveling. Being more mindful has been especially on my mind with Earth Day approaching. If you have a similar mindset, perhaps you might enjoy my tips for how how to make your road trips more eco-friendly! It’s easier than you might think! Also, be sure to let me know what tips you would add to make your travel a bit less more green.

5 tips to make your road trips more eco-friendly:

Keep reusable bag (or two) in the car to store recyclables until you see a recycling container. I have found that not every stop will have a recycling bin, so it’s always a good idea to bring a reusable tote. We also have a car organizer in the back where we can store things while traveling.

Carpool with family and friends when going on trips to together. Instead of more wasteful forms of travel, perhaps you can plan trips to destinations to which you can drive together, saving gas and money!

Plan your road trip times for off-peak traffic times to reduce gas usage. Keeping a steady speed makes your car more efficient.

Bring refillable water bottles vs. buying disposable plastic bottles at convenience stores. Same with coffee cups; many places will fill your own bottle. I also like to pack my own snacks in reusable containers, but if you must buy food on the road, try to buy local products as much as possible.

Use Mobil 1™ Annual Protection synthetic oil, which results in fewer oil changes, reduces oil consumption, and less waste oil. You can check which motor oil is right for your car using Walmart’s Oil Selector Tool.  We like to get our oil changes at Walmart’s Automotive Care Center to save time and money before road trips. Mobil 1 ™ can reduce the carbon footprint of your vehicle by the CO2 equivalent of 96 pounds!**

**Estimates made based on CO2 equivalent emissions derived from Life Cycle Assessment of Mobil 1 vs. conventional motor oil. Assumes switching from a conventional motor oil of higher viscosity grade to Mobil 1 Annual Protection. Include Production, Use, Disposal, and Fuel Economy attributed to motor oil over its lifetime. Calculation based on average U.S. vehicle engine oil sump size, average MPG, average oil change interval and average annual driving distance. Assumes nominal fuel economy improvement when switching from a higher viscosity grade to lower viscosity grade. Assumes new vehicles under warranty follow OEM recommend oil change interval. Mobil 1 Annual Protection is guaranteed to protect for one full year or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first. You may or may not obtain these benefits depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

If Mobil 1™ Annual Protection is not the best option for your car, there are plenty of other Mobil 1™ motor oil options to choose from, either through the Automotive Care Center or purchasing 5 quarts of motor oil to do the oil change yourself. Be sure to bring your motor oil back in for proper recycling, so you can also enter Mobil 1™’s exciting sweepstakes!

Right now until April 30, 2018, Mobil 1™ is giving Walmart customers a chance to win a Chevy Equinox, plus $10 off their next Mobil 1™ purchase at Walmart!

Details on the Earth Day Drive Away Sweepstakes offer (exclusive to Walmart)

The Mobil 1™ display in store has details on how to enter to win a Chevy Equinox.

  • You can enter for a chance to win a Chevy Equinox in two ways until April 30, 2018:
    1. By purchasing 5 quarts of Mobil 1™ in the store or a Mobil 1™ oil change at the Auto Care Center.
    2. By recycling any used oil at an Auto Care Center.
  • As a bonus, shoppers who purchase 5 quarts of Mobil 1™ synthetic oil or a Mobil 1™ synthetic oil change at the Auto Care Center are also eligible to receive a $10 Select Certificate valid on a future Mobil 1™ purchase at Walmart.
  • Once you have made a qualifying Mobil 1™ purchase or recycled any used oil at Walmart, you can enter to win the Chevy Equinox and/or receive their $10 Walmart Select Certificate at EarthDayDriveAway.com.
  • Limit 2 entries in the sweepstakes per customer (1 for purchasing and 1 for recycling).
  • Receipt required to receive $10 Walmart Select Certificate.
  • Terms and conditions, FAQs, and other information can be found at EarthDayDriveAway.com.

Walmart Oil Selector Tool

Use the Oil Selector tool on Walmart.com to determine what type of oil you will need. DIYers can pick up their preferred Mobil 1™ product as well in the motor oil aisle in the store.

 

Enter the Mobil 1™ Sweepstakes!

Toddler-Friendly Visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 

There’s plenty for families to do at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. You can still take in the sites and explore with a toddler. We recently spent a day visiting the park for our second time. (Our first trip to the island of Hawaii was in 2014 on our honeymoon.) You could spend days here, or you can squeeze in quite a bit of adventure in just part of one day.

What we did at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with a toddler:

  • Thurston Lava Tube. Though the walk is somewhat dark, it was easy for V to walk through it. It isn’t long at all. (You can find other lava tubes to visit, but they might not be suitable for toddlers.) Hold your toddler’s hand in any wet areas. Rain boots wouldn’t be a bad idea.
  • Admire the craters/views from the viewpoints. Bring snacks and water!
  • Drive to sea arch and grab ice pops from the stand next to the ranger station. Along the drive you can stop and see the craters and lava rocks. At the end of the drive you park and walk toward the sea arch. It isn’t a long walk. You have to keep an eye on your children here because the barrier wall does not extend all the way. Then grab some popsicles for $6 each (It’s worth it on a hot day.) for the drive back. There are restrooms here as well.
  • Lunch at Volcano House. We admired a view of the volcano from our table. Our toddler loved looking out the window at the smoke.

Have you been to the Big Island or Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?

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October Favorites | November Plans

** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Floradise.


October was a loooong month for me. It seemed to drag on forever, partly because I was having uncomfortable symptoms for most of the month. Luckily, the end of October brought some relief thanks to my focus on self-care and family. Here are my October favorites,  the items I loved last month because they helped me start feeling like myself again!

My October Favorites:

Bump Box: My friend surprised me with this first trimester box as soon as I told her we were expecting. She was the first friend I told, thus she was one of maybe two people who knew about my symptoms so early on. When I opened the box and saw a new package of Preggie Pops I was thrilled because I had just ran out of mine. Preggie Pops are the real favorite because they have been helpful in relieving my morning sickness (for the most part). The box also contained other goodies, like a water bottle, a bath bomb and an anti-nausea drink mix. I didn’t use the anti-nausea bracelet or the belly stickers, but I appreciated the gesture of sending a box.

Sweater Weather three-wick candle: To be honest I am not obsessed with every Bath and Body Works three-wick candle scent. Sweater Weather (sage, juniper berry, eucalyptus, fresh woods) is one of the few I actually enjoy. I am also currently burning Tis the Season, which smells like rich red apple, sweet cinnamon and cedarwood. (Too soon?)

IZZE Sparkling Juice Clementine drinks: I recently rediscovered this drink and have since craved it constantly, though I’m trying to stick to water as much as possible. It’s refreshing and sweet and so good!

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub: I just picked this up but it’s already a favorite. It tastes so good and leaves my lips soft. Plus, it has that gentle tingle I enjoy in my lip balms.

Lush Rosy Cheeks Mask: This, too, is a new addition but I already love it. It smells amazing and left my face feeling ridiculously soft and moisturized. It wasn’t really exfoliating or anything, just a treat to use.  It has a nice cooling and soothing effect since it’s supposed to be kept in the fridge.

What products have you been loving?

What I’m excited about in November:

I’m really hoping this month brings more relief and a lot more fun!

I’m looking forward to:

  • Sharing the gender of our baby!
  • Seeing Johnnyswim perform in Chicago.
  • Visiting my friend Charlsy in Alexandria.
  • Celebrating Thanksgiving in Louisville.
  • Doing some Christmas shopping!

What are you excited about this month? What are your goals?

Saving Money on Road Trips

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CambialoConQS #CollectiveBias



Road trips hold a special place in my heart.

Growing up, my family’s sole mode of transportation for vacations was our car. We lived in Phoenix, from where it was easy to travel to California, Mexico and Nevada. I began to associate car tides with beach trips, Disneyland memories and quality time with family I didn’t get to see regularly. I even remember the day my family moved from Mexico to Phoenix when I was 5 years old on a four-hour road trip through the desert. The drive has always been beautiful and special to me, and we did it often as a child to visit family. This instilled in me a love for the road that still lives on. I don’t mind road trips at all as an adult because I had so much practice as a child.

When I became an adult, the urge to explore beyond the Southwest hit me hard. I wanted (and still do want) to see more of the country (and the world), something my family could not afford when I was a child. My little family now — Graham, Victoria and me — continues that tradition I learned as a child. Our first road trip with her was when she was baby and we took her to Rocky Point, Mexico, to meet some family members. But I want us to go beyond the places I have been to and to keep exploring new locations. That’s why we packed our bags and took our toddler on a road trip to Clearwater, Orlando and the Florida Keys this year. It’s why we planned a 9-hour road trip to Canada to see Niagara Falls and Toronto this summer. And it’s why we are planning another major road trip this winter. Victoria will grow up being comfortable and safe in our family car, at least that’s the goal!

With so much time spent on the road, I follow certain tips to save money during trips:

  • Avoid toll roads, but if you must take them, buy a pass ahead of time if it saves on the cost of tolls.
We recently drove to Canada, crossing on toll bridges.
  • Use an app that tells you where to find the most affordable gas in your location.
  • Plan your trip times to avoid rush hour traffic as much as possible.
  • Research free or low-cost attractions along the route and choose those over more expensive options.
  • Shop for snacks and drinks (or a refillable water bottle) while you get your oil change at the Walmart Auto Care Center. Meal prep as you might for any other week and pack the meals in a cooler. A camping stove is great for rest-area or park picnics.
We like to make quesadillas (sometimes with black beans) as an easy on-the-go snack.
  • When buying gas, use a rewards credit card and pay it immediately. You can do the same for hotels, which you can usually book with a cash-back site to save more.
  • Camp along the way if possible!
We stopped at a park in Michigan recently.

As a one-car family that loves to travel, we need to make sure our car is well taken care of, and that means regular car care, including oil changes with a quality motor oil.  It also means being mindful about how we spend our money so we can have more left over for fun. That’s why we get our oil changes at Walmart’s Auto Care Center. Saving on oil changes helps me put money away toward exploring new places with my family. We are currently saving for our big cross-country drive as well as some international travel, and I am putting away every penny I can toward those trips.

To do so, I rely on the convenience of being able to shop for affordable groceries and other necessities while getting our oil change with Quaker State® oil at a low price. Walmart’s Auto Care Center offers a $19.88 Pit Crew Oil Change service that includes 5 quarts of Quaker State® conventional motor oil (5W-20, 5W-30 or 10W-30), a new oil filter, chassis lubrication (where applicable), battery performance check and tire pressure adjustment as needed. (All of this meets industry standards, but see your vehicle’s owner’s manual for requirements.) Quaker State is a motor oil name I have grown up with: Its the top-selling brand in Latin America and with Latinos in the U.S. Those who prefer to change their own oil could easily pick up Quaker State® Ultimate Durability™ Full Synthetic Motor Oil for the everyday low price of $20.24, along with other Quaker State options at the Walmart Auto Care Center.

DIYers can find the 5 quart Quaker State® Ultimate Durability™ Full Synthetic Motor Oil and other Quaker State motor oils next to the Auto Care Center.

Do you have any road trips planned? Leave your money-saving tips in the comments and check out the Quaker State video linked below!

Connect with Quaker State:

Our Camping and Road Trip Essentials and To-Do List


This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RoadTripOil #CollectiveBias

Our Camping To-Do List

The end of summer is quickly approaching and we still have one seasonal bucket list item to cross off: camping! Our last camping trip was about this time last year at Nordhouse Dunes in Michigan, and it was one of my favorites we have ever done. It was also the last camping trip we had with our dog Taylor, so it’ll always have a special place in our hearts.

For our next camping trip we’d like to try a different park because the memories and emotions might be too fresh, so this weekend we are heading to different park. The next camping trip will also be special because it’ll be a first with our toddler Victoria. (It’s been so fun to celebrate all of our firsts as a family!) Of course, we are a little nervous about camping with a toddler, but we have to get over that quickly because we love the outdoors and we intend to keep doing it as she grows up. Besides this trip, we also have to get ready for our upcoming road trip to Canada.

To save time, it’s a must for us to be prepared for our road trips and camping getaways. With that goal, I made a checklist that allows us to be both spur-of-the-moment campers as well as prepared travelers.

My camping prep list has to-do tasks, items to buy, as well as a camping trip meal plan section. I find that writing down what we will be eating for each meal helps cut back on shopping and packing time. I share the printable camping prep list below to help you do the same! (This list focuses on those items that often break or need to be replenished vs. essentials like your tent and sleeping bags. It assumes you have already checked that they are good to go.)

Our camping/road trip prep lists:

  • Choose a destination/find a campsite.
  • Make a list of camping or road trip supplies we need to replace or replenish.
  • Get an oil change.
  • Pack our bags. (Bring along our pet supplies or find a pet sitter/boarding if it’s not a dog-friendly place).
  • Download movies on the tablet for Victoria.
  • Water the plants.
  • Take out the trash.
  • Charge our cameras and phones.

One way we cut back on prep time is using our storage space in our Jeep to keep some camping gear ready to go, including our air mattress, snorkeling gear, floats and camping chairs. We always have these with us, which comes in handy for day camping at places like Indiana Dunes State Park. (The air mattress is helpful when we are taking a road trip to visit family that doesn’t have an extra bed for us.)

Before we can hit the road, we often need to shop for some of the camping supplies listed above. In addition, we must make sure our car can get us to our destination safely. We can accomplish both of those important tasks by heading to our local Walmart’s Automotive Care Center.

 

 

We ask for the Pennzoil Platinum®: Full Synthetic Motor Oil with PurePlus™ Technology for our Jeep, which helps clean out the sludge that lesser oils leave behind. Cars with more than 75,000 miles would benefit from the Pennzoil® High Mileage Vehicle® motor oil instead to keep their engines running cleanly and strongly. (It just so happens to be on Rollback right now for $35.88 vs. $39.88, too. Find your local Automotive Care Center on Walmart’s Rollback page.)

 

 

After dropping off our vehicle, we can then head into the store for our camping essentials, which are conveniently located right next to the Automotive Care Center.

 

We check out some camping gear to replace our broken or empty items, including headlamps, propane batteries, insect spray, a first-aid kit, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you’re going to a body of water, water shoes may be handy as well.

 

Next was the grocery section for necessities that I need for the camping meal plan I created. This includes cooking spray, burger buns and black-bean burger patties, our favorite soups, and a frozen potato skillet meal to mix with eggs. We make sure we have all the condiments we need as well. We already have coolers, but if you need one you can find one in the camping/fishing section.

For snacks, watermelon, bananas and grapes are musts for our toddler, and Graham and I also like munching on trail mix and oatmeal bars. We often indulge with cookies and chips and salsa as well ― let’s be real.

Getting this shopping done in advance will make taking off so much faster this weekend and will help us beat the Chicago traffic out of the city. We typically need to wake up around 5 a.m. in order for that to happen, making it that much more important to get our oil change or shopping completed ahead of time. That gives us more time outdoors in our favorite places near Chicago, including Indiana Dunes State Park.

A visit to Indiana Dunes last year.
A visit to Lake Michigan Recreation Area last summer.

I’ve provided a camping essential list below for ideas on what you might need for your next trip! Be sure to check that your tent (including poles and stakes), canopy, air mattress and/or sleeping bags are in good shape and don’t need to be replaced. My list concentrates on items that often need to be replaced or run out, in our experience. Also, you can add ease and convenience to your own road trips by visiting the Walmart Automotive Care Center near you.

 

Do you have any upcoming road trips or camping trips? Tell me about them below!

Grab your camping prep list!

 

Click here to download a PDF.

 



Related camping posts:

 

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Our Canada Road Trip Itinerary + a Radisson Giveaway!

Graham and I have been planning a trip to Canada for a while. I recently read an article about amazing places to go in Ontario and I became inspired to plan a 2017 road trip from Chicago. The destinations we want to check out in Ontario are only about 7-8 hours away, and since we are pros at road trips — we have done three 1,700-mile road trips! — the distance doesn’t seem far at all.

One of our cross-country road trips in 2015.

We will save 20 percent on our Ontario hotels when we stay at Radisson and book with Radisson’s Advance Purchase Rate. 

Our road trip would go to Niagara Falls first, where we would stay at the Radisson Hotel & Suites Fallsview, Ontario. We would try to book one of the rooms with a view of Horseshoe Falls.

Then we would head to Radisson Admiral Hotel Toronto-Harbourfront. Its SPLASH Pool Patio and Terrace overlooks Lake Ontario and the CN tower.

Our last stop in Ontario would be Kitchener Waterloo, where we would stay at the Radisson Hotel Kitchener Waterloo. Its location makes it easy to check out some of our ideal destinations below.

What we will do at each destination:

  • Toronto: Check out the views from the CN Tower. We’d also go to a baseball game to see the Toronto Blue Jays play at Rogers Centre. (If visiting all major league stadiums is a goal of yours as well, print my ballpark checklist below!) Lastly, we’d shop and dine at local businesses.
  • Kitchener: Day trip to Webster’s Falls, one of 100 waterfalls in the Hamilton area. We’d also explore the Huron Natural Area for a hike. The hotel also puts us close to historic St. Jacobs Village, which has river trails and charming shops.
  • Fallsview: I’ve always thought it would be fun to do a Niagara cruise, and the Radisson Hotel & Suites Fallsview is just six minutes from this activity! I’d also like to check our Journey Behind the Falls, which takes you through bedrock tunnels to see water crushing down in front of you. We could also have lunch or dinner at Skylon Tower to get a different view of Niagara Falls.

Want to go on a Canada vacation? Create your own dream Canada trip with Radisson and take advantage of savings of up to 20 percent by visiting the website. Also, to help you plan your next Canada getaway, I’m giving away an e-certificate for a stay at a Radisson hotel!


Enter to win a Radisson e-certificate:

Check to see which Radisson is near your favorite Canada destinations and share where you would go in the comments for a chance to win a certificate that’s valid in U.S. or Canada! Winner will be randomly selected on Oct. 3 at noon Central Standard Time. Winners must be 18 or older and live in the U.S. No purchase is necessary to win. There will be one winner and the winner will be chosen via a random name generator. Winner will receive the e-certificate via email. I will reply to the winner below to notify that he or she has won. If winner does not respond within 24 hours with an email to send the prize to, another winner will be chosen. Good luck!

Want an extra entry? Sign up for my newsletter with the toolbar at the top of this page.

UPDATE: WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN AND NOTIFIED.

Related: MLB check list

More on road trips:

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