If you are like me, and childhood memories of being bored stiff while your parents observed the Jimmy Carter 55 mph speed limit on the way to who knows where have scarred your for life, then passing the time on a long road trip is more than a minor concern. Maybe that’s why I unapologetically allow our kids to watch movies & play video games for much of the trip. But if your vacation road trip involves long hours in the car, then you’ll need a few things you can all do together. Here are a few of the ways we spend the time.
Conversation: It’s still the best way to pass the time together. I’m so glad I married an interesting person. All of the rest of this stuff is fun mostly because we constantly stop and discuss. We sometimes play, “pick a grade.” Your kids pick a grade & you have to tell them a story from that school year when you were little. If it’s a grade they’ve reached, they have to tell one too.
Radiolab Podcast: This is one of my all-time favorite podcasts, and it’s great on a road trip. If you dabble in science and philosophy you will love this podcast, and even if you don’t they tell such great stories you’ll probably love it anyway. I especially love their use of music. Each episode is so different from the next that you can stream them for hours and not get bored. Plus the show has been airing on the radio for 12 years, so the back catalog is nearly endless. Here are a few episodes you can’t miss:
- Black Box
- Gray’s Donation
- 60 words
- Mau Mau
- Nazi Summer Camp
- In the Dust of This Planet
Audible.com: I’m addicted to audiobooks, so this is a natural for me. We also read out loud from time to time. It’s nerd paradise. Right now I’m reading Master and Commander to the boys.
Sirius Road Trip Radio: It’s an eclectic mix of mostly #1 hits and classic songs than span decades of radio. It’s a rare song that I don’t know well enough to at least sing along & butcher the words to the chorus.
Google: As we drive through new places, my wife & I love to learn what we can about the history and geography of the areas we traverse. We google everything we can. It’s a great way to pass the time.
My Grandma’s Underpants: World’s best road trip game. Without laughing, the person who is “it” must answer every question the same way: my grandma’s underpants. The rest of the family peppers them with questions meant to cause them to break. What’s that smell? My grandma’s underpants. What do you floss with? My grandmas underpants… it’s irreverent and hilarious.
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