6 Fun Ideas to Do on Your Summer Road Trip

In July, more Americans will hit the highways for a summer road trip than at any other time of the year. In fact, according to StatisticBrain, nearly 650 million long distance road trips will happen this summer. That’s a lot of driving!

For those of you planning your epic summer road trip, we’ve got you covered with fun ideas to keep the whole family entertained. From driving games to must-see sights, we’ve curated a list of the 6 Fun Ideas to Do on Your Summer Road Trip.

Start Planning Your Next Road Trip!

Driving Games - And, Lots of Em!

One of the best things about summer road trips is spending so much time together with your family. If you’re like me and have teenagers, trying to wrestle them into spending time with dear ole Mom isn’t as easy as it used to be. Having everyone in one spot for a long period of time is an opportunity to create lasting family memories. So, make the drive fun! Plan driving games the whole family will love.

Try playing ‘Heads up!’ this game has each person write down a famous or well-known person on a card, pass it to another, and tape the other person’s card to the original’s forehead. Take turns asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions to figure out who’s taped to your forehead on your card. It gets really fun and is a creative way to pass the time!

Want a break from the games? Try a book on tape or a podcast! Long drives are the perfect time to catch up on interesting podcast series.

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Check out the AMAZING National Parks

If you’re lucky enough to live relatively close to a National Park, you need to go visit. The National Parks in the U.S. are out-of-this-world cool! From the massively huge Redwood forest in California to the picturesque Grand Canyon in Arizona to the East Coast’s Acadia National Park, there are a multitude of natural wonders right in our backyard. This summer, it’s time to hit the parks! Your family and friends will love the experience, and your kids will see things that will blow their iPhone feeds out of their hands (that alone is worth the trip, right?!)

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Go Camping (A little Dirt Never Hurt Nobody)

Summer road trips don’t have to be expensive. In fact, the best ones are often the ones that are done on the fly and don’t involve hotel rooms. For your next summer road trip, go camping! From snoozing in sleeping bags to learning how to set up a tent to building a fire, camping teaches important life skills your kids will need to know how to do. It’s time to teach ‘em! Plus, camping can be really fun. It’s a great opportunity to embrace nature and our more animalistic roots.

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Make Delicious Fire-Roasted Dinners

Along with camping, you’ll also want to make delicious fire-roasted dinners. This goes up there with the whole ‘life skills’ checklist your kids will need to know. Fire-roasted dinners are incredibly tasty. Maybe it’s the outdoors or the having a little dirt under your fingernails, but there’s something about eating a cooked meal outside that can’t be beat. For recipe ideas, we suggest checking out these famous tin foil dinners and these campfire recipes. Don’t forget the s’mores!

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Take a Hike! But, Seriously…

Make sure to plan a hike or two for day activities during your summer road trip. There are many beautiful hikes near National Parks and campsites to visit. Pick one that matches your skill level and give it a go! While the enthusiasm is appreciated, it’s probably not the best idea to try a 15 mile hike if you’ve never done one that long before. Make sure to plan ahead for adequate food and water resources to bring with you. Besides being in the beautiful great outdoors, going on hikes can help scorch calories while you’re on vacation; it’s a double win!

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Look Up at the Stars!

Last but not least, summer road trips are all about taking some time to slow down. Our world moves at a pretty fast speed these days so taking some time to decompress, unplug, and unwind isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. While on your road trip to a fabulous outdoor locale, take some time to look up at the stars. For those of us that live in a city, the light pollution from the massive amounts of people can often make the stars impossible to see at night. Such a sad thing, right? So, while you’re in the great outdoors, spend some quality time on a blanket gazing up at the Big Dipper. Make it a game and see who can spot the various constellations first; your kids will love it!

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