Let’s Hit the Road, Baby: Great Gizmos for Traveling with Infants and Newborns

The start of summer is just days away, and we’re getting ready for all of the adventures and excitement!  Join us in learning how to best prepare your car for the ultimate road trip getaway, so you can be safe, on the ball, and ready for whatever the road throws your way.  From service pointers to must-have organizers to safety gear, we’ve got you covered. more Must Check Automotive Service Points Before Your Next Road Trip Check your battery. Dead batteries are the worst!  There is no worse feeling than being halfway to your destination at a rest stop with a car that just won’t start.  Get your battery checked out by your local service center, and ensure that it is properly conditioned, especially if it’s older than 2 years. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure the connectors are showing no signs of corrosion and the connection is tight. Your trusted service technician can also help you clean the corrosion if you notice any. Have your brakes inspected. Have your service technician give the brakes system a good once-over. If you’ve noticed any squealing or squeaking or whistling sounds coming from your vehicle’s brakes, it may be a sign that parts are wearing down and in need of replacement soon. Make sure that any odd noises are examined by your mechanic, and serviced prior to embarking on your journey. If your brake pedal feels spongy or soft when depressed, it may indicate low brake fluid.  If you’re noticing longer stopping times, you may need new brake pads. Check the fluid levels. Be sure to check all of the vital fluids in your vehicle including the engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, engine coolant, and wiper fluids.  If you’re just about due for an oil change, go ahead and get that scheduled a little earlier prior to your trip. It’s better to be safe than sorry! Clean and change your filters. If you’re getting an oil change that filter will be swapped out at the same time. You’ll also want to check the engine filter and air filter while you’re there. Test all lights and signals and change bulbs as needed. With all the driving you’re about to do, especially if part of your journey will be at night or during inclement weather, it’s vital to make sure they’re fully functioning for visibility and safety. Plus, you don’t want to receive any unnecessary traffic tickets for dysfunctional turn signals or brake lights.  Check the interior lights as well and replace those bulbs as needed. Change your wiper blades. On average you should be replacing your wipers every 6 months, but it would at least be a good idea to replace them before your trip if you haven’t done so in a while.  Select wipers that have an aid of hydrophobic coating to aid even clearer visibility during rain and misty weather. Check your insurance, license, and registration. Don’t get caught without proper paperwork on hand! Ensure that you’ve renewed your license, printed or received your newest up to date insurance cards, and have renewed your vehicle registration and all paperwork is stowed safely in your glovebox or center console.  We also recommend checking if your insurance provider has a phone or tablet app available as those can come in handy in a pinch! Be Prepared for roadside emergencies. Stock your emergency roadside kit. We’ve already covered car emergency kits and roadside assistance in previous blogs, but here’s a short refresher of our recommended necessities. At bare minimum, you should always have the following in your car when traveling long distances: a solar or hand-cranked flashlight; jumper cables; portable battery packs; hand sanitizer and flushable wipes; a tire patch kit and portable air compressor; paper copies of maps for each of your destination regions; flares or LED warning lights; bottled water and shelf stable snacks (protein bars and granola bars are a great option);emergency contact numbers written on a piece of paper in your glovebox or wallet or stowed in your emergency kit; a basic first aid kit. Travel with charging options. Grabbing a few extra USB cables or wireless chargers is a great idea.  Make sure you have portable batteries and their recharging cables as well.  Additional wall connector bricks are another key option. Keep one in your glovebox with a charge cable, and one in your backpack or purse or other luggage.  We also recommend a portable smartphone mount for hands-free navigation and emergency use. Take advantage of fueling stations along your route whenever possible. There’s nothing more nerve wracking than being caught in stop-and-go traffic and having the fuel light tick on, especially if you’re not sure when the next rest stop is or nearest fueling station!  Ensuring that you’re traveling with no less than ½ a tank of gas at all times can give you a very good buffer for emergencies and unexpected delays. When traveling on highways and byways and especially in unfamiliar areas, it’s always best to top off your tank when you have the opportunity. You never know when you may hit a snarl of traffic, unexpected detour, or may even miss a GPS direction and take a wrong turn. Remember to pack your medications and OTC pain relief and emergency medications. When traveling, remember to keep your vital medications and inhalers on your person. Make sure your travel companions know where to find them and how to access an emergency list of medications if needed.  If you use an Epi Pen, bring that with you and ensure everyone knows how to use it in case. Additionally, Benadryl is a great medication to travel with in case of surprise allergic reactions. Travel with all the necessities and creature comforts. You’ll never go wrong with packing a few extra rolls of toilet paper along with wet wipes. Heaven forbid the bathroom is understocked, or you have to make an emergency roadside pit stop.  A portable toothbrush and toothpaste and some anti-nausea medication can relieve motion sickness.  Reusable camping utensils and portable plates/cups are always a help!  Along with a cooler filled with fresh fruit, premade lunch items, and other fresh snacks to save you time and money from making pit stops.  A small travel pillow and blanket will come in handy if you need to take a catnap or swap off with another driver for some rest.  If you’re traveling with pets, we recommend quick-dry towels, a spare leash and collar, portable collapsible pet bowls, a portable litter box (if applicable) and some spare snacks. What do you like to bring as a road trip essential?  What are your go-to emergency kit items in your experience? Let us know in the comments on our social media!

We love a good road trip car game that gets your ol’ noodle going!  So for today, National Scrabble Day, we’re sharing picks for fantastic car friendly word games for everyone to enjoy. From classic spoken word games using the alphabet to mobile and travel friendly versions of your favourite board games.  The best part about playing these games together is that they are silly, goofy, creative, and competitive and each one builds on each other to improve vocabulary and critical thinking skills.  Who says learning can’t be fun?! more Free Word Games to Play With the Whole Family Think Fast (No Purchases Required!) One person begins by suggesting a category theme (ex: Food, Animal, Places. etc) and a second player will have until the count of 10 to say (or shout) the name of an item that corresponds with that theme.  If the second player cannot think of something to name in the time it takes for a 10 count, they lose their turn and it passes to the next one.  If they come up with a word, it’s their turn next to pick a category and count for the next player.  For an added challenge you can use the rule of starting with alphabetical order “The Category is Flower, and you must use the letter A!” “Aster!” “The next category is Food and you must use the letter B!” “Blueberry” and so on until someone gives up, or you reach the end of the alphabet! The Alphabet Game (No Purchases Required!) Starting with the letter ‘A’, one passenger takes turns calling out a word that starts with that letter, and the next player’s turn responds with a word beginning with ‘B’ and so on and so forth until you get to the letter ‘Z’.  If you’d like an extra challenge, subsequent rounds can have a theme such as “plants” or “animals” or “foods” to correspond with each letter. Same Letter (No Purchases Required!) Begin with a category, just as you would with “Think Fast,” except this does not involve a count timer.  One category chooses a word that matches that category, and the following player must follow-up on that theme using the last letter of that word as the first letter of their next guess.  For example: “The Category is Birds!” “Seagull” “Lark” “Kestrel” “Lovebird” “Duck” “Kingfisher!” “Robin!” and so on until the group gives up and someone is stumped. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (No Purchases Required!) Another great game that can be played with all car passengers and requires quick thinking, sharp memory, and alphabetical challenges A through Z.  The starting player will use the letter A, and will say the phrase “I’m going on a bear hunt, and I am bringing   The second passenger will follow by repeating the first item, and adding a second with the subsequent letter (in this case, ‘B’): I’m going on a bear hunt and I am bringing an avocado and a blueberry!  The third player will repeat those and add the next letter, and so on and so forth until you reach a point where someone cannot remember anymore, or you reach the end of the alphabet!  It’s great to play with small kids as well as adults. Great RoadWorthy Games to Pack for the Car, The Beach, or Picnic Fun We’ve got some great suggestions for travel friendly versions of classic board games.  From pocket-sized options to digitized versions to magnetic or tile-lock versions, you’ll find something to fit every need and age group of traveler.  Perfect for playing at a rest stop lunch break, while camping, or even while driving in the car to your destination. Scrabble: Road Trip Series Scrabble to Go (APP) Tile Lock Scrabble Travel Edition Word Master (APP) Words with Friends (APP) Scrabble Slam Hasbro Boggle to Go Boggle Travel Edition Scroll-O-Matic Banana-Grams Duel Fournier’s Magnetic Hangman Bananagrams: The On-the-Go Edition Melissa & Doug Flip-To-Win Hangman What’s My Word (Travel Edition) Hot Tips for Scrabble Points Using Automotive Themed Words Engine, 7pts Carburetor, 14pts Serpentine, 12pts Gasoline, 9pts Brakes, 12pts Transmission, 14pts Tires, 5pts Windshield, 18pts Antifreeze, 22pts Pedal, 8pts Gears, 6pts Bumper, 12pts Warranty, 14pts Insurance, 11pts Mechanic, 17pts Lease, 5pts Motor, 7pts Hoses, 8pts

Today’s post is all about that “treat yourself” mindset and living your best life!  We’re highlighting some our best picks for gadgets we’ve found for those adventure seekers living their fullest.  You’ll find everything from luxury glamping equipment to portable power units that can run your whole camper and upscale GPS options for your offroad dreams.  So, if you’re looking for some ideas on how to spend your tax refund this spring, let us make a few suggestions.  With these cool gadgets and gizmos, you’ll be the talk of the town on all the travel blogs.  Check it out! more The Belkin Magnetic Wireless Apple Compatible charger is the lowest priced item on our list, but certainly a must-have for tech savvy travelers. It’s compatible with the newest iPhone models from the 12 onwards, and uses USB-C and works with official MagSafe cases. GentleTent’s inflatable furniture options are perfect for those who love a good campout or RV trip!  Forget about folding chairs and uncomfortable pop-up benches, this is the comfortable yet durable option you want to have.  With options for single seating or multiperson, you’ll find an option to fit any lifestyle. Luno’s Air Mattress is the best in the game when it comes to inflatable mattresses for car camping and van life.  You can find a custom fit air mattress for your exact make and model, as well as other convenient accessories and apparel options.  There’s even a package called the “Ultimate Car Camping Bundle” which includes some of their best selling items!  And very soon they’ll be offering a truck bed air mattress for those who prefer wide open skies above them while they snooze. The Tread Powersport Navigator by Garmin is the ultimate accessory for your off-road adventures.  Gone are the days of shaking your phone in exasperation as the signal drops out again.  Forget about waiting for the infotainment system to load with its 1 bar of service.  With Tread, you’ll have seamless transition from road to rugged terrain along with a group ride option with radio and tracking for up to 20 of your pals.  You can sync the data across several wireless devices, too. It's perfect for traveling off the beaten track, with its weather resistant features and topographic mapping options.for North and Central America as well as US Forest Roads, Motor Vehicle Use Maps, and street makes of North America.  It highlights land boundaries and national parks and much more. YETI’s GoalZero portable power generator is a must-have for those who prefer to live off-grid on their road trips and campsites.  It’s a plug-and-play option with solar powered charging, so you’ll never have to worry about carrying containers of fuel around.  It powers everything from laptops to tablets to gaming devices and phones, as well as featuring wall outlet options for lights and small cooking appliances.  Works in weather conditions as chilly as 32º or as warm as 104º! The Yakima 7G Road Shower is an essential device for all hikers and campers to keep in their vehicle.  It’s made of lightweight but durable aluminimum and its sleek modern design means it’s convenient for traveling and storage.  With the Road Shower you’ll bid farewell to dirty boots, gear, and car mats;  rinse your equipment off before stowing it for the ride home, or wash your boots after hitting the muddy hiking trails.  Or keep it on hand at your next off-grid campout, so you can have a nice warm shower with fresh clean water!  Holds up to 7 Gallons of water which are heated by solar and monitored by an easy-to-read stick-on thermometer.  This pressurized pump and hose with nozzle will make cleanup a breeze anywhere you go!