How to Plan the Perfect Beach Road Trip

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

One of my favorite parts about living in New Jersey is the fact that there is no shortage of beaches to head to on a warm summer day. I wasn’t much of a beach girl growing up. It wasn’t until. I became a mom and seen how much fun my kids have at the beach, did the beach life slowly win me over. My daughter especially loves the beach, she loves collecting shells, letting the waves crash into her and building sand castles with her big brother. If we’d let her, she would be at the beach every day.Watching her face light at and the joy it brings her has converted me into a beach lover. This year alone, we’ve already made countless trips to beaches all up and down the Jersey coast. Each one distinctly beautiful with various things to do for the whole family. If you’re looking for something fun to do with the family this summer, plan a beach road trip.

These five tips will help you plan the perfect beach day with your family.

PICK YOUR LOCATION

Since we live in New Jersey, there is definitely an endless number of beaches we can choose from. It just depends on how far we want to drive, whether we want to spend the entire day at the beach or do we want to visit a boardwalk for games and food when we’re done. Once we decide on those two important factors, it makes the choice a little easier. Some of my favorite choices are Wildwood, New Jersey. The beaches are free, the boardwalk is iconic and Morey’s Piers offers fun for the whole family.

If we’re looking for just an all-day beach day, Island Beach State Park is another favorite of ours. Admission is only $10 per car load and with amenities like a bath house, concession stand, and bathrooms just a short walk from the beach itself, it’s my favorite for traveling with little ones.

PLAN FUN ACTIVITIES

If you’re traveling with kids, bringing some things along will save you time and money by not stopping on the way down. For the older kids, I’ll bring a football and a frisbee for playing games on the beach. A boogie board also provides hours of fun for the kids. For my little one, a bag full of her favorite sand toys is always packed and ready to go. Digging in the sand will keep her busy most of the day. Both of the kids are really into collecting shells so I picked up two small bags for them to carry their shells around in.

PACK ESSENTIALS

Make a checklist ahead of time so you don’t forget anything. You don’t want to be caught off guard and leave anything important at home. Some things we don’t travel without is sunscreen, a small first aid kit, baby wipes, waterproof pouches for our phones, beach towels, a pop-up tent for some shade, a beach umbrella, and chairs.

SNACKS

We find it easier to pack a cooler full of drinks and snacks than to venture off the beach to grab something to eat.  I like to freeze the juice boxes and applesauce pouches for the kids. They double as extra ice packs and as they melt they become slushie treats for the kids on a hot day. Sandwiches, fresh fruit, chips, crackers and plenty of water are all things you’ll find in our beach day cooler. Fold up a trash bag and place it inside the cooler so you have somewhere to put all your trash when you’re done.

VEHICLE PREP

No matter what kind of road trip you’re headed out on, prepping your vehicle for the journey is one of the most important things you can do. Before we head out on any road trip, we always give the vehicle we are taking a quick once over. We take a quick look at the tire tread, a peek under the hood to check fluids like antifreeze, windshield washer fluid and even the oil.

Since it was time for an oil change in my husband’s SUV, I knew right where I was going – the Walmart Automotive Care Center. This way I could get my oil changed while I shopped for things we need for our beach day. Ever since trying the Walmart Automotive Care Center a few years ago, I found the convenience and cost can’t be beaten.

As a busy mom, I no longer have to make a separate trip to an auto center for service on my car. I can easily get it done while I do my weekly shopping. That gives me more time with my family and doing things we love, like heading to the beach.

Since our Chevy Trailblazer has 89,000 miles on it, we always get the Pennzoil® High Mileage Vehicle®  oil for the vehicle. Pennzoil oil helps clean out any sludge left behind from lesser oils to help keep my vehicle running its best.  Now’s the perfect time to get your oil changed with Pennzoil High Mileage on Rollback for $35.88 ($4 off)

Did I miss anything important? Tell me what are some of your must haves for a beach road trip?