Bring along some new activities and have some favorite snacks available. Dress your kids in comfortable clothing and allow time to stretch their legs. Bring a soccer ball, frisbee or jar of bubble soap to play with at a roadside stop or park. Buy a map and have your kids trace your route, marking stops along the way or cities where they will change planes. There are lots of reasons that make camping a great family vacation choice.
Kids get to live in their playclothes and nobody cares if they are dirty.
Brush up your skills. Before your trip, bring out your favorite parenting books and review the discipline skills you will need to maintain a peaceful, enjoyable environment. Decide in advance what rules and routines will be followed while you are away. Talk with your kids about what behavior you expect from them. Save an empty cup and plastic lid from the last fast food place you stopped.