We’re talking the modern-day maps like Google Maps and Apple Maps or whatever app you use, but also a nice paper map like a McNalley’s, Kappa Map, or Motor Vehicle Map from the Forest Service.

With the modern-day map, look up how long it takes to get there, then what time you want to arrive to work our way back.

What time does check-in for your campground start? If you reserved a site, you should be good to show up whenever, but plan to get there at least an hour or two before sundown to give your family time to set up and get settled when you get there. If it’s first come, first serve, you really want to get there early. The more awesome the destination, the faster it will fill up.

Now that you know how long the driving will take, it's time to figure out how to break it up. Resist the urge to "press on" too much or you’ll end up with cranky kids pulled over somewhere lame. A good guess is to allow for 4-5 hours between each long break and 2-3 hours between each bathroom break.

If you’ve got a cooler full of snacks and are looking to make the most of your trip, keep it fun and stop at Points of Interest for your long breaks and Rest Stops and Visitor Centers for your bathroom breaks. Check out the Roadtrippers App to help you out.

Points of Interest like historical landmarks, natural wonders, or nearby parks work great for long breaks to get your kids enough exercise and stimulation, food, and bathroom time. Then once you take off again, ten times out of ten, they start napping, and you get a couple of hours of peaceful driving time again.

Visitor Centers pop up when you cross a state line. They're great for stretching your legs, learning the local history, and pointing out where you are on a large scale map before hitting the road again. Rest stops are easy and usually have vending machines, picnic tables restrooms, and big trucks for kids to point at. Bring a Frisbee or ball of some kind in case the kids want to run around.

Decide on a mix between Points of Interest, Visitor Centers, Rest Stops, and gas stations. Plan a few to tell your kids about, but keep a few of them a surprise and a couple as backup.

The local radio stations can vary wildly in content and reception as you drive around. Plus, you can only listen to the same movie over and over again. So before you head out, check out and download some episodes and playlists from these great resources:

• • Wow in the World - NPR: A show where curious kids and their grown-ups go on a journey into the wonders of the world around them.
• • Radiolab for Kids - WYNC Radio: A place where they've collected Radiolab's most family-friendly content.
• • Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child: Hour-long playlists full of “indie music for indie kids,” including music aimed at kids like They Might Be Giants along side kid-friendly tracks from the likes of The Ramones and Ella Fitzgerald.

Full disclosure, when we first found Spare the Rock, we listened straight through a full playlist by ourselves while working. The music is better than you expect and very kid-friendly.

If your kids are older - maybe more pre-teen, think about alternating between music and games with an audio book. A personal fave of the Chimney Trail team is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman for anyone 14+. Used book stores usually have a fun collection to pick from.

It goes without saying that turning on a video or mobile device to entertain your kids comes in handy. Some will even put them to sleep, but if you want to limit that time, here are a few ideas to keep them entertained.

Have each kid create a Travel Binder with:

• • Their own copy of the map to draw on along the way. Show them how to mark their starting point and destination. Tell them about a few stops you plan to take and have them find them on the map.
• • A bunch of pages from a coloring book
• • A page for a scavenger hunt that lists road signs, uncommon cars, types of buildings, landmarks, and geographic features they can look for.
• • Another page for their License Plate log to jot down ones from far away or funny ones like HII 808.
• • A final few blank pages to write their own observations and share around the campfire later.

Include some origami paper for folding, string for playing Cat’s Cradle, and a bag full of colored pencils. Don’t forget the pencil sharpener. You want to avoid crayons as they break too easily and can melt in the summer heat.

When in doubt, pack a few new small toys to surprise them with on the drive, so they’ll have something new, and get ready for a few rounds of 20 questions, I’m Going on a Picnic Game, and the Alphabet Game.

We’ll talk more about food choices later when we show you how to pack a cooler, but there are a few things you can do to plan for those snacks and any cleanup that ensues.

Bring some legit utensils for everyone instead of plastic ones that’ll break and a shower caddy of sorts for each person to use as a catch all for the food they’re eating. Don’t forget extra napkins - honestly a full roll of paper towels is the best.

Put together a one-gallon ziploc bag for each kid full of sweet and salty snacks, then throw a few extra bags in for them to fill up with mementos along the way, trash when they finish each snack, and a few more in case anyone gets sick. You can seal it up to keep it from spilling and smelling until the next stop.

Speaking of smells, take the leftover wax from older candles around the house, put them in little mason jars with holes in the lid, and let the sun do the melting to freshen up that lived-in car smell that’s sure to build up.

If you can pack a potty that’s cool, but another big plus is a travel pack of tissues and an empty tissue box to put the used ones in.

And don’t forget a jug full of water and a few water bottles. Always good to stay hydrated.

As much as you want your kids to enjoy the trip, you also want them to take a few naps. It’s for your own sanity. So let them pick out comfy clothes and a pair of shoes that are easy to get on and off for getting in and out the car.

Bring a tote bag for the shoes, so they don’t get lost. And put a few dryer sheets in your clothing bags to keep them kind of fresh.

Headphones are always great for each kid, and so is their own personal pillow and blanket, but even better is a towel or cover of some sort to go over their windows. It’ll keep the sun out and curb car sickness as the road rushes by.

Last is how you deal with the never-ending time. Put a post-it below the car’s clock to write down the next snack time or break time, so they know exactly when it's coming.

And instead of just answering the question, “How much longer,” help them answer it themselves by teaching them miles per hour and exit numbers. They can do the math in their Travel Binder and see how close they get to it. Save a few snacks for whoever is closest.

Sounds counterintuitive, but you’ll be happy you did. Grab a few disposable cameras, an old phone, or even a polaroid camera for kids to take pictures along the way.

And keep that backup list of extra pit stops handy in case traffic or weather slows you down.

Speaking of weather, when you get closer to the dates, see what kind of conditions you’ll be in for. You can use the National Weather Service to learn about road conditions or the Federal Highway Administration to see about road closures along the way. Don’t make it a detour - make it a new adventure.

In case of emergencies, a first aid kit is always key, but so is telling someone else where you’re going, what time you’re leaving, and when you expect to get there. Service can be spotty at the campsite, so it’s best to give yourself some leeway before they expect to hear from you.

And finally, always keep your eye on the rest stops and gas stations - especially if you’re out in the middle of the country. They get fewer and farther between. It’s always best to fill up when you’re half full, then to chance it and wind up empty on the side of the highway in Kansas.

Don’t worry, though. It’s going to be great, because you did the prep. Next up, we’ll show you how to pack your gear for the campsite.