It’s that time of year when everybody seems to be traveling somewhere or getting ready to travel somewhere. Well, I guess not everybody because while we will be traveling to see family, the family we’re traveling to will be staying home. But you get the idea, right? Anyway, I’ve sure done my fair share of traveling so you could say I know a thing or two. So I thought I’d share a few of my tips just in time for you to pick up and head over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house for Christmas!

What to wear:
When you’re traveling, you obviously want to be comfortable, but a lot of times when you get where you’re going, you won’t have time to change before starting on your vacation activities. I used to wear nothing but sweats on long car rides. I’d put my hair up in a bun and wear NO makeup. But I don’t anymore. Wear your most comfortable pair of jeans. I have a pair that’s sort of old and definitely comfortable, but they don’t look like it’s time to throw them out yet. I wear those and a cute (read: Harding University or UGA) hoodie. No you don’t have to be fancy, but at least look presentable. A messy bun may still be acceptable but put a little makeup on. Maybe just some BB cream and mascara. You’ll feel so much better about yourself and there won’t be any regret when that unexpected person happens to be waiting for you as you pull up!

Now if you’re flying, that’s a little different. I always try to dress a tad nicer for the airport than I do for a road trip. But I still try to stay comfortable. Go for a maxi skirt (aka sweatpants disguised as a dress) and a basic tee. Be sure to layer with a cardigan and scarf and maybe even some leggings underneath. You know planes can be cold! Also, you’ll want to wear the bulkiest boots you plan on bringing and your winter coat. This way you’ll have more room in your luggage.

How to pack:
I wrote an entire post about this last year so I won’t write it all again. But I will add that you should put wrapped gifts in trash bags organized by family. We have at least 4 different “Christmases” that we will be doing with different people along our trip. I will have a trash bag for each one.

What to carry on the plane:
Maybe these are a no-brainer but you have to have a book, music, and ear phones. But you should also bring socks in case your feet get cold (that is if you’re not wearing warm boots), an empty water bottle to fill up once you’re past security, healthy snacks so you’re not tempted to buy food at the airport, and makeup essentials for touch ups after sleeping on the plane.

What to bring for the car:
For long road trips I always have to have a book or two. Pearson and I like to make mix CD’s for the occasion as well. I always bring a blanket because I get so much colder than Pearson does so it’s easier to keep the car on the cooler side and I’ll just cover up! You can’t forget snacks! Go for something healthy like nuts or trail mix because if your in the car for long hours and you want to eat just because you’re bored, you’ll be glad you don’t have any junk food handy. And last, but not least, water. Bring lots of water! You don’t want to get dehydrated. Maybe you’ll have to stop for potty breaks more often but that’s good! You need to get out and walk around every so often.

How to travel with a dog:
First thing’s first, if you’re dog gets car sick like our Pip, give him or her some Dramamine at least 30 minutes before hitting the road. We hide a single pill in a finger tip amount of cream cheese and he never knows! We use the original kind that makes you drowsy and only end up having to use one dose for a 10 hour trip (the package says it works for 4 hours) because he just sleeps the whole time. We usually put his bed in the back seat for him to sleep on in the car. And we’ll collapse his crate and put it in the trunk until we get there.

We pack his food in gallon size zip-lock bags so it doesn’t spill everywhere in the car. We always fill up a special water bottle just for him to use while traveling. We bring his own personal water and food bowls and when we stop for food ourselves, we try to make him eat and drink some but he usually doesn’t eat very much on trips. There are way too many other exciting things going on, you know?

And that’s about all I can think of to make your trip a little easier. Like, I said, I’m a very seasoned traveler via planes and cars. If you have a question, I might just be able to answer it! 🙂

Are you traveling a long way for the holidays? Do you have any travel tips I haven’t mentioned here?
Thanks for reading!