By Sunaina Mehra

Some of the best road trips with my family and friends were spent listening to NOW CD’s or some modern Bollywood music. We were the nutty people you would drive by and see doing choreographed dances. The company you travel with is the most important, but road trips are also all about the unknown and the desire to explore places you have only dreamed of. In honor of American Adventures Month, pop out to the store and pick up an old-school map of the United States. Yes, these still exist and will be an essential part of your road-trip experience. You’ll be surprised if your niece or nephew has even seen one of these before, now that GPS’s have taken over.

The first step on your journey is to open up your map, and ask your niece or nephew to close their eyes and point to a place anywhere on it. Their fate is in their hands and that power alone will get them excited about the adventure you are all embarking on. The best part of the trip is the spontaneity and mystery, so why not start by adding those elements to your ultimate destination?

Pack light and only take the necessities. A camping tent, one duffle bag each and some great snacks are a must. Don’t forget your camera to be able to capture all the memories with your nieces and nephews that you will most likely scrap book later. Map out stops on the way to be able to visit different sites, as well as well as resting grounds to take breaks. Fill up your tank and start driving. You can find camping grounds to pitch your tent, or if it makes you feel more comfortable, you can go to reasonably-priced motels. It’s always a good idea to look up reviews online (with technology, nowadays, we do have this luxury). Create a kitty where you put in an equal amount of money and then use that for restaurants, activities etc. It’s good to hold each other accountable and stick to a budget to not overspend during the trip, which is very easy to do.

“Unplug” during the trip to be able to spend as much quality time together as possible, instead of being glued to electronics. In between random naps and hyper antics, keep your nieces and nephews entertained by playing car games. This is what they will remember and keep with them for the rest of their lives. Do you think they will remember the 2-hour cartoon movie or their high score on Angry Birds? Interacting with one another will not only be more fun, but will help enhance their social skills, and will be a bonding experience for all of you. In 10 years they will be thanking you for teaching them some great car games that they can share with their friends and family.

According to Edmunds, some of the best and most classic games include I spy, 20 Questions, License Plates, Where’s the Alphabet, and Name that tune.

The possibilities are endless and with great company you are sure to have the best American Road Trip. Good luck and safe travels!


Sunaina Mehra currently resides in New York City and is a proud Savvy Aunty to her nieces and nephews. Sunaina is the Coordinator of Marketing and Client Relations at Francis Financial. Her role is to create a strong brand identity and maintain top quality and frequent communication between clients, referral partners and potential clients. The national average growth for firms of similar size nears 9% while Francis Financial has been growing at an average of 54% since 2012. Francis Financial has revolutionized the financial industry through their marketing efforts predominantly in the areas of event planning, networking, press, digital and print marketing. Sunaina graduated from The Pennsylvania State University and moved to New York in 2013. Her passion for philanthropy led her to be selected to the Members Council for The American Indian Foundation for New York Young Professionals (AIF NYYP). AIF NYYP accelerates social and economic change by raising funds and spreading awareness in the United States to improve education, livelihoods and public health for the marginalized in India.

Published: August 13, 2014