trips

Mum of two Hannah Britt shares her top tips for family road trip success, from choosing the right sized rental car to arming yourself with equipment-free games. Bon voyage!

Planning a successful road trip with children requires smart packing, strategic timing, and easy entertainment to keep everyone happy. And as a mum of two young children, I’ve got it down to a fine art. This summer we hired a car with Sixt and drove through the south of France, often for long periods at a time. But armed with a bit of knowhow, it was child’s play for all the family. Here’s how it’s done…

Pack the essentials

• Mess-free snacks: Pack dry foods like crackers or popcorn in separate plastic containers or use silicone cupcake liners for easy, spill-proof portions.
• Plenty of wipes: Bring an abundance of antibacterial wipes and tissues for sticky fingers and unexpected juice spills.
• Comfortable clothes: Dress children in soft, loose, and easy-to-wash clothes or let them travel in pyjamas if you leave early or late.
• First-aid and emergency gear: Keep sickness bags, a small first-aid kit with child-friendly medicine like Calpol, and bin bags for daily rubbish within easy reach.

Keep kids entertained

• Activity bags: Give each child a small bag filled with rotating toys, colouring books, or magnetic games, and allow them to explore each one at a time.
• Audio and music: Create a shared family playlist or queue up engaging audiobooks and children’s podcasts to pass the hours.
• Screens with headphones: Download movies or games onto tablets ahead of time and pack backup chargers and headphones for each child.

Manage the journey

• Time drives with sleep: Depart right before nap times or early in the evening so young children sleep through a major portion of the drive.
• Plan active stops: Stop every two to three hours at parks, playgrounds, or open fields so kids can run around and burn off extra energy.
• Pre-emptive breaks: Pull over for a toilet break whenever you approach a service station, even if nobody asks yet.

Game time

• 20 Questions: One person thinks of a secret person, place, or thing. Everyone else takes turns asking up to 20 yes-or-no questions to guess the answer.
• I Spy: One player says, “I spy with my little eye something beginning with…” and names a letter of an object seen inside or outside the car. The others guess the object.
• The Animal Name Game: The first player names an animal. The next player names a new animal that starts with the last letter of the previous animal (for example: lion ends in N, so the next player says newt).
• I’m Going on a Picnic: The leader states an item they are bringing on a picnic based on a secret rule (like starting with the letters of the alphabet in order, or items that spell their name). Other players guess items to figure out the rule.
• Rainbow Cars: Players look out the windows and spot cars matching the colours of the rainbow in order—from red and orange through pink.
• The Alphabet Game: Passengers look at roadside signs, billboards, and license plates to find every letter of the alphabet in order from A to Z.
• License Plate Game: Work together or compete to spot license plates from different regions, states, or countries.

Choose the right car for the family

Choosing the right hire car depends on matching vehicle categories to your passenger count, luggage volume, and driving environment. Because rental companies assign vehicle classes rather than exact makes or models, focus on size segments and practical constraints. For our road trip through France, I chose a BMW X5, which was roomy enough for all of us – plus a mountain of luggage. And snacks.

Small and economy cars

• Best for: Solo travellers or couples on city breaks with light luggage.
• Capacity: 1–2 adults, 1 small cabin bag.
• Pros: Highly fuel-efficient and simple to park on narrow streets.
• Cons: Very limited boot space and minimal highway power.

Compact and intermediate (hatchbacks etc)

• Best for: Small families or longer road trips balancing comfort and versatility.
• Capacity: 2–4 adults, 2–3 medium bags.
• Pros: Better highway stability and easier fuel economy than large vehicles.
• Cons: Tight rear seating for three adults on extended journeys.

SUVs & full-size estates

• Best for: Rural touring, mountainous terrain, or bulky gear.
• Capacity: 4–5 adults, robust luggage capacity.
• Pros: Elevated driving position and generous cargo room.
• Cons: Difficult navigation and parking in tight historic European garages.

People carriers & MPVs

• Best for: Large families or groups travelling together.
• Capacity: 6–9 passengers.
• Pros: Maximum seating flexibility and vast interior volume.
• Cons: Height restrictions in underground parking and high fuel consumption; note that using all seats in a 7-seater often eliminates boot space.

*For more information about Sixt, see HERE

All the fun of the funicular in Switzerland

No doubt your first thought on hearing the words “double-decker” is of a bus. But in the Swiss village of Stans, an old wooden funicular carriage ascends to the station, where a double-decker cable car awaits. Inside, a spiral staircase leads you to an open upper viewing deck. At the summit, the views back to Lucerne are superb, and there are alpine marmots to spot too. There was a wedding ceremony going on at the summit on our trip!
Martin

Liechtenstein’s Route 66

Steinbock, marmot and elderflower jam are in abundance on Liechtenstein’s Route 66 track – a  multi-day hike that is popular with locals, but little known to others. The route traverses the Drei Schwestern (the Three Sisters), where you’ll experience white knuckles and lush valley views. After an easy 5km hike, you land at the first mountain hut, where a succulent homemade three-course dinner awaits you. Befriend the other walkers over a game of cards, as golden hour lights up the mountains.
Inez

Picturesque French Pyrenees

Luz Saint Sauveur in the French Pyrenees is the gateway to heaven. Whether it be by bike, car, motorbike or on foot, stunning surroundings, wildlife-a-plenty and quaint French shops await you at this picturesque market town. Eat the local saucisson, drink the jurançon white wine, marvel at the blue skies in the shadows of the legendary Tour de France Cols, jump in canyons and be merry with the surroundings. Simply beautiful and fun for all ages.
Will

High on the hog in Donegal

For mountain scenery without Alpine crowds, head to north-west Donegal. Errigal gets the attention, but don’t overlook flat-topped Muckish, whose name comes from the Irish for “pig’s back”. Drive the small roads around the Poisoned Glen and through Glenveagh national park, where each bend reveals another reason to stop. Allow far longer than the satnav suggests: our best moments came from pulling over for an unexpected view rather than racing between sights. Pack walking shoes and a picnic, then reward yourself afterwards in a cosy pub. Here, a mountain day can include Atlantic beaches and a well-earned pint.
Niamh Kerr

The quiet side of Italy’s Dolomites

The Brenta Dolomites seem to go strangely unnoticed, while the main Dolomites heave with Instagrammers. We based ourselves in Pinzolo, an alpine town an hour north of Lake Garda, then took the lift from Madonna di Campiglio for a three-day hut-to-hut trek, tackling two via ferrata routes across knife-edge ridges and limestone spires. Rifugio Agostini was the highlight: a warm welcome and hearty mountain food after a hard day’s climbing, with jagged peaks filling every window. We descended into the town of Molveno for a well-earned aperitivo by the lake.
Ben Bryant

A spectacular climb in Kosovo

After exploring Kosovo’s historic monasteries and wartime memorials, we escaped to the Sharr mountains national park, a 40-minute drive south of Prizren. The road winds through the spectacular Zhupa valley and follows the bubbling Lumbardhi river through its steep-sided gorge. At Prevallë, we left the car and began what turned out to be a strenuous climb over rocky paths and grassy slopes. We kept expecting the summit to appear, but every turn revealed another, until we finally reached our destination and were met with spectacular mountain views. Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves at Hotel Krojet with coffee and a reviving glass of raki.
Roy Messenger

Peaceful paths above Lake Como

This spring, my partner and I hiked the Via dei Monti Lariani, a 78-mile (125km) trail through the mountains on the western shore of Lake Como between Cernobbio and Sorico. Skirting the border between Italy and the Swiss canton of Ticino, the route passes through mountain pastures with views towards the Alps, and remote villages shaped by a history of cross-border smuggling. The accommodation is a highlight, ranging from Alpine rifugios to agriturismi, where we sampled regional specialities, including polenta uncia, polenta with local cheese and butter, and pizzoccheri, buckwheat pasta with cabbage and potatoes. Quiet trails, excellent food and complex history made it an especially rewarding route.
Ross Cameron

Grand canyons of the Spanish Pyrenees

This summer my family and I stayed at Fox House in the tiny village of Santa Engràcia in the Tremp valley, in the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees. Perched on a cliff edge, the beautifully renovated guest house has panoramic views, eclectic art and a warm homely feel. Laura and Carl were excellent hosts, creating a relaxed atmosphere and serving delicious evening meals. Days were a mix of poolside downtime and outdoor adventure, including rafting, mountain biking, canyon kayaking and swimming in crystal blue lakes.
Maria

Campsite with a view in Austria

Camping Grubhof, in the small town of Lofer between Salzburg and Zell am See, is simply beautiful. It’s an immaculate campsite, surrounded by mountains. Lofer (and the campsite) have direct access to a huge network of cycle trails as well as to the beautiful village swimming pool (free with the local access pass). Walking high in the mountains, surrounded by cows with bells is simply beautiful. Come the afternoon, there’s time for an apple strudel at a mountain hut and a glass of radler low alcohol beer. There is a camping meadow where you can pitch a tent and cabins to rent, as well as the best shower blocks I’ve come across.
Mark

Winning tip: Stars, sunsets and glaciers in Italy

The views over Mont Blanc from Rifugio Bertone in Italy are incredible, but it’s the whole experience that makes it special – great food, proper mountain atmosphere, and the Balconata Val Ferret has some of the best walking in the area. It’s also near Courmayeur, which is a lovely town. Arrive for sunset, watch the light move across the glaciers, then look up at the stars as Mont Blanc disappears into the darkness. A brilliant place to eat, walk, breathe and simply take in the mountains. And it’s very affordable.
Eddie Campbell

HUNDREDS of thousands of British holidaymakers have faced travel misery this week after a massive air traffic control meltdown left them stranded.

A technical glitch on Tuesday (September 8) triggered chaos at major hubs across the country, leading to the cancellation of more than 2,000 flights arriving or departing the UK.

With the weekend fast approaching, families are wondering: “Will my holiday still go ahead, and who is footing the bill?”

Here is everything you need to know about the current travel situation, why flights have still been grounded, and what aviation bosses are saying.

Will flights be back to normal by the weekend?

The good news for weekend travellers is that the disruption has significantly eased.

Aviation analytics company Cirium confirmed that cancellations are slowing down, with schedules expected to return to normal later today (September 10).

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PLANE CHAOS

Thousands more passengers affected as dozens of flights grounded at UK airports

While 399 flights were cancelled or did not fly on Wednesday, only a “handful” of flights have faced the axe today.

Provided there are no further technical hiccups, weekend flight schedules should run as planned.

Why are airports still cancelling trips?

Even when an air traffic control system is fixed, the aviation network takes time to recover.

Tuesday’s four-hour outage meant that by Wednesday, planes and flight crews were stuck in the wrong locations across the globe.

This creates a “knock-on” effect that airlines have to untangle before schedules can get back on track.

London Heathrow was the worst affected airport on Wednesday, with 79 out of 666 departure flights disrupted.

British Airways (BA) took the biggest hit among airlines, seeing 88 of its 507 scheduled departures affected.

What are airlines and airports saying?

Airlines are furious about the disruption.

BA said it was “sorry” to its customers, but stressed the meltdown was “out of our control”.

Taking a swipe at air traffic bosses, a BA spokesperson said: “Our customers and colleagues are tired of dealing with these issues, time after time. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

Meanwhile, Heathrow has assured passengers that it is working with airlines to ensure the majority of flights operate normally.

But the west London hub advised all passengers to double-check with their airline for the latest information before travelling to the airport.

Will I get compensation?

If your flight was cancelled or delayed due to the outage, you’re unlikely to see a payout.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said that the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) meltdown is considered an “extraordinary circumstance”.

Under passenger rights rules, this means airlines do not legally have to pay out compensation for delays or cancellations caused by the incident.

But airlines are still legally required to “look after” passengers, meaning they must provide food, drink, and overnight accommodation if you’re severely delayed or rebooked onto a flight the next day.

Who is to blame?

NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe is facing mounting pressure to resign over the fiasco, with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary branding Rolfe’s position as “untenable”.

Despite the backlash, Downing Street has said it still has confidence in Rolfe, who stated he takes “full responsibility” for the outage.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed the outage was due to a technical issue at NATS’ Swanwick site, ruling out a cyberattack.

She told MPs she did not believe the issue was “unavoidable” and ordered the CAA to conduct an independent, six-month review into what went wrong.