We’ve hit peak road trip season, a time when families pack up the car and head north to the cabin or to a high-flying theme park destination. Kids today will form lifelong memories of these summer trips, just as you did all those summers ago. However, their experience may look a bit different.

Set the AM dial, grab a cheese sandwich and hop in the Buick as we take a road trip down memory lane to see how times have changed. 

The packing puzzle

Shoving every suitcase and appliance in the trunk was a complicated game. Your parents had to pack everything because you never knew what emergency (or inconvenience) would arise and where the next stop would be. Now, our trunks are still a bit overstuffed but the stakes aren’t as high: if you forgot something, chances are there’s a store nearby. 

More accurate answers to “Are we there yet?”

Paper maps were the primary navigation tool, followed by asking gas station employees and simply following the signs. If you didn’t have the latest information, your pit stop wouldn’t go as planned. Now, built-in navigation in car dashboards and smartphone apps keep us updated on directions, detours, traffic and roadside attractions (well, assuming we have service).

A traveling smorgasbord

Fast food grew alongside the American love affair with the car. Still, your food choices were limited to whatever town happened to have a franchise—assuming your parents were willing to spare the expense. Otherwise, you were stuck with an old bologna sandwich. 

Today, fast food, fast casual and even some fine dining options are much more common along your route. If you’re not sure what you're feeling, your car will tell you what’s along your route so you can be picky. Technology saves the day yet again!

Advances in safety

If only one thing changed about the family road trip over the years, we hope it would be safety. Cars were designed to keep cars safe in a crash—not kids. Seatbelts weren’t common until the early 1960s. Today, car manufacturers and government regulations place a priority on keeping families safe. If something goes wrong, cell phones and roadside assistance ensure that help is on the way.

'Luxury' pit stops

If your parents finally gave you the opportunity to go to the bathroom, you had to ask an attendant for a key and head out back, hoping for the best. If you were lucky, maybe you went to a rest stop when it had recently been cleaned. Now, gas stations have evolved to travel centers with restaurants, healthy food options and much cleaner and larger bathrooms. 

Travel in comfort

"Air conditioning" used to mean rolling down the window and leaning outside. Add to that vinyl seats and a hard backseat bench? The cars of our youth weren’t exactly designed with comfort in mind. Now, cars (and vans and SUVs) are roomy and cushioned, with an A/C vent for everyone. Not enough? There are plenty of products to make your trip easier, like neck pillows, seat belt pads and packable blankets.

Boredom busters

Road trip entertainment used to consist of the License Plate Game and Punch Buggy—and whatever came in on the radio. Now, with our tablets and smartphones, we can watch movies, listen to audiobooks and podcasts and play hundreds of games. Some cars come with Wi-Fi now, so we don’t even have the minor inconvenience of planning ahead. 

If you’re taking a road trip this summer, take time to tell you kids and grandkids just how lucky they have it. Most importantly, savor this time together!