Road Trip Tips When Traveling with a Special Needs Family Member

3749 comments

Please help us welcome Pamela Tucker to the EazyHold blog! We're so happy to have her here again and are grateful for this fantastic idea to create a "tip list" for travel with a special needs family member. If you have any road trip tips to add, leave them in the comments below!

Summer is upon us and that means vacation time is near! Road trips and traveling with a special needs family member can take a little more planning, time, and patience than normal. Here are a few things that I do that help to make our trips go smoothly and keep our stress levels down.
mother takes special needs daughter on a road trip

mother takes special needs daughter on a road trip

1.Plan ahead: For me that means giving myself plenty of time to organize clothes, medications, making sure all necessary equipment is working properly, and checking that I have all medical supplies that will be needed. I have a list saved on my computer that I print out prior to every trip and I check off the items I pack as I put them into our suitcase. I add or delete items from this list as needed and depending on how many days we will be gone.

2. Keep important information handy: I have a folder I keep with me any time I leave the house with my special needs child. It contains all of our emergency contact information in it. This includes names & phone numbers of her physicians, diagnosis’s, an updated medication list with dosages & concentrations as well as insurance information. You never know when you may need this so it helps to have that information handy at all times.

3.Food & water: I bring a small bag that always has some water bottles and a few snacks like pretzels, granola bars, or beef jerky in it. That way we have snacks in case anyone gets hungry or thirsty. I also throw in napkins and some wet wipes to keep our hands and faces clean.

4.Comfort items: To help pass the time and to keep myself comfortable and entertained I like to make sure I bring a book or magazine, my headphones to listen to music or an audio book, and usually a small blanket or lightweight jacket. I like to have my daughters favorite stuffed animal and a few movies for her to watch on the way.

5.Give yourself plenty of time & take breaks: Trust me I know sticking to a strict time line isn’t always possible. We have to occasionally stop and let my daughter take some breaks and get out of her chair so factoring in some extra time is key. She is typically a pretty good traveler but even she likes to stretch her legs out. We make the 5-hour trip back & forth to her specialists quite often so we know of a few rest stops that are nice and well kept that we will take breaks at. I would always rather be a little early than rushing around and being late.

These are just a few tips that have helped make our time on the road much easier not only on myself but also on my child. Taking trips and factoring in medical supplies, equipment, and the extra needs of your extra special child can be a little intimidating. However, I promise all the memories you make will all be worth it.

Thank you so much to Pamela Tucker for writing this helpful post!
Follow along with her and Harley on Instagram at @harley61706

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3749 comments

Earl

August 26, 2026 at 05:51am

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Earl

August 26, 2026 at 05:50am