The Ultimate European Road Trip Guide (with kids)

Hello friends!

We are BACK! As some of you know, my husband Chris and I took our three children on a road trip around Europe in an RV for one month. In total, we covered approximately 4,000 miles, visited eight countries, and learned countless tips and tricks for traveling through Europe with kiddos. Tips that I hope will help you and your family plan the adventure of a lifetime without some of the setbacks we experienced along the ride. So buckle up and get ready for the ultimate guide to road tripping in Europe!

Trip Planning

When planning a long road trip, I kick things off with a basic timeframe and a computer. So open up your browser and ask yourself the following questions to turn your big travel ideas into a simple, streamlined itinerary.

Which country or countries do you want to visit?
What are your dates?
Based on your timeframe, do you want to dive deep into one or two places, or cover as much ground as possible?
Google Maps: Open Google Maps and plot out your places of interest. See how long the driving time is between locations. Will you have enough time in each location? Will you be flying in and out of the same city (making a loop) or departing from a different city from which you arrived (one way drive)?
Which locations do you want to see while in each city? When deciding where to explore while on a trip I find hashtags to be very helpful. If you go on Instagram (or any other sm platforms) and look up certain hashtags like, #portugaltravel #spainbeaches #pariscafe you can get an idea of specific destinations of interest.
Map it out: Plot out your rough itinerary on your Google map, online. Include primary destinations, along with the day trips or special sites you want to visit. This will help you visualize overall trip, ensuring you don’t accidentally drive by any great neighboring places of interest.

Initial Transportation Planning

When looking at the rough draft of your itinerary, will you be RVing, riding trains, or renting a car? Once you have a general idea, start with these basic ideas, below.

RV: There are many RV rental companies throughout Europe, however Indie Campers worked best for our family. We rented the Atlas 5 which was 7 meters long and 3 meters tall. Indie Campers offers a wide range of sizes including Sprinter vans and caravans to meet your needs.

Train: Will you be using trains for the majority of your trip? If so, I strongly recommend getting a Eurail Pass. Eurail has a Trip Planner function that allows you to get the best train travel packages based on your itinerary. This is a great way to save time and money if you plan on using trains throughout your trip. Google Maps also offers a great rail tool where you can put in your destinations and it will clearly articulate which exact lines to go on, and at which times. This is a great option when maneuvering throughout cities on your trip.

Rental Car: Depending on which country you are visiting, sometimes renting a car is a great option. We rented a small car in Ireland and drove around the coastline, which was efficient and economical. Also establish which side of the road you will be driving on and which side of the car the steering wheel is located. Also be mindful that it is hard to find large (Suburban/Tahoe) sized SUVs in Europe. If you have a group of 4 or more, a mini van may be your biggest option without sizing up to an RV.

RVing in Europe

If you have decided to RV in Europe, use the following tips to keep you on the road to success. We learned some of these the hard way :), so print this out or make a note!

Campsites: Will you be camping, staying in hotels, or both? There were a few websites I used to find good campsites for our RV trip in Europe. Always pay close attention to the reviews and photos! (HipCamp, GlampingHub, and Huttopia).
International Drivers License: Will you need an International Drivers License prior to renting your vehicle? If so, your local AAA office in the U.S. can easily set you up. We thought we would need these special licenses, but weren’t asked to show them at any point along our 4,000 mile journey. Better to be safe than sorry, however!
Transmission: Most RVs in Europe are manual, not automatic, so if it has been a while since you’ve driven a stick, you may need a little practice prior to your departure!
Parking: Parking in the U.S. is easy breezy, however things can get very stressful when trying to park a 20-foot RV in a mid-evil town in Spain! Before setting out, you need a parking strategy for your trip. One option is to use the Park4Night website, which is a parking lot data base. To be honest, this website was somewhat helpful, but a little dodgy at times. When driving to a major city, instead of trying to park in the city itself, park at a commuter train station and take the train into the city during your stay, (here is a great example in Florence, Italy – Villa Costanza). Of course this would force you to sleep in a hotel, but we found that camping in major European cities wasn’t of interest to us anyways. These “city days” were a nice chance for a real shower and bed, instead of campsite.
Environmental zones: Some European cities they have Limited Parking Zones (“ZTL” in Italy) where you cannot drive larger vehicles. Not to stress, as these are typically high traffic inner city areas, or historic city centers with very narrow streets where you wouldn’t drive an RV anyways.
Tolls: Oh, the tolls! You will encounter many tolls along your ride throughout Europe. Before leaving your rental garage, get a picture of the toll line you need to drive through along your ride. There are different types of toll booths, so to avoid ticketing, make sure you know where to go!
Tolls part two: When you are driving an RV through a European toll booth, sometimes there are two buttons for a ticket. One up high (for trucks and RVs) and one down low (for cars). Just take it from us that if your button doesn’t work, don’t freak out. Just push the one below for the cars. Those tend to work every time!
Emissions Fluid! Here ye, here ye!!!! Pay attention. In order to keep your engine running, you will need to add emissions fluid (AdBlu) into your RV almost as regularly as you fill up on gas. You can purchase AdBlu at almost any European gas station. Keep extra in the storage tank in case you run low between stations.
Charging and emptying gray water: Many campsites will have areas to properly dispose of gray water. We used rest stops instead of our onboard bathroom to avoid this issue, but it is in fact easy to find ample locations to empty your tank. You can also pay a few dollars extra at campsites for electrical hook-ups. It goes without saying, but the electrical hookup is certainly worth the extra money.

Snacks and Food

If you are road tripping with picky eaters, it is really important to stock up when you can. The following tips will keep your family healthy, happy and fed along your journey.

Aldi: Aldi grocery stores are found all over Europe, including in very small towns. We found Aldi stores to be perfect for stocking up on fresh fruits, veggies, snacks, and supplies. Many of these stores have a selection of non-food items like box fans, tools, cleaning goods and more, which can make your trip so much nicer. Aldi is also super-economical, which is fantastic.
Evergreen meals: This idea of “evergreen meals” refers to meals that you can fix at anytime without refrigeration. We found that keeping peanut butter and jelly ingredients, Ramen noodles, apples and bananas in stock at all times was key. For example, when you are stuck in traffic and your seven year old is hungry, there is no time for stopping. A quick PB&J or some sliced apples with peanut butter can save the day (and your sanity)!
Truck stops: Truck stops in Europe can be very different than those found in the U.S.! Instead of having say a gas station or two and several restaurants, you will likely find one large gas station with a single restaurant inside. These restaurants can offer buffets or hot meals that are surprisingly good, but be prepared in case you have any picky eaters. This is another reason why your evergreen meals will come in handy along your trip.

Airbnb vs. Hotel Stays vs. Campsites

Regardless if you are driving an RV, renting a car, or taking trains throughout your European journey, you are going to have a stay somewhere along your trip. Here are a few tips go ensure the rest and relaxation your were hoping for.

Airbnb: Finding a great Airbnb can make for an extraordinary travel experience. However, when traveling in Europe, pay close attention when securing your stay. First, what are the instructions for getting the keys? Are they a mile walk from the apartment? Are they in a mailbox located in a store that closes before you get to town? These are the types of details that can really trip up your trip, so pay close attention when booking. Also, when reading the reviews, see how responsive the owners were when something went wrong. If the power were to go out, would it be hard to get someone over to help? Also, is your rental in a safe location or near a train station? Look at the details beyond the photos to ensure you have the best possible rental experience.
Campsites (continued): When booking your campsite, see if the location has a restaurant, store, and/or serves breakfast. Many of the campsites you will find in Europe are very nice and do offer these amenities. However for breakfast in particular, you have to order your food the night before to ensure they have enough for breakfast the next day. You may also want to see if the campsite offers laundry, as it can make a big difference in your planning and packing prior to your trip. Also be sure to look at the photos of the bathrooms and BRING SHOWER SHOES. The campsite bathrooms in Europe that we visited were extremely clean, however I was glad we all had shower shoes, nonetheless.
Hotel stays: Deciding on which hotel to stay in is a very personal decision. However when traveling with children, we found that the hotels that either had a restaurant (breakfast at minimum) or restaurants very close by made for a better overall experience. By the time you check-in after a long day’s drive, it was really nice to have a great meal within close proximity to the hotel. Also, when booking, you MUST be honest about the amount of people in your party. You will have to pay a tax per person for your stay, and you will be put in a room that is too small for your party if you don’t mention the correct number of individuals. In other words, if you reserve a suite for five people but you only book for two people, you may end up in a room with two twin beds. Yikes!

Luggage and Gear

When it comes to road tripping in a different country, it is important to be prepared. The following items made so much life easier on our 4,000 mile journey.

Luggage: While roller bags seem like an easy choice when traveling domestically, they can be clunky and cumbersome when hopping on trains or packing into an RV. I strongly recommend using a duffel backpack like the North Face Basecamp Duffel. These come in several sizes and can compress down in a vehicle instead of taking up valuable square footage. Additionally, these bags are easy for the kids to carry on their backs which helps when getting on trains and planes.
Back-up documents: Make copies of all important travel documents and place in your checked luggage. Also take photos on your phone of all travel documents and passports and email to yourself. This will ensure you have everything you need incase a bag or phone get lost.
One “special” backpack: We allowed each child to have one big duffel and one small backpack on our trip. Also, we designated one single “special” backpack that Chris or I would hold that has all electronics inside. This is helpful to prevent items from getting lost or stolen. It is also helpful when traveling on and off trains to prevent anything from going missing from a side pocket or child’s backpack.
Ziplock bags: From toiletries, to medications and snacks, organizing and sealing items in zip top bags can prevent serious spills and messes. Additionally, if camping, keeping any snacks air tight is key in preventing any unwanted furry visitors!
Prescription back-up: Obviously you will want a first aid kit on your trip but there is one tip you can use to save yourself from a serious mishap. See if you can get any extra pills of prescription medications from your pharmacist and put them in two different places within your luggage (carry-on and checked bag). We have a child who has a daily medication that is hard to find overseas. Having some pills in the backpack, and some stored in the duffel bag ensured we never lost her pills and always had backup.
Spare pair: Bring a back-up pair of any prescription glasses.
Towels: Lightweight, packable towels.
Shower shoes: I mentioned this one above, but when camping, shower flops are a must!

Safety: The last thing I will say is that there is nothing more important than the safety of you and your family on your big road trip overseas. Always have Location Services activated and shared with a family member back home incase of an emergency. Always have a safety plan for your kids if one wanders off, and always stick together. Finally, when driving on roads in foreign countries, perhaps in a vehicle type you have never driven before, be careful. Drive slowly, don’t drive drowsy, and always buckle up. Safety should always at the forefront of every big adventure!

I hope this (long) post has been helpful for you guys as you plan and prepare for your next big adventure. If you have any ideas you would like to add or questions you would like to ask, please do not hesitate to let me know. Safe and happy road tripping!!

Love,

Emily

Our General Itinerary: (makes a loop)