Planning a family road trip? ChatGPT is a game-changer.
From customizing your itinerary according to your interests (and your family’s) to finding playgrounds a short distance from the highway and selecting hotels in safe, interesting neighborhoods, there are endless ways to make the most of this incredible tool.
Here are a few inspiring prompts to try.
Custom road-trip itineraries according to interest.
Got a kid who loves dinosaurs, but your husband is into live music and you like art? Beaches? Ghost towns? Girl. Let me blow your mind right now. Try this prompt (or any variation):
“I’m planning a road trip from Raleigh, North Carolina to anywhere in Northern California. I love ghost towns, live music, dinosaurs, art, and beaches. Please bear in mind that I am traveling with children, and select activities and locations that are appropriate for children ages 4-7. I want the trip to take less than three weeks roundtrip.”
Yeah. It’s that easy.
Make your road-trip more efficient.
Let’s say you know exactly where you want to go. But you have five or six stops you want to make along the way.
Try this:
“We’re going to Florida. We want to visit Saint Augustine, Sarasota, Rosemary Beach, my auntie in Miami, and at least two springs. Which springs are along the way, and in what order should I visit these places to make my journey most efficient?”
Find stops along the way.
Don’t want to do all the driving in one day? Try this:
“I’m driving from Los Angeles, California to Vancouver, Canada with my family. Our interests include quirky, off-beat roadside attractions, farm-to-table food, and historic small towns. Please suggest some overnight stops to enrich our journey. Cool thanks.”
Pick out a good place to take a break.
If you’re traveling with kids, you know that rest stops are useful for going to the bathroom, but not so much for stretching the legs or getting energy out. Sometimes, there are shady characters hanging out there, and being surrounded by cars coming off the highway can be unnerving if you have little ones. Here’s a better idea:
“I am driving on Highway 95 between Washington, DC, & Boston. Please find me some playgrounds that are not far off the highway.”
Find a good neighborhood to pick out an Airbnb.
At this point, I think it’s safe to say, we all know Airbnb is hit-or-miss. (I could do a whole article just on how to avoid a nightmare with those). But unlike hotels, it’s much harder to know whether you’re staying in a good neighborhood or not. So before you book, try this:
“I am staying in Chicago with my family. I want to see some live jazz, eat some authentic local food and take my kids to some educational activities. Please suggest a low-crime, safe neighborhood near these kinds of attractions where we are likely to find reasonably priced accommodations.”
Do a themed trip.
Are you part-time worldschooling like we are? Even if you’re kids are in traditional school, road trips are a great way to enrich their studies.
Try using Chatgpt to plan a roadtrip around a particular theme. For example:
“We are beginning our road trip in Fairfax, Virginia. Please plan a 6-day road trip that emphasizes American Civil War history. Suggest attractions, restaurants, guided tours, and overnight stays that are appropriate for children ages 7-14.”
OR
“We are beginning our road trip from Oklahoma City. Please plan a 7-day itinerary that emphasizes Native American history. Suggest tribal activities and locations that are open to the general public, as well as resources for learning about the tribal history in our region.”
Find campgrounds & national parks.
Are you a camper family? Spare yourself the hours and hours of research it takes to link together campsites or find one that is right for you.
Try this Chatgpt prompt:
“We are traveling from Detroit, Michigan to Nashville, Tennessee. Please find some campsites along the way that have RV hookups.”
OR
“We want to take a camping trip from Austin, Texas. My child is interested in astronomy. Find me a dark star preserve where he can use his telescope that permits tent camping.”
Know what to order at restaurants.
Personally, I think getting kids to try the local food is one of the best ways to experience regional culture.
Researching what to order just became a lot easier.
“Hi, Chatgpt. We are planning a road trip through Italy beginning in Rome and ending in Venice. Please suggest regional dishes for us to try along the way. Bear in mind, my daughter is allergic to pine nuts.”
You’re welcome.
