(NAPSA)—Family road trips may be oneof the few times where the whole clan gets a chance to talk—and most importantly— laugh. When you take a family of four and put them in a confined space with no escape, however, you're boundto hit a bump or two along the road. Joanie Flynn, vice president of leisure marketing for Hilton Hotels Corporation, offers the following tips that may come in handy for managing those car trip sessions. X marks the spot. Draw your own mapthat has the major stops and cities and a big X for your final destination. Throw in a few simple sketches of landmarks you'll see along the way, such as a big bridge or national park. Be sure to mark someinteresting rest stops along the way as well. A homemade mapis easyfor kids to follow and gives them a clearer picture of how much further there is to go. Every time they ask “How much further?” have them take out their map and see for themselves. A bonus? This will also get you to plan your route in advance. Play road games—nobatteries necessary. One adult can sit in the back of the car with the kids and play these games right along with them. Kids constantly want to be challenged. Spelling bees, 20 ques- tions, trivia quizzes and memoriza- tion games will keep their brains engaged and stave off boredom. Another good gameis radio station roulette: turn on a station for a few seconds and see who can identify the songs first. Books on tape can also be a good way to keep everyone interested whenin thecar. Settle their little tummies. Restaurants and roadside stands seldom seem to appear when you need them most. Because hungry kids don’t make for happy road warriors, Hilton Vacation Station hotels and resorts are offering a Snack Pack service this summer at participating properties. Designed to fit in the insulated section of the free Cooler Carrier bag kids receive at check-in, each Snack Pack includes a choice of snack options—from healthy items to salty and sweet selections at a nominal cost. Parents will now haveone less thing to worry about when exploring their chosen destination and on their way home. Take a breather. Makefrequent driving breaks and get out of the car every couple of hours or so. Kids need to let off steam. Bring along a Frisbee, inflatable beach ball, baseball and gloves or other portable play equipment. Physical activity during the day wears kids out enough to get a good night’s sleep in an unfamiliar environment. Enjoy a family roadtrip sing- along. Few things make families bondlike singing together. Be prepared with a songbook, though. It’s amazing how many songs you think you know, but you don’t really knowall the lyrics. Better yet, pack an audiotape or CD of your favorite road trip songs and have a car karaoke marathon. For more information on Hilton Vacation Station program, call 1-800-HILTONS or visit http://www.hilton.com/families.
