6 Ways to Successfully Road Trip with Your Autistic Student

In one of our recent Q&A With Mr. Sims video sessions*, one of our community members asked, “Do you have any tips for traveling on a long road trip with a 13-year-old this summer?”

The subject of travel can be daunting to our families; such is life, right? But our community is here to help each other and that’s just what they did. 

These are the top 6 recommendations made by parents at our weekly Zoom meeting that can help you start traveling with your student at any age:

1. Start with shorter trips.
2. Create a visual itinerary or itinerary packet.
3. Plan exciting stops along the way. (Road trip specific)
4. Bring new fidgets, toys, or ride-friendly activities.
5. Use audiobooks or podcasts.
6. Take physical breaks.

I’m going to dive into these six recommendations with a theoretical road trip from Central California down to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Google Maps notes that if we left around 8am on a Monday morning, we’d possibly be there around 3pm. (The California highway traffic gods are laughing, but I digress.) Seven hours in the car is a long time for anyone. Let’s see if we can break it down into manageable steps.

1. START WITH SHORTER TRIPS

If you’re new at venturing out with your student and are unsure of how long they can travel, begin with 1-2 hour local trips and gradually increase the duration to build up tolerance for longer journeys.

Thankfully with my daughter, her grandparents have always lived 1-2 hours away, so she's always made that road trip. Then we moved again, so we continue to take 2 hour trips to visit with old friends.

Once your student has experienced a road trip of 1, 2 or 3 hours, you can help them understand how long your trip will be. You can describe it as, "driving to Grandma's takes as long as going to the aquarium four times."

2. CREATE A VISUAL ITINERARY OR ITINERARY PACKET

Depending on your student, you can approach this with a document that breaks down the trip into a single page or two, or create a fun, more robust visual packet they can refer to as the trip progresses.

Both versions can include icons or actual photos to represent portions of the trip that should be expected. Use visuals to show the timeline of the trip, including pictures of hotels, brochures, maps of the route, and a breakdown of events. Find some videos of the different places and create a YouTube playlist or folder on their device so they can watch them as they wish.

See the image below for some examples. The single page itinerary, in this example, merely details the road trip to get to the hotel, not necessarily the entire visit let alone all Disneyland park -related expectations and sensory challenges. You would need to break down your trip into chunks and prepare accordingly.

3. PLAN EXCITING STOPS

Include fun things to look forward to, like hotels with pools, favorite restaurants, roadside attractions or points of interest.

In my pretend example, I chose a stop between leaving the house and lunchtime, at the Sun-Maid Growers of California location in Kingsburg, CA. It is an easy stop, you have a unique thing to see (photo opp!), a little market if you want a snack or are particularly fond of raisins, and a place to stretch your legs for a few moments. 

Finding locations like these just takes a little bit of Google time or experience with an AI app. Two websites for detailed information to get you started road-tripping in America: AAA Road Trips Information Page and Roadside America for quirky roadside attractions.

4. BRING NEW FIDGETS, TOYS, OR RIDE-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES

These can help with calming and maintaining focus during the trip. Parents can phase out and introduce new items as the hours progress. 

I do this already just for us driving around town. I have a bag in my glove compartment that has a variety of “rarely seen” fidgets, toys, and sensory items. I only use them when my daughter is starting to sound like she’s getting dysregulated and I don’t have a lot of options or time as I’m driving. I’ll pick something out for her, or show her the bag (depends on the moment). The novelty of the item can calm her long enough for me to find a place to pull over and figure out what she needs or offer deep pressure squeezes to her arms. 

However, for a long road trip (or even a flight, train ride, etc.) you can put together a handful of lunch bags with a new item. Grab a marker and label the bag (or get more creative and make stickers or cards - you do you!) You can label them with city names or the places you’ll stop along the way. You don’t have to go overboard or break the bank with the items inside either. Check out what your local discount store has to offer.

Mr. Sims suggests unpacking a new activity or treat to mark each hour on your trip, and use them to countdown how many are hours and surprises are left until you reach your destination.

5. USE AUDIOBOOKS OR PODCASTS 

These can provide stimulation and help with top-down regulation. Finding the right ones for your student is up to you. Does your student like to listen to a story-telling format? Find a new audiobook that features some of their favorites like historical facts, dragons, trains, and more. 

Again, Google and ChatGPT are your friends here. I merely asked for “podcasts for kids” and there are many, many, lists out there. Here is one to start with! 

This might not work for everyone! For the longest time, I couldn’t even listen to the radio while my daughter was in the car without her becoming dysregulated, but she slowly got used to it. 

6. TAKE PHYSICAL BREAKS

When planning your journey, include multiple breaks to ensure comfort and relaxation. Use Google Maps or AI to chart your journey, including the stops midway and estimating how long you might need to be there. You can stop at scenic stops, favorite fast food locations, neighborhood parks - anywhere that is of interest to your family.

If you’re out stretching your legs, maybe bring along some beanbags, or a soccer ball, something that encourages some gross motor activity.

The bottom line is to make it clear to your student what is expected. In your itinerary you can include that there might be traffic from time to time that will slow you down. Mr. Sims suggested packing a special emergency game/toy/movie that is only available when your journey takes an unexpected turn or you're stuck in traffic. (Mr. Sims also suggested packing an emergency treat for your partner, if they also struggle with waiting in traffic!)

It’s a lot of planning and it can feel daunting; we know that, and we experience it too. But in the end, travel will be worth the work. 

*Q&A with Mr. Sims video sessions are weekly support meetings for all current subscribers.

Jennifer Bullock, Contributing Author

Homeschooling-experienced mom to a tween, non-speaking daughter, Jennifer is also Marketing Outreach Coordinator for The Autism Oasis. With 20+ years experience in marketing, advertising, and social media communications, you will see her occasionally supporting the blog and social media channels with various content related to Autism Oasis.