GENIUS Dollar Store Finds for TRAVEL

When it comes to travel, being organized is key. I'm also a fan of budget-friendly travel, so I love finding unique and helpful items at the dollar store. Today, I'm sharing GENIUS dollar store hacks for travel. (I have a short video here too!)

The dollar store is a great place for snacks... and when you are travelling with kids, snacks are key! I like to buy these little containers in the craft section and fill them with goodies!

A dollar store first aid kit is another great idea. I buy a container with a snap lid and fill it with all the items I might need. I also use duct tape to make a cross on the top to make the kit easily identifiable. Pretty clever, right?!?

Travel sized items are also fantastic for saving space. The travel tubes from the dollar store are also great -- as they allow you to create your own travel sized items.

Zipper storage bags are a definite MUST HAVE items. They come in handy for wet bathing suits, leftover food, snacks, and more! I never leave home without them.

These dollar store storage bags are also very handy. They are great for a toothbrush and toothpaste or a device and earphones.

What do you think of my list of travel items? Is there something you would add to the list?

For a closer look at my dollar store travel hacks, take a look at this short (2 minute) video. And if you don't already, subscribe to my YouTube channel so that you don't miss out on any of my fantastic videos. 😀

I hope you found these dollar store finds helpful, and I hope you get to take a wonderful vacation with the people you love. Travel safe!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

5 Simple Ways to Prepare for a Family Road Trip

Road tripping with kids can be a lot of fun, but only if you are well prepared. Recently, my family travelled over 1400km to visit family, and we had a fantastic time. Today, I'm sharing the secrets to our success -- 5 simple ways to prepare for a family road trip.

1) Keep everyone comfortable. - Make sure everyone is dressed in comfy clothes, and bring lots of blankets and pillows.

2) Pack lots of food. - We always pack a cooler with fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, milk and drinks. It makes it easy to make healthy meals "on the go". We also pack a basket filled with bread, peanut butter, healthy snack options, and tasty treats. Individual tackle boxes filled with goodies are fun too!

The most important thing is to make sure everyone is well fed, food is always in arms reach, and there is no reason to make unnecessary stops for fast food.

3) Make sure everyone is entertained. - I love wrapping up dollar store trinkets and treats for the kids to open when boredom sets it. In the past, I have wrapped up: magazines, puzzle books, fidget toys, craft supplies, and treats. It's a fun way to add some fun to the drive.

I also like wrapping DVDs. Instead of endless discussion (and fighting) about what movie to watch, my kids just take one (blindly) from the pile, unwrap it, and stick it in the DVD player. Easy peasy!

4) Plan out your route. - Plan out your route, and plan overnight stays ahead of time if needed. For our 15 hour drive, we planned an overnight stay in a hotel halfway to our destination. Have a bed and pool to break up our drive made all the difference.

5) Make the journey part of the vacation. - The drive to a destination doesn't need to be torture, but rather, it can be part of the fun. 5 minute stops at roadside attractions will add a lot of interest to the drive. For our trip, we stopped for a couple of photos in Montreal.

Note: Having the passengers change spots in the vehicles at rest stops is a great way to get give them a change of scenery.

I also suggest packing Ziploc bags (which are perfect for wet swimsuits, car sickness, and food storage), and baby wipes come in handy too. 

What is your best way to prepare for a family road trip? We'll definitely be doing it again, so I'd love any tips or tricks you have to offer.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the helpful family travel advice here.

Tips for Planning a FAMILY Trip to Cape Breton

Normally, our summers are packed with organized sports and a family trip to Prince Edward Island with our family from Ontario, but this year (with Covid 19 restrictions in place), we decided to plan some "staycations" closer to home. One of our recent adventures included a wonderful 4 day trip to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Today, I sharing some highlights from our Cabot Trail vacation, and some tips that you can use when planning your own trip.

First, let me share our four day itinerary...


Day 1 - We started our Cape Breton adventure by driving from our home in Antigonish. We made a short stop in Baddeck to check out the Red Barn and the waterfront. We didn't have time to tour the Alexander Graham Bell Museum (which I hear is great), but we did find a statue of him and his wife on the waterfront.

Baddeck, NS

Red Barn, Baddeck, NS

Alexander Graham Bell Statue, Baddeck, NS

Then, we started our Cabot Trail adventure and we made our way to Ingonish, enjoying the beautiful scenery as we drove. In Ingonish, we enjoyed: beautiful Ingonish beach, Salty Rose's and the Periwinkle Cafe, the Groovy Goat Farm (where the kids were able to pet goats and I was able to buy some wonderful goat milk soap), the Bean Barn Cafe (which I would highly recommend for good food at a good price for families), a safe beach for swimming (down the Wharf Road... just past the Groovy Goat), and a quick round of golf at Highland links (6 at 6 special). We spent the night at Skyline Cabins, and we hit the road again the next morning.

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, NS

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, NS

Ingonish Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Salty Rose's and the Periwinkle Cafe, Ingonish, Cape Breton, NS

Groovy Goat Farm and Soap Company, Ingonish, Cape Breton, NS

Bean Barn Cafe, Ingonish, Cape Breton, NS

Beach (near the Groovy Goat), Ingonish, Cape Breton, NS

Highland Links golf course, Ingonish, Cape Breton, NS

SkyLine Cabins, Ingonish, Cape Breton, NS

Day 2 - On Day 2, we continued our drive around the Cabot Trail. We saw some great scenery along the way, stopped at Black Brook beach, and enjoyed a bowl of chowder in Meat Cove. Then, we stopped in Cheticamp to do the Skyline Trail (but it was too foggy so we opted to save the hike for another trip), we went for a swim at Gypsum Mines (a highlight for my boys), and hiked down to Egypt Falls (which was a really tough, steep hike... but totally gorgeous!). We made our way to Inverness, and stayed overnight at the Glenorra Distillery (which has a fantastic restaurant with live music).

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, 

Black Brook Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Meat Cove, Cape Breton, NS

Meat Cove Chowder Hut, Cape Breton, NS

Gypsum Mines, Cheticamp, Cape Breton, NS

Gypsum Mines, Cheticamp, Cape Breton, NS

Egypt Falls, Cape Breton, NS

Glenora Distillery, Inverness, Cape Breton, NS

Day 3 - We spent the day exploring the beautiful town of Inverness. We collected sea glass at Inverness Beach, went to see the horse races (which the kids loved), and visited Chimney Corner beach.

Inverness Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Sea glass collected at Inverness Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Inverness Race Track, Cape Breton, NS

A "win" at Inverness Race Track, Cape Breton, NS

Chimney Corner Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Chimney Corner Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Day 4 - It was time to head home, but we made a few stops along the way. We checked out, West Mabou beach, flew a kite at the beach in Port Hood, and stopped at Snow Queen Leisure World in Antigonish (for ice cream, mini golf, and a ride on the go carts).

West Mabou Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Port Hood Beach, Cape Breton, NS

Snow Queen Leisure World, Antigonish, NS

We had a fantastic vacation, and I would highly recommend a family trip to the beautiful island of Cape Breton. If you decide to take a similar road trip, here are some tips you might find helpful:

• Have a plan. For our trip, we researched popular attractions, mapped out where we wanted to go and what we hoped to do (including travel time), and booked our accommodations. We weren’t afraid to deviate from our plan, but the framework we created kept us focussed and organized.

• Make sure everyone is comfortable, hydrated, and well fed. We love stopping at popular local eateries, but we always have water bottles, snacks, and a well stocked cooler in our van. Healthy snacks and supplies to make sandwiches “on the go” are always accessible. 

• Have entertainment for the passengers. Even beautiful scenery, like the Cabot Trail, only holds kids’ attention for short periods of time. Movies, music, podcasts, road trip scavenger hunts, and e-books/regular books are great options for passing the time. 

• Stop often. Kids are not designed to spend endless hours trapped in a vehicle, so if the kids need a break, or you see something interesting on the side of the road, stop. The stops along the way really are what make a family road trip fun and memorable. 

Have you taken any fun road trips this year? Where did you go? I can't wait for our next one!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

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