You are on vacation, and the road beckons. Adventures await around the bend in the road that takes you from hometown to relatives and places unseen. Go ahead -- punch the clock and get on the road.

Road trips. It’s a quintessential American trait, to pack up the car and head out to points unknown. Whether you're traveling to family, going to a theme park or visiting a national monument, half of the fun during vacation is time spent on the road, singing songs and eating bad coffee shop food.

Make sure you avoid wrecking such future fond memories by being unprepared for your trip. From vehicle maintenance to games for your kids, we've created a guide to help you navigate the merge lanes and traffic jams of car trips during common vacation times.