Taking a break with the whole family can be lots of fun. But the actual process of getting to your destination with more than one child in the backseat can get wearisome, especially if the journey is more than an hour long. The fighting and the whining is enough to ruin any vacation. But worry not, the next time you and the family drive down along the N3 from Jo’burg to Durban, remember this stress free guide we’ve compiled for you.

Encourage the kids to learn about the places you pass
Fill them in on the history of transport beforehand. Then stop over in the small town of Heidelberg and visit the Heidelberg Transport Museum. It was built in 1975 by the Rembrandt group as a service to the community. Now it can be a service to your sanity.  If you’re into something edgier, visit the Old Jail. That might just frighten them enough to keep quiet for a while.

Stop for a picnic and let them get rid of excess energy
The town of Villiers in the Free State is an ideal spot for an en-route picnic. Considered to be one of the province’s most beautiful towns, its varied gardens have made it a regular winner of the Administrators Floating Trophy. You could also enjoy your open-air lunch at the nearby Vaal Dam.

Bring out the games in Harrismith
The popular I Spy game is ideal for travelling. One person would for example say, ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with a W….’ Everyone else has to guess what it is and the one who gets it right chooses their own object for the new game. Harrismith is a small and charming town with the oldest golf course in the country, gardens of indigenous and exotic flowers, factory shops, war sites and blockhouses. There’s enough to spy on, so get them cracking.

Make them tick
Write a list of all the towns you’ll be passing through en route to Durban. If the kids are still rowdy by the time you get to Lady Smith give them the list and ask them to tick them off. This can also be a great time to bring out the colouring-in books, paper and crayons.

Night Creatures
If you don’t have the time to plan your Durban vacation and the necessary road-trip activities, try travelling at night. Pack their blankets, pillows and favourite toys. Then hit the road in the evening or the early morning - but make sure it’s when they’re most likely to sleep.