How Our 8 Ppl Fam Turned a Dreaded Long Drive Into a KTV Party
Traveling with kids and grandparents isn’t about the destination anymore – it’s about surviving the journey in style. How do I know this? Well, I’ve got twin boys so when we travel with the whole family, it takes a lot of planning to make the trip fun for three generations of people – 8 people. Here’s how we upgraded our last big family holiday expedition to Yanqing’s World Garden Park area which was about a two-hour drive from our home!
The Space Solution
When regular vans failed and two cars meant double the chaos, my husband struck gold on Xiaohongshu when he found an RMB 3,000 round-trip charter (peak season pricing) that gave us VIP mobility for under RMB 400/person for a rolling lounge experience. The Toyota Coaster is essentially a mini bus that comfortably seats up to 13 passengers (excluding the driver).
This wasn’t just hiring a personal driver who had a big car. The entire trip was an unforgettable experience in its own. The whole group had a great time singing karaoke with their built-in system and the ample leg room made what would have been a dreaded long drive into so much fun for the whole family.
Pro Tips:
- Confirm mileage limits upfront (we kept single trips under 100km).
- Coordinate
- pick-up/drop-off routes with drivers in advance so you don’t have any
- unforeseen miscommunications on the day of your trip.
Why We Loved Our Toyota Coaster
- Airport-grade VIP shuttle comfort
- Zero-gravity seatsStroller-friendly aisle space
- Built-in karaoke system (toddler rockstars activated!)
- Climate controlMotion-sickness-friendly suspension
Our “boring 2-hour drive” became a multigenerational concert - from Chinese ballads to nursery rhymes and juice boxes in hand. On the return trip, even our most carsick-prone grandma marveled: ‘These seats are incredibly comfortable to sit in – I didn’t feel nauseous at all throughout the journey!’
There's more to this story! This article was originally posted on our sister account, jingkids International.
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READ: How To Deal With A Classic Beijing Burnout
Images: Siyu He
