Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Five road trip movies to stream for your kids

Road trips are a great way to get in some quality family time while exploring the world. Many people have fond memories or tell funny stories about their own family road trips as kids. If you want to pass those good times on to your kids, you better be prepared. Many family-friendly SUVs and vans have screens in the backseats, so kids have something to watch on long car rides. Even if your vehicle doesn’t have built-in screens, your kids surely have handheld screens of their own to watch road trip movies on. Here are five family road trip movies we love — and your whole family will, too.

Finding Nemo (2003)
Finding Nemo
90 %
8.2/10
g 100m
Genre Animation, Family
Stars Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould
Directed by Andrew Stanton

Finding Nemo is an animated movie about a clownfish named Nemo (Alexander Gould) and his overly-cautious dad, Marlin (Albert Brooks). When Nemo swims too close to the surface while attempting to prove himself and is caught by a diver, Marlin sets out to find him. Marlin is accompanied on his journey by a blue reef fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), who has a really short-term memory. This film was released in 2003 but remains at the top of many favorite movie lists for both children and adults. The 1 hour and 40 minute movie is rated G, so it is wholesome enough for the entire family.

Related Videos

Buy Now

Frozen (2013)
Frozen
75 %
7.4/10
pg 102m
Genre Animation, Family, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff
Directed by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Many parents may not want to hear the word Frozen ever again due to the film’s extraordinary popularity a few years back. But kids of all ages love this movie and what better time for a musical than on a road trip when everyone can join in on the sing-along? The whole family will enjoy singing along with Elsa (Idina Menzel) and her sister Anna (Kristen Bell) as they endure an adventure to save their kingdom with the help of friend Kristoff (Jonathan Groff). This movie’s runtime is 1 hour and 49 minutes, and it has a rating of PG.

Buy Now

Mulan (1998)
Mulan
71 %
7.6/10
g 88m
Genre Animation, Family, Adventure
Stars Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong
Directed by Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook
Mulan (2020)
Mulan
66 %
5.7/10
pg-13 115m
Genre Adventure, Fantasy, Drama
Stars Liu Yifei, Tzi Ma, Donnie Yen
Directed by Niki Caro

This animated movie was released in 1998 originally, and there is now a live-action adaptation of the film that was released in 2020. Mulan is a fearless young woman who disguises herself as a man to battle with northern invaders in China to save her aging father from serving in the Chinese Imperial Army. The movie is empowering for all kids, and parents will love the story as well. The movie runs 1 hour and 30 minutes and is rated G (the live-action film runs for two hours and is rated PG-13). If you’re on a long road trip, you can watch both to compare and contrast.

Buy Now

Buy Now

Toy Story (1995)
Toy Story
95 %
8.3/10
g 81m
Genre Animation, Adventure, Family, Comedy
Stars Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles
Directed by John Lasseter

The first movie in this series was released in 1995, and due to its success, there are now three sequels. Toy Story takes place in a world where toys come to life when humans aren’t around. Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) begin the film as rivals when Andy, the toy’s owner, gets Buzz for a birthday present. Soon enough, Woody and Buzz must learn to work together to escape and be reunited with Andy and the rest of the gang. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 21 minutes and is rated G, but there are four movies total in the series.

Buy Now

Hook (1991)
Hook
52 %
6.8/10
pg 142m
Genre Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Family
Stars Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts
Directed by Steven Spielberg

Hook is a story about an adult Peter Pan (Robin Williams) and his children, who Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) kidnaps. The tale takes Peter to Neverland to save his kidnapped children, and along the way, he reclaims the memories of his past. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and is a classic story that will entertain children of all ages and adults alike. The movie is 141 minutes long has a PG rating.

Buy Now

Road trips are fun … as long as you’re prepared with good entertainment for the kids. They probably already have devices in their hands, so why not put a family-friendly movie on that screen and bask in the sound of silence? Any of the films above will keep your children — and even adults — entertained until it’s time for the next rest stop.

Editors' Recommendations

Movie images and data from:
No RV? No Problem: Outdoorsy Will Help You Follow Your Road Trip Dreams
outdoorsy rv rental

Planning a road trip? You might find some of these other guides useful. Here's everything you might need to plot a cross-country journey, a family vacation, or a solo trek.

Thanks to sharing-based sites like Airbnb, Lyft, Hipcamp (the list goes on …), we’re living in something of a golden age of travel. It’s never been easier to own nothing and still travel with world’s cars, campsites, and vacation homes are all at your disposal. Now, one company is throwing its hat in the sharing economy ring as the “Airbnb of RVs.” Maybe 2018 is the year to finally realize your great American road trip dreams?

Read more
Travelers beware: These are the worst U.S. airports that lose the most baggage
There are two types of air traveler: Those who've had their luggage go missing, and those who will eventually
A man in a suit listening to music while hauling his luggage in the airport.

Flyin’ ain’t easy. Sure, modern air travel — especially long-haul flights — is a technical marvel, but it can be pretty awful, too. And, in the last three years since the pandemic, it’s only gotten worse. Ever-shrinking seats, constant COVID concerns, in-flight booze restrictions, and random air rage are all enough to make even the most patient air passengers crack under the pressure. Now, there’s one more worry to add to the mix: Lost luggage. A new report finds that there are two kinds of travelers: Those who’ve had their luggage lost and those who will eventually.

Price4Limo.com combed through an official report released last year by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Unless you’re really bored or have a strange fascination with airline industry statistics, we don’t suggest you comb through the 57-page document. But there are a few key takeaways. The first and most surprising is that a whopping 55% of air travelers have had the pleasure of an airline losing their luggage. That means your odds are better than half that, at some point in your flying career, your favorite new luggage is bound to go missing. What’s worse: Only one-third of those passengers ever see their luggage again. According to Price4Limo.com, the average wait time to get those bags back was almost a week. For most vacation travelers, that usually means being without their belongings for their entire time away.

Read more
Soria Moria Sauna: An architectural gem cleanses mind, body, and soul
If you love hidden gems that will help you relax, the Soria Moria Sauna in Norway is your next stop
A beautiful shot of the Soria Moria Sauna.

Forget about the same old tourist traps and try something a little more off-path for your next trip. When looking for a vacation spot, some people thrive on the constant go-go-go of sight-seeing and trying every local hang. Others want a special place that melts the stress away. If that's the kind of vibe you're looking for, we have the perfect place to go.

In gorgeous Norway, there's a beautiful gem that you'll want to add to your bucket list today. Called the Soria Moria Sauna, you'll find Instagram-worthy views that you'll never forget in a setting that will make you want to pinch yourself to make sure it's real. While you're there, you'll also find the peace and serenity you've longed for. Let's find out why this treasure in Eastern Norway is all too magical.

Read more