I always leave 2-3 hours before bedtime, the stop & do dinner, play a bit, diaper change, + get in PJs, and then drive the rest at her bedtime.
It is definitely easier on baby to leave at bedtime, but if I did that we’d get in at 2am and it is not safe for me to be driving that late and exhausted.
We sing songs, rotate through toys (I keep them in the passenger seat and pass them back as she gets bored with one), and have little snacks. For toys - she likes mirrors (we use the car mirror), stuffed animals, busy toys, books, she loves silicone straws for some reason, tethers, and those airplane spinner pop toys.
Links to they type of toys im talking about-
https://www.amazon.com/Suction-Spinner-Spinning-Birthday-Toddlers/dp/B09TXBRWY2/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=109XTJPREKBQZ&keywords=baby+suction+cup+spinning+toy&qid=1678498243&sprefix=Spinning+toy+su%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFNSDA5STNUVjg3TFImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyOTQxMjI4MjREVTk5TFFDTFEmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDEwNzE1NzI5NTJJWjU0VkJEQlUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043G4JOA?linkCode=ogi&tag=ghk-lift-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10055.g.38869492%5Bsrc%7Carb_ga_ghk_d_bm_comm_lft_us_g38869492%5Bch%7C50d36f00544a8a60a0a2df2dda9547ac%5Blt%7Csale%5Bpid%7Cf5e1f11f-9152-468a-a998-e2d8194e065f
https://www.amazon.com/Taf-Toys-Activity-Jingling-Newborns/dp/B00Z7GJNUA/ref=sr_1_3?gclid=Cj0KCQiAx6ugBhCcARIsAGNmMbhbJwbav89tIPw7t6wDrWF50gBcPBroCoVzvZB9pvnhiINvzANAOUcaAmgPEALw_wcB&hvadid=406675678003&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9010943&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6321617543614481192&hvtargid=kwd-314153867888&hydadcr=7437_9611148&keywords=travel+toys+for+toddlers+in+the+car&qid=1678498208&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.com/KaPing-Montessori-Toddlers-Silicone-Activity/dp/B0B24X4DBL/ref=sxin_16_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.db5bdf6b-c3cb-4492-ada6-1426f4f364d5%3Aamzn1.sym.db5bdf6b-c3cb-4492-ada6-1426f4f364d5&cv_ct_cx=travel+toys+for+toddlers+in+the+car&gclid=Cj0KCQiAx6ugBhCcARIsAGNmMbhbJwbav89tIPw7t6wDrWF50gBcPBroCoVzvZB9pvnhiINvzANAOUcaAmgPEALw_wcB&hvadid=406675678003&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9010943&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6321617543614481192&hvtargid=kwd-314153867888&hydadcr=7437_9611148&keywords=travel+toys+for+toddlers+in+the+car&pd_rd_i=B0B24X4DBL&pd_rd_r=a8b9d13f-4b46-4cea-a44d-dbc5aad674ca&pd_rd_w=lKN8x&pd_rd_wg=gL2gq&pf_rd_p=db5bdf6b-c3cb-4492-ada6-1426f4f364d5&pf_rd_r=RVTY8CQ9H6T6ASQTC9D8&qid=1678498208&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-3-a73d1c8c-2fd2-4f19-aa41-2df022bcb241-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQ1VQOFhKS085RDVBJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjc1ODI0MkVQU085VEFUVDlWJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4MzgzNTAxRjJNRTYxR1hGUUdLJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3Bfc2VhcmNoX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
https://www.amazon.com/Taggies-Sherbet-Lamb-Lovey-Toy/dp/B018HGULHU/ref=sr_1_10?crid=29CDBV7UB5RUC&keywords=Sensory+stuffed+animal&qid=1678498376&s=home-garden&sprefix=sensory+stuffed+animal%2Cgarden%2C80&sr=1-10