Family Vacation Time!

Every year my family and I drive across the country from Maryland to Idaho (not Iowa, not Ohio, but 2500 miles to Idaho) in a Corolla...with both of our dogs. Everyone who hears that tells us we are crazy, and maybe we are but we love it! Our annual road trips are something we look forward to every year. They are a chance for us to get away, spend a concentrated amount of family time, and see the country. We do all 2500 miles in three days which may be a tad crazy but it's still super fun.

We just completed our fifth round trip and every one is different and fun in its own way. We choose different places to stop and explore and have awesome adventures. For instance, I can tell you from experience that if you are in western South Dakota that you should visit both Crazy Horse and Mt Rushmore and you should NOT visit Wall Drug. I love a good kitschy tourist trap but Wall Drug is just LAME! Also, I know the best place for a Chicago deep dish pizza and the most delicious Pacific North West coffee chain (it's not from Seattle either!). We get to visit with friends that we have known for years but rarely see. Most importantly, we get to see our siblings and G gets to spend time with her cousins.

We have some awesome tips and tricks that we have discovered that you can apply to any family  road trip whether you are driving cross country, to Disney World, or just to the beach.

1) Download something fun like audio books or podcasts. The radio gets boring, we love to mix it up with something different. On our trip in 2010 we listened to all 7 Harry Potter books.  They really helped pass the time!

2) Electronics (games and movies) are a nice and an easy way for the kids to pass the time but use them sparingly. Look out the windows, play car games, TALK to each other!!! G is allowed one movie per day and a half an hour to an hour of games over a 13 hour road trip day. We strive to use our family time to the fullest.

3) Have snacks at the ready: granola bars, sliced apples, carrots, and lots of water. The less stops you make for snacks the sooner you will get where you want to go. Also, they are cheaper and way more healthy than gas station food.

4) Small toys and books are a lifesaver. Save some and dole them out either throughout the day or trip. It's great to have something new when the trip gets hard for the little one.

5) Make a plan but be open and flexible. You never know when you might find an amazing place to visit or explore, when you might be motivated to just keep driving, or when (like we unfortunately discovered this year) you have to stop because your kid gets car sick.

6) Smart phones are your friend. We have made last minute plans with friends, discovered new routes with our GPS, and have gotten awesome deals on hotel rooms.


Our yearly road trips are already brought us awesome family memories and I look forward to making more.  What are your favorite family road trip memories?