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Family Friday- Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Breaks & Stops
By
Staff Writer |
July 2nd, 2009 |
Category:
Travel |
4 comments
Welcome to our summer series on Family Vacation Road Trip Planning with the best travel tips from a mom of four! If you missed the last two family vacation articles, you can check them out here:
- Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Departure Time
- Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Kids’ Entertainment
Road Trip Breaks & Stops
Road trip bathroom break detours are inevitable, but you can decrease the number of times you need to pull over for food by packing a cooler before you leave. In addition to filling it with juice boxes, water, some sandwiches and the kids favorite snacks, you may want to add in a few specialty snacks that are normally off limits.
My children always follow a healthy diet and have come to appreciate the ‘vacation food’ they are allowed to eat whenever we travel. With that said, be careful not to overdo it. A car full of kids in sugar overload will definitely back fire.
Plan on stopping for one full meal during the road trip. If possible, opt for a nice rest area that offers outdoor space for the kids to run around and stretch their legs. Making a detour from the highway is also a good idea if you are not pressed for time. Once off the main interstate you should be able to find a full service family restaurant where you can all unwind and enjoy a decent meal.
Hotels
If you will be making an overnight stop during the road trip, try to plan for it in advance. If you know you will be traveling for 30 hours and stopping halfway through, you can go online, map out your route and locate kid-friendly hotels along the way. Check availability the day before you leave and if there are ample rooms left then you can just wing it without a reservation. Otherwise, it may be a good idea to reserve a room in advance.
If possible, stay in a hotel that offers a pool for some midway relaxation and family fun time. If you can coordinate your arrival to be around dinner time, you may all be able to enjoy a nice swim after dinner, a good night’s sleep and a nice breakfast before you hit the road.
Try to take advantage of specialty perks offered by hotels to attract families, such as kids stay free, kids eat free and free continental breakfast. This is a great money saver and if planned correctly, can even serve as a little mini-vacation before the vacation!
What are your best tips for breaks and stops during family vacation road trips? Let us know in the comments below!
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Great article! I’m with you in appreciating those free breakfasts! Holiday Inn Express has my all time favorite free breakfasts. If they haven’t changed, they include Sausage, Biscuits, and Gravy! Sooo good! Plus a wide variety of cereal that all ages enjoy. Residence Inn usually has “snacks” 4-7 evenings and some of those snacks make a full meal – an extra money saver! Both places are very family friendly and when I occasionally travel with my grandkids for dr. appointments, they’re always at the top of my list for calling for rooms. The prices are usually good AND they have a frequent stayer programs.
In fact, many of the hotels and motels offer “membership programs” and they are generally all free. I would sign up for as many as you can, unless you are only going to certain specific places where you know what hotels/motels are available. Even if you don’t travel often enough to earn extra rooms, the card/”membership” can be valuable in other ways. My senior mom traveled with me to see those cute grandkids, and I was able to park up close in the special “Membership” parking of one hotel, making it much easier for her to get to her room. Would have been handy for those traveling with young kids too. We got free cookies with another membership program.
They are definitely worth signing up for.
@Kaye: The member parking spot up front is a nice touch. I love the continental breakfast benefit at hotels, it may not be every option you have at a restaurant, but it’s FREE! Great for picky kids who can take a few things and not have to wait for the food to be made. Thanks (as always) for the wonderful tips, Kaye!
Barbi / Danelle
[...] Friday at @HomemakerBarbi has an interesting post, Family Vacation Road Trip Planning: Breaks & Stops. Great ideas for a multi-generation vacation with your [...]