Unconventional Pit Stops
Does the idea of a long car ride with kids make you nervous, anxious or excited? It’s been said of life that it’s not just about the destination, it’s about the journey. The same could be said for vacations! Use these tried and true methods to make the most of your long drive time—they’re guaranteed to make the trek as enjoyable as the vacation itself!
Prepare
Little ones need practice and preparation. If you haven’t ventured far from home as a family, inevitably one of the first questions kids will ask is “Are we there yet?” Give them a tangible and concrete way of measuring time and mileage, like a 30-minute episode of a favorite show (“Only three more Wild Kratts episodes, kids, and we’ll be there!”). Thinking of episodes, hold off on the actual screen time. In fact, if your family vehicle is outfitted with a movie player you use on a regular basis, start weaning your kids’ usage now. By not being dependent on screens at the beginning of the trip, you can use movie time as a last resort/big treat at the end of a long leg of travel.
Likewise, kids need things to keep them occupied for long stretches of road time. Enter the Special Trip Bag. Prior to your trip, hit your local dollar store for coloring books, stickers, small toys and other activities, like extreme dot to dot or sudoku. Want to avoid the mess of crayons or markers? Look into purchasing an inexpensive electric tablet like a Boogie Board or bring along a Magna Doodle or Etch n’ Sketch instead. For classic and unique specialties, check out Cracker Barrel’s gift shop, where you can find vintage toys and travel games like license plate bingo. Next, fill your bag with easily portable snacks that are not standard fare in your own home. Lastly, pick up a dramatized audiobook from the library or purchase one online from Audible. If you need ideas about good family road trip reads, explore a resource like Good Reads or the ask children’s librarian at your local library. Now that your bag is full, keep it in hiding until the trip starts. And once you hit the road, remember not to pull out all the big guns right out of the gate! Pace yourself throughout the trip. For every hour, pull out a new activity or snack.
Lastly, think beyond entertainment. If your travels will take you through rural areas lacking in rest areas and gas stations for bathroom breaks, consider bringing a portable potty chair for your little ones to use when you pull over to the side of the road. Keep a well-stocked first aid kit in case anything goes awry during your trip, and don’t forget chargers and batteries for keeping devices running throughout the journey.
Now that you’re outfitted and ready to enjoy the drive time, here are some pit stops to consider along the way.
Greasy Spoons
When my husband and I land on a vacation destination, one of our favorite parts of researching is watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives episodes filmed in places we’ll either be passing through or landing at. We’ve rarely had a bad experience, and we both agree the majority of the places we’ve visited on account of an episode are places we wouldn’t have been drawn to just by a simple web search. Sometimes, the best eateries come in the form of a food truck that moves locations. Other times, the actual restaurant building isn’t anything to write home about, but the food is out of this world. And it’s hard to pass up opportunities to grab a bite at out-of-the-box food sources, like Kris & Kate’s, a pink ice cream cone-shaped building that serves delectable frozen treats in St. Joseph, MO, or the Undercliff Bar & Grill, nestled inside a cave outside of Joplin, MO.
Famous People and Products
Chicken sandwich and waffle fry loving guests can take an official tour at the Chick-fil-A headquarters in Atlanta. Traveling through Kentucky? Check out the world’s largest baseball bat, situated outside the Louisburg Slugger Museum or a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark at the Ark Encounter Museum in Williamstown, KY. Ever wonder how Dr. Pepper is made? Take a walk through the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, TX. Research the states you’ll be driving through to see which famous people lived there and what popular products are manufactured nearby. In need of some inspiration? Check out the Guinness Book of World Records or state tourism books.
Festivals & Fairs
Sometimes regional fun is seasonal, like state fairs or local festivals. For instance, guests driving through De Smet, SD, can enjoy Old Settlers Day, a festival devoted to celebrating the life and times of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Tourists in Minneapolis can enjoy a decadent bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies and fresh milk while traversing all the other attractions at the Minnesota State Fair. Other destinations take pride in their town’s heritage, like Leadville, CO, and its Boom Days festival, a summer event that honors the miners that put their town on the map.
Landmarks and Film Sets
We all know famous landmarks like Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon and Old Faithful are worth stopping for. But don’t forget to think outside of the box by looking into places that were settings for famous films and TV shows, too. My kids, for instance, were elated to find that the animal shelter from their favorite National Geographic show, Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue, was conveniently located right across from the Wal-Mart we picked up staple items at on our Colorado Springs vacation. While my husband was picking up groceries, we drove right across the street and snagged a picture in front of the shelter.
Think Outside the Box
Tourism websites and magazines often advertise big buck attractions like amusement parks and children’s museums, but big fun doesn’t have to cost top dollar. Look into a city’s park systems, spraygrounds, libraries, mall play areas or local colleges. Ask the locals where they like to go for free or cheap fun. The answers may surprise you!
Olathe freelance writer Lauren Greenlee lives for taking road trips with her husband and four sons.