Do you take long driving trips with you dc?

[happyWImom]

I'm so torn, because my dh occasionally travels for his job, and we could go with him. For instance, he has a trip coming up to go to South Dakota, so we could go with him and see Mt. Rushmore. Here are my concerns:

 

It's a 13 hour driving trip. :sad: My dc are okay in the car-just okay. They both get carsick occasionally, so that's a worry.

 

Dd doesn't sleep well in hotels; she will only go to sleep when we do, and even then, it's not great. She gets scared, can't sleep, you name it.

 

2 days to get there, 2 days back. 2 days there. Is it worth it???

 

There's my situation. But, do many of you just say "Let's do it!" and go?

I'm curious.

[Starr]

Maybe leave early in the morning and make it a one day trip. My dc enjoy books on tape for long rides. Pack food for the car so you can spend time out of the car running and playing not waiting for food. One of my children gets car sick and a little medication for motion sickness is great. He feels better and it makes him a little sleepy. Have fun. (Not sure about the sleep problem in the hotel. Can she sleep with you? )

[angela in ohio]

Does dh usually drive, or would he fly if you weren't with him?

 

If he is driving anyway, I think you should go with him. Not just because of what you could see while you're there, but because it's a chance for your dc not to miss their dad for 6 days and for you to get to keep dh from getting lonely without his family.

 

The more you travel, the better they get at it, too. We are on the road all frequently, and my dc have learned to sleep wherever and whenever.

Edited May 11, 2010 by angela in ohio
typo

[Jami]

I have in the past, but not since adding baby #4. But this summer I'm going to do a big drive again. About 14 hours. But we're breaking it up by visiting friends and a hotel stay. The problem isn't the kids, they're actually pretty great travelers, but I get tired and need breaks. When dh drives, we do monster-long days cause he'd rather get where we're going, but I can't do that. Dh is actually going to fly up and drive with us home though, so I don't have to make the return trip, which is always harder than going.

 

Oh and give the car sick kids something for motion sickness, definitely. Maybe try Sea Bands? We do lots of audiobooks, some DVDs, small toys, books (though those are hard for car sick prone kids)

Edited May 11, 2010 by Jami

[Meriwether]

I regularly take the kids down to my parents' house by myself, but I haven't tried it since Dd3mos. was born. That is a 6.5 hour trip. We've only taken one longer trip (21 hrs. in two days), but they did great. When I was little we'd make the trip in 24 hrs. (speed limit 55) and we'd drive straight through, only stopping for gas.

 

Time flies when you are sleeping. My best advice if the kids don't travel well is to leave at bedtime. Drive straight through and have more time at your destination.

[simka2]

This was one of the main reasons we chose to homeschool. When dh travels for work...we take in museum, parks, or visit relatives we ahven't seen in forever!!!! I see this as one of the perks to HS!!!!

 

That said...my kids don't get car sick...they watch movies or listen to books on tape...or read. They don't sleep well in a hotel, but it's great fun to get to swim :)

[Ferdie]

I have done a couple including a road trip from TX to CA, (one way since my dh flew out to CA and drove back with us). We had so much fun we are doing it again this summer with a detour through Utah to see Bryce Canyon and Zion. My dh is limited on vacation time so he will not be with us on this trip.

 

If you have an autoclub membership they will prepare a detailed trip ticket for you. Also I book our motel reservations before we leave so I know exactly where to go. I am okay if my kids don't sleep great in the motel because they can always sleep in the car. For your first night see if you can get a motel with a pool because they will have something to look forward to at the end of the day. Also swimming will wear them out for bedtime. Many of the motels include a continental breakfast so you can grab a bite before heading out the next day.

 

For the car drive we have stations as we drive. One person gets a DVD, one person a book on tape with head phones and one person sits up front and chats with me. My kids switch "stations" every 2 hours so they don't get bored.

 

Lastly, my dh prepare little gifts for them to open along the way when we reach a certain predesignated destination. He buys actions figures, pads of paper with colored pencils or a special snack - something they can use on the car ride. They love it and it is even more special since it came from dad.

 

I think there is a website called mom's minivan with lot more ideas.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Ferdie

[Ellie]

Oh, yeah, it would be worth it. And personally, my goal would be to drive it in one fell swoop. I've done it before with dc. :-)

[Gooblink]

Every couple of years we travel from Central Texas to the U.P. of MI - 27 hours driving. It used to take us 3 days, when the boys were in carseats. Now we can get it done in 1.5 to 2 days. We typically pack all of our meals, snacks and drinks in the cooler and only stop for gas/potty and a night's sleep.

 

Every year we head to Destin, FL - 16 hours with a few stops. We have done this in 1 day, but usually stop in LA for the night.

 

I love road trips! Bring lots of activities for the kids. :)

[Dad 4 Boys]

It would be so worth it for Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills. I went there as an adult and wasn't prepared for how cool it really is.

 

We always have a TV/DVD combo going in the van when we travel. Throw in a couple Ipods, maybe a personal DVD player or two, some books and snacks, then you're set. We're fortunate to have family from whom we can borrow some of the stuff.

[happyWImom]

Thanks so much for all of the ideas & encouragement!

 

You are right, that is one of the big positives with hsing, we can go with. Something just always holds me back. I need to GET OVER IT!

 

I just need to have a plan, and we should do it. And yes, I'm sure that the more we do it, the better it will be each time. Chicago is usually our furthest trip, and that's only 3 hours.

[Mynyel]

My kids love to travel. If they could they would RV the whole US with us. We take frequent breaks, usually about every 2 hours or after 2 hours the first decent stopping place.

We take lots of snacks..bananas, apples, grapes, crackers, chips and a sweet treat for good behavior. They take books, a couple toys and color book sand crayons. We play mind games. We do not take movies. I don't have a DVD player for the car and I won't buy one. The country is too beautiful to ignore :)

My kids also just like looking out the window and observing the changes. They point things out to me while we are driving.

I would think it would be doable if you take frequent breaks!

I would soooooo go for it in a heart beat!

[Karen in CO]

Oh - you should do it. I take my kids for trips - as a matter of fact, my hubby is taking the girls to their cousin's homeschool graduation in two weeks in TN - it is a 17 hour car trip. It never occurred to us to not go. We only question our sanity when the length of the car-time exceeds the length of the time at the destination.

[JudoMom]

I'm so torn, because my dh occasionally travels for his job, and we could go with him. For instance, he has a trip coming up to go to South Dakota, so we could go with him and see Mt. Rushmore. Here are my concerns:

 

It's a 13 hour driving trip. :sad: My dc are okay in the car-just okay. They both get carsick occasionally, so that's a worry.

 

Dd doesn't sleep well in hotels; she will only go to sleep when we do, and even then, it's not great. She gets scared, can't sleep, you name it.

 

2 days to get there, 2 days back. 2 days there. Is it worth it???

 

There's my situation. But, do many of you just say "Let's do it!" and go?

I'm curious.

 

Yep--both sets of grandparents are 18 hours away (one set in WI, one in TN), and my grandma is 10 hours away. We usually do at least 2 of these trips every year, if not all 3.

 

We would do South Dakota again in a heartbeat. It was one of the best vacations ever, and is on our repeat list.

[LibraryLover]

We love road trips (well, one dc will tell you they don't doesn't always anymore...maybe too much, eh? We just take it slow.)

 

We drive a couple of times a year to visit with family in FL, and that is 24 hours, not 2 days. We used to stop at a hotel when the kids were small, mostly so I could lay down and nurse them. Now, we keep going, pulling over at rest stops to 'rest our eyes' or switch drivers. There is nothing like a 21 yr old on Starbucks, let me tell you. One minute you're in MD, and the next time you open your eyes, you're at a Waffle House in S Carolina. lol Of course...you're not there yet, I know. lol When he was 12mos, we drove to Key West, and he was amazing. We stopped often to let him run around, nurse, and we listened to the same Jingle Bells cassette for 1000 mile, I swear. But it kept him happy.

 

I used to blow bubbles in the car, hand stickers back to them to put wherever (before they had enough fine motor to peel them off themselves) , let them chew gum, listen to books on tape, listen to music,we'd chat, we'd sing, my car was littered with glow- in -the- dark GAK..whatever it took.

 

My youngest was probably the biggest car-hater, and we sure worked hard to keep her happy! After one miserable drive in the dark, with her pitifully crying through the Blue Hill mountains in the pouring rain with no way to figure out how to pull over (we just kept following the 18 wheeler in front of us), we invested in a car TV. Yep. After that, we could go anywhere without tears. We would drive as long as we could without it, making sure she got her fill of traditional car games, a break out of the car, bubbles and stickers etc., and when she seemed cooked, we popped in a movie. Wow. 90 minutes of a movie could put her to sleep for 90 minutes after. That is a lot of quiet time driving. lol

 

I don't know that I would drive for 4 days to stay somewhere 2 days, but I would certainly do other trips.

 

I think road trips can be very bonding for a family.

 

As far as hotels, I do think it takes experience to feel comfortable enough to fall asleep and stay asleep. My kids like their own blankets and pillows. If one is driving, you can easily pile that in that car. You need pillows in the car anyway, and even blankets to keep you cosy. Each of my children has always brought whatever they want in their backpacks. I don't care what. Game Boys, books, iPods, colored pencils and stetchpads--anything they want. Of course their stash has changed over the years, but whatever brings comfort and helps pass the time. Jim Weiss and Odds Bodkin audio stories has seen us through many trips.

 

If you have a 13 hour drive, I might try to make the first leg last at least two hours. You could go longer if they fall asleep...Stop for a bathroom break. Get back in the car and feed them hard boiled eggs or cheese sticks, and easy fruits. (Some people don't eat in the car, but we do on trips and it does give the kids something to do). Keepingkids in protein seems to help keep tempers from flaring. After that, they may fall asleep for a time, or you can put in an audio book or movie (if you roll that way) and you can drive as long as that lasts. Someone will need to go to the bathroom. Stop, maybe have a bite to eat outside the car. Get back in and drive some more. Make sure they have a ton of stuff...stickers, silly putty...whatever. Maybe they would each like a map where you have high-lighted the route. When you see places signs, let them know, and they might want to circle those places so they can see progress. (This makes one of mine crazy...OMG we still have all this yellow to go!!) If you have someone who likes a tidy car, that's more difficult. Don't try to make time...that feels stressful. Just drive as much as you can while they are engaged and stop when you have to. Have treats. What is your child's currency? For one of mine it's Gummy Bears, for another, it's Mounds Bars. ;) The oldest enjoys a nice Mocha Latte every 300-500 miles or so. ;)

 

As for car sickness, maybe your pedi could recommend something for that? What about natural remedies for nausea? Sea bands? Reading in the car would be out. So would following a map while in the car. Audio books might be your best bet.

Edited May 12, 2010 by LibraryLover

[Jennifer in MI]

Definitely go!!!!!! Our family drives because it's SO much cheaper and we can do so much more with our vacation.

 

Trips we've made:

 

MI - AZ - CA - MI (over 4 weeks)

MI - AZ - MI (twice!)

MI - FL - MI (too many to count)

MI - northern MI (it's a LONG way!)

 

This summer we're doing:

 

MI - Toronto - Boston - NH - MI (two weeks)

MI - FL (I'm doing this one with two of my kids alone!)

 

It's a lot of fun! I make up charts where the kids can color in a square after 100 miles or so. That way there's a visual of when we'll be there.

 

Pipe cleaners are your best friend.

 

We leave VERY early in the morning (4 am or so) so that by the time breakfast comes along, we're already 4 hours into the trip! We have the kids sleep in their comfy clothes and they get up, put on shoes, grab a pillow and go to the car. The little one, we carry to the car. They're all usually excited and stay awake for an hour or so. But, then they go back to sleep for a couple more hours.

[Beach Mom]

Pipe cleaners are your best friend.

 

This made me laugh, I thought mine were the only ones who could spend hours twisting pipe cleaners in the car.

 

Road trips with kids can be so fun. Leave early, pack snacks and get sets of sea bands for those who get car sick. I was very skeptical that they could work for my DS who had chronic carsickness. Now when he wears his bands he can read in the car by the hour. We keep them in his car seat cup holder and putting them on has become as automatic as buckling his seat belt.

 

Each of mine take their own pillow and/or stuffed animal. That makes the sleeping in hotels much more like home for them.

 

I say go for it, build the memories and enjoy the time with your kids.

[spradlin02]

2 days to get there, 2 days back. 2 days there. Is it worth it???

 

We live in Montana, we take road trips to get to the grocery store.

 

It's rare I turn down an opportunity to travel, but four days in a car for two days at Mt. Rushmore is a lot of car time. If you could make the traveling part of the trip and find some interesting things to do, then I would say do it. Otherwise, it's a long time to be in a car.

 

I would say start out with smaller trips and work your way up. Again, traveling is a passion for me and we do quite a bit of it, but even I would think twice about this one. But then, I'm constantly prioritizing where to go and spend money. We have an opportunity to exchange homes in France next summer, but I'd rather save that time and money for another trip to Africa.

 

But road trips are a great opportunity for them to see the country. I remember doing several cross-country trips as a kid and some as a young adult, but I'm hard pressed to do one now. We recently thought about a road trip to see our parents, but right now, I can't justify eight days in a car. When they're older, we'll think once again about it and use the traveling as part of the experience, not just a means.

Edited May 11, 2010 by spradlin02

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I just took my two to Louisiana to visit my sister. For us, it was about 19 hours of driving each way. We stopped overnight in TN each way, and it was okay. My kids are usually fine in the car, and we have a dual screen portable DVD player, so that helped A LOT! We also listened to several audiobooks along the way. I made them each activity bags with their own pencil cases with new crayons and markers and a bunch of new activities and a couple of new books. They were a little cranky near the end of each leg, but we all survived.

 

Good luck!

[Harriet Vane]

I actually enjoy car trips with my kids. We've done some smaller ones like the one you mention. Last May I took them alone on a two-week car-trip to Florida. They had daily light assignments to eat up about an hour of time as well as music and books on tape. We stopped roughly every two hours to stretch our legs and kick around a ball, which also really helped keep us all fresh.

[laughing lioness]

Yes. Always. We take books on tape, books, coloring books, etc. In Oct a friend loaned us a video player and that was nice but not necessary. We've always traveled a lot by car. Our kids love to travel.

[AFwife Claire]

I agree with all the others. We're military, so our family is scattered to the 4 winds, and we routinely take long car trips. I regularly drive a little over 8 hours myself with the kids whenever I want to visit my parents. We drove through S. Dakota 2 years ago on our way back from Utah and Yellowstone. It was beautiful! I LOVED the big open spaces. If DH didn't dislike cold weather and snow so much, I'd want to retire there! So I'd go in a heartbeat.

 

I also think you should do it in one day, just starting a few hours before breakfast so that stopping for breakfast can be a nice stop. One thing I do on long trips is make "snack bags" for all my kids. The night before I put single servings of snacks in little snack baggies, allong with some unhealthier things, like a lollipop or something, and I put all the little baggies into a qt. sized ziploc bag, one with each child's name on it (we have 7 kids). When I call out "snack", they get to pick one thing from their bag. They like to plan out what order they're going to eat everything, and I don't feel like the stewardress, passing out stuff all the time. I can't be when I am driving it all alone!

 

Just for future traveling ideas, one thing we do to sleep better in hotels is travel with a small "air purifier" from Walmart. We crank it up on high, and it makes a lovely white noise that muffles all the sounds of a bunch of people all being in the same unfamiliar room. We just spent 3 nights down in VA Beach, with all 9 of us in one hotel room, and everyone slept just fine with the purifier thing being noisy! It's truly one thing I would never leave home without for a big trip with lots of hotel stays.

 

Have a great trip!

[HeidiKC]

I have 3 boys, and last summer they were 9, 5, and 3. We drove to Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills and I think it took us 15 hours, can't remember for sure . We did it in one day on the way there, and two on the way back. I always vote for one day especially if it is "only" 13 hours!

 

It was a wonderful trip and the boys will never forget Mt. Rushmore. There is tons to do there, and if you want me to send you info, let me know. I put together an e-mail recently for my sister-in-law who is thinking about going with her kids and listed a bunch of stuff I thought was (or maybe was not) worth checking out. For instance, in Custer State Park the Visitor Center takes the kids "panning for gold". Of course it is really not big deal, but the kids LOVED it, using authentic gold mining pans in the creek, just like the old-timers did.

 

I HIGHLY recommend audiobooks - but I like them each to have their own headphones, so either a portable CD Walkman, or more likely these days, an MP3 player. You can get a decent one for $50. Then you have beautiful silence in the car and can have a conversation with husband or actually take a nap or think or whatever. And then the kids can stop the story if they want to snooze, etc. And they think it is cool if they can scroll through and choose the book/story to listen to. Another option is a Playaway from the library (preloaded book on mp3 player). Over the years we've taken all kinds of games, toys, books in the car and nothing comes close to the audiobooks for keeping them quiet and occupied. They usually don't even choose to play with the other stuff I've brought anymore. I discovered the audiobook/headphone combo a few years ago on a 10-hour trip. 10 hours of lovely silence, no fighting!

 

Problem sleeping in hotel: buy a sound machine (some clocks even have them) with nature sounds to drown out hallway sounds and to induce sleep. Take this with us whenever we vacation. Never know what kind of neighbors you'll have.

 

Good luck - go for it. Your kids are at a great age for this!

[creekland]

We make longer road trips often and have since our boys were babies. They've grown up with them and love them as much as we do. We don't do electronics in the car either. Instead, my boys have learned to create their own games generally based on the scenery they see. It's been great.

 

One cute story came from my middle son when he was about 8. He was talking with a friend of his... The friend was complaining that they were going to take a long trip to see grandma. My son asked him how long it was. The friend replied, "an hour and a half." My son laughed and told him THAT wasn't a long trip. It couldn't be called a long trip unless it involved at least one night away from home NOT with relatives!

 

One big tip... stop at parks on stretch breaks so the kids can get out and run/play. We adults enjoyed walking around. Picnic lunches are great if the weather cooperates.

[May]

Our dds love a good road trip. Our youngest was 8 months and our oldest 3 years old when we took our first. Since then, they have been across the county 3 times. The last time, they did share a DVD player and they were allowed to watch one movie a day. We always packed alot of snacks, some books and little games they could do in the car. Your dc will have such wonderful memories. Our dc still talk about several of our advertures! Go for it:001_smile:

[Rosy]

I'm so torn, because my dh occasionally travels for his job, and we could go with him. For instance, he has a trip coming up to go to South Dakota, so we could go with him and see Mt. Rushmore. Here are my concerns:

 

It's a 13 hour driving trip. :sad: My dc are okay in the car-just okay. They both get carsick occasionally, so that's a worry.

 

Dd doesn't sleep well in hotels; she will only go to sleep when we do, and even then, it's not great. She gets scared, can't sleep, you name it.

 

2 days to get there, 2 days back. 2 days there. Is it worth it???

 

There's my situation. But, do many of you just say "Let's do it!" and go?

I'm curious.

 

Would it be possible for you guys to do the bulk of the driving in one day? 8-10 hours the first day and 3-5 the second so you have more play time in SD?

 

I would take more trips like that in a heartbeat if I could. We go to the in-laws' house, which is a 5 hour drive (used to be a 7 hour drive, that was a bear with 3 kids 3 and under!). We've been to the Redwoods, and we're going to Yellowstone soon, which will be a 12 hour drive (that we're planning to do in one shot!). We have a DVD player and we get books on tape/CD...though I expect that being in new/different places we'll have plenty entertainment just looking out the window. :)

[mom2jjka]

Yes!

We are in WI, too and we have driven with our kids to Florida (multiple times...it's wher the grandparents live,) Virginia (the Shenandoahs,) and South Dakota. South Dakota was one of our all-time favorite vacations!

[happyWImom]

I do like the audio book idea with them having their own players. We haven't done it before, because we have a dvd player, but that can be a problem. If we go over bumps, it goes out sometimes, and it is loud for dh & I. The idea of sweet silence for hours at a time sounds like heaven.:D

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

I do like the audio book idea with them having their own players. We haven't done it before, because we have a dvd player, but that can be a problem. If we go over bumps, it goes out sometimes, and it is loud for dh & I. The idea of sweet silence for hours at a time sounds like heaven.:D

Can't you get the wireless headphones for your DVD player?

 

We just returned from a round trip from Midwest to FL. I think our max driving time per day is 9 hours. After that, I'm crabby, even if the kids are not. My kids will sleep in the car, but it is not restful sleep and they'll be bears the next morning, so a hotel stay for at least 5-6 hours of sleep per night is a must for us.

 

For long car trips, normal household rules do not apply. They each have a little DVD player so they can each watch a movie (sometimes the boys share since we have a headphone splitter). The minute someone starts getting crabby, we make a very short pit stop. I throw chips at them (little bags of chips) which is a great treat for my kids who ordinarily never get to eat chips. We go through Wendy's drive through and they each get a Jr. Frosty, which is also a treat never experienced at home. This way, they sort of look forward to the trip and instead of remembering the mind-numbing hours of driving, tend to remember the flying chip bags, frosties, and new movies. On the way home this time, we stopped at a grocery store and picked up Redbox movies for all three, then returned them at home the next evening.

 

The bigger problem is how to keep the two adults in the front seat from driving each other crazy. We compromise: Dh doesn't make me listen to talk radio and I don't make him listen to hiphop. We do listen to news and occasionally try to figure out the demographics of the area we're driving through based on available radio stations. We also played the "Would you Rather" game, with the help of the book (caution: adult content, good thing the kids all had headphones on) which was great fun.

[Teachin'Mine]

I would so go!

 

This may sound like a movie I've seen, but have you considered renting an RV to go? May not be cost effective considering the short stay there, but it's an idea. I'm not sure if the motion sickness would be less in one of those or not. Also don't know if your dd would sleep better or not.

 

Even if the trip itself isn't ideal, it will be one that your whole family will remember as far as what you see and all. Is there anyway your husband could take off a couple of days before or after to stretch the trip a bit? This might make it seem more worthwhile and give you more opportunities to see stuff along the way.

[staceyobu]

I took a 5 year old, 2 year old, and six month old on a 10 hour trip BY MYSELF to see my best friend. When the baby was two months old, we made a 11 hour trip (11 hours each way) to see family. Seriously, you can do it. :001_smile:

 

We have DVD players in the car that help. With older kids, I would think you could do portable video games and such to pass the time. My two year old doesn't sleep good on trips usually. I know I'll be exhausted when we get back... but I love to travel... so it's worth it.

 

We went out of town for this past weekend and even my two year old slept great while we were gone. So, you never know.

 

I think ginger helps with car sickness? Isn't it ginger? They even used it on mythbusters and it really works!

 

Go! Have fun! You can do it!!!

[Donna]

We take our kids on long road trips every summer except last year when we went to Ireland instead. We love to drive and camp. The best part is finding those neat spots by accident that turn out to make some of the best family memories...in SD that was Wall Drug and DeSmet (Laura Ingall Wilder Homestead is one of the best family places to visit I've ever been to).

 

We bring along lots of healthy snacks, takes breaks with quick runs around rest areas or stops at neat sights, and bring along small games and toys to keep them busy. My dd tends to get carsick but usually a salty type snack (like pretzels) helps her out.

 

I love planning a trip but I know people who find that almost overwhelming. I think once you do it once you'll want to travel with dh on every trip.

[rookie]

I have driven over 38,000 miles - solo - with my four dc. I pack very lightly, have water and dry (non-messy) snacks in the car and load up on audio books (no toys, no games, no videos for us). For extended stays I rent homes from VRBO instead of hotels because they offer more room, a kitchen, where I can save money cooking, and laundry. Obviously, I am of the "let's go" camp and it has been my favorite part of hsing. We go SEE what we learn about. The dc get used to life on the road if you are just matter-of-fact about it and do it regularly. I am at home waiting for a new baby (#5) to be born. You can be sure I will be on the road again by the time this one is six-months old. We travel in a small SUV.

[Rosie_0801]

I took the kidlets to Central Queensland last year. DD was 2 and ds wasn't one yet. We were on the road for about 8 hours a day for a week and a half. We all survived. I had audio books for company, we'd stop periodically (meaning when we were actually somewhere because there is a lot of nowhere out there) to stretch our legs and have a bite. I was off the road at 5pm each night though, because that was their limit.

 

Rosie

[RoughCollie]

I guess I'll be the lone dissenter. There is no way I would take a long road trip that involved 2/3 of the time traveling and only 1/3 at the destination.

 

I don't care what the attraction awaiting us is -- it is just not worth it to me. I do not enjoy driving that much, and it is even worse when I am a passenger. I think interstate driving is especially boring.

 

My kids have always been good travelers, but they don't enjoy being cooped up in a car for hours on end any more than I do.

 

So, I would make a long trip only if I were staying at the destination for at least twice as long as I would be traveling.

[Mejane]

Only if I'm heavily medicated.

 

:D

 

Seriously, we've done it many times. It's much easier now with the DVD player, as MMM said. I don't particularly like the drive-straight-through stuff. We stop often to stretch and check out the area.

[Caribbean Queen]

I didn't read the responses.

 

NO!

 

My parents took me on those long road trips and my Dad prided himslef on rarely stopping the car. We were all achy and tired for two days after getting to our destination, we had a couple days where we felt alright, and then it was time to get back in the car and go home. Usually we were going to Disney World, and we had to wait in line for 2+ hours for every ride. It wasn't worth it. I don't like traveling because of these experiences.

[Peela]

I dont think I would have done it. We actually stopped all holidays for years because the kids didn't like car travelling- and dh was not patient with their complaining. Eventually we picked up car travelling again when they were teens and they were fine with it.

For me though, its always a holiday when dh goes away. It's not that we don't enjoy him around...its just different when he goes away for a few days. THe normal routines are more flexible- its like having a holiday at home. Its not so noticeable nowadays but when the kids were younger it was quite fun.

But if South Dakota is a place you've always always wanted to visit, and there is something wonderful there to look forward to...I would consider it. Not just for the sake of being with dh though- for me.

[LibraryLover]

Now you've gotten me wanting to plan a road trip!

 

We don''t need much of an excuse to get in the car (ok, mini van lol) and go!! :D It's a great way to be together.

Edited May 12, 2010 by LibraryLover

[newbie]

I guess I'll be the lone dissenter. There is no way I would take a long road trip that involved 2/3 of the time traveling and only 1/3 at the destination.

 

I don't care what the attraction awaiting us is -- it is just not worth it to me. I do not enjoy driving that much, and it is even worse when I am a passenger. I think interstate driving is especially boring.

 

My kids have always been good travelers, but they don't enjoy being cooped up in a car for hours on end any more than I do.

 

So, I would make a long trip only if I were staying at the destination for at least twice as long as I would be traveling.

 

:iagree::iagree:

[Murphy101]

Yes. With some planning ahead we do fine.

 

ETA: I do agree tho that is isn't worth it unless you spend more time there than on the road.

[Gooblink]

I guess every group is going to have its Tiggers and its Eyores. :)

[Mommyof4ks]

We have taken the kids 22 hours a couple of times and 13-15 hours many times in the car, but my kids don't get carsick. That would keep me from going on long trips with them, because I don't do that kind of sick well at all.

[pryde55]

Just did a 13 hour one-way trip to Kennedy Space Center for a shuttle launch (then stayed and did DisneyWorld for a week) at the beginning of April; my husband was traveling on business elsewhere. Two kids (11 yr old son & 7 yr old daughter). I think you should do it. Despite car sickness (keep those plastic grocery bags handy) and the frequent potty breaks, it was worth it.

 

Kids did some reading, but I had also recently bought some VP history CDs that had memorization songs for US history & presidents. They loved them & we avoided the car sickness worries. It was car-schooling! Books on tape/CD (can you say Cracker Barrel?) were great. Just check out somewhere near your home & return them along the way & check out more. Also, journaling the trip (notebook, crayons, markers).

 

For sleeping/hotel issues, I recommend not staying on the first floor -- can be very noisy (had a really bad experience recently). Also consider just turning in when she does. You'll be exhausted from the driving; it does take a lot out of you mentally.

 

If the problem is ambient noise in a strange hotel room, try those soft/squishy ear plugs. When inserted correctly, they really do drown out a lot of noise. How about bringing along a nightlight instead of having to leave the bathroom light/fan on or maybe a CD player with some soft music to lull her to sleep?

 

Mount Rushmore sounds like an awesome trip. What else will you pass along the way?

[TandLMommy28]

We do a 900 mile drive four times a year. We got a Dual Screen DVD player, I bought myself an iPhone so when I'm not driving I can entertain myself and we just... do it. :) It's so much a part of our normal lives that I don't bat an eye at the thought anymore.

[katemary63]

"Let's do it!" and go? I'm curious.

 

:iagree:Yup! Get a portable DVD player and head on out!

FWIW: My DD DOES get car sick, but always manages to have a good attitude on long trips. I think it's because she is so excited and happy. Plus, after the first couple of hours, her symptoms subside. I drove from WI to AR (13 hours) AND BACK about 10 times in 1 year when we were in the process of moving and hadn't sold our WI home yet (By myself with 2 kids),

[happi duck]

We've always loved road trips! I like the idea from a pp about using a sound machine for bedtime. If you start using this at home it might help a hotel feel more "normal", along with a pillow and blanket from home.

 

You might want to look into seeing the Crazy Horse monument in progress. We liked this so much more than Mt. Rushmore.

[creekland]

 

You might want to look into seeing the Crazy Horse monument in progress. We liked this so much more than Mt. Rushmore.

 

True... we liked the Crazy Horse exhibits and Badlands NP + Custer State Park more than we liked Mt. Rushmore, but at least now we can say we've seen Mt Rushmore (twice actually).

 

We actually consider the whole trip - traveling and all - as part of the vacation and sight-seeing, etc, not just the part where we are "there." It really surprised me to hear some people count "vacation time" differently! From here it starts the moment the van backs out of the driveway.

 

And yes, the more you can travel off the interstate the nicer it is for sight-seeing. We do very little via interstate (only around cities or where there's no other option due to bridges, etc), but that will slow you down time-wise (less out west though).

 

I think part of whether one likes road trips or not is in your genes. My Dad brought me up going on long trips from as young as I can remember and I fell in love. Ditto that for my kids. We've been to 49 of the 50 states and the eastern half of Canada and wish we had the money to road trip to Alaska this summer. But whether it's right for you and your kids will depend on whose posts you can relate to better on here. I can't relate at all to anyone who says it's not worth it or they don't like the traveling part. If you do relate with those, my advice is probably not so advisable.

[spradlin02]

In a month my family will load up into a car at 8pm on a Monday night, drive ten hours to Seattle and then immediately board a plane to fly seven hours to Hawaii for a two week vacation. Last June our return trip from Africa was forty-two hours of straight traveling; our four and five year old children were stellar. I do not hesitate to take my family half way around the world - or around the corner - but I do weigh the opportunity cost of time, expenses and experience. Some trips are no-brainers, some require more rationalization; or they simply can't be rationalized.

 

We take five to seven hour weekend driving trips on a fairly regular basis.

 

But personally, I wouldn't do the trip...but of course, that's me. I'd save the time for another trip. Maybe Virgin Galactic.

Edited May 12, 2010 by spradlin02

[TXMomof4]

I would do it in a heartbeat.

In the last 3 years

I've driven the kids *by myself* from TX to Georgia - twice.

Tx to Kansas - twice.

Tx to NM numerous times.

Dh and I drove from TX to DC to VA and back home last fall.

We always drive to grandparents house - from our home in TX to theirs was 6 or 8 hours (depending on who we went to see first).

 

Honestly, I love driving with the kids. I would allow plenty of time. Stop and see things you haven't seen before - even just a roadside park in a pretty area. Make sure you have dramamine - driving the Blueridge Parkway just about did my middle dd in, but the non-drowsy dramamine fixed her up.

 

If we waited to fly everywhere we wanted to go, we'd never go anywhere. Plane tickets, rental cars, hotels, food, etc. would be way too much for a family of 6 to go very often and I love to travel.