Long bus trips and little kids

[JumpyTheFrog]

We'll be taking a 600 mile trip this summer. The kids are 5 and 2 and driving is out because we have to stop every 1 1/2 hours, no matter what we do. DH also hates how tiring all the driving is. The kids are active and not known for being the most quiet.

 

Would you:

 

-accept free plane tickets from relatives, even though DH HATES dealing with the TSA

 

- take the $160 (total, for everyone) bus tickets and take Megabus from 1:30am -5:30pm

 

-drive over two days, which would cost $160 in gas plus motel rooms

 

-spend $1300 on train tickets (we did this at Christmas, when the 2 year old was still free) to get a sleeper car

 

Poll to follow

[stripe]

Is there anything you want to do on the way?

[Aggie]

Make it a 2 day drive. Stop early the first day at a hotel with a pool.:001_smile:

[JumpyTheFrog]

Is it too late to add a poll?

[2squared]

I take a 500 mile roadtrip with my crew every summer. My best drives follow this strategy on the way there:

1) Put dc from bed to car seat and feed them breakfast in the van.

2) Stop for restroom and snack mid-morning.

3) Stop for lunch at a McDonald's play place.

4) Stop for restroom and snack mid-afternoon.

5) Stop driving before dinner. Eat dinner and have the dc swim for as long as possible before bedtime.

6) Finish the drive in the morning (usually only a couple hours).

 

On the way back I go straight through since dh can put them to bed when I return.

[stripe]

Just since you seemed to prefer not driving, I'll ask--

 

* can you ride the megabus leaving in the afternoon? I think it would be hard for kids to board at 1 am but easier if they could sleep when already on the bus

* how long is the train ride? Could you save money by not using the sleeper, if it weren't so long? Not sure if that would work out though on a 600 mile trip.

 

I've only driven with my kids on similar length trips. I took my kids on a 6 hr bus ride when traveling and it was okay but any longer would have required more creativity on my part.

[Mama Geek]

If it were me I would say no to the bus or train. I don't have a problem with flying or driving either one. With it only being 600 miles it isn't worth the hassle of flying to me. By the way I just drove 1500 miles over 4 days with dd, puppy dog and my mom.

[JudoMom]

We drive everywhere--we usually make at least one 18 hour (one way) trip each year, if not two (our parents live in different states). However, if we were given plane tickets, I'd really consider flying as long as transportation at the destination wasn't going to be an issue (we'd have to rent a mini van, since no one we'd be visiting has a 7 passenger vehicle we could borrow).

[lmrich]

I would fly. Is there a problem with you accepting the tickets as a gift? or just that you don't like the hassels of flying?

[Farrar]

If I had a good relationship with the relatives, I'd take the free tix and tell dh to get over it.

 

If not, I'd suck it up and take megabus. I've never done a Megabus ride that far and it's not as nice as Amtrak, but it's really not a bad way to travel.

[stripe]

How about if you fly with the kids and your husband takes the bus?

 

Okay. Well. Maybe that's dumb.

 

Personally I'd rather drive than take a short plane ride. I hate the TSA nonsense and I always get queasy on the short flights, and it's not clear you save much time with getting early to the airport and so on.

[Impish]

I took an 8 hr bus ride when my eldest was 7, and Diva was 6 mths.

 

Never. Ever. Again.

[abreakfromlife]

I would just drive and not stop that often. I don't understand the stopping every 90 min no matter what. It's not that long of a car ride. I would leave at 7 am and would get there around 7pm. I would only stop for lunch and a mid afternoon stop. Easy peasy. We do it all the time.

[Wheres Toto]

We took the auto train from Virginia to Florida when oldest dd was 13, ds was almost 2 and I was 9 months pregnant with younger dd. We did not get a sleeper car and it was 16 hours if I remember correctly. It was great and even dh, who flies all the time for work, said he would do it again before flying with the kids. Lots of leg room in your seats, able to get up and walk around the train, lounge car to hang out in, decent meals, able to bring snacks and games. DD had a laptop that we brought along and we were able to get a seat with a plug so they could watch movies on it. DS slept in his car seat sitting on the floor in front of dd's seat (she sleeps all curled up even now). Not a lot of privacy but the bathrooms were large and clean and non of us had any trouble sleeping.

 

I've never taken a bus on a long trip but unless it's very different from the regular tour buses, I don't think I'd want to do it. Too cramped, no ability to move around.

 

I also wouldn't go with driving since ds, older dd and I all get car sick on long trips. None of us would be able to read, color or play any kinds of games in the car without getting sick.

[reet3]

Would it be possible to start at 4 a.m. or so, and split the driving duties with your husband? Then you could do it in one day. I've never driven that length with my own kids, but that's the way my sister with 5 kids handled long trips. The advantage of leaving so early is that they sleep for 3 or 4 hours of the trip and by the time they wake up the trip isn't quite so long.