| The best family road trip ever is—impossible. I | | | | if funds are limited, “shoppers” in the |
| have been a seasoned journalist specializing in travel | | | | family should know exactly how much is budgeted for |
| writing for the past 13 years and author of | | | | souvenirs.• One special thing should be planned for |
| Consummate Connecticut: Day Trips with Panache | | | | every family member. This way, everyone has |
| (Cat Tales Press, 2006). My professional globetrotting | | | | something to look forward to. For instance, when we |
| days began, accompanied by my husband, collectively | | | | drive to Bar Harbor, Maine, a detour is made to get a |
| transporting my infant son (today 13) in a back carrier. | | | | scoop of lobster ice cream for our son Marshall.• |
| A year later we had a baby girl in tow! One of the | | | | There are tons of books, games, tapes and videos for |
| golden rules in traveling with children, particularly under | | | | car travel. The best ‘travel kit’ I ever saw |
| 10, is two activities a day; preferably one in the morning | | | | was created by our town’s (Easton, CT) library |
| and one in the afternoon. As a family travel writer, we | | | | director, Bernadette Baldino. Other libraries have these |
| did an average of 15 activities a day—this was | | | | kinds of travel totes for children available on loan. If |
| in the days when infant-designated parking spaces in | | | | your library doesn’t loan such travel kits, make |
| parking lots and baby diaper changing stations in | | | | your own using Bernadette’s kits as prototypes, |
| men’s restrooms didn’t exist. The good | | | | filled with things like clipboards, crayons/markers, |
| thing was, we really learned how to survive a road | | | | coloring books and classic games.• The best |
| trip—the hard way.What amounted from the | | | | games are the simple, creative games. Let’s |
| hundreds of road trips that we took as a family was | | | | see who can spot an out-of-town license plate. (Once |
| the many practical things that continue to help us in our | | | | an out-of-town license plate is spotted, you ask the |
| rigorous travels to this day.Frankly, we learned the | | | | kids what the capital of the state is!) My never-ending, |
| hard way. On one of our earliest road trips, driving to | | | | best game ever? One person thinks of a person, |
| Virginia Beach, we accidentally booked one of the | | | | place or thing and the others take turns trying to guess |
| seediest motels you could ever find in Delaware. Of | | | | it by asking “yes” or “no” |
| course, we didn’t stay, but it wasn’t fun | | | | questions.• Kids should realize that snacks are to |
| finding a hotel on the same night that some sort of | | | | satisfy hunger; not to stop or change uncomfortable |
| funky convention was in town and available rooms | | | | emotions, fatigue or boredom. (For those cranky or |
| were far and few. And it was much later in the night | | | | bored kids see prior tip.) We all know what healthy |
| than it should have been, because our “short | | | | snacks are—fruits, veggies, lots of bottled water. |
| cut” earlier that day had added on two hours to | | | | What I recommend is a lunchbox for each child. This |
| our trip!The most important thing is that in terms of a | | | | not only gives the child a sense of control, but also |
| road trip, labels like “best,” | | | | gives him or her a bit more distraction fumbling for |
| “ultimate,” “finest” should be | | | | food during a car trip!• Always, absolutely always |
| avoided. When we preplan family trips with | | | | carry a ball and Frisbee in the trunk for those |
| over-the-top expectations, we can set ourselves up. | | | | impromptu times when exercise will benefit all |
| Yes, smooth trips accomplished without a hitch are | | | | passengers.• If something negative happens, |
| possible. However, usually, something goes wrong, | | | | don’t label it “bad.” Once after |
| even if it’s dealing with one cranky toddler for a | | | | arriving at our hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, our tired |
| couple hours. I’m not saying to hit the road, | | | | Maxwell clan encountered the road blocked with a |
| thinking, awww, this is going to be terrible. I’m | | | | tractor trailer and cars. As it later turned out, Jimmy |
| saying, hit the road, not thinking in black- and-white | | | | Buffet and his band were staying at the hotel. After a |
| terms, but in the gray areas. If possible, as my husband | | | | twenty-minute delay, we finally reached the lobby to |
| always says, ‘don’t expect anything and | | | | find it swarming with the country singer’s |
| you won’t be disappointed.’Meanwhile, to | | | | entourage. Right when things could have gotten |
| help iron out a few of the bumps that a family can run | | | | heated, I said, “It’s an adventure!” |
| into, here are some pointers:• Avoid surprises later | | | | From that time on, every trip, no matter what |
| and depart with everyone knowing, generally, what to | | | | happened, a positive light was shined on everything by |
| expect. This only happens with adequate time allotted | | | | exclaiming: “It’s an |
| for preplanning and research. Before a trip, even two | | | | adventure!”Award-journalist Stacy Lytwyn |
| year olds can look at photos of the destination over | | | | Maxwell's web site is She offers a free e-newsletter |
| the internet or on brochures that give them a sense of | | | | offering other nifty kinds of advice for travelers--on |
| familiarity. Communication is also the key. For instance, | | | | and "off" the road! |