It seems like forever ago already but in all reality, we just got back from our first family road trip on Wednesday evening. It was one packed week of craziness but for one of the few times in our vacationing history (mainly without kids), it actually went fairly smoothly. We even visited the “scene of the crime” where on our honeymoon our car died and we fought – Fredericksburg, West Virginia was definitely hotter in early August 2001. Sheer bravery to go back there I can tell you that. 5 hours into our first leg of the trip my husband said those words I always thought I wanted to hear, “I don’t think I’m a road-tripper after all.” YES! Yes and amen…..oh wait, I’m already planning our next family road trip. Oops.
Our first destination was Cedar Point Amusement Park for Bloggy Con 2013 and the start our our family vacation. Lesson number one in “lessons learned” is that 6 hours of travel with kids is bearable if you know you are stopping after 6 hours. Other than that, no way, no how. Just stop the car now. You’ll PRAY they sleep, even if you aren’t a praying person. It’s either that or be like wagons west and off load some extra weight. (just joking people, just joking.)
Did I ever tell you one of the things I hate most is the thought of taking my kids to an amusement park besides Sesame Place? That’s another story but short story is that Sesame Place is the perfect size and set up with kids. The huge busy-ness of most theme parks with the crowds make me a nervous wreck when there are lights, people going every direction, noise, and just way too much going on. Let’s just throw a few zombies in why don’t we and add to the fun this weekend?
Over our first family road trip we experienced many “firsts”, made lots of memories, made new friends, and met up with old for the first or second time. We truly loved every moment, er, except for a few – like driving 10 hours with only 2 20 minute stops and several run around the car stops. My husband said he was going to run in the parking lot at one point to which I said I would laugh hysterically. Who wouldn’t? 1 AM in a remote truck stop with this crazy man running around? He didn’t do it. What a bummer.
We “roughed it” camping in the rain. We stayed in a really nice hotel with a Wii. We started by laughing our way through an amusement park without care, took a walk way back to the beginning of time in the middle, and ended with a sobering walk through one of our worst battlefields. This week we share our first family road trip with you. Buckle up, grab your map GPS and come along for the ride.
It looks like a great trip, saved the info for future options!
Ha, we’re heading on a 6 hour road trip this weekend actually! But in a different direction. 😉 My kids can handle a 9 hour trip but ONLY if we’re heading to OBX. Looks like you had a great trip, looking forward to hearing more about it!
I’ve never been to Cedar Point of Sesame Place. I really think my daughter would be into Sesame Place now
My father in law is always trying to get us to visit battlefields and go camping!… Ill have to email this to him! First, I think I’ll check out Sesame Place with my kids… will tackle the battlefields another time 🙂 Glad you had a nice trip!
Sesame Place is starting Spooktacular. It is a great non-scary time of year when so many other things are scary. I actually did a post last year and my non-Halloween family still had fun. Battlefields and camping are great in small amounts.
Now this looks like a fun trip! My husband actually wanted to go to Cedar Point and I wanted to go to the conference, but wouldn’t you know – it was the exact weekend my niece got married! Oh well, next year!
Save the date! Cedar Point again – September 12-14. 🙂
This made me laugh because my family (cousins) LOVE road trips that include any sort of battlefield visit!
Haha. I count it toward school. It is so good for kids to get a grasp of our history and so much easier to envision when they walk there, read the strategy and picture it out and touch things that were part of it.