The retro family roadtrip is back!

We moved to NJ for 3 years and despite all the negatives that brought us back home to Southern California - the biggest positive for my family were our roadtrips! With the less congested roads and abundance of places to go/things to see, we found ourselves taking road trips almost every weekend (weather permitting). Everywhere from a day trip into Philly to explore the city to a game of "how many states can we drive through and still be home by bed time?" (answer: NJ, PA, DE, MD)!! Stopping at little roadside stops, farms and stores in Amish Country, historical landmarks...what a blast! I think one of our most memorable trips was down to visit my Grandpa in Alabama - 2 days to drive down and a week to visit with the 'Bama family. We still talk about that trip and look at our pictures with such happiness.

Thanks for the memory trip, Rachel! Hope you're feeling good...you're coming up on your due date pretty soon, right?

Take Care!
Sam

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Wow, your post brought me right back to a road trip I made as a kid from Mass. to Florida, my brother & I rode the whole way in the very back trundle seat of our family station wagon...long before portable video games/DVDs. As a matter of fact, I think we spent most of the trip attempting to burp the alphabet.


This past October, we packed up our own 4 kids in our van & went on a late fall surf trip down to the Outer Banks (14 hours). We did the drive in one day and made some amazing stops along the way. Our kids talk as much about the drive as they do their week in North Carolina!

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You know that even though your 5 year old said he'll never forget Chuck E. Cheese now, in 15 years, he's going to remember how you all went together as a family and shared in that experience.

I went on one road trip when with my family--from San Antonio up to Lubbock when I was about 13 (20 years ago). I remember it, because my mom encouraged me to keep a journal as we trekked across Texas. We didn't have a videocamera, but we remember it because of my journal.

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Hi Rachel,

I've always wondered what happened to you after Road Rules all stars. I've been a "fan" (haha) of yours since the RW SF. It's funny I was watching you that long ago. Finally I saw a short clip of you, Sean and your little ones on RW awards bash. When you said you work for aol living, I decided to google your name and your website came up with all the cute video's about your little ones and just parenting in general. I found it really interesting. I don't have kids of my own yet but I can't wait to have some of my own, even though they can be a hand full. I love kids!

Just out of curiosity, do you watch that show Jon and Kate plus 8? When you took that all american road trip, it reminded me of that show as well. Traveling with little ones and how to make the best of it, mostly making memories for your kids.

Oh yah, totally off topic but your birthday is one day after mines which was so cool! Just letting you know, you're so pretty and I'm glad you and Sean are doing GREAT!

Take care and congrats on your newest addition to the family.

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I thought it was so cute what your son said about Chuck E Cheese. My daughter is three, and last fall we took her on her first vacation to Disney World. We saved and planned for a year to coordinate with other family members since we live so far away and never get to see anyone. For 2-1/2 weeks she was doted on non-stop by aunts, cousins, grandmothers, and we spent an entire week at Disney. A few days after we got back her dance teacher asked her where she went on her trip, and she replied, "Florida. And then I came home to play with my toys!" (Well, at least we know the toys were money well spent...LOL!)

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Road trips are very special to me and I love taking them with my three kids. One of my favorite memories growing up was seeing the big orange GA peach driving from NY to FL. I have not taken my kids to see that yet but I will one day!! For now it's the Big Bay Bridge in MD going to the shore to find blue crabs! Road trips are the way to go...I just wish the gas prices weren't so high!!!

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I have some great road trip memories from my childhood. I remember one year my parents, grandparents and I all traveled all the way up the East Coast to visit my other grandparents. Seat belt / car seat laws not being quite the same thirty years ago, I remember the fun I had using the floorboard of the backseat as my own personal traveling "office".
Now, as my husband and I pack up three kids and tons of gear for our yearly road trips to various locations, we always marvel at the fact that *we* are the parents now and are actually running the show. :)

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We love road trips with our children too. Sometimes the time in the car is where our most important talks happen. We also love to show our children much of areas we wouldn't have otherwise seen.

Some of the car trips we have taken to date:
Michigan to Florida
Alabama to Las Vegas
Michigan to Alabama
Michigan to North Carolina

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