7 Tips for Family Day trips
Are the kids restless? How about you? It might be time for a change in routine or scenery. Day trips are a wonderful and often inexpensive option to family vacations, and the possibilities are endless.
1. Plan On It: Make getting out of the house and away a priority. Part of making day trips happen is commitment. Set aside one day of the month that you can regularly stick to, like the last Saturday of every month. Discuss it with all family members and add it to the calendar.
2. Brainstorm Ideas: Explore the options. Be sure to consider and include your children's preferences and interests. Consider indoors and outdoors options. My kids range in ages of nineteen down to ten, two girls and two boys. Their interests are vast and ever changing as they age. We've traveled a few hours to explore zoos and museums, fish or kayak, walk through an auto show, ride a train into a large city for the purpose of seeing a specific exhibition or enjoying a cultural festival, learn about the Thoroughbred horse, watch cows being milked and cheese being made, walk and roll down the hot sand dunes and much more.
3. Keep a Binder: You'll likely find that you travel within a few hours radius, as we do. I keep a binder with section dividers so that I can include information about the areas we frequent, mindful of free admittance days and special events and festivals. I am on the mailing list for surrounding counties' event planners, which I keep with my binder.
4. Think Local: With gas prices continuing to rise, consider a day trip within an hour of Naples. Options increase during the summer months, when the majority of kids are out of school. We take advantage of what local communities offer by checking out their websites and links.
5. Think Seasonal: My kids love to hike and picnic. One recurring excursion we take is to state parks, where the entrance fee is nominal. We pack food, snacks and drinks for the day, along with plenty of blankets to sit and nap on, as well as some cards, sketchpads and colored pencils.
6. Remember Your Diaper Bag Era: Perhaps you still are using a diaper bag. My diaper bag was a great "training" ground for always being prepared. It was packed and in the car at all times. I know I relied on mine well past the time I needed it, adjusting it to more of a toddler bag, then a kids "go-to" bag. I still carry a bag in the car year-round. I also have a first-aid kit with bug repellant and sunscreen (make sure everything is replenished and updated), gallon sized bags and wipes for mishaps, as well as old towels and a few umbrellas.
7. Make the Most of Your Time: We're up and away first thing in the morning, often deciding on our destination as we pull out of the driveway. I check my tires, fluids, and gas up the car the evening before. My kids keep packed backpacks in their closets. So, we move out as soon as they've dressed and brushed their teeth. Sometimes we just grab breakfast on the way to our destination, as an extra "treat."
Judy M. Miller is a freelance writer with four children, who love waking up and hearing they have 30 minutes to get ready for an adventure. She is the author of What To Expect From Your Adopted Tween.