Getting The Kids to STOP Asking "Are we there yet?" on Family Vacations

by Janis Brett Elspas

MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

As we continue along Route 66, we keep finding more really cool off the beaten path things to do with my kids that I think other families will enjoy just as much.

Anyone who has ever taken a child on a roadtrip knows the inevitable question kids always seem to ask: "Are we there yet?"  Why not make the journey as much fun as the final destination?  For example, to a typical kid traveling with his/her family, the desert might look boring and monotonous from the highway.  If parents can point out all the jewels scattered along both sides of the highway, kids will have a whole new way of looking through a car window as the world whizzes by.

On those long stretches of open road, here's just the tip of the iceberg of all you can show your kids

• A collage of landscape textures, from varying shades of sand to multi colors of rocks to different types of trees, plants, and other indiginous vegetation
• Native wildlife ranging from birds and animals to insects
• Beautiful sunrises and sunsets
• A multitutde of various types of clouds and formations by day and stars in the sky for as far as the eyes can see by night
• Different sorts of climates, temperature changes, wind variations, and an assortment of weather conditions that include both clear days and storms
• All kinds of road signs and billboards and possibly other man-made structures 

That is why I love the wide open highways of America -- there is always something to look at along the way that I can point out to my kids.  Besides, my children and I also enjoy exploring America's small towns, especially those that offer historic examples of American design and architecture.  It also explains why I've talked so enthusiastically with them while driving and looking for roadside remnants of days gone by.

Watching my kids getting as excited about seeking out these relics as I am, of course, is a blast.  More importantly though, I think what is most fulfilling is the shared experience that results -- adventures and discoveries that we can talk about with each other.  What a way to open up the conversation with one's teens and for us all to learn together in the process!

On this trip, my teens have rarely asked, "Are we there yet?"  Instead, the moment we wake up in our motel each morning they want me to go over a map with them, together deciding where we will be headed for the day. How about you? How do you get your kids excited when traveling by car?  Feel free to leave a comment and share your own ideas below this post.

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Family Roadtrip Continues - Day 2

by Janis Brett Elspas
MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

Spent another awesome day on the road today with the kids along I-40 and Route 66.  So far we've logged about 700 miles total for this roadrip and have driven in three states: California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Our first stop Monday was Bearizona, a one-of-a-kind drive-thru wildlife park near Williams, Arizona (south of the Grand Canyon) right off Route 66.  They're not listed in the major travel guides yet, because they are brand new, currently having a "soft opening" this summer. This is a great time to try out the park, too, as Bearizona has discounted admission fees by 50% for their preview season this summer.  I'm told that they expect to have the official grand opening for the 2011 season..

Wait till you hear about Bearizona's most unusual format -- you drive your own car through some beautiful terrain that has been refashioned as enclosures that mimic the wild habitats of the park's residents, which currently include wild burros, Big Horn Sheep, North American Black Bears, Bison, Wolves and other exotic animals. They even have a pair of darling bear cubs named Kona and Coco as well as some wolf pups Little Thunder, Geronimo and Victorio that you can see really close-up once you are out of your car right next to the giftshop on your way out of the park. 

According to one Bearizona employee that my kids asked, all the adult animals in the drive-thru section were all raised in captivity so they are not aggressive.  We also learned none of the juvenilles was born here -- all the little ones are rescues from shelters for exotic animals.

Here you see my family and I at the beautifully landscaped visitor's center at the end of our drive through Bearizona. 

All I have to do is get my 14 year-old son who doubles as this blog's IT Director to show me how to use this new PC laptop and help me edit and post the pictures and video footage we got at this great family stop and I'll be adding some more pictures to this post.  My four teens can't stop talking about how much fun this stop was. 

It's only day two and already we've chalked up more stories to tell you about Route 66 than I'll have time to write about while traveling. So be sure to stay tuned as I talk about these fun experiences in future posts.  For sure, this historical highway has been fascinating both for me (a baby boomer) and my kids, who really enjoy old-fashioned things like black and white movies and vintage motels (and of course they love road trips, too, because it's in their genes). 

As for dear old mom, our stop earlier today in Winslow, Arizona was particularly thrilling for me as I was a college student in the 70s when The Eagles hit song "Standing On The Corner" was first released.  Pictured is how that landmark corner looks today, where Eagles music plays over the loud speaker at one of the town's shops, creating an atmosphere that is truly authentic. 

My kids did well getting into character for these shots, didn't they?

Till Tomorrow, Happy Trails from Gallup, New Mexico

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Historic Route 66 from California to Arizona - Family Roadtrip Day 1

by Janis Brett Elspas

MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

 

Our Family SUV Loaded & Ready to Go

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Though we didn't leave the coast till 2 pm Sunday, I still drove 350 miles to Kingman, Arizona yesterday.  Except for stunning desert views along the Interstate and the abandoned remains of Highway 66 which ran along side of it, there wasn't much to see.  

In the days ahead we will be exploring what does remain of the Mother Road, one of the most famous stretches of highway in the world, since more and more remnants of days gone by will be popping up along the roadside as we progress eastward which I'll be blogging about.

Our goal at the outset of this trip was to get out of California as fast as possible  because we hope to travel 6000 or more miles within the next four weeks, so everything is progressing nicely.  The high point of our day yesterday was literally the outdoor temperature as we crossed the very blue Colorado River into Arizona -- believe it or not it was a flaming 114 degrees at 7 in the evening just an hour or so before sunset!

Some Family Packing Advice

Traveling lightly on these family roadtrips definitely has its advantages.  For one, it makes it possible to fit everything into the cargo area of an SUV like ours, so mom or dad doesn't need to injure their back hoisting luggage on or off the rooftop rack.  It also makes it so much easier for kids -- even younger ones -- to help unload the car at the end of each day when everything is easier (and safer) to reach.

Mid-century Classic Police Car, Kingman Police Station, AZ

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

When you are able to back right in to the front door of your room like we did at Days Inn right on Historic Route 66 in Kingman last night -- unpacking is almost fun.  

I just love roadside motels like the ones in small American towns, they are so homey and charming. We typically don't make reservations because I like to see the place before I inquire about room availability.  At just $49 for a very nice room, with 2 queen beds plus a generous breakfast included, the Kingman accommodations we settled on were a real find considering that something similiar would go for upwards of $200/night back in L.A.

This post took longer than usual to write as I'm learning to use a new PC laptop -- quite challenging since I'm tradtionally an Apple desktop and laptop user.  We're packed and ready to hit the road, so I'm logging off for now.  Happy Trails to you until we meet again here.

FTC Disclosure:  MommyBlogExpert did not receive any compensation, either in the form of products, services, or cash payment related to this post.  See complete FTC disclosure information at the bottom of this and every page on this blog.