You might be thinking us insane. "A road trip with a preschooler! But what about bathrooms, strange beds, all the packing, and the picky eating habits? Are we there yet?!"
Technology, honestly, is a lifesaver. It's easy to find the nearest rest areas or, in absolute emergencies, restaurants and gas stations. (Don't pass a rest stop, no matter how many times he swears he doesn't need it. It's a trap!) That also means it's easier to find familiar foods for the more 'discerning' child (Google Maps was our go to), and we brought along a few non-perishable snacks and a cooler for easy picnics from the grocery store when the pickings were scarce. We also tried the trick of saving a couple cheap puzzles as surprises for our son along the way. These worked great for awhile, but he soon lost interest. He asked about a million times what time we would get to the hotel, where was it, what would we have to eat, where would we sleep, would there be elevators, and why weren't we just headed straight to Grandma's. Then I surrendered and let him watch movies on my computer. (Yes, I know, his brain is now ruined forever. Thanks.)
As for the packing? Yeah, completely insane. There was so much, I decided to pack it into bags according to the stage of our trip that we would need it, so that we wouldn't have to drag everything out at each hotel. This worked pretty well, but it did require a lot of pre-planning.
I knew Savannah would be tricky with a child since it's not exactly the first place anyone thinks of for family travel, but there are few good things to be found. My son loved the playground at Forsyth Park, which was so enormous, he could only stare at it for several moments with his mouth hanging open. (There are two, one for the younger set and one for older children) The downtown bus and tram are a great way to get around, along with free entertainment for the preschool set. For dinner, if you're in the mood to splurge, I'd definitely recommend the Pirate House. They really put in the extra effort to welcome families, including kids menus that have non-alcoholic versions of the adult drinks, and, when the ordering is done, they turn into pirate hats, eye patches, and treasure. The food is great, and, if your kids are a little older, they also have guided tours of the historic building in which the restaurant is located. We did, however, casually guide our son back to the quiet of the hotel pool after dinner, as the booze tours began to hit full swing. Bar hopping from a bike-powered cart is apparently a thing, and the scene became less appealing for those of us with tiny human parrots. (How do you stay on those things, anyway, and not spill your drinks all over your neighbors? Is that how you know when you've hit your limit?)
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| The Playground for young children at Forsyth Park |
Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina was breathtakingly beautiful. I'd recommend hitting the more popular sites first (those closest to the roadside), since it's also pretty busy during the summer. We did the opposite, choosing a few hiking trails first. By the time we visited Looking Glass Falls the stairs were overcrowded, making it difficult for our little one to climb down to the observation platform. There are several quiet, well maintained picnic areas when your family is ready for a break. (There are also plenty of those very important restrooms.) When you and your family have had enough hiking, you can pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway from inside the park for some incredible views from the comfort of your vehicle.
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| Looking Glass Falls |
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| This guy was a lot more determined to get a tourist-free photo of the falls. I'd totally have gone there for you, but, you know, I didn't want my son to follow me up there and all |
We had a great time, but the sheer distance of our trip (a side effect of our son's desire to be left at Grandma's house in Indiana for his first sleepover) was too exhausting. If you're considering a road trip with your family, I'd recommend a shorter distance, or more time, if you're ambitious, so that you can spend a couple days at each stop and give everyone a break from the road. Reservation-free is also a good way to go, so that the trip can be changed when needed. The day you want to move on to a different location, you can check travel sites to find hotels with available rooms. Booking a few hours before hand won't give you a wealth of choices, but you can sometimes get good deals. If you book much more in advance, a little hiccup in your schedule can lead to big problems down the line.
In short, a road trip with small children can be done, but you'll have to be flexible. Everyone can have a great time, but the word 'relaxing' won't necessarily be one that comes to mind. If that's more your speed, walk away from the road map and head straight for a vacation rental!
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