There is absolutely nothing like being on the open road. Unknown or known routes can be exciting, interesting, thrilling, educational and relaxing all at the same time. To be completely honest I want to hit the road tomorrow morning, leave our things behind and take the kids on an adventure of a lifetime. (I’ll probably let them pack their LEGOs) Ideally we would take a year to travel back and forth across the nation.
You too? It sounds fun doesn’t it? Yes but there’s more to it than buying an RV, locking the door behind you and getting out of Dodge. Believe me, I’ve looked into the logistics. While it’s still an unrealized goal there are principles in place within the dream that we’ve incorporated in our children’s travels.
Before explaining those principles let me explain why we have the big dream of living on the road:
1. Exploring God’s creation – Yes we teach the children that God created the universe. We also teach the children that even though the world is cursed because of man’s sin, the Earth is still a wondrous, beautiful and amazing place to live. From the deserts out West to the forest and mountains of the East and everything in between, these United States are spectacular and worth seeing.
2. History – We’ve been to numerous historical points across the nation. Some stick with the kids more than others, but it’s a great thing when the children remember a spot along our travels that coincides with their studies. It’s cool when they can say ‘I’ve been there!’
3. Learn to be flexible travelers – Road living, traveling abroad or regular day trips can teach children how to be flexible and adapt to any situation. Road side emergencies, missed reservations, closed attractions and on and on, are all life lessons the road can teach. (Yes I know they can learn this without living on the road, but being a versatile traveler is a skill only honed by actually traveling.)
4. Fostering a wanderlust spirit – My husband and I want our kids to know there’s more to this world than their small town life. If they are curious about this planet, its people, its God, its purpose, its plan, its destiny they will want to be a part of it, not by just existing but by experiencing.
Why we love road trippin’
Now that you know the reasons for the dream, here’s how we tackle each year we are not living on the road – road tripping.
So far the kids have visited 30 states plus Washington D.C., countless National Parks, historic sites, monuments and museums. Our original goal for the family is to visit all 50 states before the oldest child is 18. She will soon be 10, so we have 8 years to hit the remaining 20 states.
The plan is to continue that goal, but it would be great if we could tweak it a bit. The tweak is to complete the original goal as soon as possible, then venture abroad with the children. Imagine a Dedman version of Amazing Race – yep that’s what’s in my head as I dream about the future, without all the arguing and driving manual transmission cars.
Plans for this site
So we’ve visited 30 states over the past few years as a family. We’ve done a lot of things in each state which is why I’ll be working on a list of activities, attractions and ways to save as you visit the states on our list. If you’re a big road tripper or just starting out, hopefully you’ll find something useful from the directory.
As I compile information, I’ll compile a guide for each state you can easily access.
State-by-state info example:
Kentucky – Family friendly spots in Bowling Green, Louisville, Lexington, Creation Museum, Petersburg and more.
Nevada – How to visit Boulder City, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead with kids.
Pennsylvania – Hershey’s Park, Valley Forge National Historic Site, Philadelphia and more.
Texas – Glenrose Dinosaur Valley State Park, Cadillac Ranch, Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens, Ft. Worth museums, George Bush Center and more.
You get the picture. Oh yeah, and I’ll include pictures of these places.
Even if road tripping isn’t in your budget it, (right now it’s not in ours) it’s still good to dream, plan and have goals. I haven’t forgotten mine, don’t forget yours.
