Travel with small kids is a lot of work. There is so much to think about it can be overwhelming. Running into travel delays, the unknowns, and bad weather was just inconvenient when I was in my 20’s without kids. But with kids along, it can be enough to ruin the trip.
When my kids were small, I did not see the value in traveling anywhere overnight much less for longer trips. It felt heavy and hard. I had lost my sense of adventure and replaced it with fear. I had no desire to leave my safe bubble, end up carsick, spend way too much money, and come home exhausted. I was a cautious homebody.
But then I pushed past my fear and we took our first big RV trip. We drove from Arizona to Texas for a family event in a rented RV. And we loved it. We were total newbies to the RV life but we discovered the freedom in that type of travel.
Changing My Mindset:
I realized that I was missing something important. I was missing valuable learning and growth.
I needed out of my comfort zone. Being in new places with natural beauty was the tool to bring me back to myself.
I needed adventure and a new perspective.
“A vacation is when you go somewhere exotic and expect to be served. An escape from your life.
An adventure is where you go looking to see new things, learn new things, and grow as a person.”
I don’t know about you all, but I want an adventure, not a vacation. With a vacation mindset, I expect to be cared for by others and I have a very selfish attitude.
On an adventure, when something unexpected happens, I just think of it as “part of the experience”. The hard stories that I will tell later are just as fun as the silly memories. I now see obstacles as a way to grow, learn new things, and be creative.
I am no longer dependent on things going well or just as I had planned. I am focused on my attitude in the midst of what is happening. I do my best to plan and prepare, but then I let go of the outcome.
So you may ask yourself:
- Traveling anywhere is a lot of work. Is it worth it?
- Why does travel matter?
- What does travel teach us?
RV Travel Eases My Concerns:
Because of my experiences, I now believe that RV travel is the best way to make family memories. I feel secure and relaxed. I am able to enjoy the trip and make the most of our time traveling.
For the planner like me, you can prepare ahead of time for what you will need. I can pack a variety of foods, supplies, and clothing. When we are traveling I have everything from swimsuits to jackets, fresh veggies to boxes of mac and cheese. We can stop and make lunch with the food in our fridge and pantry. We can pull over and the kids can take naps.
For the homebody, you have your home with you everywhere you go. At night we have the mattress we are used to sleeping on, our favorite pillows, all our toiletries in the bathroom, and a pantry stocked with our favorite snacks. I know where everything is. On travel days, I can go get a special blanket or a card game for the ride. Taking a bathroom stop is simple and does not evolve gross public toilets.
For the cautious person, you can make adjustments to where you are going and what you are doing in the moment. If somewhere does not feel safe you can keep driving. If a storm comes through then you can travel in a different direction. You can travel as far as you want to, you have flexibility and control.
For the person who loves productivity, your time is spent well. At the beginning of the trip, you set up and stock everything you need one time. There is no unloading cars in hotel parking lots and carrying bags up elevators. You do not have to check in with all your kids running around the hotel lobby. Camp set up and tear down can be efficient and specific to where you are staying. The longer you travel the better your systems will be.
For the family on a budget, RV travel can be half the price of most family vacation packages. We have spent the same amount on a 4 day trip to Legoland in California as we did a 2 week RV trip to Colorado. We plan our trip to maximize the unique experiences while also keeping expenses as low as possible.
Questions for reflection:
- What about you? What areas make you cringe when you think of travel with kids?
- What is your favorite way to make memories with your kids?
- How do you prepare for a trip to have what you need?
- What parts of home do you miss when you are away? How can you bring that with you?
- When do you want to have flexibility and control in your travel? How would RV travel give you that?
- The longer you travel the better your systems will be. What lists can you make to ease the travel planning?
- As you go on your trip write out what is working and what is not. How can you make changes?
- How are you keeping expenses as low as possible? What free activities can you do?
- Where can you go without paying an entrance fee?
- Do you have activities that you can do that cost very little?
- When you go on a trip do you have a vacation mindset or an expectation of adventure?
- What experiences do you want your kids to have?
- What do you want to see? What national parks are calling your name?
I am so thankful that I left my comfort zone. I still get carsick and come home exhausted. But, pushing past my fear has given me so much freedom. I have learned so many things. My kids have experienced so much from RV travel. The lessons we have learned on the road have been valuable.
(You can read more about that here: Personal Growth in Family Travel – Lesson Learned)
I hope that something here will encourage you to try RV travel.
Revive your adventurous spirit and try it!
Happy Traveling! – April
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