Growing up on a farm, my family became very good at day trips. Dairy farmers are married to the cows and the land and it took a lot of work and effort to be gone, for just an afternoon, not to mention a whole night away. And with eating out, hotels, and activities, vacations could break the bank fast.
So my family perfected the art of the day trip.
Now, in my adult life with kids of my own, and my husband and I having spent nearly two years traveling and living all around the USA, our day trip game is still going strong.
Here are a few tips and ideas for making day trips part of your family’s summer of fun:
1. Google your area. Go and see all the cool things two to three hours away. Or involve your kids and let them choose one or two things each they would like to go and see this summer and add it to a family bucket list.
Here is a list of places we have visited within the past few years. These are just a few of the hundreds of options in our area to visit. I’ve broken them down by an approximate amount of time you’ll need to get there.
One hour or less:
Kelley’s Canyon, St. Anthony Sand Dunes, Warm River, Bear World, Rexburg Rapids, Island Park, Civil Defense Caves.
Two Hours or Less:
Lava Hot Springs, Craters of the Moon, Jackson Hole, Salmon, Driggs, West Yellowstone, Yellowstone, Blackfoot Reservoir, Massacre Rocks State Park, Mesa Falls.
Three to Four Hours or Less:
Little City of Rocks – Gooding, Bear Lake, Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana, Bozeman Hot Springs, Virginia City and Nevada City – Montana ghost towns, Niagara Springs State Park in Wendell, Shoshone Ice Caves, City of Rocks, Anderson Ranch Reservoir, hike Independence Lakes in Oakley, Salt Lake City, Drive the beautiful scenic highway 191 to Livingston Montana, Lake Cleveland.
2. Be spontaneous. Take a drive through the mountains in any direction, stop for a picnic, throw rocks in the water, fish, or hike, etc.
3. Look up all the local state parks in our area or state. There are so many interesting and historical places to visit in our great state. I have only touched on a few of them.
4. Pack a picnic and blanket (just in case). That picnic has come in handy so many times as we have traversed random mountain roads with no fast food in sight for miles. It also allows you more freedom and keeps the kids much happier.
5. Enjoy the ride. Sometimes the trip is more about the journey than any specific destination. Sometimes it’s getting out of your house and blasting some tunes in the car that your whole family can get into. Sometimes it’s picking a random town on a map and setting out to explore. Sometimes it’s jumping in the car and googling things along the way. But I guarantee you, the time spent with your family, playing and exploring together will be some of the things your kids remember most fondly about their childhoods. I know that’s true for me.
