Tips for surviving a multigenerational road trip

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Hunkering in with my immediate family — and being forced to avoid my parents — during the COVID-19 outbreak has reminded me how important grandparents are to me and my children. The pandemic has also, unfortunately, thrown our annual summer multigenerational vacation plans into the air.

Over the past two years, my parents, me and my children have squeezed into a vehicle and taken a road trip to a series of new destinations. The first summer we began our journey in Great Falls, Montana, and cruised and camped our way through Glacier National Park before settling into a dude ranch in Idaho. Last summer, we wound our way through several Southern states making entertaining, educational and active stops along the way. Most were planned, some were spontaneous.

These holidays have created some of our most treasured memories as a family. We’ve also learned a thing or two. Here are some tips you may find helpful if you’re planning a multigenerational getaway.

Do find out favorite activities ahead of time.

With three generations spanning ages 6 to 74 on this last trip, we knew it was important for each person to have at least one primary activity or destination. A quick poll showed my children wanted activities like horseback riding and fishing, my father wanted history, my mother wanted beautiful scenery and hiking, and I wanted to revisit some tourist traps I remembered from my childhood.

I came up with a tentative itinerary that included stops in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. Among our list of attractions was the Kennedy Space Center, Biltmore, a ranch in the Smoky Mountains and an underground cavern. By giving everyone a chance to participate in the planning of the trip, each person had at least one activity (usually more) that they eagerly anticipated.

Don’t drive longer than 5 hours at a time.

With two children under 8, capping our drive time was a strategic move to stave off boredom, fast food and too much screen time. It may not work for your family, and that’s OK.

Setting a driving limit also helped my kids understand our estimated arrival time. Although they were just beginning to grasp the concept of timekeeping, they were able to connect that two movies almost equaled our driving time for the day. This kept the dreaded “Are we there yet?” question to a minimum.

We also ate and slept better by not spending too much time behind the wheel.

Do find a hotel that includes breakfast.

There are several hotel chains in the 2- to 3-star range that include breakfast. As Hilton Honors members (a loyalty program), our choice for this trip was Hampton by Hilton. We received a small discount through the Honors program, and we knew they had an expansive, and warm, breakfast buffet. Just as our activity choices were varied,so are our diets. I don’t eat meat, my father gobbles it down, my mother is super healthy, and sometimes my children will only eat syrup. The Hampton breakfast buffet kept everyone satisfied and allowed us (I mean, me and the kids) to eat in our pajamas.

Do eat dinner early.

This one could also be called “Don’t Underestimate How Fun a Hotel Is,” especially if that hotel has a pool, or even better,a water slide.

Even if you have these things at home, there is something fresh and fun about getting to explore them at a new destination each night. My kids couldn’t wait to check out each new hotel and see what amenities were available. Therefore, we tried our best to eat dinner no later than 6 p.m. so the kids always had some pool playtime before bed. Sometimes we ate out, a couple times we ordered in through a food delivery service (Door Dash tracked my location and offered discount coupons to local restaurants and national chains).

Even though eating early meant leaving some attractions before closing time, that peaceful evening poolside together was something each of us looked forward to.

Don’t forget to try new things.

Although our trip was relatively planned out, we still left plenty of time for spontaneous exploration. The Biltmore mansion itself bored the kids, so we decided to check out the farm instead. They loved the chickens and a blacksmithing demonstration. Our Smoky Mountains trip wouldn’t have been the same without discovering the Oconaluftee Indian Village, an 18th century-themed Eastern Cherokee village, during a cool, rainy day. While Ruby Falls, a massive underground waterfall, initially drew us to Chattanooga, it was the views at Rock City Gardens that really stole our breath. And a last-minute stop at The Battles for Chattanooga museum and gift shop was a thrilling surprise for all of us. Five thousand miniature soldiers, 650 lights, and a digitally projected three-dimensional map with accompanying audio track tell the incredible history of the city’s Civil War battles. My children were glued to their seats and afterward begged to explore nearby Point Park, site of the famous Battle Above the Clouds.

These multigenerational getaways always turn out better than any of us expect. Fingers crossed we’ll all get to experience our summer holidays this year.

Family favorites

Looking for destinations that all generations will enjoy? Here are some of the O’Connor family’s favorites.