We are a family of four or five (that is an entry in itself) , I am the Travel Agent Administrator (for the most part).
My husband is the Co-Agent at times and when he does, he plans amazing trips. He is a genius! (Perhaps some may think that I am going overboard!), in my brain, he is a genius! – He created an excel sheet to organize our road trips.
*If you don’t care for excel sheets… you can use pen and paper
I really like this tool because we can enter the specific addresses, hotels, driving time, cost and the places we want to visit, this helps us to be on track and avoid to miss those unique places we want to visit as a family.
I like it so much that I now use it for any get away.
Hotel Selection
At times we book hotel rooms, when doing so we like to book at least 30 days in advance. If it is a shorter time than that, it is okay (but… we may end up paying a little more). We like to book those hotels that have a friendly cancelation policy, free cancellation is always best.
We look for hotels that have breakfast included, free parking, a pool is a plus!
A family of four can save time, money, when booking a hotel that offers free perks. Because we are four, we are on a budget, and we won’t spend a lot of time in the room we book only 1 room for 4. There are times that we are 5 and there are some hotels that provide an extra bed or have a couch/bed.
Car Rentals
When needed we like to rent a car with anticipation, to avoid extra charges. Always read the cancellation policy, as well as any extra charges that maybe hidden.
I will share at a later time some of the road trips we have taken to;
– Yellowstone (visited 5 states!)
– Texas
– New Mexico
– California
– Within Arizona, etc.
Don’t want to go on a long road trip?
Snacks, Food
Yes, please.
We bring our favorite snacks and water to avoid paying extra at the gas station.
When we arrive to our destination, as much as possible, we like to make sandwiches, eat fruits, and avoid restaurants at each stop.
We do it out, if going to be away multiple days, we eat out once (usually dinner). If our road trip is only for one day, then we make a picnic and our tradition is to eat ice cream before heading home.
Camping is a great option
You can camp!
There is this cool program in Arizona for families who want to learn about camping.
You will receive a tent, utensils to cook, etc. The price is affordable taking into consideration that you are getting a class for you and your family about camping while camping plus there are many activities. (See the link in the tool section).
Remember, each adventure is unique!
If you are solo then you just need to think about you or pair up with a friend to split the cost.
If you are married, take time for you and your significant other.
if you have a family, create a budget and plan your next adventure. The idea is to connect and discover.
Don’t want to go far away? That is okay… you can have an adventure in your town.
Tools
hotels.com Get $50 Off by using the link
carrentals.com Our favorite car rental site because we can for the most part cancel at anytime.
Arizona Family Campout Program
Of course there is other helpful sites, but those two are our favorites thus far.
Where is your next stop?
At your service;
ManyHatsMonica
Many Hats Monica 