Surviving A Road Trip With Your Family

Are you thinking about taking a road trip with your kids? This can be a great choice because it means that you can explore a lot of different places and also take a new type of adventure with your family. 

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Work Out How Much Time You Need

First, you might want to think about working out much time you’re going to need for your specific trip that you are considering. By exploring the right possibilities, you can guarantee that you don’t feel like you have to rush to get to the right places. Be aware that there are lots of different steps that you can take to ensure that time doesn’t get the better of you. For instance, you might want to think about checking your car before you head off. A problem with your car can slow everything down. 

Pick Your Destinations 

Next, you should make sure that you are picking your destinations. There are lots of different destinations that you can consider. For instance, you could even look at a few different theme parks along the way with rides that are suitable for all your kids. 

Choose Your Means Of Travel

How are you going to get to each of your destinations along the way? This could be through the use of an RV or even your very own car. If you are going to use your car then this should be taken to a garage for a once over before you use it. That way you know it’s safe and roadworthy. 

Accommodation 

There is an important step in planning and executing a road trip, where you are going to stay. Accommodation is vital as this will likely need to be booked before you go, just so you know you will always have somewhere to stay. Check out some of the best family friendly options, this could be motels or more luxurious hotels. Go by the maps and work out how long it will take you to get there from your previous destinations. If you want the best accommodation then be sure to read reviews before you book. 

Activities Along The Way

Finally, if you are on a road trip with your family then you may be traveling through Texas on your way to another destination. If this is the case then you may be looking for somewhere to stop along the way, for some family fun! If you come across Pflugerville then you might assume that there is nothing to do. However, if you check out online what to do in Pflugerville, then you will likely come across Typhoon Texas waterpark. This has 33 awesome water slides and even a lazy river. 

I hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you should take if you are thinking about taking a road trip with your family. This can be far more stressful than most people imagine, particularly if you are not used to the distractions that can come with a whole car full of kids. 

Prepping for Holiday Travel Chaos & Expenses

This holiday season is going to be a difficult one to truly prepare for if you're planning on flying. With the government in shutdown, and no sign of it opening back up at the moment, you are going to face delays and cancellations as there aren't enough workers at any given airport. There are threats of shutting down flights altogether, so if you can get to your destination any other way, this might be the year to go that route.

If airports remain open and operational, budget flights are probably going to be hard to come by and they will, for sure, be overbooked and going to the airport will be stressful and annoying. If you haven't already, sign up for flight alerts right now. If you just aren't sure how to pull off an affordable holiday trip, my ebook can give you all the inside tips for planning, booking, packing and not killing your family out of stress.

For less the cost of a bus ride back to the airport, I give you all the ways to sneak savings out of your planning and how not to lock yourself in the garage with a bottle of wine because your family is making you hate life. So, not only will you save on your trip, but also on this fantastic info. (Remember, you can download this book even if you don't have a Kindle. The Kindle app is free on iTunes and Google Play and works on all your web-enabled devices.) 

Later this month, as always, I'll be posting some new reviews and lists of fabulous travel gifts that can be ordered and shipped or easily slipped into your carry-on, so you don't have to check a bag just to bring your presents with you on the plane.

While holiday travels will never be that affordable, you can still save money and sanity in a lot of ways. 

Will you be traveling this holiday season?

31 Days of Halloween Stories

Guess what? It's Halloween! Every year I post a Halloween, Fall, or spooky story or article on Facebook every day of October leading up to the 31st and then I do a round-up of all of them at the end of the month, incase you missed any or just aren't on Facebook. I hope you enjoy them.

October 1: Salem, Massachusetts went from so not to so hot, marketing witches and witchcraft to the masses. I'm sure that Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic didn't hurt them either.  Why witches are so kitsch right now.

October 2: If you're looking for a spooktacular vacation or getaway, you might want to head to Nevada. It's the most haunted state in America! Now you can get your Paranormal Passport and explore all those creepy and deserted places you've always wanted to go.

October 3: I love Oregon and I love a road trip. I don't know how much I like being scared, but I adore abandoned places like ghost towns. Check out this ultimate haunted road trip through my state.

October 4: Tokyo is special kind of place to celebrate Halloween, and the parties and other events can start as early as September. From family-friendly parades and forest illuminations to adult cosplay festivals and nightclub bashes, you'll find it all in Tokyo. 

October 5: This memorial commemorating fallen Swiss Guards of the French Revolution has been called the saddest stone in the world. Mark Twain described the Lion of Lucerne as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world."

October 6: If getting lost in the woods while hiking and seeing some gorgeous autumn colors is your speed, then you might want to pack your granola, put on your hiking boots, and hit one of these 12 awesome trails for a fall foliage hike.

October 7: Some people think this is the scariest hotel in America. It might be if you have coulrophobia, or fear of clowns. The Clown Motel in Tonopah, NV is a regular nightmare to some of us, but throw on top of it the fact that it might be haunted and it's right next to a cemetery and you have yourself a horrifying stay. (video)

October 8: Have you ever wanted to stay in your favorite scary movie? The house where the infamous murders that inspired The Conjuring movie (and a franchise) is going up for sale again on Halloween and it might just be revamped into site that can host overnight stays again. 

October 9: Yesterday we saw the house that inspired The Conjuring movie is going up for sale. If you just can't wait to sleep in a haunted or creepy hotel, then here are 16 Airbnbs you can book to get your spooky on.

October 10: Is being scared your thing? Every city has a haunted house or attraction that everyone goes to, but if you really want to get, like, pee in your pants cry for your mommy scared, check out the best haunted attractions in America.

October 11: Traveling this month? We always travel in the fall and often do Halloween activities where you wear a costume. While I love traveling and dressing up, not all costumes are great for packing light. If you are looking for a fun costume that will also fit in your carry-on, here are some ideas.

October 12: Some drinking and dining institutions have stood the test of time while their towns’ residents have mostly vanished. Here are 8 ghost towns to visit for great (or at least "spirited") food and drink.

October 13: Have you wanted to visit your favorite horror movie locations? From Nightmare On Elm Street to Us, here are 16 places to visit this Halloween.

October 14: I love a good horror movie. Actually, I love a bad horror movie, too. When I had a chance to visit Tom Devlin's Monster Museum in Boulder City, NV, I took it, because Tom Devlin is a legend and it's a short drive from Las Vegas. If you enjoy movie monsters, from the original Frankenstein to the Leprechaun to Michael Meyers, this is the place for you.

October 15: Europe hasn't always been the best place for Halloween lovers, but there are some great places to check out when you travel, regardless of time of year, to get some spooky vibes.

October 16: Spooky Season is the time I binge a ton of horror movies (not that I don't watch them all year long) and I love to see a movie that's based around travel, but also hate that I have to learn what not to do on a trip because of a horror movie. Here's a whole list of travel horror flicks that I've enjoyed and you might, too. I'd also add Heretic, Speak No Evil, Blink Twice, Until Dawn, and Death of a Unicorn.

October 17: If Halloween tourism is for you, then you might want to book a trip to this city next year. They boast haunted mansions (not the Disney one), ghost tours, and even a witch float. Bet you didn't think there was cool things like this outside of Salem.

October 18: The current government isn't the only scary thing in Washington, DC. If you love classic horror, then you will absolutely recognize these steps from The Exorcist. Though not haunted or incredibly interesting, if you like visiting sites where your favorite movies were filmed, you can climb to the top, or just take some pictures at this historical landmark.

October 19: Indulge in spooky festivals all year long, all over the world, when you travel. Whether you're into voodoo, death, or monsters, these 8 festivals should be on your list.

October 20: Every October, witches and wizards gather in Portland with their hats and their oars and their...paddleboards? That's right! It's the Witches on the Willamette event where magical people dress up, maybe decorate their boards, and float down the Willamette River. 

October 21: Spend some time haunting a cemetery while you're alive. There are great, old resting places everywhere you go, but one of my favorites is the sprawling Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

October 22: If you can't leave the country for Halloween, the US has amazing Halloween celebrations, too. Here are the 9 best places to go if you're stateside. 

October 23: Celebrate Halloween where it originated. The Celts celebrated Samhain long before Halloween came along and Dublin has some of the most spectacular events in order to usher in the season of spooks and frights.

October 24: Are you a fan of abandoned places? They're spooky, full of history, and often haunted, or at least feel that way. One of the abandoned places I really enjoyed was Eastern State Penitentiary.

October 25: Want to visit a Portland that isn't actually on fire like that one guy keeps saying? Don't worry, it can still be scary, but in an absolutely fun way. Plan your trip to PDX and spend 3 incredible days here (or more, because we are awesome, and our remodeled airport is gorgeous).

October 26: Have you heard about the 'Halloween Capital of the World'? I hadn't either, but apparently, this town in Minnesota is claiming the title, even though the Pacific Northwest has the actual town from Halloweentown. We don't have 3 parades though!

October 27: Obsessed with fall foliage? Well, start planning a trip next year to one of these gorgeous spring destinations, because when our weather is starting to warm up, the southern hemisphere is cooling down and the leaves are turning. You can get twice as much fall in your life!

October 28: Skip the more crowded destinations for the season and check out one of these 10 lesser-known haunted spots around the world. The same spooks, but none of the jostling to actually see things.

October 29: Train rides can be boring, romantic, historic, and, in this case, creepy! The No Hope After Dark is a 100-minute train ride through Pennsylvania woodlands and takes you to a haunted maze to face some of your fears.

October 30: Do treats sound better than tricks to you? You don't have to go anywhere to get scared. Instead, you could visit some very cool historical and mysterious places for the season instead.

October 31: Each year, from September to November, you can walk through The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze in the New York area, where thousands of pumpkins have been carved and lit up to give you a fun seasonal activity that's great for the whole family. We did something similar when we visited Philadelphia and aside from it being freezing (bring gloves and a hat) it was really beautiful.

I hope you have a safe and fun Halloween full of all the tricks and treats you desire. What are your favorite spooky, creepy, or mysterious travel destinations?