Not sure how to make vacations and school breaks count with your family?
Discover your own backyard with a family road trip, advises veteran traveler and mother of three Alisa Abecassis.
“With busy lives and, perhaps, lingering anxiety about job security, a family vacation may not be parents’ top priority, but if they can pull it off, even if only for a few days, it can be a truly rich experience for both parents and children,” says Abecassis, who recently launched ExploreAll50.com, a website filled with resources for travel in the United States.
A modest investment of time and money creates a lifelong return for each family member, says Abecassis, who began traveling with her three children as a way of forging new bonds with them.
“I’ve picked up a lot of great tips not only for families, but also for any group or individual who are hungry to eat, drink, sleep and breathe more of what our country has to offer,” she says.
Abecassis gives four reasons why parents should take their kids on a road trip:
• Memories: Visiting the same amusement park over and over again isn’t the stuff of lasting memories. Experiencing some of North America’s greatest natural wonders is! A few years back, Abecassis began planning themed trips to specific regions of the country. She started in the Pacific Northwest, including Washington and Oregon, which featured dramatic coastal views of waves and sand dunes; farther inland included stops at volcanoes. But the themes can be anything. Most recently, her July 4 theme was “Rebels and Revolutionary Ideas,” and others have included “Pioneers in the Heartland” and “Lewis & Clark and the New Frontier.” The themed trips will continue for the Abecassis clan until they’ve visited each state.
