In my mind, the cold winter months are the best time to fly, while summer is the best time to drive. So every year when the weather warms up, I start planning vacations within driving distance of our small-town Saskatchewan home. And luckily for me, there are quite a few! Want to plan a road trip yourself and you’re not sure how to get started? This month, as part of the Playtex Mom Trust, I’m sharing my top three choices for summer road trips that the whole family will enjoy.
Wilderness Adventure
When my boys and I want to spend a week away without having to drive too far to reach our destination, camping in a nearby provincial or national park is always something we enjoy. From spending time on the beach to running around the playgrounds to biking along the campsite paths, there’s always plenty to keep the whole family entertained. And it’s a vacation that’s suitable for everyone from babies to adults. Even better, many campsites now offer rentals of ready-to-camp tents so that you don’t need a lot of gear to have a lot of fun outside!
City Exploration
Spending a long weekend exploring the attractions in a nearby city is something that’s educational as well as fun! Visiting local art galleries and museums is a peaceful way to spend an afternoon, while local festivals can provide active and entertaining fun for all ages. Just make sure to check a few websites to find the city’s hotspots and make a list of the top places to eat!
Family Bonding
There’s no better season to enjoy a little time with your extended family than summer, because it turns a regular visit into a vacation! Take a little extra time to plan some outings with relatives, whether it’s something extravagant like dinner and a show or simply spending an afternoon at a local splash park. The extra time spent with relatives that you don’t see very often is so important for helping kids to bond with their extended family. And consider sending your little ones out with your family on a special excursion of their own! They’ll appreciate the chance to connect with one another and you’ll get a break!
In the average summer, my boys and I make at least one of each of these road trips and sometimes many more than that. To make a spontaneous trip easy, I even keep a bag in the car that contains a change of clothes for each of us and a few basic toiletries so that we’re always ready to hit the road. And of course, my boys never leave the house without their Playtex TravelTime Spoutless Cups full of water! No matter where you live, there are sure to be all kinds of fun adventures within driving distance. Pick your favourite, pack up the kids and get ready to enjoy some summer fun on the road this year!
mrdisco says
I say a trip to the Lego store is a worthwhile outing. For me anyways.
Lee-Ann says
Hoping to take a road trip down to Calgary sometime this summer!
melanie Borhi says
The wilderness adventure sounds really great, down the road I’ll definetely have to consider going to that vacation trip option
kristen visser says
my husband and i were gonna take my 21 month old and take a road trip and also do things like go to the zoo but im 8 months pregnant and really starting to feel the pregnancy toll now. so a 3 hour drive to the in laws and a weekend stay it will have to be 🙂 at least we will be spoiled over there and this momma can get a break lol
Angela Mitchell says
I love road trips. We took one to the Oregon Coast a few weeks ago and it was fantastic.
Patricia says
looks like fun
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
one of my fav things to do spending a long weekend exploring the attractions. I find it so interesting even if Im just browsing
Doris Calvert says
Awe, that looks like such fun, when you young you can do anything and friends make time for each other!
Vesper Meikle says
I wouldn’t mind a road trip to see the family, unfortunately they are all living in Britain. Will just have to go for a road trip with my husband instead
Esperanza Gailliard says
I try to take my kids out to the beach at least once a week in the summer time or maybe more. I hate to blow a ton of bucks on gas so I try to stay close to the lakes around our hose.
kathy downey says
I love the family shot,I love hanging with the family and all the kids they make everything so much fun.We are not taking any road trip this summer just heading over the the beach which is just a 5 minute walk from the house.
Florence C says
I am spending a couple of weeks in Alberta with my son and his family. We did a week of camping and for the next week we are taking in some of the festivals in Edmonton.
Sarah says
Great ideas! We have been looking forward to a beach trip of some sort this year, but the closest ocean is 8 hours away – so we are road-tripping! We leave next week, wish us luck! I never thought to look for a lake beach – next year!
Soozle says
Great ideas! I have such great memories of camping with my family when I was young, it’s very much something I think everyone should experience in their lifetime!
Erika Birrell says
Family time is so important. Love the family pic!! We are doing a road trip from Alberta to Ontario and then back … should be fun with 2 kids under the age of 6 lol
Karla Sceviour says
Oh I love road trips,,fun fun!
Cara W says
Staycations and road trips are so fun! I love driving through Alberta and seeing the beautiful mountains!
Tanis says
Always fun to hang out and/or travel with a bunch of people – family or friends!
Lynda Cook says
Some of the best vacations are road trips, jump in the car and go!!
Little Miss Kate says
We are not traveling far this summer as I am expecting baby #3 in September, but we are making time to spend with family and get in some fun play time with cousins for the kids.
Kellie Demarsh says
roadtrips are always fun and you never know what great places you can end up exploring
angela m says
We love going on road trips and spending time with family and friends
Athena says
Great ideas!
Jenny says
looks like you had lots of fun
CathyC says
We love camping too. We usually take in the Halifax Busker Fest for our “city” trip.
nikki robak says
I love going to National Parks
Debbie W says
We head out the driveway and turn left. We never know where we will end up.
Shirley OFlynn says
The wilderness adventure sounds fantastic.
Shannon Gnocato says
Some fun ideas. Love family road trips.
I love the picture of the family bonding trip with the little one losing it in the center – so cute! LOL
Susan says
TIme with family is indeed special. I hosted a family reunion at the end of June and it was so nice to see relatives I hadn’t seen in years.
We don’t spend enough time exploring our own city, so that’s a great idea!
Gord says
Provincial parks are nice places to visit.
Yuavamaln Sirithnawat says
Love all the ideas !! Nothing better than family fun time and time spending together with your love ones. Family is precious always be my most priority, childhood is so short not to miss being with them and just enjoy the moment when possible. Great memories will sure be long last in the family with all the fun time sharing !!
sarah sar says
Roads trips can be so much fun for the kids and super educational too. We try to road trip every summer when we can, but mostly end up going camping when the weather’s nice. We spend far too much time in the city as it is!
Silvia D says
love doing road trips, especially spontaneous ones! We love to explore off the main road areas and living close to the mountains have found many wonderful places.
Jeff Skidmore says
All three look like they would be a great time! thanks for the tips!
Shelley N says
I love exploring things in my own city as well since there are always plenty of things to see or do. We have only been here for 2 years so there are plenty of places to explore.
Stephanie LaPlante says
That’s exactly how my family likes summer…just being together.
Laurie B says
We usually do lots of wilderness exploration and family bonding.
Jeannie says
Road trips are always fun when more families are going together!
MrDisco says
fun photos
Elva Roberts says
I really love this post. I like all your options and the one I like best is the family bonding. Now that I am older,, I want my children and grandchildren to realize the uniqueness and affection of being a member of a large extended family. Nothing is more important to pass on to your family.
Anita says
Beautiful family
Jennifer P. says
We live really close to lots of parks, mountains, lakes, camp sites, AND the city, so we do lots of trips like this all summer. It helps that I only work 2 days a week… The best time spent is on adventures with our kids, so we try to make the most of the time we have with them and almost always include our parents so that there is lots of quality family time. My husband is a big outdoor adventurist who grew up in the country, so he plans our hikes and camping trips, and I look for the city fun. It’s a good balance. 🙂
BobbiJo Pentney says
This looks like a lot of fun. The fun and excitement of the amusement park but the serenity of the calm lake.