Having two sets of grandparents that both lived at least 10 hours away has given my family and I many opportunities to travel. Additionally, my family took yearly beach trips, traveled for the Fourth of July, and sometimes other trips and special places. I grew up traveling across the country in the minivan at least four times a year growing up. These trips taught me so many things throughout the years.

1. Anything Less Than Six Hours In The Car Is No Big Deal.

A shorter trip for anyone used to traveling long distances knows that anything less than six hours is really not that bad. The aches and pains of traveling don’t get terrible usually until hour eight or ten.

2. You Will Use At Least One Nasty Gas Station Bathroom Before The Trip Is Over.

It’s bound to happen eventually; it just can’t be helped. You’ll hate it and plug your nose but when you have to go you just have to go.

3. When You Were A Kid, Motel Six Was The Greatest Thing.

Before Motel Six got a lot sketchier, they used to be the classic one-night stop for my family. They were cheap and easy when you just needed a bed for the night.

4. Cracker Barrel Is One Of The Best Nationwide Breakfast Places.

It is absolutely delicious, whether you’re in Michigan or Florida. You can never go wrong with breakfast at Cracker Barrel.

5. The Journey Can Be As Fun As The Destination.

I can’t tell you how many times we’ve stopped at random places and had so much fun before the real vacation even began.

6. The Alphabet Game.

Do I even need to say more? I think nearly everyone I know has heard of this game. It is a classic road trip game to pass the time.

7. The License Plate Game.

A little less common, but on road trips my family tries to find the license plate the furthest away. We have even seen Alaska a few times.

8. Snacks.

The key to getting through long road trips is bomb snacks. Driving in the car makes people bored and being bored makes people hungry.

9. Adventures In Odyssey.

Not everyone has heard of these, but basically they are half hour stories. When I was younger it wasn’t how much longer until we arrived, it was how many Adventure in Odyssey tapes mom? (Yes--cassette tapes--you read that correctly).

10. Family Time.

The whole point of vacation is family time, but it’s really easy to get caught up in technology or your own thing and forget to learn new things about the people you should be close with.

11. Family Arguments.

This is just inevitable. In my house it usually happens before we even walk out the door to head on a trip, but someone is going to hurt someone else’s feelings before it is over. I guarantee it.

I love traveling across country because of how much I did it growing up. I learned a lot from the trips and definitely had a blast. There are days I wish I could go back to being 6 years old and do it all over again. A love of traveling is something I hope to pass on to my kids as well.