Family road trips are never what they seem. They either go terribly wrong or surprisingly well. The week of the actual trip there is always tension because something in the house decides to break or because the siblings are fighting again. The morning of never goes smoothly either because there is that one family member who has over packed, one who is extremely irate, and one who haphazardly packs an hour before the trip. Someone needs to remember to bring the snack bag and everyone needs to use the bathroom before leaving the house. However stressful or silly the trip may seem, there is the possibility that it will turn out okay.
Family road trips are the opportune time to bond and to make so many memories, as cliche as it may sound. How could you not make memories when you're stuck in a car with your family for X amount of hours? Sometimes your parents will want to play road trip games and sometimes everyone will just plug in their headphones and leave each other alone for a bit. Once everyone becomes hungry though, there is no doubt there will be chatter in the car about what everyone wants to eat and if you wait too long, someone might threaten to eat off his/her own hand if they do not eat soon. After everyone is fed and ready, it is time to get back on the road to your destination.
The destination does not matter, but the memories on your way there and back that do. It is the flat tires, the frequent bathroom breaks, the moments of laughter and the rare smiles that matter. Not everyone likes family road trips because most people find them "uncool," but I think they are the coolest. You get to spend time with your family and create new memories together. One day, those road trips will become less frequent because you will be taking your own kids on road trips and remembering what it was when you drove four hours just to go on a fishing trip or fourteen hours across the country to spend a week in the Smoky Mountains. You will remember how your brother slept the whole trip, how your mom sang along with the radio, how your dad kept trying to make you laugh because you were starving and a bit angry, etc. When you remember those memories, the good and the not-so-good, it will make you want to relive those memories with your kids or even create new ones. So here's my advice for family vacations: relax, don't fret, take lots of pictures, make lots of memories, and enjoy the time with your family.
Even when things go bad, here's what my dad says, "Life is an adventure, never a guided tour so make the most of it."
