Repeat visitors of Florida and California, South Carolina was a recently uncharted vacation territory for this Midwestern family. Slightly over 1100 miles from our house to Isle of Palms, an ocean-front island city a short twenty minute drive from historic downtown Charleston, the Atlantic Ocean was our end-of-summer, endless summer paradise vacation destination.

Completely frazzled from two full days on the road, our first order of business upon reaching the 1,600 acre family-friendly Wild Dunes Resort was this: relax and unwind. As it turns out, Wild Dunes Resort has successfully mastered the business of all-inclusive island vacations.  Lucky for us! Offering a year-round menu of golf, tennis, spa services, and restaurant options, it’s possible to spend your entire visit on the island without lifting a hand or a foot (that is, unless that’s what you came there to do). A community in itself, Wild Dunes Resort is comprised of The Boardwalk Inn, The Village at Wild Dunes, and Vacation Homes & Villas.

Geographically located between the beach, the boardwalk, the bike shop, tennis courts, playground, activities center, spa, putting green, exercise facility, aquatic center, market, deli, cafe, and ice cream shop, we wanted to apply for permanent residency. In fact, in our three bedroom four-star suite in the Village at Wild Dunes came complete with private deck, full kitchen, and stack-able washer/dryer; we felt a bit like we’d moved into the Ethan Allen furniture store showroom. Throw pillows were made for this kind of luxury!

Talk of four different swimming pools and an entire ocean eventually had our Norwegian flesh out and ready for some salt mixed with Vitamin D. In the name of investigative journalism, we tried them all. Did you know the Atlantic Ocean is wonderfully warm this time of year? With our room came a complimentary one hour on the tennis courts. Armed with gear straight out of the pro shop, my older son and I hit the clay. A few calories left to burn, we spent an hour on the island bike trails with enough gear to outfit an army. Forming a circumstance around the award-winning golf courses, we spotted pelicans, deer, and even the occasional pair of plaid shorts.

If swimming, biking, and tennis seem ordinary, then Island Adventures is for you. Ranked among the best family vacation recreation programs in the country, Island Adventures is a one-stop shop for adventure, excursions, and education (you read it: education on summer break). With categories ranging from nature excursions to arts and culture, visit the Island Adventures office at The Village at Wild Dunes to plan activities for your entire family or just the kids. Conveniently shuttled away for a “three hour tour” on the Barrier Island Eco Tours, one of our mornings blissfully faded into a perfect vacation memory. Between dolphin sightings, shell collecting, touching crabs, and a visit to the “shark hole,” this customizable, educational adventure through the inter-coastal waterways is a joy for kids of all ages (and especially mom and dad).

Eventually we grew hungry. Famished, really. Named after the state seashell of South Carolina, The Lettered Olive restaurant gets a two thumbs up Feed Me review. Here’s why: (1) holy city gumbo, (2) country grits, (3) shrimp hush puppies with pepper jam. You just don’t find these things things on the menu where we live. For $8, dinner selection on the children’s menu includes Stoplight Chicken (brown rice with vegetable medley), Slammin’ Sliders (beef, chicken, and salmon sliders), Mahi Mahi (with James mop sauce and fresh collards), and Roast Porkloin (served with buttermilk whipped potatoes and farm-to-fork fresh vegetables). From the fresh-squeezed orange juice with our breakfast buffet to the free sea shell with every meal, dining at The Lettered Olive was an elegant compliment to our resort experience.

Private Boardwalk to the Beach

Sometimes a vacation is more than a vacation; it’s a multi-generational reunion, an extended visit with friends, or a gathering of kindred spirits. Whether it’s a summer retreat or fall pilgrimage, vacation rentals, villas, and condos offer the comforts of home when you need them the most.

Recent guests of 2200 Palm Boulevard in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, “home” was what our family needed most mid-way through our 2300-mile road trip. Managed by Island Realty, Inc., located less than 20 minutes away from historic downtown Charleston, 2200 Palm Boulevard is one of many vacation rental properties available on Isle of Palms, Wild Dunes, Sullivan’s Island and Dewees Island. Depending on your preferences for location (ocean, golf, lagoon, tidal creek, or deepwater properties), size, and price, Island Realty is a household name for thousands of families who vacation in the area annually.

2200 Palm Boulevard

A six bedroom, four bathroom oceanfront home that can occupy up to 12 people, the kids magically disappeared within the walls of 2200 Palm Boulevard. A luxurious pleasure for our family, we found ourselves wishing for friends and family to share in our million-dollar views of the dunes and private boardwalk leading down to the beach. Much larger than our own house, we had to lure the kids away from a game of two-story hide-and-seek in the name of sand castles and sea shells. One trip to the nearby grocery store and we had the ingredients for a spaghetti and meatball dinner out on the screen porch. (What is it about a day on the beach that makes an ordinary meal taste so good?)

My favorite parts of the stay? Reading the guest book. Napping on the rocker. Washing clothes. The outdoor shower to remove sand from tiny bodies and feet. A basketball hoop. Bikes to ride. Covered parking. A free high-speed wireless internet connection. Home sweet vacation home.

When packing the 10 best drives in the area into one month’s worth of road trips, every day is a new adventure. Leaving the mighty Snake River behind, we climbed slowly out of Lewiston and almost immediately the scenery changed from forest and river to vast wheat farms. When I have done TV or radio appearances about our trip, one of the most common examples of letting kids just entertain themselves comes from this section of our drive. I tell parents frequently that you never know what your kids understand about the world unless you let them tell you in their own words. This particular example involved discussing why wheat farmers live so far away from each other, how many grains and stalks of wheat it takes to make a loaf of bread and what profit margin might be involved in wheat farming. No doubt the front seat got carried away in all the educational experiences, but the wheat and oat stalks plucked from the ditch entertained one child and a dozen or so of her plastic friends for three or four hours. Bottom line? It wouldn’t have made any “toy of the year” award list, but kids will find something to do when it’s either that or listen to parents discuss things like profit margins and historical significance.

Rattlesnake Grade

Getting off the main roads was one of our goals for this whole trip, and WA 129/OR 3 is one of those roads. Traveling from city to city means you’re worried more about the city than how you get there. Try the opposite approach just once, and we predict you’ll love it. A lot. Motorcyclists have long been fans of Rattlesnake Grade because of the extreme switchbacks, grade and gorgeous scenery. If you have time, take the road all the way from Moscow. The famous Spiral Highway (be sure to print out directions in advance!) is also crazy with turns.

Enterprise and Joseph, Oregon

Enterprise makes a nice place to base camp and explore the area. The Best Western Enterprise is family friendly and road trip friendly. Free breakfast and lots of parking for RVs plus large, clean rooms make it a great option. There is limited shopping to replenish supplies but limited dining options, especially for children. We advise heading to Joseph for some food and exploring on your way to Wallowa Lake. The road from Enterprise to Wallowa Lake is part of the Hells Canyon All-American Road, do some research on the attractions along the way and take plenty of pit stops!

Geocaching Snake

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You never know what you'll find geocaching. This cute garden snake in a quiet park was fun to catch and then let go.

Wallowa Lake

On the way to Wallowa Lake, be sure to visit the gravesite of Chief Joseph. Reburied here in 1926, the view is probably something he would have appreciated. This area was home to the Nez Perce Indians prior to their legendary retreat, and this trip made it seem real to think about that journey and life prior to settlers and reservations. Over the whole month we were on the road we traveled most of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and it’s probably too much to take in for a 10 year-old. But, the foundation is there and hopefully we can return when she’s studying this part of American history in school.

Also try to make time to ride the Wallowa Lake Tramway. The views are beyond compare and kids will love the ride. We also found the geocaching to be above average for families. There were many options in each difficulty level with enough to make a whole day of just enjoying the hunt. The historic Wallowa Lake Lodge is also definitely worth exploring for a night or two if you’re not camping. Also check out the Eagle Cap Excursion Train, a scenic train that travels a 63 mile line through the region. It boards in Elgin and goes through Wallowa, Enterprise and Joseph.

Wallowa Lake

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The largest of many glacial lakes in the area, Wallowa Lake is known for fishing, camping and family fun.

Valuable Cargo

“Chevrolet Traverse is an expressively styled, well-equipped crossover that offers the people-hauling and cargo-carrying capacity typically found in larger SUVs—all delivered with more efficiency.” Yep. The marketing department at GM pretty much nailed that one right on the head.

With 9025 logged road trip miles this year alone, we recently spent 2340 of them in a brand new 2011 Chevrolet Traverse. One last Hail Mary attempt to maximize the last official week of summer vacation, we hit the road. Two adults, three kids, eight days, seven states, and enough luggage to make a Griswold proud, all we needed was a granny for the roof. Farm land, traffic jams, mountain ranges, and eventually the beach, I like to think it as the world’s longest test drive.

Smokin the Smokies

First of all, if you’re interested in this mom’s opinion of the 3.6L engine’s direct injection technology and how it’s similar to many V-8 engines or how it’s mated to the Hydra-Matic 6T75 six-speed automatic transmission, this is not the review for you. What does that mean anyway? Is the transmission dating the engine or is it more than that? All I know is our glue horse of a minivan was in no shape or form for the Smokey Mountains, let alone 5 o’clock in Chicago.

Groovier than our minivan, we played a bit of luggage Tetris in the cargo area until we discovered a magic compartment for road flairs, flash lights, beach towels, and (eventually) bags of dirty laundry. A rearview camera in the rear undercarriage (hee hee), both my husband and I about did something in our own undercarriages the first time we put the Traverse into R. Get this…not only does the Traverse give an audible warning before impact with a parking garage column, you have visual confirmation of your path on screen as well as your own vantage point. As a mother of still-short kids, I wish all vehicles had this technology. Parking lots stress me out.

Drag Racing the Belle of Louisville

With 60/40 split seating in both the second- and third-row benches, we easily moved kids and their belongings as arguments erupted. Cleverly named the second-row “Smart Slide” seat feature we managed in-and-out just fine. Smart Slide works even in the path of a Milk Dud. Let’s face it, kids are messy and almost always messier in a moving vehicle (I imagine Murphy himself on a road trip while writing his Law.).

If you are a book worm like me, you’ll appreciate listening to your audio CD on headphones while the kids tune into Radio Disney on XM Satellite Radio (thank you rear-seat entertainment system). I can’t remember the last time I’ve listened to an entire 7-CD book on a road trip without full mutiny. Honestly, this was the best “alone time,” I could have asked for on the entire trip. Okay, okay, a masseuse would have been nice too. Maybe GM can include one with the next model? Speaking of comfort, did I mention the leather seats both heat and cool?

Technology you sweet thing. Gadget junkies with a battery problem, we had phones and cameras and laptops charging all in USB ports and power points. According to the user manual (hey, it was a long drive), some models even come with an AC power plug. According to the show off instrument panel, the half life of our oil and fuel economy was always available at the push of a button (for what it’s worth, our trip hovered around 19 mpg). Does anyone even have golf pencils and mini notepads in their glove boxes any more?

Beach Bum

Overall, we were happy with the performance of the Chevrolet Traverse. Looking to downsize from the minivan once it goes to the junk yard in the sky, we found the interior spacious enough for a family of  four or five. Clearly safety and comfort were key considerations in the ability to market to a younger (wired) group of consumers with growing families. Other reviews I read on the Chevrolet Traverse gave the vehicle anywhere between a seven- and  nine-star rating. Our vote is a generous 8.5.

Kentucky is famous for horse racing, bourbon, and even blue grass. Separated from Indiana to the north by the Ohio River, Louisville is best known as the Gateway to the South. With art, culture, eclectic neighborhoods, and independent businesses thriving in an urban community, it’s also a surprisingly hip-and-trendy city.

Having driven through Louisville dozens of times on various cross-country trips, curiosity got the better of us. So we pulled off the highway, got out the map, and did the town, family style. With a two-part Louisville itinerary, we stopped on the way to and from Charleston, South Carolina. Almost exactly the geographic mid-point of our trip, the city welcomed us. Southern hospitality, as it turns out, specializes in the tired and hungry.

What to Do

Belle of Louisville

Belle of Louisville: A river town by definition, Louisville has been a hub of tourism, industry, and innovation for over 100 years. And if she could talk, the 96-year-old Belle of Louisville has seen it all.  The oldest operating steam paddlewheel in the country, the Belle of Louisville is now a permanent landmark on the city’s waterfront. Cruising the Ohio River with little sister Spirit of Jefferson, a girl feels a bit like a debutant on water.

Welcoming new and repeat visitors on a daily basis, the Belle of Louisville is still entertaining today. Open for dinner, music, dancing, and other special events, a cruise down the Ohio River mixes nostalgia with adventure in a Huck Finn kind-of-way . Options for seating and eating differ as you change from upper and lower decks and air conditioning is a welcome new addition to the ballroom deck. On my list for a girlfriends weekend or special adventure with an elementary-age kid or two, we can’t wait come back with parasol and straw hat.

Louisville Science Center

Louisville Science Center: A prominent member of Museum Row on Main Street in downtown Louisville is one of the more impressive museums we’ve been to this year. If the colorful facade doesn’t grab your attention, you’d be hard pressed to avoid the giant parabolic mirror in the exterior lobby. The largest hands-on science center in Kentucky, the Louisville Science Center boasts 150 exhibits, a four-story IMAX theater, and teaching laboratories. Distributed over three floors, the permanent exhibits are grouped into these categories: The World We Create, KidZone, The World Within Us, and The World Around Us.

Truthfully, though, we spent the majority of our time on the first floor running between the KidZone and wonderful (but temporary) traveling exhibit “Sesame Street Presents The Body.” At one point I forgot we were in a science museum, as we were behaving a lot like children’s museum groupies.  With reasonably priced annual family memberships, you can come and go at will for an entire year and also receive reciprocity (free or discounted admission) to over 250 other museums and science centers across the country. Winter eventually even finds its way to Kentucky; the Louisville Science Center should stay in your arsenal of indoor fun.

Louisville Slugger Museum

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory: Home to the world’s largest baseball bat, the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is one for your bucket list. We knew about the Louisville Sluggers and the world-famous bat, but weren’t exactly sure what to expect when we arrived. With a record attendance of over 48,000 visitors this past July alone,our curiosity would have killed a cat.  Across the street and one block down from the Louisville Science Center, make a day of Museum Row.

Somewhat rushed for time, we had an abbreviated visit to the museum. Our first stop, Bud’s Batting Cage. For $1, our six-year-old connected with 5 of 10 balls, impressing us all. Reluctantly tearing all of the kids away from the toddler room (complete with coloring pages, toys, and books on baseball), we found Babe Ruth in the exhibit gallery. On our tour of the honest-to-goodness OSHA regulated factory tour, our jaws dropped at technology in action.  At 30 seconds a pop, the factory was set to produce 1500 bats that day. Rewarded at the end of the tour with their own official souvenir Louisville Slugger mini-baseball bat, the kids have already paired their new toys with balls and gloves back home. Next time we’ll visit the Theater and Souvenir Shop.

Where to Eat

Old Spaghetti Factory

Worthy of it’s own Feed Me review, is a restaurant for all people young at heart. Slightly away from downtown, venture out to Lynn’s Paradise Café in the Highlands neighborhood.

By our second evening in Louisville, we were ready for an “old faithful” kind of meal. We walked the few blocks from our hotel to The Old Spaghetti Factory on Market Street. Known for fancy-schmancy decor and budget-friendly dining, The Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant has been a consistent favorite of ours all over the US and Canada. Louisville lived up to our expectations: great service and tasty meals. Three kids spaghetti and meatball plates later ($5.25 for the entree, applesauce or salad, drink, and ice cream dessert); we wandered back “home” for the night.

Where to Sleep

Galt House Hotel and Suites

Guests of the Galt Hotel and Suites, we found ourselves between the waterfront and the heart of downtown. Perhaps a stone’s throw from the biking/hiking path leading into the award-winning Waterfront Park, we just about had to drag the kids from the room in the name of playgrounds, splash pads, and water fountains. On the 14th floor, we enjoyed views of the city almost as much as the glass elevator (Illuminated by a boarder of movie star light bulbs, we stayed on the lookout for Willy Wonka himself.). And, of course, we visited the pool. Outside and on the roof, people were sun bathing and ordering drinks and food from the adjacent bar. We played “shark meets dolphin” while our life guard kept a close eye on the abnormal ocean behavior.

Lovely in that our bedroom had a door (solid walnut, I might add), Sponge Bob was muffled behind sounds of brewing coffee and adults checking email. Adding to the experience was a complimentary pass to the Club 360 Fitness, a state-of-the art fitness studio on the top-most floor of the hotel. Floor-to-ceiling windows around the entire perimeter of the club (360, hence the name) offer panoramic views for miles around. Open to daily visitors for a reasonable price, I’d visit Club 360 Fitness just for the ambiance and maybe a steam bath or four.

On a mission to find kid friendly, affordable, fun restaurants all over this great country, Lynn’s Paradise Café in Louisville, Kentucky now has a permanent home in the Feed Me Top 10. Located at 984 Barret Avenue in the funky Highlands neighborhood, just let the GPS lady get you there. With cameo reviews in airline magazines and oh, you know, Bon Appétit, I’m not exactly planting a flag on the moon with this one. Heck, we found seven different state license plates in the parking lot alone (Rhode Island was sandwiched between Michigan and Oregon).

If you ever wondered who actually purchases the the primary color paint from Home Depot or where funky old ties find their final resting place, Lynn’s Paradise Café is the place for you. Entrance to the restaurant requires passing a giant, 8-foot tall coffee pot pouring water into a laundry load of foaming sudz. Pass through the World of Swirl gift shop (Leave time to linger. Touching everything and reading all the wickedly sarcastic magnets and t-shirts will take some time.). A dream come true for those of us with self-diagnosed Adult Attention Deficit Disorder, taking it all in is an impossibility. I seem to remember a killer whale hanging next to a ball of twine in the branches of the tree closest to us. Or was it a cow-shaped kite?

It was my husband who noticed the wall of fluorescent light bulbs blinking in synch with the background music (ranging from The Beatles to the Dixie Cups, by the way). Miniature buckets of toys dotted the tables. Our daughter found a bucket of ponies and the boys helped Mr. Fork find Mrs. Spoon on the back of the kids menu. A row of push-able construction trucks were neatly parked next to the maÎtre d’ station (primed and ready for the big-boy booth wigglers).

Enough ambiance? Here’s what we had to eat: fried green tomatoes, sweet tea, mom’s meatloaf. Good ol’ comfort food. For $3.95, the kids ordered a peanut butter sandwich and pancakes. At $4.95 one kid upgraded to a corn dog. Accompanied by apple sauce or fries, we stayed saucy. Standard kids cuisine, serious gobbling was book-ended by the glorious absence of three things (1) fighting, (2) whining, (3) begging. Relaxed-looking parents were scattered throughout the dining room. And for these three things alone, we’ll be back. (That and we need the “tofu vs. bacon” figurines.)

We’re thrilled to have Jessica Almy of Vegbooks guest posting! She’s the queen of kids’ book reviews from a vegetarian perspective, and has a four year-old daughter, so she’s always reading the latest and best books. Plus she has hand-on experience in the car because her family rocks the road trip. She’s also got a great Facebook page.

Our family car is a small sedan, so we’re picky about what we take on road trips.  A cooler of food, our water bottles, some CDs, my daughter’s Etch-A-Sketch, and a handful of books are usually what make the cut.

Picking which books to bring is the hard part.  My husband usually drives, so the books we choose usually have to do double-duty of keeping kiddo and me entertained.  Here are ten that do the trick.

1 ) Who Is the Beast?
by Keith Baker

Lush illustrations, a positive message, and a hidden snail on each page make this book a favorite.  Since the story is set in a rain forest, we love naming all of the animals who make an appearance – including a bee, catfish, and snake – and seeking out the tiny snail who blends into the pictures.  (I still forget where it is on some pages!)

2 ) Horton Hears A Who!
by Dr. Seuss

This is one of my all-time favorite stories, featuring the very lovable elephant Horton.  On his adventure to save the microscopic Whos, Horton experiences a wide range of emotions, from joy upon discovering new friends to fatigue and frustration when he begins to lose hope that he’ll find them again.  Roadtripping kids might be able to relate.

3 ) Eloise’s Pirate Adventure (Ready-to-Read. Level 1)
based on the Art of Hilary Knight

Actually any early reader based on one of our favorite characters will do.  We love the Fancy Nancy “I Can Read” series too.  Boys also have many options to pick from and the books are small and easy to travel with. Simple words and an easy-to-follow story make these kinds of books fun choices for word games.  We count common words like “the,” sound out difficult words, find all the words that start with the letter “p,” guess what word comes next, etc.

4 ) If Frogs Made the Weather
by Marion Dane Bauer and Dorothy Donahue

Books that get our creative juices flowing are a must, and this fun book – about what type of weather different animals would choose – works perfectly.  After reading it through, we might find ourselves wondering where animals would go on vacation, what kind of cars they would drive, or where they’d stop for lunch.

5 ) Dog Heaven
by Cynthia Rylant

Sometimes it’s good to bring a serious book along to spark the kind of conversations that we seem never to have time for at home.  Cynthia Rylant’s sensitive tribute to the passing of dogs is a good choice for our family, since it elicits discussion of our beloved cat who died, the role of animal companions in our family and our society, life after death, and God’s compassion.  Other families might appreciate Bible stories, traditional folk lore, or other literature that’s meaningful to their faith and traditions.

6 ) Ladybug Girl at the Beach
by David Soman and Jackie Davis

Not only is this new release vacation-themed, but it features a wonderfully independent and inventive little girl, Lulu.  We brought this book on a recent trip to the beach, and my kiddo looked at it the whole drive back, reliving her memories of the shore.

7 ) My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

8 ) The Cinder-Eyed Cats by Eric Rohmann

9 ) Time Flies by Eric Rohmann

10 ) Tuesday by David Wiesner

What these final four books have in common (other than that three are illustrated by the amazing Eric Rohmann) is that they are all wordless, or mostly wordless, adventure books.  Not only do these books allow us to make up the stories our own way, changing them each time we “read” them, but they’re also great to keep a kid entertained on her very own, freeing up the person in the passenger seat to fiddle with the GPS, browse the map, or just take a little snooze.

One of the challenges to a trip like this is getting used to being in a different place every day. We were also splitting time between our camper and hotels which makes it twice as hard to get a rhythm. That’s when the little stuff really matters. Like a pleasant front desk person at the hotel or delicious breakfast. The TownHouse Inn in Hamilton, Montana had all these things. But the Bitterroot Valley had some other surprises as well.

Located in the Southwestern part of the state, you might have never heard of the Bitterroot. The setting of the book “A River Runs Through It” by Norman Maclean, the valley is rich in outdoor scenery and activities but Missoula is only a short trip up the road. The largest city, Hamilton, was founded by copper magnate Marcus Daly in 1890. This period of wealth has left the town with a backbone of arts and culture combined with Montana spirit and small town friendliness and values.

Daly Mansion
There are many period mansions from this time all over the US, and Montana has some much more well-known mansion tours, but the Daly Mansion is special. It’s accessible. Both from the standpoint of the family that once lived in the mansion to the community that now loves and cares for this house and grounds. Marcus and Margaret Daly, and their family, once lived in the mansion and it’s clear that they actually did live in the house. It was never a museum or stopover when they “were in town”. The tour of the mansion allows a closer inspection of the house and has more of a personal feel than most other home tours of the type. And, a unique relationship with the state has charged the community with the care and upkeep of their mansion. The gardening club cares for the grounds while the quilting club creates art in the form of quilts for some of the beds. People who knew and visited the mansion have contributed stories and information, and a period of vacancy left the curators an untouched canvas to work with in their restoration. The mansion is family friendly and even guests who don’t take the tour are welcome to enjoy the grounds or have a picnic on the front lawn. Definitely worth a pit stop.

Sleeping Child Farms
An 8.9 acre sustainable eco-farm, Sleeping Child Farms also offers a farm stand, small B&B and farm-to-table restaurant. 10 miles out of town, the farm is a pleasant drive and the setting is comfortable and friendly with a dose of fine cuisine. Many of the ingredients for the restaurant are grown on the farm, with plans to expand those offerings. Also available are tours and special events. Very family friendly, kids will enjoy both the food and the farm. Excellent for a pit stop to burn off extra energy or spend a couple of hours learning about the farm and sustainability.

Northwest Passage Scenic Byway

Reluctantly, we left the friendly folks in Hamilton and hit the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway. This was another trip that none of us had taken prior to this trip, and we were looking forward to the exploration. Research driving the Lolo Motorway instead of Highway 12. It’s a primitive road built in the 1930′s and is the trail used by the Nez Perce and other native Americans. It’s also the trail used by the Corps of Discovery.  This drive is great for older kids and active families who want to take a themed trip. Maybe plan a scavenger hunt along the way and really get out and explore. Permits may be required, so do your planning in advance, but it would definitely intrigue many older kids who are looking for a bit more independence or some in-depth educational connection on a trip.

South of the Lolo Motorway is Highway 12, and its close proximity to the river lends a special scenery to the trip. Plan to stop for a picnic or camp along the way and experience the undeveloped and relatively untouched forest and river. Stop at the Lolo Pass Visitor Center. Families will appreciate the 24-hour restrooms and the Junior Explorer patches. Something about a ranger talk and a prize at the end makes learning so much more fun! You can also inquire about permits, get maps, etc. Also take a quick stop at the Lochsa Historic Ranger Station. Built in the 1920′s, it’s easy to gain appreciation for the back country rangers of that era.

Hells Gate State Park

The ominous name doesn’t describe the wonderful campground and park on the Snake River, just outside the city of Lewiston. Camp sites are shaded by mature trees and sit river’s edge, the perfect blend of campground and proximity to town for long weekends or maximum river time. Be sure to visit the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center, kids will enjoy the hands-on activities and the stream and sculptures are impressive. The Nez Perce Historic Park is less than an hour away if you have time for more history. The low elevation (lowest in the entire state) mean the weather is warm and temperate, so the big attraction are the jet boat excursions that leave from the park’s docks to Hells Canyon (the deepest river gorge in North America). The river is the best way to access the canyon from here, and outfitters offer everything from float trips to overnight or dinner trips.

Be sure to take some time to explore Lewiston, especially if you’re lucky enough to visit during one of their festivals. We also found some wineries and breweries that we want to return to explore in more depth. One of the highlights of the trip was the waffles at Waffles N’ More, an unassuming diner with a busy breakfast crowd. We have never eaten anything like them, kind of a malted angel food cake. Delicious!

If you happened to read the longer story about bringing low-tech fun back to the family road trip, I mentioned playing traditional board games as a way to entertain kids without plugging them in. Pressman Toy Corporation is the third largest game manufacturer in the United States and had been manufacturing fun since 1922.  Given the opportunity to review three products on a road trip, I selected ones for slightly younger kids (preschool-elementary). With games and puzzles for toddlers to adults, here’s our $0.02.

Animal MASTERMIND Towers

In this exciting new vertical version of MASTERMIND designed for kids, players secretly stack their animals into a tower. By asking yes or no questions, they skillfully try to get inside their opponent’s mind. The game can be played at three different levels. The first player to break the code of his or her opponent wins.

I love this game for several reasons. First of all, I could assemble it without coffee and second of all, the animals look ready for a good smack down. The “baaaad” sheep cracks me up every time I look at the box. Shenanigans aside, we’ve been playing the “modified” version of Animal MASTERMIND Towers between the three- and four-year-old. Simply remove one or two of the animals from the tower and you can practice the concept of “on top of” and “below” to your hearts content. Hold on to your crabby patty: this game also comes in SpongeBob Square Pants (!).

Dinosaur Train Card Games

Play the classic games of Crazy 8’s, Old Maid, and Go Fish along with Buddy and your favorite players from Dinosaur Train. These classics never grow old and now have been given a new look that every kid will love with the Dinosaur Train characters.

Ever since my grandma taught me Gin Rummy back in kindergarten, I’ve loved to play cards. Solitaire, King in the Corners, Cribbage, War, and even Euchre (it’s a Michigan thing). When you play card games with your kids, you’re interacting with them, reinforcing math skills, and developing their self esteem (teaching that winning and losing are both part of the game). I played Crazy 8′s for four straight hours through South Dakota last summer (you can use a large hard-cover book as a playing surface, but look up before you miss the Badlands). Easy to slip in a backpack or purse, you can even bring a box of cards with you into a restaurant. Number one fans of public television, the Dinosaur Train characters were a big hit.

Travel MASTERMIND

Another great option for travel are the attaché versions of Pressman classics MASTERMIND. It’s the Codemaker vs. the Codebreaker! Which opponent will solve the code in fewer turns? The Codemaker secretly places any four code pegs in the code area then conceals them with the code shield.

MASTERMIND was my favorite game as a kid. I would play with my dad over and over again (eventually he stopped letting me win and the game engaged us both). Remembering this precious alone time with him makes me choke up a bit (cancer took him last year, but I still remember loving to play games with both my parents). Maybe I hold this game a little higher than the average person; the fundamental problem-solving skills a kid can learn from MASTERMIND should probably be measured in a double-blind study.

We are enjoying the travel version. A little complex for our three-year-old, he is happy to make patterns with the different colors (oh, and the game got a little hip-and-trendier in the past 20 years). Despite the handy zip-up carrying case the travel pegs are tiny little projectiles. We learned our lesson from what is now referred to as the “Lite-Brite Incident of 2008,” and are careful to only take out the pegs as we need them. So far, so good!

If you read our “10 Best Places to Get Your Marshmallow On” story earlier in the week, you may have S’mores on the brain. Er, in your stomach? A perfect non-perishable camping dessert, S’mores are easy to assemble, easy to pack, and fun to make. Thank goodness Hershey’s, Honey Maid, and Kraft have partnered together for this summer-fun giveaway.

Here’s the scoop: You can win a S’mores kit including all the classic S’mores ingredients—Hershey^®’s Milk Chocolate bars, crispy Honey Maid^® Graham Crackers and Kraft Jet-Puffed^® Marshmallows—and a branded skewers set!

If you want in on the campfire action*, simply like the Road Trips For Families Facebook page and leave a comment here with a favorite round-the-fire memory or S’more making tip. For me, it’s listening to Grandpa play his harmonica while the kids analyze the fire for the perfect roasting spot.

* Open to U.S. Residents only. Contest ends at midnight on August 31, 2010. Road Trips for Families received S’mores ingredients in the mail as part of this giveaway. We already love S’mores, so today we practiced making gingerbread houses instead. This post brought to you by the letter “f,” for fun!

It’s summer! That crazy time that strikes fear into the heart of even the most organized parent. Keeping track of all the appointments, activities, camps, trips, entertaining and family fun that gets jammed into that 8-10 week window can be exhausting. The remedy? How about a really good, non-techie easy to use database? One you can set up fast, simple to use, and available for updates from home and on the go.  Something that’s compatible with with your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Bento is a personal database from FileMaker that’s designed for family use. It comes loaded with 35 templates for managing contacts, diet logs, vacation schedule, event plans, recipes, and more. Road Trips for Families was offered the opportunity to see for ourselves. So…we found a tech-savvy dad and asked him to try Bento for the summer. Here’s his review:

Bento App for iPhone, reviewed by Milwaukee Dad, Dave Ruocco

Being an at-home dad of two young boys, I am always on the lookout for a way to organize our hectic schedule, ensuring everyone gets where they need to be. Daily grind aside, the family vacation is the next biggest scheduling challenge in our family.

This is where Bento for the iPhone comes in handy. A self-described personal database app; at $4.99 it’s not expensive, but for an app, not cheap either. For starters, Bento is a well-designed, versatile program that functioned flawlessly. I spent a month trying to integrate Bento into my daily routine. I was initially drawn to two features; scheduling and To-Do lists.

The To-Do list was initially impressive, but soon proved to be better fantasy than reality. Yes, I could make To-Do lists to my heart’s content on a very nice template, but for a parent on the move, I don’t need to know when I bought milk, just that I actually bought the milk. The repeated deleting of each completed item (or logging that it was done) soon became tedious. A simple list with a strike through would be nicer.

The scheduler worked far better as a global organizer. Once I got used to opening the Bento app each time I wanted to see contacts, photos, and calendars, the beauty of this app became more apparent. For example, if you want to see greater detail about who is going to be at the play date or visiting with Grandma at the same time, Bento provides an easy solution. Add the event to the calendar then just add each person from the contacts list (much like a subgroup in your contacts list) and viola! Now when you open that event, you can see a list of everyone (with their pertinent info, like who has food allergies or does not play well with your kids).

Keeper of the bills in our house, I am usually tasked to figure out if the next trip to Disney is going to happen before the kids are “too old.” If you have the time, Bento is a real asset—it will track your bills, airfare, hotel, auto etc. You can even set up a Disney Vacation project and add each expense, in an excel-like spreadsheet to track the costs by category. The Bento app also functions wonderfully as a “PIN vault,” storing all those travel miles and web logins in one convenient place.

By now you’d think I was a raving Bento fan, yet that is not the case. The fact is I am too spoiled by so many other apps that build what I need out of the box to spend the time to do it myself. My time is precious; I want to spend it on other things than data entry, so the To-Do list was too much and the scheduler was not quite beneficial enough for my needs. The true deal breaker though was the lack of an alarm function! This wonderful app is unable to tie into iCals alarm feature (due to Apple’s restrictions on its use, not Bento’s, according to their website). So if you are someone who needs an audio reminder, you have to first rely on iCal, then check your Bento database.

For me the bottom line is this: if you have the time and only want a single broad-based app that can be made to fit multiple roles, I recommend Bento. If, however, free time is scarce and you can’t function without audio warnings, then you may be better served elsewhere.

Dave Ruocco is a stay at home dad of two young boys who keep him constantly challenged and entertained. He stays busy by practicing law and running an advanced motorcycle rider training company called Total Rider Tech. Among his many hobbies are martial arts, motorcycling, and computers. Dave also has a passion for teaching.

Playing MASTERMIND Attaché: Siblings Unite!

If you grew up in a family like mine, a piece of duct tape stuck firmly to the exact mid-point between the seat my sister and I sat on the ENTIRE way from Michigan to Colorado, sans interstate. Without Nintendo DS, Wii, and DVD players, we had no choice but to develop the skill of spitting out and sucking in saliva before it hit the seat. I once learned to french braid my hair in the fourteen hour span between home and Colonial Williamsburg. Other families went to amusement parks, had cabins, and even sported season passes to the community swimming pool. No such luck for two sisters forced together for our own good.

Let’s face it, the slippery-slope we call the technology curve is a blessing and a curse for today’s road tripping families. We have GPS and geocaching, iPhone apps, and even paperless books. Flat tire? No problem. Call a tow truck or just push the assistance button on the dash. Did Elroy and Judy Jetson ever secretly share their tape player as their rocket took the self-guided tour of Gettysburg?

As a mom of three young kids, I have a love/hate relationship with digital entertainment on our road trips. When they were younger, yes, a Teletubbies DVD or two bought us enough time to not completely dread the annual 3.5 hour drive home for Thanksgiving. This summer things changed. Loading my iPhone with educational and toddler-friendly apps was entirely well-intentioned, before it backfired. The problem? Three kids, one toy = eight straight hours on the road. Did anyone see clumps of my hair at the wayside?

Let’s talk about the DVD player, shall we? The network of RedBox DVD kiosks along the main interstate corridor is an efficient way to find, rent, watch, and return movies for less than $2/day. The downside? With great power comes great responsibility. I personally owe the Academy an apology for producing the world’s youngest movie critics.

With the GPS system pleasantly chirping commands to turn left, stay in the right lane, and to “when possible, make a u-turn,” not only can you answer the question, “Are we there yet?,” you can pinpoint the exact minute you’ll arrive. My oldest son obsesses over the arrival time like an outtake from the movie Rain Man. One day, I let him just hold the GPS unit and tell me when to turn (note: make sure your child actually knows left from right before you try this at home).

Then I had an epiphany.

I realized we stopped looking out the window. We didn’t play “I spy!” and look for license plates and road signs and try and find the moon and the sun out at the same time. Technology was making all of us crabby. So we unplugged.  And just for my oldest son’s benefit, I openly defied the GPS lady. On a whim, we stopped at a donuts shop and found lakes with skipping stones. I scrounged up wooden clip boards and blank paper and encouraged sketches of where we’d been.

The whining was hard at first and I’m the last thing from a martyr. They’re still too young and I’m still too impatient to completely cut movies and the iPhone out of a full-day road trip. BUT, we established a system whereby each kid can use three, and only three, ten minute intervals on the phone that day. Movie choice is on a rotating basis and we wait for a more challenging moment fire up the laptop (for us, the hour before a meal stop). As it turns out, our public library has free, educational videos and even books on DVD.

Easy to store in travel compartments, or just behind the seat, are travel-sized board games and playing cards. Card games like Crazy 8, Old Maid, and Go Fish are other excellent ways to build math skills and pass the time. We even bring these games into restaurants with us, allowing other patrons to enjoy their meals.

With another diatribe off my chest; technology is part of the world we live in. Our kids learn differently and in ways our brains are trying to adapt to like old dogs with new tricks. Each family has a different tolerance level and a different idea of quality time. Unplugged kids will survive. We did.

Thanks to advances in satellite technology, social media, and the Groundspeak Geocaching iPhone application, geocaching as a family hobby is wildly growing in popularity. Yes, you can enjoy finding all the caches in your neighborhood and even treasure hunt on a day trip or two. But what about geocaching as a reason to take a family vacation? At Road Trips for Families, we call it Going on VaCachen™.

Road trips is Still on VaCachen with another batch of resorts, festivals, state parks, and even entire towns with geocaching adventures. Keep coming back to our newly launched Geocaching column. Add a comment if you have a VaCachen idea to share (no spoilers, please). TFTC!

Pennsylvania Wilds

The Pennsylvania Wilds region is known for its incredible elk herd, awesome fall foliage and woodlands, and of course, the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil. It is also known for some very cool geocaching experiences—especially in the Allegheny National Forest. The Allegheny GeoTrail, as it’s known, is one of the largest of its kind, encompassing ten counties throughout northwestern and north-central Pennsylvania. Within each county are between 10 and 20 designated geocaches which make up the “trail”. The quest to find these caches will take participants throughout the rugged and scenic land of the Allegheny National Forest and its surrounding gateway counties.

Brown County, Indiana

Located in southern Indiana, Brown County is one of the most heavily forested areas in the Midwest, offering rolling hills and scenic valleys. The terrain offers the perfect backdrop for geocaching. Rawhide Ranch is one location where you can rent handheld GPS devices and begin the hunt.  You will receive personal instructions on how to use the GPS unit, while finding your first cache. Then you either head off into the surrounding county or try your luck on the ranch caches. There are a variety of sites throughout the county, such as Muddy Boots Café, Bean Blossom Covered Bridge and Ogle Lake.  The drive on the county’s backroads to find the geocaches is half the fun.

Spring Creek Ranch, Wyoming

Spring Creek Ranch in Jackson Hole, WY  developed and maintains a private geocaching course on its 1,000 acre property. This private course allows us to be innovative with the activity and to offer higher quality rewards within each cache. Guests are also welcome to rent GPS units to search for the hundreds of “public” caches hidden within the Jackson Hole area. Located on a butte just outside the Western town of Jackson and overlooking beautiful Jackson Hole Valley, the 1,000-acre Spring Creek Ranch is a secluded mountain retreat with spectacular views of the Teton Mountains.

The resort’s ruggedly elegant accommodations feature stone fireplaces and hand-made lodgepole pine furniture. Guests may choose from suites, studios with full kitchens, two- and three-bedroom luxury condominiums and executive homes. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the pampering and relaxation of Spring Creek’s full-service Wilderness Adventure Spa, offering a variety of treatments including aprs ski massages, cozy mud wraps, hot stone massages, sunrise facials, Acupressure, and more.

Northstar-at-Tahoe, California

Families will love exploring Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort’s 100 miles of scenic hiking trails that wind among the tall pine trees of the Sierra Nevada with views of nearby Lake Tahoe. Search out the nine geocaches among the trails for added adventure – rated easy-to-find (green circle), intermediate (blue square) or hard-to-find (black diamond). Follow the take-a-trinket, leave-a-trinket policy and add your family’s name to the logbook at each cache.

You’ll enjoy the local flora and fauna on the trails and brush shoulders with old growth Red Fir and White Pine trees. Leashed dogs are welcome on the hiking trails and there are plenty of spots to pick up a picnic lunch in the Village at Northstar. When your on-mountain adventure is done head back down to the Village where you can learn how to make candles or bead your own jewelry, or pull on a pair of roller skates and cruise around the 9,000 foot rink. On-site lodging options and restaurants mean your family doesn’t have to get back in the car once you arrive. Nearby Lake Tahoe affords plenty of family fun, both on the water and the surrounding trails.

Sunday River Resort, Maine

Sunday River Resort’s geocache points are hidden along the resorts 12 mile network of designated hiking terrain spanning eight mountain peaks. Some caches are easy to find and others are much more challenging with the option to hike or take advantage of our Chondola. Geocaching equipment is available to rent out of Sunday River Sports at $15 for a full day.

Sunday River also offers Summer Adventure packages with the options of activities like geocaching, white water rafting, kayaking and canoeing, mineralogy expeditions, fly fishing, ATV tours and mountain biking. These packages run until October and start at $109. For more information visit www.sundayriver.com or call 800-543-2SKI.

A summertime rite-of-passage, roasting s’mores around the campfire has been a family tradition since marshmallows found their way onto grocery store shelves in the early 20th century. A camping delicacy, to make a s’more you need three fundamental ingredients: marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. Roast the marshmallow on a stick over the fire, slide it between a sandwich of chocolate and graham crackers, and you’ll be asking for “some more” before you have time to lick the melted goo from your hands.

Since my sister unofficially coined the phrase “raw marshmallow” back in 1986 (no risk of salmonella: a combination of smoke and vacation slothery compel you to eat marshmallows directly from the bag), each year we try mix the s’more up a bit. This summer was strawberry marshmallows on cookies pre-assembled with melted fudge. We even tried peanut butter cups with Girl Scout cookies (pack your EpiPen before trying this one). Whatever your tradition or your s’more recipe, here are some places to get your marshmallow on. After all, August is National S’more Month!

Shenandoah National Park: 90 miles outside of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is is hosting the Backyard Barbecue & S’mores Festival on Saturday August 21st at Skyland Resort. Guests can enjoy barbecue pork, chicken and ribs, along with S’mores makings for kids of all ages. Located on mile 41.7 on Skyline Drive, the festival will also feature entertainment by country artist Glen Shelton. For more information visit www.visitshenandoah.com or call 800-778-2872.

Mesa Verde National Park: Located in southwestern Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park is home to the largest cliff dwelling in North America. In honor of National S’more Month, they are offering the Complete Camper Package for families looking to enjoy the great outdoors. The package includes S’mores fix’ns and an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. Priced at $89 for a dry campsite and $115 for a base campsite, the package includes two seats on the new Far View Explorer Tour, a driver-guided adventure that takes guests to the popular Far View archaeological sites. For more information on the Morefield Campground or the Complete Camper Package, please visit www.visitmesaverde.com or call 866-292-8295.

The Adirondacks: Larger than many states, the Adirondack region is only a short drive from many major cities. There are over a dozen byways to explore road-trip style, with hundreds of camping options for s’mores heaven. Lake George, Lake Placid and the Old Forge area are the best known destinations, but with more than 100 other villages to pick from, you can find your version of perfect or just keep trying new campfires. www.visitadirondacks.com

Hells Gate State Park: Located on the Snake River, Hells Gate State Park is about as urban as you can get, with easy access from both Lewiston and Clarkston, but feels completely out in the woods. Think of it as all of the camping with not so much of the road trip. Campsites are very shady and lush, and between s’mores cookoffs you can take a jet boat excursion into Hells Canyon. http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/hellsgate.aspx

Rocky Mountain National Park: There’s nothing diminutive about Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s 416 miles of gigantic wonderland. Over 60 mountains in the park exceed 12,000 feet with Longs Peak topping the crowd at 14,259 amazing feet. Scenic wildlife drives and lush meadows let the non-climbing among us relax with a campfire and gentle trails. http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm

Acadia National Park: Located on the rugged coast of Maine and home to the tallest mountain on the US Atlantic coast, Acadia National Park is one of those visits you’ll never forget. Take a 20-minute driving tour or spend a week, or anything in between. The ranger-led boat cruises are especially family friendly and many of the hikes are accessible and suitable for small children. Don’t forget tea and popovers at the Jordan Pond House between your s’mores cookouts. http://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm

Lake Ouachita State Park, Arkansas: One of the cleanest lakes in America, Lake Ouachita is a water sports mecca for swimming, skiing, scuba diving, boating, and fishing. Stay in Hot Springs and just drive out to get your s’mores fix or camp for a couple of nights. Arkansas state parks also have a fun geocaching program. You get clues at each of the 52 state parks that lead you to the super secret 53rd cache. Get your Lake Ouachita clue while you walk off some of the calories from all those s’mores. http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/lakeouachita/

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas: Known as the grand canyon of Texas, Palo Duro Canyon is south of Amarillo in the Texas panhandle. Home of the Official Play of the State of Texas (yes sir, cowboy, that’s really a designation!), the horseback tours of the region are also very popular. Camping is available, and because of the diverse habitats, wildlife is plentiful. On the canyon rim, longhorn steers which are a part of the official Texas State Longhorn Herd, may be viewed from the main road. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/palo_duro/

Lake Bistineau State Park, Louisiana:Famous for the stands of cypress and tupelo trees, as well as all types of water sports, hiking and some of the state’s best picnic areas, Lake Bistineau is one heck of a place to make up some s’mores. Cabins and a swimming beach as well as hiking and canoe trails give everyone something to do when you’re not firing up the marshmallows. http://www.crt.state.la.us/parks/ibistino.aspx

Your Own Backyard: Get out the grill or fire up the fire pit and make some s’mores as a surprise treat. It’s August, so sleep out under the stars and tell ghost stories or have some friends over. You really don’t need to go anywhere special to get your marshmallow on.

We started this mega trip with few expectations. While we looked forward to seeing some familiar parts of the country, much of our trip would pass through areas we’d never traveled. And, to be honest, these areas weren’t exactly inspiring from an entertainment perspective if you looked at the map. The towns were few and far between and very small. But, if you’re going to drive all Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies, you have to figure there’s a lot of getting from here to there. In states that are very low on the population density list.

The drive to Hamilton, Montana from Sun Valley looked to be one of those drives. We’d be driving the Salmon River-Sawtooth Scenic Byways. The mountains would be spectacular but we didn’t anticipate much else, and settled in for a restful drive.

The lesson of the day? Your destination doesn’t matter, it’s all about how you get there and enjoying that journey. Oh, and maps (non-topo) are not really that descriptive in terms of mountain passes.

The drive from Sun Valley through the foothills was uneventful and we started looking for some geocaches. The first hint of Sawtooth glory was all the caches claiming to be the “most extreme” in Idaho. Huh. We settled on a group of caches that highlights all the camps used by Lewis and Clark and started talking about what that trip might have been like. And then we hit the mountains.

If you have older kids, do some research on the history of the area before you visit. Use it for reading or discussion in the car, or plan your route to specifically see some points of interest. In our opinion, the best part about this drive was how untouched it was from the days of Lewis and Clark. Sure, now there are safe roads, but there’s not much else. It’s easy to imagine how it might have been.

We had barely begun our journey through the Sawtooth Mountains when we stopped for lemonade and lunch at Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch. Built by New York Frigidaire executive, Winston Paul, in 1929 and 1930, it was originally opened as the invitation-only Idaho Rocky Mountain Club. The ranch is largely original, and the atmosphere is old-school resort ranch. This is the place to go when you want to decide the day’s activities over breakfast. With 900 acres to explore, the options are vast. You could have privacy and just read a book or take a group trail ride or fishing trip. Or, just hike and see what life without a cell phone is really like. Cabins at the ranch are luxurious without being fussy or fancy, and there are several options for families or couples. Judging by the lunch, the food is amazing!

Our path today took us over the Galena Summit to Stanley, Challis, Salmon, North Fork and over the Lost Trail Pass to Darby and finally Hamilton, Montana. Each of these could be explored for at least a day, and this trip would ideally be something a family took a week to enjoy. We pulled over and played in the river a few times but our schedule had us moving along pretty fast. It’s definitely on our camping list for a week-long trip very soon. Plan to stop in Challis overnight, there are several campgrounds and RV parks to choose from, or stay in one of the historic B&Bs, like the Challis Hotsprings. Both historic sections of Challis are on the National Register of Historic Places, and the town makes an excellent base camp for exploring the river or hiking nearby.

Tip: Geocaching in this entire region is fabulous. While it’s less populated with caches than some other regions, there are some fun family options as well as many more extreme hunts to talk about as you drive.

Salmon is famous for the Sacajawea Interpretive Center. The Lemhi Valley is where Sacajawea was born, and the center is an amazing resource. On 71 acres, with activities for children that rotate almost daily, as well as hiking and traditional museum exhibits, there’s several hours of learning and fun here. There’s also a community garden and beautiful picnic area as well as a seasonal outdoor school and many special event facilities. Try to plan your visit around some of the events, they come highly recommended. Later in the trip, we visit other places that Sacajawea helped explore and it really puts her remarkable contributions in perspective. The sheer miles and terrain that she covered (much as a young mother!) are staggering. As we crossed over the Lost Trail Pass into Montana, we talked about what it would have been like to explore this area and how relatively unchanged it is.

Driving into Darby and then Hamilton, Montana seems almost anticlimactic after all the mountains, the river and the history. The Townhouse Inn is a great option for families (nice laundry facilities!) with friendly staff and great location right off the main road. Kids will love the free breakfast and pets are welcome.