We took a 6 day trip that started and ended in Salt Lake City, UT with our 1 and 3 year old. We racked up roughly 17 hours of driving to get a glimpse of Zion National Park, Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend, the Glen Canyon and Dam, Arches National Park, the Homestead Crater, and hiking in Alta near SLC. Here are some of my top words of wisdom after making countless mistakes (and having a few wins).
1. Create an agenda with options. Lots of options. I prioritized my top couple of things I wanted to see at each stop, and then had a list of *bonus* items that would be neat to see if the kids were in a good mood. Because Lord knows traveling with a 3 and 1 year old can go south fast! I learned quickly to lower my expectations after our first day at Zion when the 3 year old made it approximately 50 yards into our first hike before melting down and throwing in the towel for the evening. Back-up plan: a long bath at the hotel with his new toy ranger truck from the ZNP gift shop.
2. Come prepared. Bring all of the medicines/band-aids/first-aid stuff you can fit into your carry on or load up when you get there. Who knew that my 3 year old would get motion sickness AND be sensitive to the altitude?! Good thing I brought a kids' dose of Dramamine. The people on the shuttle bus in Zion were very thankful it kicked in fast after he threatened to throw up on everybody. My bag included: infant and toddler Tylenol, kids allergy meds, eye drops & extra chap stick (its really dry air compared to midwest humidity so these were much appreciated), antibiotic cream, bandaids (big ones too so you can cover up those DRAMATIC toddler knee scraps), & athletes foot cream (because, boy mom). Plus Tums, Dramamine, and Tylenol for the grown-ups.
3. It's hot as balls out there. It hit 108 degrees, and while it doesn't have the humidity its still cause for concern. Bring SO MUCH WATER and sun protection. I'm talking giant &ridiculous sun hats, sunscreen (100 SPF), hand held fans that squirt water, cooling towels, sunglasses, water bottles, and a hydration backpack. The hydration backpack was a lifesaver because the kids actually thought it was super cool to drink out of. More fun for them = better hydration.
4. Book AirBnBs or hotels suites if its in your budget. I think having at least two rooms is a lifesaver when it comes to getting the kids to sleep. Plus, after they do fall asleep you have a space to hangout and don't have to worry about waking them up as easily. Mornings were also easier because you didn't have to take your kid to the parking lot at 6am for fear of waking up the whole hotel LOL. The two upsides to the hotels were free breakfast and the pool. We did AirBnBs in Salt Lake City and hotels near the national parks. It is much more expensive in and around Springdale and Moab to get rental homes. So decide what is a priority to you!!
5. Fly Southwest if you aren't driving directly to Utah. Slightly off the road trip theme but I had to mention it. They were SO amazing with the kids. I hadn't flown Southwest in a long time, and I will for sure be booking family vacations with them in the future. Family boarding, making jokes with the kids, diaper changing stations on each plane, introducing them to the pilot, extra drinks and snacks, and even a curly straw for Aiden's Sprite. It was all four flights that were this accommodating, not just one flight team. Big fan.
6. Bring a change of clothes and shoes everywhere. For some reason kids like to jump right into little mountain streams instead of going around or over them. Additionally, while I should have assumed it would be an issue I was more concerned about the heat than the impending sand that would inhabit Moab. It is the desert. Duh. So if you hit up the Sand Dune Arch (HIGHLY recommend with littles), you'll be thankful you brought extras after they do sand angels, throw sand, and rub it all up in their hair. Grown-ups: it might be good to wear Chacos/Tevas. Drew hated walking in some spots with his tennis shoes!!
7. SNACKS ON SNACKS & FOOD ON FOOD. Bring a variety of snacks. My 1 year old decided to become picky on this trip so it was nice to have a selection to offer. I also discovered that the hydration backpack has a nice insulated area where the water bladder goes that can double as a mini ice box. So fill a gallon or grocery bag up with hotel ice and bring along cheese & meat sticks, sandwiches, apple sauce pouches, or anything else your kids may want to munch on. We also hit a grocery store before heading out on our first leg of the drive and picked up bread, bagels, peanut butter, jelly, and apples. Just in case there wasn't a great place to stop for food or our schedule didn't line up well with meal times.
8. Start small with the hikes & take breaks. Our longest hike was 2.4 miles round trip and it was really pushing it. We also did not put our oldest (3) in a carrier. I know some people do that with toddlers, but I just cannot fathom carrying him that way (it's clearly a me problem). When he got tired, he just ended up riding on one of our shoulders for a few minutes or we took a break. If you have a rambunctious kid you are worried about not being in a pack, I did see some kids on leashes. Totally a good idea, no judgement.
9. Make a few unexpected stops. Some of our favorite things were unplanned. Go off the beaten path for a rest stop instead of a typical gas station to stretch legs. You never know what you might find!
10. Get ice cream every night. Self explanatory.
11. Bring one or two small toys on each hike. My husband and I really wanted to take in the views once we got to our destination. However, the boys either wanted to run around like Tasmanian devils or leave right away. When we got out each of their toy trucks, they were instantly entertained. They loved driving them through the sand, jumping over big rocks, and rolling them down hills. This usually gave us a few extra minutes to absorb the beauty and take some pictures. PS - don't bring toys you aren't willing to lose or get broken.
12. If there are two adults, take turns exploring the area after the kids' bedtimes. I was able to try some local beers, catch a sunset, and even pick up a few things from the store after 8pm.
13. Invest in a disposable or little kid camera. I am SO excited to develop the two Aiden filled up. Most will probably be the sky, ground, or his finger because he is 3. But it warms my heart to see him take an interest in photography and it'll be so endearing to see the trip through his eyes.
14. Find multiple forms of backup entertainment for the car rides. I was fully prepared to plop the iPad in front of my 3 year old to zombify him so the 1 year old could sleep. However, NO WIFI OR SERVICE was not something I considered while driving through the mountains. I then made a second rookie mistake by not downloading a few shows for offline use. So, if you are like me, be ready to sing, dance, play 'I Spy', and talk with your kids about the history or culture of the land, or make up silly stories. Its fun anyhow :)
15. Be prepared for blow-ups and misbehavior. Overall, my kids did so well. Better than I ever imagined they would. But they are still 1 & 3. There were still tantrums, wrecked sleep schedules, and stress for us when they refused to eat even their most favorite thing (mac & cheese, obviously). I had to remember that just because we were on vacation doesn't mean their little brains stopped working overtime to process emotions and change. Andddd behavior does escalate if you miss naps. So try your best to stick to their sleep routine. Sigh. You'll see less, but it'll be worth fewer sassy moments.
You won't get to hike Angel's Landing or ride an ATV through the dunes but WOW. It was incredible getting to take such a momental trip with the whole family. They might not remember the dinosaur fossils or waterfalls in 10 years, but you are helping them build flexibility, build new vocabulary, and tolerance/acceptance for those and things different from what they are used to . Personally, I hope that taking trips like this will instill an adventurous spirit, a respect for different cultures, and a desire to learn more from a young age. SO DO THE TRIP!! You won't regret it.
Because being on vacation with kids is way more fun than being stuck at home with kids :)
XOXO,
Em
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