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The 2018 Epic Roadtrip.

 

Whew, this trip was a DOOZY. It was almost a month long, and about 2000 miles. The hurricane evacuation trip made me brave. Yet, it was this trip that made me realize I wasn't hindered in traveling because I had children....YOUNG children. Let's start at the beginning.....

 

We had just moved to Florida in June of 2017 from Maryland. Loved Maryland, HATED Florida. I was looking for any possible way to get far away. FAR FAR AWAY. Hence, the 2018 roadtrip idea was born. I totally handled that crazy hurricane evacuation adventure, so I totally had this in the bag. 

 

I like to plan things in advance; logistics, etc. It drives my husbands nuts. I already mostly know my plans for summer 2025. Insane, right? I think it is the non-diagnosed ADHD in me. 

 

Anyway. I was hitting all the stops. Zane was almost 6, Carleigh was almost 3. When I plan a trip, I make note of the BIG things to do and places we were stopping. I knew I wanted to go back to Pensylvania, and sprinkle visits with all my northern family in there. Once I add in the big major stops, I find interesting stops and activites to entertain kids along the way. 

 

Here is what I ended up with for my major destination point: Florida------>Niagara Falls, Cananda----> Florida. 

Then it got a bit more detailed: Florida-->Great Wolf Lodge VA-->Malvern, PA-->Rochester, NY--> Niagara Falls--> Malvern, PA--> Milford, DE-->Florida

 

After researching activites, this is what our final trip was: Florida-->Georgia Peach World-->South of the Border, SC-->Great Wolf Lodge VA-->Malvern, PA-->Hershey, PA-->Clyde Peels Reptileland--->Mansfield, PA-->Rochester, NY-->Buffalo, NY---Niagara Falls, NY---> Niagara Falls, ON Canada-->Ithaca, NY--->Crayola Factory, Easton, PA---> Crystal Cave, Kutztown, PA--> Malvern, PA--->Milford, DE-->Rehoboth Beach, DE-->Virginia Zoo-->

Clark Park Nature Center, Fayettesville, NC-->Aloha Safari Park, Cameron, NC--->Slept somewhere in South Carolina-->Florida.

 

It was almost a month long. The major places like Pennsylvania, Rochester, Delaware, we stayed at least 2-3 nights, the other place were along the way or it was a one night stay. We did a lot. It was a lot. It was fun. It was stressful. My mom drove with us from Florida to Maryland, and she came to Great Wolf Lodge with us.  My son really wanted to go to 'Georgia Peach World.' It is literally a roadside building/stand that sells lots of peach stuff. He insisted on South of the Border, a super cringy staple of the I-95 corridor, that surprisingly has super clean bathroooms. We ventured to Hershey, PA....another childhood staple of mine.

 

  

 

 

We got to see our PA cousins and NY cousins. My kids got to see where I went to college. I got to visit with my college best friend and go to Niagara Falls with her where she forced me to go on the ferris wheel. We had a heck of a time trying to find food that night because everythign was shut down/closed, but we were finally able to find a Burger King. The crayola factory was hectic because my kids, even though only 3 years apart, were a very distinct ages where they were able to do different things. It was great taking them to the boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach, a place a went every summer as child. I think the most random spot I found was the Aloha Zoo in North Carolina. It was farther off the path of our drive than I thought, and it was insanely hot that day, but we got to feed giraffes! 

 

      

 

At the end of the trip I distinctly remember stopping in Brunswick, GA at a Dairy Queen. Zane wanted to be home, but he didn't want to sit in the car any longer. His poor little brain was so mushed. I got it, I wanted to be out of the car too and back in my own bed.

 

 

 

About 2700 miles later, we finally landed back in Florida. It was an epic 1st long adventure. 

 

And now we roadtrip every summer to PA. Not as insanely as this first trip, but my kids are roadtrip warriors for sure. If you think you can't, think of this long road trip. You can totally take a new adventure and find weird/fun stops along the way. FIND YOUR WILD!