AboutSuzan Jackson Expertise I am a writer specializing in topics related to family, especially enjoying travel and the outdoors with children. My husband and I have traveled extensively with our own 2 sons - now ages 10 and 14 - since they were infants. I can advise on travel by air or car and on a variety of destinations across the US. We also enjoy many outdoor activities with our sons. For more information, see my websites: www.travelfamily.net and www.outdoorfamily.net.
Experience Traveling with my own 2 boys since they were infants, by air and car, to a wide variety of destinations, both urban and outdoor. Writing about travel with children.
Publications FAMILY FUN magazine
See my website www.travelfamily.net for articles and tips on traveling with kids.
Question Hi Suzan, We are planning to drive from Los Angeles to Chicago this winter. Well
have 3 kids and our dog with us. Can you suggest a site or a way to plan our
trip that will include seeing some sights, hotel options and other tips. Thank
you so much. Ive tried AAA and it didnt help much. Thanks.
Answer Dear Susan -
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Everyone in our family has been sick this past week - 'tis the season!
We take a long road trip every summer from the East Coast to Oklahoma or South Dakota to visit family. We try to make the road trip part of the vacation by making fun stops along the way. Our boys are now 14 and 11, and we've been making these trips since they were 4 and 1.
Take a look at my family travel website for some specific tips on how to plan and enjoy a road trip with kids:
Click on Travel Tips, then on Road Trips with Kids for a detailed article. At the end of the article, click on the link to road trip websites to link to some of the websites we use to plan our trips. You can also click on the Audio Books link from the Travel Tips page, to see some of our recommendations for audio books (they really make the trip go quickly!)
Just start by figuring out roughly how far you want to travel each day, then use mapquest to see where that would put you, then use the other resources to find some fun stops, hotels, etc.
For nice but inexpensive hotels, we like the Choice Hotels group:
