Summer 2012: Travel Tip #1

Traveling with small children in a crowded vehicle for many miles at a time can be quite a challenge.  One of the biggies is finding good places to stop where they can get a nice break, stretch their legs, and get some energy out.  Rest stops usually just don't cut it for us.  There isn't a lot of space to play, play equipment is non-existent, and even the dog walking areas are pretty limited.  Instead, why not stop in a town off of the highway and find a local park to chill out in for an hour or so.  We did just that on Thursday in a suburb of Sacramento.  We just looked for a developed community, drove down a few main boulevards, and ran right into a small community park with two playgrounds, picnic tables, and lots of grass for walking the dog around.  The girls ran around like crazy, were able to eat their sandwiches, tumbled on the grass, and exclaimed over the beauty of our stop (which rarely happens when stopping at rest stops).  This turned out to be the perfect solution to our kids-going-bonkers-in-the-car problem.