Dapper Dadz: Day Trippin

Dan
Jul 26, 2017
3 min read

What is day trippin you might ask? Suzi and I often talk about our love of travel and with kids sometimes that can pose challenges the single world doesn't often face.

This summer when we were trying to plan what we were going to do with the kids, Suzi and I began talking about what her grandparents used to do with her family. During the summer, when the kids were off of school, her grandpa would wake everyone up in the morning and tell them it was, "Time to go day trippin!" They would all pile in the car and set off for an undetermined destination. Sometimes they would just pick up a paper map and randomly place their finger on a small town to be their destination. Other times, they would just drive with no destination in mind. Those, Suzi says, were the best times.

"We had no idea where we were going. It was simply a series of turns, back roads and random discoveries we would not have made by simply driving on the highway. We would stumble across a small town and spend the day shopping at the local shops, visiting the local parks, eating at the local restaurants and just all in all exploring. It was exhilarating and adventurous. We never knew what the day would hold for us. One of the best feelings was the feeling of being lost. My grandma and I used to compete against each other when it came to our directional abilities. We would make a game out of figuring out how to become “found.” We would pay attention to road signs, landmarks and the paper map. You know, as I think about it, it’s sad because map reading skills many adults don’t even have today. These day trips were just so much fun and they made a “boring” car ride into something exciting, educational and adventurous.”

Since we have started doing day trips with our kids, we too have tried to keep the same approach her grandfather had. So- when we pack up, we don’t really have any set destination in mind and somehow, we always manage to discover something awesome.

Want to try day trippin yourself? Here are our suggestions for a successful day trip:

Make sure your gas tank is full- You never want to leave the house on E and have to stop and fill up because that little hiccup can cause the kids to become stir crazy or feel like today isn’t much different than any other day.
Eat a full breakfast OR pack some snacks and drinks- Be sure to fill the bellies of your little ones and don’t forget about you! Sometimes a nice cup of coffee to go can make the trip all the better.
Pack pillows and blankets- At the end of the day, trust me, you and the kids are going to be worn out. Pack pillows and blankets for them to cuddle up with on the ride home or even when an opportunity to lay under the stars presents itself.
Throw your controlling mindset to the wind- You are supposed to get lost. You are supposed to have no idea where you are going but to just end up somewhere. Forget about the hustle and bustle of your daily lives and don’t turn on that GPS. Just remember not to make a ton of right turns in a row and you’ll soon find that you have discovered somewhere else.
If you are too familiar with the immediate radius around you, set your sights on a farther distance- Sometimes we get too familiar with the towns and areas around us. When this happens, we need to make sure to push the radius of travel out farther. Suzi’s grandfather sometimes would take them into Indiana or Michigan to do their day trips because they had all grown too familiar with the area.
Be on the lookout for parks, restaurants, shops, landmarks, etc. that you can stop at- That’s another thing Suzi always talked about. When her grandparents would drive them into Indiana, they were always on the lookout for parks, restaurants and Amish communities. They often stopped at Amish farms and purchased farm fresh eggs, homemade breads and treats, baskets or quilts as part of their adventure.
Have fun! This is the biggest one- Have fun. Remember that this is a time for you and your family to enjoy bonding and exploring with each other.