Day 24 - Travel Day from CA to UT

Disappointing fact of life: Not all days can be super fun. Today was a good day. We got to go to church with Grammy's family and have a meal with them before we left. We just didn't have any major adventures. But I guess that's good, too. Sunday is the day of rest and we definitely need to rest up for the week I have planned.

Since we left in the afternoon, we only drove about 6 hours today and will finish up the last 5 tomorrow.  Our kids do pretty well with 6 hour drives. We pop in a couple movies or listen to a book (although, they didn't like the one I got from the library, so today was all movies). They bring a few toys and sometimes a pad of paper and a pen. The baby gets the most bored because she can't see the TV. Today I used packing tape to attach my old kindle fire to the headrest of her seat and turned on Little Einsteins when she started to fuss. It really helped her stay happy, but I may be raising TV addicts.

What do you do to keep kids happy on long car rides?

Day 1 - Camping at Canyon Point

It's finally here! We can't wait to get out and enjoy our summer vacation. So hubby and I packed up the car and after the kids finished their last day of school, we drove up to Canyon Point Campground near Heber, Arizona. It was freezing up there so we only ended up sleeping there one night but we still had a great time.

Meals

This was just supposed to be a 2-night camping trip and we wanted to keep thing as simple as possible. Of course, camping involves a lot of prep and is never totally simple, but we kept the menu pretty easy. I didn't want to bring a camp stove so these are all things we could cook over the fire.

• Thursday Dinner: Hot Dogs & Chili w/ chips
• Friday Breakfast: Baggie Omletes & premade pancakes (warmed over the fire)
• Friday Lunch: PB&J's or Turkey & Cheese Sandwiches with fruit
• Friday Dinner: Quesadillas and Corn on the Cob
• Saturday Breakfast: premade Muffins and fruit

Hiking

Canyon Point is a great campground for families. One of the things that makes it so great is the hike to a beautiful sinkhole that starts within the camp (right across from site 44). This hike is perfect for families. It is mainly flat and very well marked with blue diamonds on the trees. My boys loved running from diamond to diamond. The path winds through the woods and felt very secluded. The trail continues down into the sinkhole and at this point is a little more of a hike. Once at the bottom of the sinkhole we were rewarded with huge fallen logs to climb over. We were also blocked from the freezing wind and able to feel the warmth of the sun was we lay on the forest floor. We stayed at the bottom of the sinkhole for almost an hour. The whole trail is 1.4 miles round trip.

Playing

One of my favorite things about camping is that the kids don't get bored. The campsites here are surrounded by woods to explore and the kids loved doing just that. I did bring games to play together, but due to the wind, we weren't able to play card games. We did enjoy a round of dominos together before the boys went back to their "secret hide-out" in the trees.

If you are considering staying at Canyon Point Campground, you can read my campground review here.

Saving Money while Traveling with Kids

You don't want to miss out on any of the top attractions when visiting another city. But with kids (especially a large family) costs of entertainment add up quickly. Luckily. There are lots of deals out there for those who are willing to look. Here are my top places for finding deals while traveling.

Entertainment Book

Enchanted Island in Phoenix, AZ
BOGO Discount with Entertainment Book

This is a book of huge coupons that kids used to sell for fundraisers. You buy it for a certain location and your coupons are for that metro area. There are restaurant deals, attraction coupons, and deals for services. Thanks to the wonder of technology, your Entertainment book now gets your deals all over that nation. After you buy a book (watch for deals, mine only cost $5!) you register on their website, entertainment.com. You now have access to digital and printable coupons all the Entertainment Book locations. There is also an Entertainment Book app you can use to look up and use coupons while you are out, no printer needed. We love the app for dining out.

Groupon & Living Social Deals

Scuba Diving in Hawaii
Over 50% off with Groupon

I always check our vacation destinations for Groupon and LivingSocial deals. The best time to look is
when there is a discount code for the deal sites. I was able to go scuba diving in Hawaii for under $50. Search under Things to Do and Restaurants. Make sure to check expiration dates to make sure your deal doesn't end before your vacation starts.

ASTC Passport Program & AZA Reciprocity Program

Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah
Free admission with ASTC Passport Program

If you have a membership to a museum of zoo, check if it belongs to one of these, or another reciprocal program. Your local membership many allow you free or discounted admission to hundreds of other museum's and zoos. I bought a family membership to our local Arizona Science Center for over 50% off on Groupon. I've used it to get into to Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah, Fleet Science a Center in San Diego, California, The Discovery Museum in Reno, Nevada, and so much more! 

Flyers, Pamphlets, and Discount Days

Don't forget to keep your eyes open for potential deals. Look through the flyers and pamphlets in your hotel lobby or ask the concierge if she has any coupons. Look at the flyers sitting on restaurants check-out stands or in racks by the doors. Do an Internet search for discounts to the paces you want to visit while on vacation. Museums often have free or discount days. Many amusement parks have discounted admission after a certain time.

Finding Family-Friendly Activities on Vacation

Woo-hoo! Time to explore someplace new. I love traveling to new places, but traveling with kids is a whole different kind of adventure. What places are best to explore and dine at with families? Yelp reviews are great but don't always mention if the top restaurant is good for kids. And although everyone suggests you visit the art museum, you need to if you are going to be given rotten looks for bringing your children. Read on to find out how to find the best family-friendly activities and restaurants on vacation.

Lake Tahoe-Summer 2014

There are some great websites for family travel. My favorite, and the top family-travel community in the US, is Trekaroo.com. Here you can read parent-written reviews about activities, events, restaurants, and hotels. You can also ask for advice from traveling experts and read tips and blog articles specific to your traveling destination. Be sure to write your own reviews after visiting places so other parents can benefit for your experience.

Green Acres Dairy Farm in Ogden, Utah

Use the tips for finding field trips and local events, specifically the following:

• Do an internet search for factory tours & field trips near your destination. 
• Check your destination's tourism website for family-friendly events going on during your stay
• Find the local Macaroni Kid community online and see what events they're promoting

You know those displays with all the brochures in hotel lobbies? Besides being collectors items and souvenirs for my kids, these brochures are a great source of information. Sometimes an activity looks much more enjoyable than it sounded once you add pictures. These pamphlets also sometimes contain coupons, so don't ignore the ones for locations you were planning to visit already. Also, be on the lookout for free recreation magazines when you visit children's museums or local libraries. 

Eastmark Great Park in Mesa, Arizona

Talk to the locals and hotel employees. They live there. They know the town's secret hot spots. Most of the time, they love to share the best places for families, especially when they've seen your cute kids. If you have someplace you want to try but aren't sure if it's family-friendly, these are the people to ask. I've found some unique parks and restaurants on the advice of other parents.