If you make the trip by road, please update us on how things went!

Sometimes rest areas have great outdoor picnic areas -- some with nice picnic areas; some even have playgrounds; some have short walking trails and sometimes we geocache along the way. Second the vote for bringing a ball. We also bring a picnic blanket for rest stops and parks.

If I were in a rush to get to my destination and back I probably wouldn't make this trip. If however you have flexibility (too tired to keep going at planned pace), the I would rethink things. I've had my inlaws meet me a few hours from their home, while the kids and I made the longer haul (15 hours - not all at once). It was great.

I can handle 7-hour trips alone with my two kids, who are very good travelers. DH and I together can manage 12- or 13-hour trips (done in one day), as long as we have adequate recovery time before the return trip. That's about our max.

After just getting back from driving 7 hours (each way) with the kids and dh, there is no way in Hell that I would do what you propose on doing. That sounds like a terrible idea and unsafe. It seems like you could easily get sleepy and fall asleep while driving if you are the only driver.

Oh yeah, and google and our gps said that the trip was supposed to take 5 hours each way. Not for us, 7.5 hours there, and 7 hours back. So you have to factor that in as well.

^^^

BTW I didn't have a dog to take. I'd probably leave the dog at home, but to each their own.

I have been doing a similar albeit shorter trip with my kids for past 3 years and I LOVE it. I did over 2k miles last year (round trip) within 10 days -- spent a couple days camping solo with 5 and 6 yo. Set up tent by myself. It is liberating knowing you can do this. My kids are already asking where we are heading this summer. Essentials for me:

- audio we can all agree on (books and music on cd/mp3/etc)

- being extra prepared and organized for dealing with kids in back seat - have snacks and a variety activities they can pull out that do not require you to pull over every 5 minutes; we don't have any electronic devices (video player or iPads); kids are starting to read stories out loud during trips

- taking long breaks for meal times and getting to overnight place before bedtime, if possible spend more 2 nights instead of one in the middle of trip.

- pack an overnight bag that doesn't in love unloading the whole car

My kids like flying too but we can't afford to do that and have enough to do other things. Plus I enjoy making stops at attractions (hey there's Thomas Edison's boyhood home! Hey there's a beach!) that I never took time to do before kids but wanted to.

I sincerely hope you enjoy your trip and find the courage to do it alone with the kids!

You'd do this as a solo driver? I would find that to be a long trip in the circumstances you described.

I have driven across the country 4 times (3 of those as a child when plane tickets were relatively more expensive). Four days does not sounds like enough time, especially since all of your stops may not be right on the freeway.

Depending on which way you go, my kids have like the water parks in the WI dells, the area around Yellowstone, and Custer State Park in SD.

I can't imagine being a solo driver though and there is no way I'd bring the dog.

With two kids sounds like fun. With a dog? No way.

With just the kids you can pull over when you see something interesting and explore, stop at restaurants and bowling alleys and swimming pools and movie theaters when you need a break midroute, and switch to a new hotel if you get tired early. With a dog you can't do anything indoors along the way.

Of course, my version would probably still cost you $2000 in movies, restaurant meals, hotels, gas, etc . . .

I wouldn't have the courage to do this alone if I didn't have to. What if you get tired while driving? Then you are pulling over by the side of the road with two kids needing entertaining and all you want to do is take a nap.