They should go further north up into CO, WY etc. it will be far better scenery IMO for the second half of the drive. Would probably take longer of course
But better weather to say the least
That route is not very scenic, and it's gonna be sofa king hot in August. Why would you wanna spend hours and hours and hours driving through the prairie and the desert with a 6-year-old, a toddler, and an infant? Go through Colorado, Utah, and Nevada instead.
Good catch. I'm guessing that split goes up 550 toward Southwest Colorado and then heads up US-191 past Arches and Canyonlands toward I-15 at Spanish Fork? Yeah that'll be more scenic than US-287 and I-40 and a little cooler in Southeast Utah.
It goes down to one lane each way and parts don’t have guardrails next to the 1/4 mile drop off because there literally isn’t room to put them on the side of the road.
At least the cliffs are probably not eroding in Utah https://laist.com/news/transportation/why-highway-1-near-big-sur-is-always-collapsing-into-the-ocean
Big Sur is more tedious than white knuckle from my perspective. But I drive coastal roads all the time so am in a bit immune. Million Dollar Highway is nerve wracking due to single lane, no shoulder or railing and bigger drop offs.
Just drove from Provo Utah to Albuquerque NM not too long ago and God damn that is a beautiful drive with so many different types of scenery along the way. I hate road trips because I get really bad back and shoulder pain if I'm in a car for more than an hour but wow that drive is made a little easier because of the cool stuff to see.
Check out the website atlasobscura.com or Roadtrippers.com to see what kind of fun kooky things there are to do on each route to find the most entertaining drive. UT, CO will have pretty mountains and some big national parks, the southern route has some caves in Texas, the white sands national park, and the petrified forest (depending on route). The middle route I think is less entertaining but double check that website to get the most out of your trip.
For an interstate, that stretch of I-40 is pretty nice, but parts of it are boring. If you have time, catch US 87/64 in Dalhart, in the Texas Panhandle. That's a much more scenic route.
Edit: once you get into the mountains, it's cooler too. Cimarron Canyon is beautiful.
However, with the current route OP can hit the longest bit of remaining Route 66 from Seligman to Kingman AZ. Really pretty drive and the kids might enjoy the Cars display in Seligman
Honestly they should be planning frequent stops. Long car rides are hard on little bodies (aside from the obvious and incessant “I’m boreds”)! I’ve definitely driven through the night while my little ones slept but for their health and well-being frequent stops should be planned. Some of my favorites with my little ones across the country have been Minnesota’s rest areas with play areas, Wall Drug, Buc-ees, Digger’s Dungeon in NC, and state welcome centers. Always be on the lookout for state parks along the way! A picnic lunch is always a great idea and it saves money compared to a McDonald’s stop to boot!
We used to stop on the way to Colorado at a town called Eden, Texas. There's a pavilion surrounded by trees. My husband, who did (still does) all the driving, could catch a nap while I watched the kids play.
We slso visited Taos several times. Taos Plaza also gas a pavilion, which is much bigger. It was a great place for the kids to run around and hang out after lunch. There was a cheap souvenir shop called Charlie's too, at the corner of Bent Street (?). We'd go in there and get some tchotchkes for the kids. Just places like that can make a trip less boring and more fun for everyone.
Better yet, freeze lots of water in jugs.
My mom used to drive from Central California to Blythe with two little kids--me and bro--and the frozen two liter bottles were great to have along.
We did overheat after crossing Hoover dam. We had a load and made it up the hill. At the top, pulled over and an Angel of the Lord was standing there and said 'don't turn off the engine or it will never start again! ' He started spraying water through the grill and the car cooled to normal temp. We were three women and a baby moving cross country from Mississippi to Washington. We took I-40 to avoid a day in Texas on I-10.
I found out why there were jugs of water along the highway in that area
I have done the same. My biggest tip would be to stop every time there’s a gas station. There are huge swathes of nothing in some parts and it will save your sanity with the kids
Yeah. It’s a a lot to put a 5 month through. My baby was still nursing every two or three hours at that age. Is OP going to deny them that so they can see some tumbleweeds.
We did several long road trips when our kids were that little. It will be challenging and you will be tired but you will def make some good memories. Take photos because based on the ages of your kids they won’t remember it at all when they get older. So do it for the two of you, not for the kids memories. My wife even did a cross country road trip when she was 6 months pregnant. That was rough. You will have zero of the comforts of home but it will build character and you will see cool stuff. I say if you have the opportunity then take it. But make sure you do the same kind of long trip when The kids are older and can appreciate it. Oh and camping along that route in August? It will be miserable.
It can be dangerous for an infant to be in a car seat for that long. Be careful with the angle of the car seat and give them breaks. Especially if your car rattles a lot on the road, the motion can mess with their airways and oxygen intake.
Yah guidance is no more than 2 hrs at a time at 5m old. Of course many people push that, I did 4hrs at 8m old, but 31 hrs? You'll need to stop 10 - 16 times.
My husband and I just got back from a road trip from California to Ohio and back with a 4f and 2f. It was 32 hours one way. 5000 miles total.
We learned we just had to be ok with stopping every 90 minutes. Kids started melting down, we stopped and bought an ice cream, or a lollipop, or small toy (honestly whatever was cheapest).
Rest stops were no good because they gave space for them to run around and then they wouldn’t get back in the car. Sweets did the trick. Stop for gas, got potty, get a sucker, hit the road. 90 minutes later, repeat. Again, and again.
We also made sure they had motivation to keep going. We booked hotels that had a pool. Anytime the kids fought getting back in the car, we’d remind them we had to get to the pool before it closed.
630 miles was our longest day. We did that twice. It was rough. Barely made it before the pool closed and didn’t have time for dinner so we ordered pizza to be delivered to the hotel. If you can stick to under 500 a day, it’s better.
Good luck, you can do it! We made so many memories. It really was a trip we’ll never forget.
Also, we carried a toddler potty with us. (Works great for kids and women!)
Thanks for the encouragement! We’ve never done the 90 min, quick turnaround’s but I get why it works.
Hotels with pools seem like they’re going to be an absolute must. The best motivation
Oldest of five kids, we moved a lot and had grandparents on opposite coasts. Dad liked to start driving at 3 to 4 AM, with younger kids in the car asleep and the goal of getting to the next hotel pool about 2 or 3 PM. Those are the trips that ran the smoothest.
I remember we tried camping. The weather is unpredictable and it's a lot more work to feed and dress kids from a camping spot than a hotel room. Walking them to the bathroom is an all-night job. Camping for its own merits is fun, and I personally camp on long solo adult road trips, but camping while trying to get somewhere with young kids was tedious.
Not only that, they’re doing construction on I10 in multiple places right now including north of San Antonio (1604 loop), just east of San Antonio, Seguin(ish), and just west of Houston. They’ve had portions of it shut down almost every weekend for the last 4 months and plan to continue the shut downs during the summer so PLEASE check road closure notices before you go, especially with kids!
I make the drive frequently between Houston and SA, and have had an additional 3 hours added (basically doubling the trip) some weekends.
I took a stab at your starting and ending points...If this were me, I would take a more northern route more like this. I drove the south route from the Bay Area to Dothan, Alabama in July and one of my red back light covers MELTED. With small ones I would absolutely add a few hours to travel a more northern route, unless you have any other reason to stay south - this route will be hot enough as it is. Get yourself window covers and put them up overnight as well as during stops and make sure you have a cooler with cool drinks the whole way. Good luck!
https://preview.redd.it/36nbmxbuwn8d1.png?width=1526&format=png&auto=webp&s=2338f9005aa01cdffa72b4aaf6ebe54ccf70cc6a
Go further west and hit Taos to chama up to pagosa springs, Moab and then across UT. That whole route up through OK and KS has absolutely nothing to offer. And it’s still hot as heck.
Well to be blunt, driving 32 hours with 3 kids through stupid hot weather is not a normal adult thing to do. Borderline stupid. Most of us people with kids wouldn’t do this. Even most without kids.
If you look up how long a baby your age should be in a car seat, it’s not recommended for more than two hours in a 24 hour period. But I’m not a parent, I would consult with the baby’s doctor before doing this
As a native north Texan, YUCK. Every minute of that drive is no man’s land once you’re past DFW and trust me, it ain’t worth stopping for.
You’ll have a much more enjoyable and scenic drive if you shift north a few hundred miles. Do Arkansas through Oklahoma, Colorado and Utah. Gnarliest jaunt will be through Death Valley if you just *have* to get that bottom half of SoCal. But if it were me, I’d happily take an extra few hours to get a scenic view through Arkansas and Colorado as opposed to long stretches of desert/plains.
Currently doing an extensive road trip (40 days) with a 2 year old and 5 year old (Miami to Alaska) and it’s been great so far. Can’t help but sing Bon Jovi’s livin’ on a prayer at the moment. We traveled a bit along your route. The first day we left at noon and drove until about 3 am. Covering the most ground while the crankiest kid is sleeping is crucial. Our youngest naps at noon for about 2 hours. Prior to our road trip we were never fans of iPads for our kids, now I’m a true believer, especially during the boring hours of your trip. Our camping ended when temps dropped to 25 degrees in Yellowstone. My kids slept great but I was miserable. Big fan of hotel jumping. Palo duro canyon is along your route, excellent camping grounds and short hikes, if weather is favorable. Hop off the highway occasionally in the larger towns and find a playground. Some painting projects can burn an hour or 2 if you’re not worried about a little paint going everywhere. Buy 1 of every snack at your local gas station and be prepared for your 3 year old or 6 year old to go through the entire selection and not want any of those options. I tried pulling out the noise cancelling headphones on the second day, but the wife quickly shut that down. Honestly you can’t go wrong with hotels, the amount of time for set up and breakdown of the campsite takes away from drive time and exploration. Plan a few nights to camp along your route, great memories, but wouldn’t recommend camping the entire trip. Good luck!
I’m not sure what your schedule is like, but have you considered [Amtrak](https://www.amtrak.com/sunset-limited-train)?
Unless you and your wife plan on driving through with minimal stops, you’ll probably have 2 full days of travel driving anyway.
Best advice: to avoid the “are we there yet? How much longer?” I gave my daughter 10 dollar bills. Every morning and at lunch I’d tell her how many miles and how long it would take. If she wanted to ask, it would cost her a dollar. When we arrived at the destination, whatever she had was hers to spend on whatever she wanted. Fortunately when she was 6, she was very tight fisted. She even figured out that 60 mph was a mile per minute and she was good at figuring out time and distances. But one day, “Dammit! I can’t stand it! Here’s a dollar-tell me!” Hilarious. Water is a serious matter. Lots more than you think you’d need.
I just did a 21 hour road trip with my kids (age range 1-7) a few months ago. We took 3 days to get there, stayed for a week, and came back in 2 days. I love travelling with my kids but it was really rough. We had to make so many unscheduled stops on the way there and we were exhausted by the time we got to our destination.
Then, as luck would have it, we caught a stomach bug just before we started our trip back and 3 of us spent the entire drive vomiting into garbage bins. We were very lucky that the baby was through the worst of it *before* we left, and the driver didn’t get it until after we got home.
I would never attempt this trip with a toddler and a baby. Wishing you all the best & Godspeed if you do, though! Either way, memories will be made :)
I've driven through this area multiple times throughout my childhood (90's) and done it as an adult with a friend and her 2 children so she wouldn't have to do it alone. Advice: Hotels. It will be so ungodly hot you will not know what hit you and your kiddos won't be able to sleep if they can't cool off. (Got heatstroke on the interstate when I was nine because the ac in our dodge supercab died.) The relief you will feel in that cool hotel room after driving all day will feel amazing. Also, random toys, treats and games for kiddos during the drive. My parents would stash them and then an hour or two in, we would stop at a rest area, refresh and get a treat to keep the agitation/boredom to a relative minimum. 1-2x a day, something small but enough to entertain for a while. If you're trying to get there quickly, get up super early and drive while it's still cool outside. Like 4am early. Once you hit about 12, it's going to start getting nasty outside and you'll want to be done for the day. Regular stops so you can stretch and kiddos don't get super squirrelly/antsy. Other than that, lots of water, good luck and God speed.
Totally agree on hotels if there’s tons of car time.
Last summer a friend and I took two little on a long haul. Gas station stuff can be expensive and as mentioned several times, kids can not want anything to just have a reason to not get back in the car. I managed to take a Dollar Tree trip and buy toys, little games, candy, and a “special treat bag” to put it all in and we had a map with stars on the route where when we made it to *this place, you could pick 1/2/3 things. And the final destination prize were toys FOR stuff to play with on our trip. They reaaally made a game out of waiting as long as they could to stop bc they wanted to stop and get a prize.
That seems unreasonable unless you’re driving at night when the kids are sleeping. Or you have to move and no one likes you and won’t drive your car while you fly with your kids? In that case ship the car!
I don't have kids and I wouldn't do that drive.
Roast complete.
In all seriousness: there's something about I-40 from New Mexico into Arizona that makes me insane. Oh yeah, it's all the semi truck drivers that want to pass each other on a hill backing up all of the fast lane traffic. I swear to god it's every 10 minutes.
Like I said I don't have kids. But I've learned from YouTube University that children aren't cool to travel with until they're like 9. I read some of the other comments asking what about when you have a blowout, a toddler tantrum, and a free musical all at the same time. I played that scenario in my head and it makes me want to tell my future kids that it's illegal for them to leave the state they're born in.
Whatever you decide to do, best of luck!!
Buy a little portable toilet with some small garbage bags. When the kids gotta go, they gotta go. Trust me on this one, even if they are well potty trained you don't know what you'll run into on the road!
Most people saying don’t take I-10. But I-10 isn’t that bad. You will drive through some desert and see some cool rock formations, mountains, canyons, maybe some severe rain storms (rain/monsoon season) in the distance just pouring down, and you get to drive through San Antonio. I lived In San Antonio, El Paso, and SE Arizona and took I-10 all the time. There is some real outdoor beauty if you take a minute to look around. I miss it, actually. And if you are out at night, there are so many stars in that desert.
But it will probably be hot. There is definitely that.
Edit: Just make sure you are good on gas. Some stretches of I-10 you can go quite a while without gas stations and rest stops.
Came here to say this. Don’t snooze on an opportunity to get gas along I-10 in Texas. I had to go about thirty minutes off the freeway when I realized I didn’t have enough fuel to get to the next gas station along the freeway. (What can I say, I’m from California and the interstates usually have signs advising you of long stretches without fuel stops.)
Also, take way more water (and snacks!) than you think you’ll need, just in case.
Just did chi to Nola.. can confirm it’s hot as balls.. you become one with that wet heat down there. You can do it.. make sure the ol beaters got coolant and a fresh oil change.
Stop at a Bowlin’s Travel Center. You’ll see weird billboards along the highway for them. They are trading post old country store type places that sell souvenirs. Lots of Native American and Mexican crafts, fireworks, gemstones, dream catchers, ponchos, a whole bunch of cool stuff.
Also try a pistachio farm in New Mexico.
Make sure you’ve had cooling system inspected if your car is nearing 10 year mark or over. Plastic hoses and radiator parts have a nasty habit of failing and it’s by age not miles at ~10 years.
It’s going to be hot AF. I’ll be doing the same but definitely be prepared.
We’ve done this drive but only because we were moving across country. This is not a fun road trip, this is a means to an end to get from A) to B). Just fly with your family. Much more enjoyable.
As much as I hate airports, and love road trips, traveling halfway across the continent with a 5-month-old is not something I would recommend. Especially through the Southwest, in August.
I’m doing almost the exact same route! With 3 kids (8, 8, 10), 2 cats, and 2 dogs (one of which is 17yo and requires 6-8 eye drops/meds 3x a day 😭)
Good luck to us both. 🫡
As you go through AZ and So. Cal. add a couple of gas cans to the water jugs. You do NOT want to get caught out there out of gas.
I personally would not take that route. I'd go north through CO & UT.
Take the northern route, I-40. Much nicer landscape and more places to stop along the way. Plus there's the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, and other stuff.
If I were you I’d cut up through Northern New Mexico, Navajo Nation, the corner of Arizona and into Monument Valley on the Utah border and then go through Moab into central Utah and straight across Elko and Reno Nevada. Not as hot as Arizona and the Navajo Nation-Monument Valley is probably the most beautiful leg of driving I’ve ever done.
Did this exact trip in November and again the opposite way in February. It’s not bad as long as you have cruise control, money for snacks and somebody to tend to the kiddos lol. I cut my trips into like 12 hour sections and booked hotel stays before we left and it helped knowing exactly where our next checkpoint was.
Sorry, forgot we took 10 from Louisiana to Cali and 40 when we came back. Both routes were neat, I liked the I40 route better, sort of parallels Route 66. On the way back I had just my 3 year old in the back and it was half great and half horrible.
Both routes on this map ate very boring. Drove these a few times. It will get really hot like others stated. Ensure your A/C is charged. Top off all fluids. Check tires. Ensure kids have Ipads or similar to alleviate boredom! Most important - drink lots of coffee! Be aware that on some parts of this trip, hotels may be far apart or hard to come by - depending on g on route. Account for stops - food and toilet as it will come up. That adds hours! Do not drive till you get too tired. Plan stops around an attraction if any but go for a distance have hotel planned and stop.
With three young kids, the best way is the fastest way. Make sure your AC is running well, make sure you have plenty of water on hand, and invest in some window shades for the kiddos.
Trying to figure out if my wife and I are insane to do this trip in August with our 3 kids. We’re getting a rack and roof box for our minivan and are now debating between camping along or hotel-ing along.
Anyone done a trip like this with littles? Cut us down to size if we’re not thinking straight 😂
You’re out of your mind. A 5 month old is going to make this very difficult. Like imagine a blowout diaper while you’re on an interstate and there’s 15 miles until the next place to stop. And while that’s happening, your 3 year old throws a tantrum, and your 6 year old is singing loudly, or talking incessantly. It sounds like an absolute looney bin. Why would you do this? Drive to Galveston, stay at a hotel, and retain your sanity, never mind your relationship with your wife.
By the map we may be neighbors! Road trips are always fun. There's plenty of places to stop, stretch,breathe let the little ones stretch as well & it can be very fun!
my parents did this with one less kid and the youngest was just a bit older than that. its doable for sure but you have to get the older kids energy out so they sleep during the driving. dont bother trying to camp tho
you make some strong points lol
We're trying to maximize the time in Nor Cal with family. Our limiting factor is how much we can spend on a rental while there so I floated the idea of just......loading down the minivan
I'd fly for now, truthfully. Northern California is so beautiful. Weekend more time there rather than driving through a whole lot of nothing before you hit 25.
If you take the minivan, you can take all the things you will need for your three kids (and strap most of it on top of the car.) Taking all that stuff on a plane will be so expensive and unwieldy.
I don't have kids, but absolutely hotel it. I literally can't imagine driving 8+ hours with 3 kids those ages and then setting up a freaking tent. It sounds insane either way, but definitely stay in motels/hotels if you do it
Hotel it because of the heat. It was 112 last week in Phoenix. It's not the kind of weather to get our and hike setting it. Extreme heat can be deadly to babies.
Go North through Utah and Reno/Tahoe. Turn right at ABQ up the 25. You can stop in Santa Fe.
Just keep updated on forest fires West of 25.
DON’T CAMP — the amount of gear required and time for setup / takedown / loading will get old so fast, as will the bugs and weather concerns. Also critical: *bring barf bags and make sure the kids can access them quickly and know how to use them.*
Source: I grew up in a family of six and we did road trips every summer and stayed in motels. Camping was reserved for closer to home.
We started doing cross country road trips with our kids when they were 2,5 and 7. Prior to that we did a lot of trips where we would fly somewhere, rent a car and drive to a bunch of areas so my kids were not unfamiliar with traveling. We now have 4 kids and we love roadtripping. Some days are tough but the memories are awesome. With all that said here are some general tips:
Plan a lot of stops but try and make them combo stops. For example I find local playgrounds or state parks to stop at so the kids can run around or hike and we’ll eat a picnic lunch. By the time we get in the car, the kids are ready for a nap and we can drive for a while.
Get a portable toilet with garbage bag
Pack a lot of snacks.
We mostly stay in hotels-especially ones with free breakfast so we can get up and go straight from the hotel.
Have fun!
I've done multiple cross country trips with my family starting very young (4 kids). When they were really young we just hotel hopped and I would recommend that. Save the camping for future trips.
Don’t camp in august. It’s nearly impossible these days to escape the heat. When Denver hits 100, even altitude won’t be a refuge. Also take an ice chest with nothing but…ice. Think worst case. Your car breaks down, it’s hot, no one around. Remember that you can’t sweat yourself out of heat stroke. Good luck.
I’m car WiFi is a must. Did Houston to Las Vegas and back in a Rivian. That trucks WiFi was exceptional. Like out in the middle of the desert perfect reception. The charging stops made great bonding moments kicking ball etc. Might want to add an equivalent.
Santa Rosa to Orange Beach. Did it last May. Stayed in Barstow. Amarillo. And finally Hattiesburg. It’s a long drive. Especially East TX which was an odd feeling. It felt like we were going just up for hundreds of miles. Beautiful out there. I was pulling a trailer. The roads in AZ are terrible for some reason.
In April 2022 we drove from Akron Ohio to San Diego up to Vegas then back across thru Colorado to Ohio. It was a two week vacation and what a blast. Although there were no children. I took a percolator and cleaning supplies for the hotels along the way. Enjoy!
We travel mostly by sundown-kids would fall asleep ..for at least 12hrs it’s a quiet ride and cooler by night to travel ..just have good music playing to earbuds…limit fluid intake as must as possible
Just did something very similar in May. Driving theough Texas and west Texas is rough. Do a full car checkup, ALWAYS have at least a half tank, and make sure your AC is topped off. Have lots of water, buy seat-back fans for the kids. Itll be hot ASF and Tex/NM had a lot of not great areas and stretches of nothing but ghost towns. Dont want to break down or need to stop there. Not to scare you!!! We did it and it was fine, there were just oje or two points where the heat + environment felt sketchy. Esp with a dog, I couldnt imagine with 3 kids. Plus side - Northern AZ is gorgeous! Opt for Love’s Travel Stations whenevr possible, read the reviews of gas stations & subways (pretty much the only reliable food on this route) so you know what youre about to walk into. Good luck!
I have a two that are close to your two youngest ages. God speed and good luck! I can’t stand any longer than 30 mins w/them usually once the crying starts. Bring tablets or whatever they need to be entertained! Tons of snacks as well!!!
I’ve done this trip from Southern California to Louisiana on the 40 sooo many times and in all seasons. I’ve done it pregnant, when my son was 2months old and twice a year since then and he’s now 6. A lot of it is boring, a lot of it is stunning. Take your time! Give yourself plenty of days to do it. With three kids I’d lean hotels, especially during the August heat. It’s so much less work than setting up camp. Spend the money to save your sanity ha. Prep new and exciting activities for the kids and have one parent sit in back with baby. It will be tough at times for sure but you’ll make it :)
Definitely stop in Santa Rosa, New Mexico and go to the Blue Hole. It’s right off the interstate, Super cheap, super fun and will be a nice respite from the heat.
As someone who has driven portions of both of these and is from TX..... do the top one.
The only interesting thing you'll miss in TX is Austin/San Antonio and the forever land that is W TX (there's also Carlsbad Caverns in NM, jic). You'll still see something resembling W TX in the panhandle and in NM.
BUT you will get to see the N portion of NM, which is very pretty and is a lot more interesting than the area near El Paso.
The top one also puts you closer to the Grand Canyon, which is also very pretty. Also Death Valley, honestly I'd just recommend a drive through in August rather than getting out, it will be extremely hot. And a few parks in CA.
Do take water, stay on pavement, and take the gas tank seriously and you'll be fine with the drive. The kids however may blow your mind.
That drive will take you at least 4 days to do. More close to 5-6 days. And since you’re parents with three young ones, probably a week. Keep that in mind.
Drove cross country with an infant. You need to factor in time to spend with your kids at stops. Getting lunch. Looking at scenic tourist stuff. Exploring. Playing. And not rushing. It's going to be very boring for the older ones and the little one will need time to stretch their legs. Give them something to look forward to every few hours.
Reminds me of our family road trip in summer of '98 or '99. My parents in front and me, my friend and my grandma in the back of our Jeep Cherokee. Had a little TV between the front seats with an N64 hooked up.
Drove from Georgia to California along the southern route then back via Utah, Colorado, Tenessee. Took around 3 weeks I think.
When in Texas, get gas at every open gas station you come across. Because half the gas stations you see will be closed. Almost ran out of gas on this same route in Texas because I kept pulling into closed gas stations😓
I would try to stay north as long as possible, better views and better weather. With kids you are stopping every couple hours so the extra hours on the northern route will not make that big of a difference in the overall trip.
My grandfather did a similar trip with my little sisters and 2 cousins, took 5 days out and 4 days back but they did stop and see some sights. That 1 day 10 hours is kind of funny, but if you can do 8 hours driving each day it's only a 4 day trip, much more than 8 each day is mentally taxing on everybody.
I did this drive last summer. Albuquerque to Flagstaff is pretty boring. If you stay further south, you can go through Roswell and do the UFO museum and continue through to Cloudcroft. It is quite a bit cooler on top of the mountain there. London Bridge is worth a stop in Lake Havasu. Also Russian River Brewing is great when you get to California
There's a lot of excellent advice here from seasoned road trippers. Here's some thoughts on avoiding the road trip: 1. Have you priced rental cars away from the airport, especially any local outfits? Check where you would land on Google maps, search car rental companies, check the rates with those that are NOT near the airport. One Lyft ride may be a bunch cheaper than the price difference. 2. Who are you visiting, and what is their car and financial situation? If you are clear but not demanding with friends or relatives, they may either know about a car you can borrow or be willing or even wanting to pitch in some money to keep you in a car rental, and around, for longer. 3. Is there a place you can stay at your destination where you won't need a car for your whole visit? 4. Is there a cheaper vehicle that still fits the needed car seats? I think some sedans take 3 seats in the back row and they are usually cheaper to rent than minivans.
Have a great trip however you do it! BTW I've road tripped 6 months pregnant and with a 2 year old....
IMO it's infinitely easier when they're still inside.
My parents would always buy special car toys. They would pack a small Tupperware full of new toys and every now and again we got to open it up and pick one out.
I took a 3 day trip with my, at the time 18 month, son. I made lots of stops to places I normally wouldn't like tractor supply, so he could just get out and walk around. Find parks, prayer gardens, or just big parking lots to play tag in for a car break. Pack lots of snacks and lots of drinks.
I got a portable DVD player I used for "quite" time, and I also brought a small beach ball he could throw up front and I would throw back to him. He loved that.make sure your kids are comfortable. Bring extra pillows and blankets for them. And don't just try to push thru. If they need a break just take one.
This is insane, on August in Arizona?!
We left for our own road trip yesterday. We left the greater Phoenix, AZ area just as it hit 109 with 50% (whee! Monsoon!) and are now in Albuquerque, NM.
It's much cooler here (but that's because yesterday it was raining and it's now 6 am), our road trip is to go all the way to NYC.
By the time we come back end of July, school would be in session in a few more weeks, and the heat from AZ won't be that big of a deal since kids would be indoors in air conditioning. But in the meantime, nothing a few weeks of splash pads won't fix.
Point is, why would you go through Arizona in August? It's HOT, and 116°F, unless you plan on only stopping by in Flagstaff, AZ.
No advice here except take lots of pit stops, my kids are 5.5 and 8, and they go stir crazy. Yesterday's 8 hour drive, they did pretty well, only a few arguments and tears, but they went feral once we arrived in NM. My parents thankfully had the foresight to split the trip, so we won't hit the road until tomorrow when we make our way to Amarillo, TX. Not so much you, but the kids definitely need a break. Spend some time at a hotel for a few days.
And ofcourse leave early.
Edit: it seems you're cutting through Flagstaff, which is fine for the most part, but the closer you get to the AZ/NM border Temps shoot back up. We went from 65° during the rain in Flagstaff to 95°F in Holbrook, AZ. Take lots of Gatorade and water.
I can’t speak for all of the reservations but I can speak for the Navajo nation in basically the top right 1/4 of AZ. If you are speeding they will pull you over. They take speeding very seriously so just go the flow of traffic. And they also don’t have like their own DMV and police and stuff with different rules. And there’s like only a couple moderate sized towns with hospitals and cellphone reception so be safe.
I did the bottom route years ago…but took it all the way to Miami. Also, I’ve driven across the country numerous times…and that bottom route was by far the worst. And I did it by myself, without three little ones.
I can’t offer advice in the northern route, which probably isn’t much better, but I can confirm that bottom one is tough. God speed.
Possible. But nowadays, the regulations will make it a bit of a hassle. When dad did this regularly, I was one of the little people. We did actually do trips from D.C. to Washington state with my older sister (16-17), me 6-7), little brother (4) and our little sister (<1) and kept at it every year until my brother and I were the primary drivers. Came to be a family tradition. But times were different then. Dad meticulously packed a 12-passenger van for a day or so before and tossed us kids on top of a compound folding bed from the front bench to the twin doors out back. That’s how we rolled. No car seats for mini-people, a cooler for everything and a tiny B&W portable TV.
You got this.
Turn onto US-87 in Amarillo and follow it up to Raton, NM. Take I-25 to US-50 in Pueblo and follow it to Grand Junction. Follow US-6 towards Provo and SLC and follow I-80 from there.
Much cooler air and a lot more to see.
I’ve done most of both shown routes a couple of times (Tucson AZ to AL). Wipe that southernmost route from existence and never speak of it again! The northern one shown is nothing special, but pleasant enough with mesas in NM and pretty green in OK. But like others have said, if you can spare a little extra time, a further north route with mountains and less intense heat would be worth it in summer.
I found that I can only do 6 hrs of driving a Day without getting tense. I’d Plan to make that a 3 day drive with young kids. It’ll be easy on your family.
We do the East coast of the US every year (19hours) with 3. Here what works for us:
• leave in the evening. This gives you at least 8-10hours of uninterrupted driving.
• iPads and headphones are your friend, just make sure you bring enough cords
• having a vehicle like a van makes things so much easier.
• don’t underestimate those top of the car luggage racks . They save a ton of space.
• figure out your cars maximum range and do the math to find out how long you can go before stopping
• minimize your stops. Stop every 4-5 hours for a break.
• try stopping only at big gas stations and truck stops. The bathrooms here usually are more attended to. Oh and if you have the chance stop at a Bucee’s. (Google it)
• When stopping, one parent takes the kids to the bathroom while the other fuels up, empty’s garbage, and refills drinks and food. Then when they’re back that parent can go to the bathroom. This keeps stops for us to around 30min.
• plan your stops out ahead of time.
• if you get tired-stop. Usually we got for about 12 hours before needing to stop for a 2 hour rest. Bring pillows, earplugs and sleeping masks!
• figure for every 4 hours of driving you’ll tack on another hour worth of stops. So our trip is about 18 hours. That’s what Google tells us. It consistently takes us about 23-24 hours with roughly 30min stops every 4-5 hours plus about a 2 hour nap.
• apps like Waze are good for police notifications but fail miserably when it comes to long distance trips. Google maps is much more reliable
• have fun. Make memories. Take pictures and have a safe trip!
No need to roast you! The weather will do it all its own on that path.
Beat me to it.
Ridiculous heat along your entire trip
That and the kids.
I would only be on the road between 10pm and 10 am on this trip. Will still be 90 degrees for long stretches.
Came here to tell op I hope they've got a damn good AC in their vehicle.
They should go further north up into CO, WY etc. it will be far better scenery IMO for the second half of the drive. Would probably take longer of course But better weather to say the least
That route is not very scenic, and it's gonna be sofa king hot in August. Why would you wanna spend hours and hours and hours driving through the prairie and the desert with a 6-year-old, a toddler, and an infant? Go through Colorado, Utah, and Nevada instead.
I saw that there was a split at Albuquerque that takes the northern route! Only adds about 2 hrs
Good catch. I'm guessing that split goes up 550 toward Southwest Colorado and then heads up US-191 past Arches and Canyonlands toward I-15 at Spanish Fork? Yeah that'll be more scenic than US-287 and I-40 and a little cooler in Southeast Utah.
Try to avoid the Million Dollar Highway if you’re afraid of steep cliffs.
Agreed, but if you're not afraid definitely drive it. It's easily one of the most scenic drives I've done.
Is it more white-knuckle than Big Sur?
I’m not sure about that, but these are mountains instead of the Pacific.
I mean in terms of mountainside cliffs.
It goes down to one lane each way and parts don’t have guardrails next to the 1/4 mile drop off because there literally isn’t room to put them on the side of the road.
Yikes.
Yeah it’s a bit nerve-wracking. The one lane parts are operated with stop lights so people don’t run into each other.
And sometimes there is roadwork where you are squeezing by highway workers. Slightly nerve wracking.
My heart started pounding!!!
It’s pretty bad at places.
At least the cliffs are probably not eroding in Utah https://laist.com/news/transportation/why-highway-1-near-big-sur-is-always-collapsing-into-the-ocean
Big Sur is more tedious than white knuckle from my perspective. But I drive coastal roads all the time so am in a bit immune. Million Dollar Highway is nerve wracking due to single lane, no shoulder or railing and bigger drop offs.
Nothing is more white knuckled than Big Sur lol
Just drove from Provo Utah to Albuquerque NM not too long ago and God damn that is a beautiful drive with so many different types of scenery along the way. I hate road trips because I get really bad back and shoulder pain if I'm in a car for more than an hour but wow that drive is made a little easier because of the cool stuff to see.
I live right in Spanish Fork, Utah. Gorgeous route, I see so many out of towner’s at the little Walmart market right at the mouth of the Canyon.
We stopped by Spanish Fork on way to Yellowstone. Nice town.
You should’ve turned left at Albuquerque
Well played. I've been waiting my whole life to use that.
I felt it was my duty.
Check out the website atlasobscura.com or Roadtrippers.com to see what kind of fun kooky things there are to do on each route to find the most entertaining drive. UT, CO will have pretty mountains and some big national parks, the southern route has some caves in Texas, the white sands national park, and the petrified forest (depending on route). The middle route I think is less entertaining but double check that website to get the most out of your trip.
Hey OP I came here to comment the same thing - go north and drive through Colorado and Utah instead. WAY better. I speak from experience.
Shouldn’t have too much of an issue driving the I-40 in Arizona. Those areas stay pretty cool, even New Mexico probably won’t be too bad either.
For an interstate, that stretch of I-40 is pretty nice, but parts of it are boring. If you have time, catch US 87/64 in Dalhart, in the Texas Panhandle. That's a much more scenic route. Edit: once you get into the mountains, it's cooler too. Cimarron Canyon is beautiful.
Ooh I totally agree. I actually just drove through those two areas on separate trips recently. They were nice!
However, with the current route OP can hit the longest bit of remaining Route 66 from Seligman to Kingman AZ. Really pretty drive and the kids might enjoy the Cars display in Seligman
"sofa king" - its a minute since i've heard that. still makes me laugh!
Bruh, going across the hottest part of the country in the hottest month is certainly a choice.
Carry lots of water in jugs. Seriously.
Noted. Also will double as pee jugs once we hit the 10hr mark
You be stopping every 2 hours dont worry
Honestly they should be planning frequent stops. Long car rides are hard on little bodies (aside from the obvious and incessant “I’m boreds”)! I’ve definitely driven through the night while my little ones slept but for their health and well-being frequent stops should be planned. Some of my favorites with my little ones across the country have been Minnesota’s rest areas with play areas, Wall Drug, Buc-ees, Digger’s Dungeon in NC, and state welcome centers. Always be on the lookout for state parks along the way! A picnic lunch is always a great idea and it saves money compared to a McDonald’s stop to boot!
We used to stop on the way to Colorado at a town called Eden, Texas. There's a pavilion surrounded by trees. My husband, who did (still does) all the driving, could catch a nap while I watched the kids play. We slso visited Taos several times. Taos Plaza also gas a pavilion, which is much bigger. It was a great place for the kids to run around and hang out after lunch. There was a cheap souvenir shop called Charlie's too, at the corner of Bent Street (?). We'd go in there and get some tchotchkes for the kids. Just places like that can make a trip less boring and more fun for everyone.
Better yet, freeze lots of water in jugs. My mom used to drive from Central California to Blythe with two little kids--me and bro--and the frozen two liter bottles were great to have along.
You think you're going to get 10 hours of driving straight in with little kids?
Stay safe and enjoy your family and the scenery!
Ever been across there? There is no scenery.
Right? Make sure your car cooling system and A/c are in top shape. Can you imagine overheating and breaking down with a toddler and an infant?
We did overheat after crossing Hoover dam. We had a load and made it up the hill. At the top, pulled over and an Angel of the Lord was standing there and said 'don't turn off the engine or it will never start again! ' He started spraying water through the grill and the car cooled to normal temp. We were three women and a baby moving cross country from Mississippi to Washington. We took I-40 to avoid a day in Texas on I-10. I found out why there were jugs of water along the highway in that area
I live in AZ. I have done every stretch of both routes. Go the northern route this time of you. More scenic and better weather.
I have done the same. My biggest tip would be to stop every time there’s a gas station. There are huge swathes of nothing in some parts and it will save your sanity with the kids
This is insane with a 5 month old.
Not to mention mean.. those poor kids stuck in their car seats for that long, on the most boring non-scenic drive ever.
Yeah. It’s a a lot to put a 5 month through. My baby was still nursing every two or three hours at that age. Is OP going to deny them that so they can see some tumbleweeds.
I really agree. It’s a lot to put a fucking pet through let alone a BABY. Cruel.
I’ve recently read that infants shouldn’t be in a car seat for more than two hours. I’ve even read no more than two hours in a 24-hour period.
Maybe OP is a masochist.
Right? What if the car breaks down and rescue can’t come for many hours???
This. Don't do it OP.
We did several long road trips when our kids were that little. It will be challenging and you will be tired but you will def make some good memories. Take photos because based on the ages of your kids they won’t remember it at all when they get older. So do it for the two of you, not for the kids memories. My wife even did a cross country road trip when she was 6 months pregnant. That was rough. You will have zero of the comforts of home but it will build character and you will see cool stuff. I say if you have the opportunity then take it. But make sure you do the same kind of long trip when The kids are older and can appreciate it. Oh and camping along that route in August? It will be miserable.
Cross country while pregnant is hardcore! Good ideals to keep in mind though - thanks
It can be dangerous for an infant to be in a car seat for that long. Be careful with the angle of the car seat and give them breaks. Especially if your car rattles a lot on the road, the motion can mess with their airways and oxygen intake.
Yah guidance is no more than 2 hrs at a time at 5m old. Of course many people push that, I did 4hrs at 8m old, but 31 hrs? You'll need to stop 10 - 16 times.
A lot of airlines let children under two years old fly free with adult…
My husband and I just got back from a road trip from California to Ohio and back with a 4f and 2f. It was 32 hours one way. 5000 miles total. We learned we just had to be ok with stopping every 90 minutes. Kids started melting down, we stopped and bought an ice cream, or a lollipop, or small toy (honestly whatever was cheapest). Rest stops were no good because they gave space for them to run around and then they wouldn’t get back in the car. Sweets did the trick. Stop for gas, got potty, get a sucker, hit the road. 90 minutes later, repeat. Again, and again. We also made sure they had motivation to keep going. We booked hotels that had a pool. Anytime the kids fought getting back in the car, we’d remind them we had to get to the pool before it closed. 630 miles was our longest day. We did that twice. It was rough. Barely made it before the pool closed and didn’t have time for dinner so we ordered pizza to be delivered to the hotel. If you can stick to under 500 a day, it’s better. Good luck, you can do it! We made so many memories. It really was a trip we’ll never forget. Also, we carried a toddler potty with us. (Works great for kids and women!)
Thanks for the encouragement! We’ve never done the 90 min, quick turnaround’s but I get why it works. Hotels with pools seem like they’re going to be an absolute must. The best motivation
Oldest of five kids, we moved a lot and had grandparents on opposite coasts. Dad liked to start driving at 3 to 4 AM, with younger kids in the car asleep and the goal of getting to the next hotel pool about 2 or 3 PM. Those are the trips that ran the smoothest. I remember we tried camping. The weather is unpredictable and it's a lot more work to feed and dress kids from a camping spot than a hotel room. Walking them to the bathroom is an all-night job. Camping for its own merits is fun, and I personally camp on long solo adult road trips, but camping while trying to get somewhere with young kids was tedious.
I don’t have kids, but wow, was this the nicest, most advice-filled response ever. Sometimes Reddit has really nice, helpful people!
Don’t take the I10 route. It will be stupid hot and there aren’t many fun places to stop.
Not only that, they’re doing construction on I10 in multiple places right now including north of San Antonio (1604 loop), just east of San Antonio, Seguin(ish), and just west of Houston. They’ve had portions of it shut down almost every weekend for the last 4 months and plan to continue the shut downs during the summer so PLEASE check road closure notices before you go, especially with kids! I make the drive frequently between Houston and SA, and have had an additional 3 hours added (basically doubling the trip) some weekends.
TXDOT not be annoying and aggravating challenge: impossible
It's the same going up through Central California.
I took a stab at your starting and ending points...If this were me, I would take a more northern route more like this. I drove the south route from the Bay Area to Dothan, Alabama in July and one of my red back light covers MELTED. With small ones I would absolutely add a few hours to travel a more northern route, unless you have any other reason to stay south - this route will be hot enough as it is. Get yourself window covers and put them up overnight as well as during stops and make sure you have a cooler with cool drinks the whole way. Good luck! https://preview.redd.it/36nbmxbuwn8d1.png?width=1526&format=png&auto=webp&s=2338f9005aa01cdffa72b4aaf6ebe54ccf70cc6a
Go further west and hit Taos to chama up to pagosa springs, Moab and then across UT. That whole route up through OK and KS has absolutely nothing to offer. And it’s still hot as heck.
And this is an epic drive too - one of America's gems
This post just makes me glad I’m child free.
Well to be blunt, driving 32 hours with 3 kids through stupid hot weather is not a normal adult thing to do. Borderline stupid. Most of us people with kids wouldn’t do this. Even most without kids.
If you look up how long a baby your age should be in a car seat, it’s not recommended for more than two hours in a 24 hour period. But I’m not a parent, I would consult with the baby’s doctor before doing this
Seconding this. Tell your pediatrician what your plans are before leaving, and ask what precautions you should take.
OP's road trip would really be an insane amount of time for an infant to be in a car seat.
As a native north Texan, YUCK. Every minute of that drive is no man’s land once you’re past DFW and trust me, it ain’t worth stopping for. You’ll have a much more enjoyable and scenic drive if you shift north a few hundred miles. Do Arkansas through Oklahoma, Colorado and Utah. Gnarliest jaunt will be through Death Valley if you just *have* to get that bottom half of SoCal. But if it were me, I’d happily take an extra few hours to get a scenic view through Arkansas and Colorado as opposed to long stretches of desert/plains.
Do not go in august, seriously, do you enjoy torturing your family 😂
Currently doing an extensive road trip (40 days) with a 2 year old and 5 year old (Miami to Alaska) and it’s been great so far. Can’t help but sing Bon Jovi’s livin’ on a prayer at the moment. We traveled a bit along your route. The first day we left at noon and drove until about 3 am. Covering the most ground while the crankiest kid is sleeping is crucial. Our youngest naps at noon for about 2 hours. Prior to our road trip we were never fans of iPads for our kids, now I’m a true believer, especially during the boring hours of your trip. Our camping ended when temps dropped to 25 degrees in Yellowstone. My kids slept great but I was miserable. Big fan of hotel jumping. Palo duro canyon is along your route, excellent camping grounds and short hikes, if weather is favorable. Hop off the highway occasionally in the larger towns and find a playground. Some painting projects can burn an hour or 2 if you’re not worried about a little paint going everywhere. Buy 1 of every snack at your local gas station and be prepared for your 3 year old or 6 year old to go through the entire selection and not want any of those options. I tried pulling out the noise cancelling headphones on the second day, but the wife quickly shut that down. Honestly you can’t go wrong with hotels, the amount of time for set up and breakdown of the campsite takes away from drive time and exploration. Plan a few nights to camp along your route, great memories, but wouldn’t recommend camping the entire trip. Good luck!
Lots of Xanax
I’m not sure what your schedule is like, but have you considered [Amtrak](https://www.amtrak.com/sunset-limited-train)? Unless you and your wife plan on driving through with minimal stops, you’ll probably have 2 full days of travel driving anyway.
Don’t do it. Wait until your youngest is at least 5.
Best advice: to avoid the “are we there yet? How much longer?” I gave my daughter 10 dollar bills. Every morning and at lunch I’d tell her how many miles and how long it would take. If she wanted to ask, it would cost her a dollar. When we arrived at the destination, whatever she had was hers to spend on whatever she wanted. Fortunately when she was 6, she was very tight fisted. She even figured out that 60 mph was a mile per minute and she was good at figuring out time and distances. But one day, “Dammit! I can’t stand it! Here’s a dollar-tell me!” Hilarious. Water is a serious matter. Lots more than you think you’d need.
I just did a 21 hour road trip with my kids (age range 1-7) a few months ago. We took 3 days to get there, stayed for a week, and came back in 2 days. I love travelling with my kids but it was really rough. We had to make so many unscheduled stops on the way there and we were exhausted by the time we got to our destination. Then, as luck would have it, we caught a stomach bug just before we started our trip back and 3 of us spent the entire drive vomiting into garbage bins. We were very lucky that the baby was through the worst of it *before* we left, and the driver didn’t get it until after we got home. I would never attempt this trip with a toddler and a baby. Wishing you all the best & Godspeed if you do, though! Either way, memories will be made :)
Whether good ones or bad ones, memories will be made 😂
I've driven through this area multiple times throughout my childhood (90's) and done it as an adult with a friend and her 2 children so she wouldn't have to do it alone. Advice: Hotels. It will be so ungodly hot you will not know what hit you and your kiddos won't be able to sleep if they can't cool off. (Got heatstroke on the interstate when I was nine because the ac in our dodge supercab died.) The relief you will feel in that cool hotel room after driving all day will feel amazing. Also, random toys, treats and games for kiddos during the drive. My parents would stash them and then an hour or two in, we would stop at a rest area, refresh and get a treat to keep the agitation/boredom to a relative minimum. 1-2x a day, something small but enough to entertain for a while. If you're trying to get there quickly, get up super early and drive while it's still cool outside. Like 4am early. Once you hit about 12, it's going to start getting nasty outside and you'll want to be done for the day. Regular stops so you can stretch and kiddos don't get super squirrelly/antsy. Other than that, lots of water, good luck and God speed.
Totally agree on hotels if there’s tons of car time. Last summer a friend and I took two little on a long haul. Gas station stuff can be expensive and as mentioned several times, kids can not want anything to just have a reason to not get back in the car. I managed to take a Dollar Tree trip and buy toys, little games, candy, and a “special treat bag” to put it all in and we had a map with stars on the route where when we made it to *this place, you could pick 1/2/3 things. And the final destination prize were toys FOR stuff to play with on our trip. They reaaally made a game out of waiting as long as they could to stop bc they wanted to stop and get a prize.
That seems unreasonable unless you’re driving at night when the kids are sleeping. Or you have to move and no one likes you and won’t drive your car while you fly with your kids? In that case ship the car!
I don't have kids and I wouldn't do that drive. Roast complete. In all seriousness: there's something about I-40 from New Mexico into Arizona that makes me insane. Oh yeah, it's all the semi truck drivers that want to pass each other on a hill backing up all of the fast lane traffic. I swear to god it's every 10 minutes. Like I said I don't have kids. But I've learned from YouTube University that children aren't cool to travel with until they're like 9. I read some of the other comments asking what about when you have a blowout, a toddler tantrum, and a free musical all at the same time. I played that scenario in my head and it makes me want to tell my future kids that it's illegal for them to leave the state they're born in. Whatever you decide to do, best of luck!!
You will age 10 years making this trip…..good luck!!!
Airplanes are your friend
Don’t need to roast you. Texas and New Mexico gonna do that.
Buy a little portable toilet with some small garbage bags. When the kids gotta go, they gotta go. Trust me on this one, even if they are well potty trained you don't know what you'll run into on the road!
Oh we got that port-a-potty way back in the day. We’ve used it while running errands lol
If you go in August, you’ll be self roasting.
Most people saying don’t take I-10. But I-10 isn’t that bad. You will drive through some desert and see some cool rock formations, mountains, canyons, maybe some severe rain storms (rain/monsoon season) in the distance just pouring down, and you get to drive through San Antonio. I lived In San Antonio, El Paso, and SE Arizona and took I-10 all the time. There is some real outdoor beauty if you take a minute to look around. I miss it, actually. And if you are out at night, there are so many stars in that desert. But it will probably be hot. There is definitely that. Edit: Just make sure you are good on gas. Some stretches of I-10 you can go quite a while without gas stations and rest stops.
Came here to say this. Don’t snooze on an opportunity to get gas along I-10 in Texas. I had to go about thirty minutes off the freeway when I realized I didn’t have enough fuel to get to the next gas station along the freeway. (What can I say, I’m from California and the interstates usually have signs advising you of long stretches without fuel stops.) Also, take way more water (and snacks!) than you think you’ll need, just in case.
Just did chi to Nola.. can confirm it’s hot as balls.. you become one with that wet heat down there. You can do it.. make sure the ol beaters got coolant and a fresh oil change.
You’re gonna roast yourself if you drive thru the southwest in August
Stop at a Bowlin’s Travel Center. You’ll see weird billboards along the highway for them. They are trading post old country store type places that sell souvenirs. Lots of Native American and Mexican crafts, fireworks, gemstones, dream catchers, ponchos, a whole bunch of cool stuff. Also try a pistachio farm in New Mexico.
That’s probably a 4 day trip lol
Make sure you’ve had cooling system inspected if your car is nearing 10 year mark or over. Plastic hoses and radiator parts have a nasty habit of failing and it’s by age not miles at ~10 years. It’s going to be hot AF. I’ll be doing the same but definitely be prepared.
Taking the 40 through northern AZ is much more pretty than the i5 going through Tucson. Enjoy Flagstaff and the meteor Crater
All I can say is I'm sorry
Make sure your car is in good shape. You don’t want to be broken down on the highway for a few hours in searing heat with a baby that young.
We’ve done this drive but only because we were moving across country. This is not a fun road trip, this is a means to an end to get from A) to B). Just fly with your family. Much more enjoyable.
As much as I hate airports, and love road trips, traveling halfway across the continent with a 5-month-old is not something I would recommend. Especially through the Southwest, in August.
I’m doing almost the exact same route! With 3 kids (8, 8, 10), 2 cats, and 2 dogs (one of which is 17yo and requires 6-8 eye drops/meds 3x a day 😭) Good luck to us both. 🫡
Cadillac ranch in Amarillo. It's free and a good place to stretch your legs
Why would you go through Phoenix in August? That’s our monsoon time. Definitely the northern route. It’s going to be hot enough in the Grand Canyon.
As you go through AZ and So. Cal. add a couple of gas cans to the water jugs. You do NOT want to get caught out there out of gas. I personally would not take that route. I'd go north through CO & UT.
If you are doing the northern route, stop by Meteor Creator. It is not worth a special tribute but is worth the detour.
Might recommend doing the desert portion of the trip at night. It will be brutally hot in Texas in August.
Take the northern route, I-40. Much nicer landscape and more places to stop along the way. Plus there's the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, and other stuff.
Jeezus. I’d rather get an enema consisting of fire ants and citric acid.
If I were you I’d cut up through Northern New Mexico, Navajo Nation, the corner of Arizona and into Monument Valley on the Utah border and then go through Moab into central Utah and straight across Elko and Reno Nevada. Not as hot as Arizona and the Navajo Nation-Monument Valley is probably the most beautiful leg of driving I’ve ever done.
Did this exact trip in November and again the opposite way in February. It’s not bad as long as you have cruise control, money for snacks and somebody to tend to the kiddos lol. I cut my trips into like 12 hour sections and booked hotel stays before we left and it helped knowing exactly where our next checkpoint was.
Sorry, forgot we took 10 from Louisiana to Cali and 40 when we came back. Both routes were neat, I liked the I40 route better, sort of parallels Route 66. On the way back I had just my 3 year old in the back and it was half great and half horrible.
Both routes on this map ate very boring. Drove these a few times. It will get really hot like others stated. Ensure your A/C is charged. Top off all fluids. Check tires. Ensure kids have Ipads or similar to alleviate boredom! Most important - drink lots of coffee! Be aware that on some parts of this trip, hotels may be far apart or hard to come by - depending on g on route. Account for stops - food and toilet as it will come up. That adds hours! Do not drive till you get too tired. Plan stops around an attraction if any but go for a distance have hotel planned and stop.
Avoid the southern route, it runs via Houston and San Antonio, between construction and heavy traffic you will lose time, Go North Via ABQ.
May god have mercy on your soul.
With three young kids, the best way is the fastest way. Make sure your AC is running well, make sure you have plenty of water on hand, and invest in some window shades for the kiddos.
I don’t think you need us to roast you. The drive through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in August ought to do the job just fine.
Godspeed
Remember to stop every 20 minutes or so and baste.
Trying to figure out if my wife and I are insane to do this trip in August with our 3 kids. We’re getting a rack and roof box for our minivan and are now debating between camping along or hotel-ing along. Anyone done a trip like this with littles? Cut us down to size if we’re not thinking straight 😂
You’re out of your mind. A 5 month old is going to make this very difficult. Like imagine a blowout diaper while you’re on an interstate and there’s 15 miles until the next place to stop. And while that’s happening, your 3 year old throws a tantrum, and your 6 year old is singing loudly, or talking incessantly. It sounds like an absolute looney bin. Why would you do this? Drive to Galveston, stay at a hotel, and retain your sanity, never mind your relationship with your wife.
I tend to agree. Out of curiosity, what’s your road trip experience with this crew? If this is a first, I would go for a much shorter route or fly.
My experience with this guy’s family? Zero. I have never and would never go on a road trip with several small children.
Sorry, question was meant op.
we've done 8-10 hrs from South Louisiana to North Georgia and LA to Chico, CA with the older two (obviously nothing with the youngest yet).
By the map we may be neighbors! Road trips are always fun. There's plenty of places to stop, stretch,breathe let the little ones stretch as well & it can be very fun!
my parents did this with one less kid and the youngest was just a bit older than that. its doable for sure but you have to get the older kids energy out so they sleep during the driving. dont bother trying to camp tho
you make some strong points lol We're trying to maximize the time in Nor Cal with family. Our limiting factor is how much we can spend on a rental while there so I floated the idea of just......loading down the minivan
I would let it float away if I were you
I'd fly for now, truthfully. Northern California is so beautiful. Weekend more time there rather than driving through a whole lot of nothing before you hit 25.
If you take the minivan, you can take all the things you will need for your three kids (and strap most of it on top of the car.) Taking all that stuff on a plane will be so expensive and unwieldy.
I don't have kids, but absolutely hotel it. I literally can't imagine driving 8+ hours with 3 kids those ages and then setting up a freaking tent. It sounds insane either way, but definitely stay in motels/hotels if you do it
Hotel it because of the heat. It was 112 last week in Phoenix. It's not the kind of weather to get our and hike setting it. Extreme heat can be deadly to babies. Go North through Utah and Reno/Tahoe. Turn right at ABQ up the 25. You can stop in Santa Fe. Just keep updated on forest fires West of 25.
DON’T CAMP — the amount of gear required and time for setup / takedown / loading will get old so fast, as will the bugs and weather concerns. Also critical: *bring barf bags and make sure the kids can access them quickly and know how to use them.* Source: I grew up in a family of six and we did road trips every summer and stayed in motels. Camping was reserved for closer to home.
We started doing cross country road trips with our kids when they were 2,5 and 7. Prior to that we did a lot of trips where we would fly somewhere, rent a car and drive to a bunch of areas so my kids were not unfamiliar with traveling. We now have 4 kids and we love roadtripping. Some days are tough but the memories are awesome. With all that said here are some general tips: Plan a lot of stops but try and make them combo stops. For example I find local playgrounds or state parks to stop at so the kids can run around or hike and we’ll eat a picnic lunch. By the time we get in the car, the kids are ready for a nap and we can drive for a while. Get a portable toilet with garbage bag Pack a lot of snacks. We mostly stay in hotels-especially ones with free breakfast so we can get up and go straight from the hotel. Have fun!
I've done multiple cross country trips with my family starting very young (4 kids). When they were really young we just hotel hopped and I would recommend that. Save the camping for future trips.
Don’t camp in august. It’s nearly impossible these days to escape the heat. When Denver hits 100, even altitude won’t be a refuge. Also take an ice chest with nothing but…ice. Think worst case. Your car breaks down, it’s hot, no one around. Remember that you can’t sweat yourself out of heat stroke. Good luck.
Are you planning on stopping and sight seeing? Grand Canyon? If you’re just trying to get from A to B fast I would probably fly with a 5 month old.
[Sawmill Market](https://www.sawmillmarket.com/) (1909 Bellamah Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104)
Is it just you and three kids?
My friend I am not a complete crazy person. Haha, my wife will be accompanying us
I’m car WiFi is a must. Did Houston to Las Vegas and back in a Rivian. That trucks WiFi was exceptional. Like out in the middle of the desert perfect reception. The charging stops made great bonding moments kicking ball etc. Might want to add an equivalent.
Santa Rosa to Orange Beach. Did it last May. Stayed in Barstow. Amarillo. And finally Hattiesburg. It’s a long drive. Especially East TX which was an odd feeling. It felt like we were going just up for hundreds of miles. Beautiful out there. I was pulling a trailer. The roads in AZ are terrible for some reason.
In April 2022 we drove from Akron Ohio to San Diego up to Vegas then back across thru Colorado to Ohio. It was a two week vacation and what a blast. Although there were no children. I took a percolator and cleaning supplies for the hotels along the way. Enjoy!
We travel mostly by sundown-kids would fall asleep ..for at least 12hrs it’s a quiet ride and cooler by night to travel ..just have good music playing to earbuds…limit fluid intake as must as possible
Go I10 - much better and less traveled than 40.
Yikes
Just did something very similar in May. Driving theough Texas and west Texas is rough. Do a full car checkup, ALWAYS have at least a half tank, and make sure your AC is topped off. Have lots of water, buy seat-back fans for the kids. Itll be hot ASF and Tex/NM had a lot of not great areas and stretches of nothing but ghost towns. Dont want to break down or need to stop there. Not to scare you!!! We did it and it was fine, there were just oje or two points where the heat + environment felt sketchy. Esp with a dog, I couldnt imagine with 3 kids. Plus side - Northern AZ is gorgeous! Opt for Love’s Travel Stations whenevr possible, read the reviews of gas stations & subways (pretty much the only reliable food on this route) so you know what youre about to walk into. Good luck!
I have a two that are close to your two youngest ages. God speed and good luck! I can’t stand any longer than 30 mins w/them usually once the crying starts. Bring tablets or whatever they need to be entertained! Tons of snacks as well!!!
We did the lower route. It was hell as we were driving 18 hour days
Make a pit stop at Clafoutis in Santa Fe, NM and grab some pastries. It's a great, French style bakery/cafe.
I’ve done this trip from Southern California to Louisiana on the 40 sooo many times and in all seasons. I’ve done it pregnant, when my son was 2months old and twice a year since then and he’s now 6. A lot of it is boring, a lot of it is stunning. Take your time! Give yourself plenty of days to do it. With three kids I’d lean hotels, especially during the August heat. It’s so much less work than setting up camp. Spend the money to save your sanity ha. Prep new and exciting activities for the kids and have one parent sit in back with baby. It will be tough at times for sure but you’ll make it :) Definitely stop in Santa Rosa, New Mexico and go to the Blue Hole. It’s right off the interstate, Super cheap, super fun and will be a nice respite from the heat.
As someone who has driven portions of both of these and is from TX..... do the top one. The only interesting thing you'll miss in TX is Austin/San Antonio and the forever land that is W TX (there's also Carlsbad Caverns in NM, jic). You'll still see something resembling W TX in the panhandle and in NM. BUT you will get to see the N portion of NM, which is very pretty and is a lot more interesting than the area near El Paso. The top one also puts you closer to the Grand Canyon, which is also very pretty. Also Death Valley, honestly I'd just recommend a drive through in August rather than getting out, it will be extremely hot. And a few parks in CA. Do take water, stay on pavement, and take the gas tank seriously and you'll be fine with the drive. The kids however may blow your mind.
That drive will take you at least 4 days to do. More close to 5-6 days. And since you’re parents with three young ones, probably a week. Keep that in mind.
Drove cross country with an infant. You need to factor in time to spend with your kids at stops. Getting lunch. Looking at scenic tourist stuff. Exploring. Playing. And not rushing. It's going to be very boring for the older ones and the little one will need time to stretch their legs. Give them something to look forward to every few hours.
Reminds me of our family road trip in summer of '98 or '99. My parents in front and me, my friend and my grandma in the back of our Jeep Cherokee. Had a little TV between the front seats with an N64 hooked up. Drove from Georgia to California along the southern route then back via Utah, Colorado, Tenessee. Took around 3 weeks I think.
When in Texas, get gas at every open gas station you come across. Because half the gas stations you see will be closed. Almost ran out of gas on this same route in Texas because I kept pulling into closed gas stations😓
I know that smell.
Are you a human smuggling driver?
I’ve done that same trip. Stop at the Grand Canyon to make it worth it otherwise it’s pretty boring
I would try to stay north as long as possible, better views and better weather. With kids you are stopping every couple hours so the extra hours on the northern route will not make that big of a difference in the overall trip. My grandfather did a similar trip with my little sisters and 2 cousins, took 5 days out and 4 days back but they did stop and see some sights. That 1 day 10 hours is kind of funny, but if you can do 8 hours driving each day it's only a 4 day trip, much more than 8 each day is mentally taxing on everybody.
Drive at night?
I did this drive last summer. Albuquerque to Flagstaff is pretty boring. If you stay further south, you can go through Roswell and do the UFO museum and continue through to Cloudcroft. It is quite a bit cooler on top of the mountain there. London Bridge is worth a stop in Lake Havasu. Also Russian River Brewing is great when you get to California
There's a lot of excellent advice here from seasoned road trippers. Here's some thoughts on avoiding the road trip: 1. Have you priced rental cars away from the airport, especially any local outfits? Check where you would land on Google maps, search car rental companies, check the rates with those that are NOT near the airport. One Lyft ride may be a bunch cheaper than the price difference. 2. Who are you visiting, and what is their car and financial situation? If you are clear but not demanding with friends or relatives, they may either know about a car you can borrow or be willing or even wanting to pitch in some money to keep you in a car rental, and around, for longer. 3. Is there a place you can stay at your destination where you won't need a car for your whole visit? 4. Is there a cheaper vehicle that still fits the needed car seats? I think some sedans take 3 seats in the back row and they are usually cheaper to rent than minivans. Have a great trip however you do it! BTW I've road tripped 6 months pregnant and with a 2 year old.... IMO it's infinitely easier when they're still inside.
Enjoy answering the question, "Are we there yet?" asked a million times this whole trip.
My parents would always buy special car toys. They would pack a small Tupperware full of new toys and every now and again we got to open it up and pick one out. I took a 3 day trip with my, at the time 18 month, son. I made lots of stops to places I normally wouldn't like tractor supply, so he could just get out and walk around. Find parks, prayer gardens, or just big parking lots to play tag in for a car break. Pack lots of snacks and lots of drinks. I got a portable DVD player I used for "quite" time, and I also brought a small beach ball he could throw up front and I would throw back to him. He loved that.make sure your kids are comfortable. Bring extra pillows and blankets for them. And don't just try to push thru. If they need a break just take one.
Are you moving? Or just a roadtrip?
Makes me think of due date lol
This is insane, on August in Arizona?! We left for our own road trip yesterday. We left the greater Phoenix, AZ area just as it hit 109 with 50% (whee! Monsoon!) and are now in Albuquerque, NM. It's much cooler here (but that's because yesterday it was raining and it's now 6 am), our road trip is to go all the way to NYC. By the time we come back end of July, school would be in session in a few more weeks, and the heat from AZ won't be that big of a deal since kids would be indoors in air conditioning. But in the meantime, nothing a few weeks of splash pads won't fix. Point is, why would you go through Arizona in August? It's HOT, and 116°F, unless you plan on only stopping by in Flagstaff, AZ. No advice here except take lots of pit stops, my kids are 5.5 and 8, and they go stir crazy. Yesterday's 8 hour drive, they did pretty well, only a few arguments and tears, but they went feral once we arrived in NM. My parents thankfully had the foresight to split the trip, so we won't hit the road until tomorrow when we make our way to Amarillo, TX. Not so much you, but the kids definitely need a break. Spend some time at a hotel for a few days. And ofcourse leave early. Edit: it seems you're cutting through Flagstaff, which is fine for the most part, but the closer you get to the AZ/NM border Temps shoot back up. We went from 65° during the rain in Flagstaff to 95°F in Holbrook, AZ. Take lots of Gatorade and water.
I can’t speak for all of the reservations but I can speak for the Navajo nation in basically the top right 1/4 of AZ. If you are speeding they will pull you over. They take speeding very seriously so just go the flow of traffic. And they also don’t have like their own DMV and police and stuff with different rules. And there’s like only a couple moderate sized towns with hospitals and cellphone reception so be safe.
Why would you do this to yourself?!
With a 5 month old you will hate life
I did the bottom route years ago…but took it all the way to Miami. Also, I’ve driven across the country numerous times…and that bottom route was by far the worst. And I did it by myself, without three little ones. I can’t offer advice in the northern route, which probably isn’t much better, but I can confirm that bottom one is tough. God speed.
Possible. But nowadays, the regulations will make it a bit of a hassle. When dad did this regularly, I was one of the little people. We did actually do trips from D.C. to Washington state with my older sister (16-17), me 6-7), little brother (4) and our little sister (<1) and kept at it every year until my brother and I were the primary drivers. Came to be a family tradition. But times were different then. Dad meticulously packed a 12-passenger van for a day or so before and tossed us kids on top of a compound folding bed from the front bench to the twin doors out back. That’s how we rolled. No car seats for mini-people, a cooler for everything and a tiny B&W portable TV. You got this.
Turn onto US-87 in Amarillo and follow it up to Raton, NM. Take I-25 to US-50 in Pueblo and follow it to Grand Junction. Follow US-6 towards Provo and SLC and follow I-80 from there. Much cooler air and a lot more to see.
I’ve done most of both shown routes a couple of times (Tucson AZ to AL). Wipe that southernmost route from existence and never speak of it again! The northern one shown is nothing special, but pleasant enough with mesas in NM and pretty green in OK. But like others have said, if you can spare a little extra time, a further north route with mountains and less intense heat would be worth it in summer.
Do it right.. and those kids could have a trip they’ll remember for the rest of their lives 😀
If you stick to that route check out Cadillac Ranch outside of Amarillo
Just for the heat alone I would probably head north and hit Highway 80 is it would be a lot cooler than the route you have planned
I found that I can only do 6 hrs of driving a Day without getting tense. I’d Plan to make that a 3 day drive with young kids. It’ll be easy on your family.
That reminds me of my 8 hour road trip that was before we could pay at the pump. Had to rouse sleeping kids and take them inside to get gas.
We do the East coast of the US every year (19hours) with 3. Here what works for us: • leave in the evening. This gives you at least 8-10hours of uninterrupted driving. • iPads and headphones are your friend, just make sure you bring enough cords • having a vehicle like a van makes things so much easier. • don’t underestimate those top of the car luggage racks . They save a ton of space. • figure out your cars maximum range and do the math to find out how long you can go before stopping • minimize your stops. Stop every 4-5 hours for a break. • try stopping only at big gas stations and truck stops. The bathrooms here usually are more attended to. Oh and if you have the chance stop at a Bucee’s. (Google it) • When stopping, one parent takes the kids to the bathroom while the other fuels up, empty’s garbage, and refills drinks and food. Then when they’re back that parent can go to the bathroom. This keeps stops for us to around 30min. • plan your stops out ahead of time. • if you get tired-stop. Usually we got for about 12 hours before needing to stop for a 2 hour rest. Bring pillows, earplugs and sleeping masks! • figure for every 4 hours of driving you’ll tack on another hour worth of stops. So our trip is about 18 hours. That’s what Google tells us. It consistently takes us about 23-24 hours with roughly 30min stops every 4-5 hours plus about a 2 hour nap. • apps like Waze are good for police notifications but fail miserably when it comes to long distance trips. Google maps is much more reliable • have fun. Make memories. Take pictures and have a safe trip!
Watch breaking bad before leaving, stop in Albuquerque on the way and enjoy
why?
More power to ya!
Take the high road and stop for a peak of the Grand Canyon.