A family that wants to strengthen their bond with one another should go on a cross-country road trip instead of flying for their vacation because they can spend quality time together, share interesting experiences and create meaningful memories. There is no greater adventure with the ones you love than being on a one, two or three day road trip to see the country. Some of my fondest summer memories when I was a kid were when my dad would drive the whole family down to Atlantic City or Virginia Beach for the weekend.
Once, when I was a teenager, I was trying to fly back home to Memphis from visiting family in upstate New York for the holidays. There was a problem with the airplane which caused me to be stranded overnight with another passenger, a ninety year old elderly woman. We received rude and marginal service from the lonely hotel restaurant the airline provided us. The elderly woman and I both had a restless and anxious night due to the fear of missing the morning flight. The whole experience was miserable and I have come to dread flying.
The United States has an abundance of landmarks and historical locations a family can visit along their journey. Depending on your starting point, whether it be the East Coast, West Coast or somewhere in the middle, a family would need to take a month vacation to see a good majority of the country.
According to North American tour guide, Peter Greenberg, “I’ve driven across the U.S. many, many times. I do believe that a cross country road trip should be required for Americans. It’s a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to see world-class cities, a wide variety of National Parks and vast stretches of deserts, mountains and plains” (Greenberg). Traveling to a destination with a family or even a group of friends will prove to be rewarding. A road trip makes for an exciting adventure that will create memories to last a lifetime.
Going on an extended trip with loved ones creates many bonding opportunities such as sharing many meals together and stopping for picnics. Meeting new people who have similar interests and people from other parts of the country is another advantage. Staying at a hotel can also be a satisfying experience as you get to enjoy some luxuries that you don’t usually have at home. Some hotels feature excellent recreation facilities such as pools, saunas, gyms and internet cafes.
There are many restaurants and tourist spots that run along the major U.S. interstates. Many cities have museums or exhibits that are unique to the area. Some examples would be the Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, which features astronaut training simulations for all ages. Another example would be the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, which features science exhibits, petting zoos and a planetarium. There are numerous theme parks throughout the country such as Six Flags, which are located in many states. There are several national parks such as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon that are worth visiting while on an extended road trip. Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota, is another famous landmark and among many that are listed on the National Park Service website, (www.nps.gov). There are plenty of other amazing sites to see, such as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. In Memphis, Tennessee there is Mud Island, a museum and tourist attraction on the Mississippi River where you can learn about Mark Twain, steamboats and history of the river.
Road trips are just a lot of fun. They provide a chance to really get to know your family members and friends that you would not normally have. It’s a real opportunity for families to grow closer together as they create exciting times and amusing moments. It also allows for a good educational experience as you learn more about the U.S. and what makes every state unique and worth visiting. When driving, a family can take their time, relax and not worry about being anywhere at a certain time. There are no luggage issues to worry about, no security checkpoints, no agents inspecting your belongings and no body scans to walk through. The money you spend on a road trip feels like it is going to good use. It feels like there is a return on your investment. When you look back over the years you will be glad you took those road trips with your family.
Flying, on the other hand, is ordinary and overrated. There is no sense of adventure in flying across the country or just over to another state. I’ve been flying since I was a kid and it’s just not as fun as I remember it. The luxury, excitement and appeal commercial flying had in it’s early days has since faded away. According to Suzy Strutner, Associate Lifestyle Editor for the Huffington Post, “But in the 50s, flying was something different. It was something magical and marvelous. Air travel exploded into its Golden Age, and airplane trips weren’t just a means of getting to your vacation -- they were a vacation in themselves. Passengers dressed in their finest to fly. They lined up for group photos before boarding. Riding an airplane made them feel like a movie star because it pretty much took the salary of a movie star to do so.” The magic is gone now and flying has become a mundane activity. Unless you are flying Business or First Class you get to feel like cattle pushed into a barn stall as you’re squeezed into coach with the rest of the passengers.
For many, flying is a convenient way to travel. But for others, it can be a tremendous burden. Unless you are flying out of a small airport like General Mitchell in Milwaukee, Wisconsin or Harrisburg International Airport in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, you can expect extra long lines as you wait to board your plane. Instead of having a memorable experience with your family, it can be a tiresome, long day as you wait through excessive security lines. Though a family may fly together, the trip is usually not long enough to create any significant memories and it is not the best way to promote family bonding.
The post 9/11 years of traveling for me has turned sour. I dread going to the airport because I never know what may go wrong. There are countless anxieties that flood my mind starting on the morning of my flying day. It’s not until I get off the last flight and pick up my baggage that I can finally sigh out of relief that my day is over. Flying usually isn’t so horrible on every occasion, but it’s the knowledge from experience that it doesn’t take much to ruin my day at the airport.
Imagine bringing a whole family to fly. Now you are spending not hundreds but thousands of dollars for the convenience of getting to a destination within several hours. That is more luggage that has the potential to getting lost as well as more luggage fees. With the family on the journey, where is the excitement? Where is the bonding moments as you are racing to make the connecting flight which is on the other side of the airport. Your first plane is behind schedule so now you have to make up for it hurrying through the airport so you don’t miss your flight. I don’t see how any of this makes a good family vacation.
I have many fond memories of being on the road with my family growing up. None of my memories of flying ever stood out. I am glad for the times we drove because it made it worthwhile to look back and actually remember the things you did when you were young and on vacation with your family.
References
Greenberg, Peter “7 Must See Road Trip Destinations Across America” Petergreenberg.com Web 08 March 2016.
http://petergreenberg.com/2012/05/01/7-must-see-road-trip-destinations-across-america/
Strutner, Susy “This Is What Your Flight Used to Look Like (And It’s Actually Crazy)” Huffingtonpost.com Web 08 March 2016
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/15/air-travel-1950s_n_5461411.html
