Most of you know that last week my family and I took a much needed vacation. This summer has been crazy busy and we have been looking forward to some family time together where we could just relax. Who am I kidding? We never relax on vacation, the more we can fit into the short time we have together, the better. This summer we decided to road trip all the way from the Twin Cities to Yellowstone National Park making a stop in South Dakota along the way. 
That was nearly 37 hours in the car! Yes, we may be a little crazy!
It was touch and go a couple times {those mountains are high and for those of us who are scared of heights, YIKES} but we made it there and back in one piece {Minus some skin on my hubby’s arm and maybe the hearing in the right ear}. My boys really did great on the trip, of course they had their moments of acting like caged animals, but for the most part I can not complain. Here are a few tips that I have put together for those of you who are brave enough to take on a road trip like this! Five Tips for Road Trips with Kids1. Bring along LOTS of things to keep the kids busy! You can see the travel bags that I put together for my guys over Five Tips for Road Trips with Kids CulturelleKids. They are full of things like DVD player, DS, paper for drawing, car games, etc. 
2. Do NOT forget to take headphones. Seriously people, this is going to save your sanity! My boys have these games they play on their DS’s with the most obnoxious music. Trust me, you will not want to forget these! 3. Take along Food and Drinks in the car. It is so much easier to grab that box of granola bars or bottle of water in the back seat when you are on the road, instead of stopping for snacks every time someone needs to fill their tummy. My kids like to go to the grocery store with me before we leave to pick out a few of their favorite snacks. 4. Make stops that give you time to stretch. Try to find rest stops with play areas for the kids to run off some energy! Give your self extra time for breaks and the kids some play time. {These bear cubs were adorable playing together when we stopped at Bear Country USA} 
5. Be Prepared! My little guy has an unpredictable tummy. He has gotten car sick may times or felt sick from new foods that he has tried. Remember to have some kind of a bag in the car for these emergencies. On this trip, we decided to try the new Culturelle Kids! Probiotic. 
Available in both dissolvable packets and chewables, Culturelle Kids! is the #1 pediatrician recommended probiotic supplement brand for children. It helps restore the natural balance of good bacteria in the digestive tract, aiding in the alleviation of occasional tummy troubles while bolstering a child’s own natural defenses. This can really help your vacations run smoother!
Here are just a few of the photographs that I took on our trip (I took over 600)! This is the Yellowstone National Park and it’s GORGEOUS falls! Seeing these sites made the road trip completely worth it!
Disclosure: This is a compensated post, but views are expressly my own opinion.
Chrissy Taylor is a wife, Mom, blogger and property manager. She and her husband of 15 years are raising two active boys in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Chrissy enjoys blogging about cooking, crafts, gifts and household tips.
We are taking the exact same trip next summer with the kids. Starting in the Twin Cities and ending up in Yellowstone, but we are going backwards. Through ND on the way there and SD on the way back. I can’t wait! Did you do any tours or did you explore on your own? Did you do a lot of hiking? Our kids are 10, 5, and 2, so we are concerned about the little one.