I was packing the car with cheddar bunnies, juice boxes, water, beef jerky and the diaper bag. Extra clothes and wipes handy just in case. It is only a 5 hour drive but you know you will need to stop for a bathroom break or two before you get there. I thought it would be stressful but it wasn’t. It was bliss. Travelling with small children can be a challenge but they can also make you slow down and enjoy the journey. One of our first family trips was to Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas. Our girls love being outside, no matter the weather. So we took a few days during the summer to take them to a favorite spot that my husband and I had grown up visiting regularly. We were able to stay in a cabin in the woods. I just stood there thinking, this is why we travel, while watching the girls splashing in the cool stream. This is somewhere new to them. Living in an urban area, they don’t see a lot of wooded, green spaces and streams. We all enjoyed walking the trails, collecting rocks, sticks and leaves. Just being in nature. They started asking to get in the car and go somewhere! Making them part of the process enriches their love for travel. You do not have to fly anywhere to find new adventures. Grab your family, get in the car and go!