I miss spontaneous road trips but I wouldn't trade it for anything

5d ago1 min read

Before kids my buddies and I would just pack a cooler and drive to the beach for the weekend whenever we felt like it. No planning, no logistics, just go. Now I need to coordinate with my wife, book time off work, pack an insane amount of stuff, and somehow keep two kids entertained in a car. But then I watch my 4 year old discover the ocean for the first time and I realize I'm living a different kind of adventure now. It's not what I imagined my 30s would look like but it's better in ways I can't even explain.

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Comments(7)

DDanielRegular3d ago

This hits hard. Used to be able to pack up and leave in like 20 minutes. Now it takes an hour just to get everyone ready. Still do beach trips but they're way more planned out. Totally worth it though.

BBrian M.New Dad4d ago

Road trips hit different now. We still take them but it's a whole production with snacks and tablets and bathroom breaks. Not quite the same as throwing a cooler in the car and just going. But seeing my kids excited about new places makes up for it.

LLucas M.Regular4d ago

I feel this so much. Used to do stuff like that all the time with no planning at all. Now I need to coordinate nap schedules and pack half my house just to go anywhere.

JJoeRegular5d ago

The tradeoff is real though. Sure spontaneous trips are gone but family road trips are their own kind of adventure. Lots of bathroom stops and snack breaks but my kids love it.

LLucas M.Regular5d ago

You'll get those adventures back in a different way. My boy is old enough now that he gets excited about them and that makes them better than they used to be. Spontaneous turns into planned but shared, which is its own thing.

CChris M.Regular4d ago

You can still do road trips they just look different now. Pack snacks, load up movies for the car, find kid friendly stops. It's not the same as just gunning it to the beach but it's pretty great in its own way.

EEvan M.New Dad5d ago

Man I don't even remember what spontaneous felt like anymore.