Don’t Forget the Felon in the Backseat

2 adults, 3 kids, 17 hours and 22 minutes in the car, 1,227 miles, 6 bathroom stops, way too many “are we there yets” and 1 felon in the backseat.  Our first official family road trip came to an end but we made memories that will last a lifetime.

We started our 3-city road trip in Ocala, FL.  I’ll be honest, there isn’t much to do in Ocala.  Everyone that asked us where we were heading first, asked me the same question, “Why?”   When a good part of your family lives there, it makes sense.  We wound up having a little family reunion.  11 adults and 9 kids, most of which we had never met because they were under 5.  It was a beautiful gathering filled with yummy food, laughs and me (“the kid paparazzi”), following all the kids around with my camera, trying to get some good shots of them.  And while I wound up getting some great ones, I was so focused on the kids, I forgot to take any pictures of the adults (insert head slap here).   It was the first time in YEARS that all the adults were in the same place and we have no proof that it ever happened.   But I was there and I can tell you, it did happen and we loved it.

One of the many funny parts of our trip was the map app that my husband has on his phone. For some reason, each time we arrived at our destination, it would say “Don’t forget the felon in the backseat.”  We believe that at some point he had programmed it with the name of our youngest, Falynn (which makes so much more sense, right?). Either way, it gave us a good laugh throughout the trip and we were often calling out for the “felon” in the backseat.

Day 3 had us on the road to Atlanta, GA.  It was the first time we had all been to Atlanta (minus the layovers in the airport years ago).  Staying Downtown meant we didn’t have to drive anywhere. We got plenty of exercise, walking around and taking in all of the scenery. We spent almost an entire day at the Georgia Aquarium (which was incredible).   And even though it was cold (30’s cold), the girls were still able to get their swim on in the hotel’s indoor pool.  Shout out to Hilton Garden Inn which was so accommodating and the perfect location for us!  We were surrounded by restaurants, shops and even Centennial Park.  In addition to the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola and the College Football Hall of Fame were also within walking distance.  The view from our room was breathtaking and really allowed us to appreciate the lights of downtown Atlanta.

Day 5, we headed to our final stop, St. Augustine, FL.  Another first for our family (though I’m sure I was there as a child).  It’s one of those towns that you don’t realize how great it is until you actually get there.  I loved the history, the tours (especially the chocolate tour), the food (St. Augustine Seafood Co was a favorite for us) and the beauty of it all. It’s such great place for families.  We were there for 3 full days and still didn’t get to see and do everything on our list.  We already have plans to visit again in the Summer and will absolutely be staying in the same hotel, TRYP by Wyndham.  It was literally the largest standard room we’ve ever stayed in and had enough space for all of us to sleep comfortably plus a mini kitchen.  It was also very conveniently located just around the corner from Historic Downtown St. Augustine.

While this was, a fun filled 8 days, I was so happy to be home.  Time to relax, get back into our daily routine and start planning our next family road trip.

Have you ever taken a family road trip?  Comment below and let us know!

XOXO