travel

ROAD TRIP The do’s and don’ts of planning a successful vacation with extended family. BY TRICIA O’CONNOR TIPS FOR SURVIVING A MULTIGENERATIONAL

unkering in with my immediate family — and being forced to avoid my parents — during the COVID-19 outbreak has reminded me how important grandparents are to me and my children. The pandemic has also, unfortunately, thrown our annual summer multigenerational vacation plans into the air.

Over the past two years, my parents, me and my children have squeezed into a vehicle and taken a road trip to a series of new destinations. The first summer we began our journey in Great Falls, Montana, and cruised and camped our way through Glacier National Park before settling into a dude ranch in Idaho. Last summer, we wound our way through several Southern states making entertaining, educational and active stops along the way. Most were planned, some were spontaneous.

These holidays have created some of our most treasured memories as a family. We’ve also learned a thing or two. Here are some tips you may find helpful if you’re planning a multigenerational getaway.

The O’Connor family plans a multigenerational road trip every summer.

Do find out favorite activities ahead of time.

With three generations spanning ages 6 to 74 on this last trip, we knew it was important for each person to have at least one primary activity or destination. A quick poll showed my children wanted activities like horseback riding and fishing, my father wanted history, my mother wanted beautiful scenery and hiking, and I wanted to revisit some tourist traps I remembered from my childhood.

I came up with a tentative itinerary that included stops in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. Among our list of attractions was the Kennedy Space Center, Biltmore, a ranch in the Smoky Mountains and an underground cavern. By giving everyone a chance to participate in the planning of the trip, each person had at least one activity (usually more) that they eagerly anticipated.

Don’t drive longer than 5 hours at a time.

With two children under 8, capping our drive time was a strategic move to stave off boredom, fast food and too much screen time. It may not work for your family, and that’s OK.

Setting a driving limit also helped my kids understand our estimated arrival time. Although they were just beginning to grasp the concept of timekeeping, they were able to connect that two movies almost equaled our driving time for the day. This kept the dreaded “Are we there yet?” question to a minimum.

We also ate and slept better by not spending too much time behind the wheel.

Do find a hotel that includes breakfast.

There are several hotel chains in the 2- to 3-star range that include breakfast. As Hilton Honors members (a loyalty program), our choice for this trip was Hampton by Hilton. We received a small discount through the Honors program, and we knew they had an expansive, and warm, breakfast buffet. Just as our activity choices were varied, so are our diets. I don’t eat meat, my father gobbles it down, my mother is super healthy, and sometimes my children will only eat syrup. The Hampton breakfast buffet kept everyone satisfied and allowed us (I mean, me and the kids) to eat in our pajamas.

Do eat dinner early

This one could also be called “Don’t Underestimate How Fun a Hotel Is,”

The O’Connor family plans a multigenerational road trip every summer.

especially if that hotel has a pool, or even better, a water slide.

Even if you have these things at home, there is something fresh and fun about getting to explore them at a new destination each night. My kids couldn’t wait to check out each new hotel and see what amenities were available. Therefore, we tried our best to eat dinner no later than 6 p.m. so the kids always had some pool playtime before bed. Sometimes we ate out, a couple times we ordered in through a food delivery service (Door Dash tracked my location and offered discount coupons to local restaurants and national chains).

Even though eating early meant leaving some attractions before closing time, that peaceful evening poolside together was something each of us looked forward to.

Don’t forget to try new things.

ous exploration. The Biltmore mansion itself bored the kids, so we decided to check out the farm instead. They loved the chickens and a blacksmithing demonstration. Our Smoky Mountains trip wouldn’t have been the same without discovering the Oconaluftee Indian Village, an 18th century-themed Eastern Cherokee village, during a cool, rainy day. While Ruby Falls, a massive underground waterfall, initially drew us to Chattanooga, it was the views at Rock City Gardens that really stole our breath. And a last-minute stop at The Battles for Chattanooga museum and gift shop was a thrilling surprise for all of us. Five thousand miniature soldiers, 650 lights, and a digitally projected three-dimensional map with accompanying audio track tell the incredible history of the city’s Civil War battles. My children were glued to their seats and afterward begged to explore nearby Point Park, site of the famous Battle Above the Clouds.

These multigenerational getaways always turn out better than any of us expect. Fingers crossed we’ll all get to experience our summer holidays this year.

Family favorites

Looking for destinations that all generations will

enjoy? Here are some of the O’Connor family’s favorites.

NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor

Complex: Merritt Island, Florida • Online: kennedyspacecenter. com

Biltmore: Asheville, North Carolina • Online: biltmore.com

Oconaluftee Indian Village:

Cherokee, North Carolina • Online: visitcherokeenc.com/ play/attractions/ oconaluftee-indianvillage

Cataloochee Ranch:

Maggie Valley, North Carolina • Online: cataloocheeranch.com

Rock City Gardens:

Lookout Mountain, Georgia • Online: seerockcity.com

Ruby Falls:

Chattanooga, Tennessee • Online: rubyfalls.com

Incline Railway:

(Lookout Mountain Station) Lookout Mountain, Tennessee • Online: ridetheincline.com

The Battles of Chattanooga

Lookout Mountain, Tennessee • Online: battlesforchattanooga. com

EVENTS GO ONLINE Southwest Florida attractions and organizations stepped up in the last month or more to provide events and entertainment that families can enjoy at home (much of it educational, too — bonus!). Here are a few:

Daily science lesson

The Rookery Bay Research Reserve in Naples is taking events online every week day in May. Learn about nature, wildlife and the waters of Southwest Florida with Rookery Bay’s Virtual Education Programming on the organization’s Facebook page, facebook.com/FriendsofRookeryBay. Look for videos, tours and downloadable activities. May 3-8 has a theme of fish, and May 10-15 is marine invertebrates.

Weekly mental health boosts

Every Monday, usually at 4 p.m., Kids’ Minds Matter hosts a livestream series on Facebook to help families get expert mental health advice, resources and at-home activities for the kids. The Mental Health Mondays series is a collaboration between Lee Health and Southwest Florida mental health advocates. The segments, which are less than an hour, feature psychologists, therapists, physicians, child advocates as well as other art, mind and body professionals to help parents and guardians with their child’s mental health. The videos are scheduled to run through the end of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. For more information, visit kidsmindsmatter.com or call 239-214-0921.

Tiny Theatre

This one might be more for moms and dads (hey, how about a date night? In your own closet? You’ll see…). Husband and wife acting team Brendan Powers and Rachel Burttram usually perform onstage at Florida Repertory Theatre and Theatre Conspiracy in Fort Myers. With all the theaters closed, though, they decided to convert a bedroom closet into their own Tiny Theatre — complete with a stage. Three days a week, they perform scenes, plays and monologues sent by their playwright friends. There’s even a “talkback” with the audience after each show. They perform at 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the page going live at 8:55 p.m. Check it out at facebook.com/closetatrachelandbrendans.

SHAKE IT UP These pages are typically where readers find family events galore. With most families limiting social contact due to coronavirus concerns, however, we don’t have many to report, and those that haven’t announced cancellations or postponement are still too tenuous to commit to print. That doesn’t mean venues and organizations in Southwest Florida aren’t busy. Quite the opposite. They’re busy creating fun things to do for families online — and most of it is free. Another bonus: Many of these resources will continue to be available as venues open, so save this list for rainy days. Here you go — a list of things to do online:

DANCE

Celebrating Since 1951

www.dancebochette.com

(239)334-3274 All Ages

Classical Ballet Pointe Modern Tap Jazz Hip Hop Acrobatics Children’s Work

NEWBORN CARE

RESALE & CONSIGNMENT

Conservancy of Southwest Florida Families and schools often turn to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to learn about nature and how to protect the local environment. The nature center staff takes that mission online with lesson plans, hands-on activities, videos, scavenger hunts, guided virtual walks and resources at conservancy.org/virtual-learning.

C’mon The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples created Play & Learn, a free online program to help families continue to learn and have fun while the museum is temporarily closed. You can access it through C’mon’s YouTube channel, Facebook page, Instagram TV and the museum’s website, cmon.org.

Naples Zoo The Naples Zoo was one of the first attractions to offer free online learning options. Live videos launch at 9:15 a.m. Staff takes viewers on virtual tours of the Naples Zoo and provides numerous educational videos and activities. Access them via the zoo’s Facebook page or YouTube channel. Learn more at napleszoo.org.

Sanibel Sea School The Sanibel Sea School is sending out educational e-newsletters three times a week. Each Nature Near You email provides a different lesson, ways to explore nature in your own backyard and additional resources. Plus, on Tuesdays, the school offers a Creature Feature and, on Thursdays at noon, its educators host a live session on Facebook and Instagram. See the archives and sign up for future newsletters at sanibelseaschool.org/nature-near-you.

Love Your Rebellion Poets, here’s your outlet. Love Your Rebellion developed Poetry for the People, a free virtual workshop that refines poetry skills and connects poets, perfect for teens. It’s led by LYR founder Angela Page. While the workshops were hosted on Zoom every Thursday from April 9 to May 7, the 60-minute sessions were recorded and uploaded to LYR’s social media channels. While they are free, donations are appreciated for this nonprofit arts program. Learn more at loveyourrebellion.org/poetry-for-the-people.

Marco Island Historical Society Explore historical artifacts and learn about local history through the Marco Island Historical Society’s History at Home web page. There are coloring pages and other printables, activities you can do at home and an open “door” to the museum’s 19,000 objects, photos and artwork through an online database. Visit virtually at themihs.org.

IMAG History & Science Center Kids can enjoy the fun, educational lessons found at the IMAG History & Science Center online through the IMAG@ HOME program. It’s focused on STEM education and local history, and it’s free to all ages. Find lessons, meet-the-keeper live animal encounters, shows, DIY activities and more on the center’s Facebook page. Learn more at theimag.org.

Edison and Ford Winter Estates The Edison and Ford Winter Estates launched a video series called “Edison Ford Goes Viral.” It’s full of history and science. Find it on the Estates’ Facebook page, @EdisonFordFL.

Naples Botanical Garden The Naples Botanical Garden is posting educational materials to its website at naplesgarden.org. Read about the different plants in the gardens, find fun activities and tasty recipes, or ask a gardener your plant questions.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Busch Gardens and Sea World are sharing their educational resources, including classroom activities, teacher’s guides and videos for parents, students and teachers to access online at seaworld.org and at x.m.seaworld.com/ats/msg.aspx?sg1=44b61b0871f76421 5e703c4bc4f78385.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Florida Space Coast icon the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is sharing daily Facebook Live video experiences and at-home activities that relate to all sorts of space topics. Presentations are at 9:30 a.m. Monday through Friday for younger children and 1 p.m. for young adults. Each presentation is followed by a question-and-answer period. You can also find downloadable activities at kennedyspacecenter.com/camps-and-education/educatorresources.

PBS Kids PBS Kids created a free daily email newsletter with educational activities for parents of young children. Today's newsletter can be found at pbs.org and parents can sign up for the newsletter at public.pbs.org/ PBSKIDSDaily. In addition to the newsletter, PBS Kids has other resources, too, such as tips for how parents and children can de-stress during times of uncertainty and tips on how to talk with children about COVID-19.

American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club and the AKC Museum of the Dog created free printable activities and coloring pages for kids to use while at home during the quarantine plus helpful articles for families with dogs. Find them at akc.org.

Embry-Riddle Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ramped up free online course offerings for students in grades K-12. Topics range from aeronautics and meteorology to computer applications and history. Courses include "Aviation is Your Future," "Introduction to Aviation," "Introduction to Computers & Applications," "Foundations of Biology" and "Introduction to Sociology."

SynDaver SynDaver in Tampa — maker of SynFrog, a synthetic frog with dissectible organs — offered a free instructorled frog dissection course via Facebook Live on March 31. More courses are in the works.