Author: Beth Johnson; Business Support<\/p>\n
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As the summer days dwindle down, Labor Day weekend is quickly approaching. With most of us cooped up inside for the last several months, cabin fever is probably setting in strong!\u00a0So, here are some tips and tricks for a safe, fun family road trip over the long weekend.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Planning ahead is crucial during normal times, and even more so now. With the pandemic still ongoing, traveling will take more preparation. Taking the time to plan out the details now will make your road trip that much more fun and relaxing!<\/p>\n First thing\u2019s first, before hitting the road,\u00a0make sure your car is road ready<\/strong>! Have the fluids and the brakes checked beforehand, and make sure your tires have enough tread. Don\u2019t forget to check on how the spare tire is doing as well! A\u00a0car emergency kit<\/a>\u00a0is also essential in case you need jumper cables or a flashlight.<\/p>\n When planning your road trip, consider only\u00a0traveling with those you’ve been quarantining with.\u00a0<\/strong>Also, look at your route carefully and\u00a0pick out ahead of time where you will stop to use the restroom or get in some stretching<\/strong>. Planning your stops as part of your trip will also give your little ones a time frame for when the next stop is. Speaking of restrooms, be extra vigilant when using public restrooms. Don\u2019t forget to wash your hands for the full 20 seconds and use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door. You can even bring your own toiletries, more on that later.<\/p>\n It’s also important to call ahead and make sure that your destination is still open or if their hours have changed.<\/strong>\u00a0It also doesn\u2019t hurt to ask about safety measures and what will be expected of you when you get there (wearing a mask, etc.). Things are changing rapidly and double checking with your destination might just save you a lot of grief!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s a good idea for each family member to have their own bag and allow kids to select their own toys. Separate packs keep items easy to access and find. Everyone should pack their own masks, hand sanitizer, and sunglasses, lip balm, and sunscreen (be sure to wash your hands first as alcohol based hand sanitizer can remove sunscreen), and any charger cables.\u00a0 Some car items to pack include disinfectant wipes, water, and snacks. A cooler in the back of the trunk can be filled with apple slices, peanut butter, pretzels, grapes, string cheese, and Cheerios for healthy, mostly mess free, snacks!<\/p>\n Additionally, consider packing your own plastic utensils if you plan on stopping for a meal. And for bathroom pit stops, consider \u201cbathroom bags\u201d stocked with toilet paper and other toiletries. That way, stops can be as comfortable as possible. Speaking of comfort, items like pillows and stuffed animals can go a long way for naps in the backseat and reducing anxiety.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If your adventure is far from home, set expectations to be in the car for several hours. If you\u2019re more technology savvy,\u00a0bring the tablet with a movie already downloaded and a pair of headphones\u00a0<\/strong>(Mom and Dad deserve peace and quiet too!<\/u>) You could also find a\u00a0kid friendly audio book<\/a>\u00a0or a portable gaming system!<\/p>\n A tablet to watch videos and a pair of headphones can do wonders, but what about if that gets boring? Consider one of these classic car games that don\u2019t require any batteries!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alright, so we\u2019ve got our pre-trip preparation, planning, and packing out of the way. But now, the most important question: where to go?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Columbus<\/a>, located about forty-five miles southeast of downtown Indianapolis, is home to\u00a0Zaharako\u2019s Victorian Soda Shoppe<\/a>, which opened in 1900 and is still \u201cserving classic treats.\u201d They are open for dine-in and carry out options, 11 AM to 6 PM Wednesday through Sunday. Zaharako’s serves \u201csodas, sundaes, and smiles,\u201d and they also have \u201cSoda Fountain and Mechanical Music Libraries\u201d on the second floor. Columbus is also home to the\u00a0Indiana Premium Outlets mall\u00a0<\/a>if shopping is more your thing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A unique and educational adventure can be found at\u00a0Wolf Park<\/a>\u00a0located in Lafayette, about 65 miles from Indianapolis. Wolf Park offers guided tours, private tours, and even an evening tour known as \u201cHowl Night<\/a>!\u201d\u00a0Check out their website\u00a0<\/a>for more information and to reserve your spot!<\/p>\n Keeping with the nature theme, what about the\u00a0Marengo Cave<\/a>, located at 400 East State Road 64 in Marengo, Indiana? This destination offers\u00a0two different tours<\/a>.\u00a0The Dripstone Trail cave tour lasts 60 minutes and is a mile long. The Crystal Palace tour, is 40 minutes long and a third of a mile. Activities are guided tours of the cave & mining for gemstones. There is also WiFi at the gift shop and cabins for camping. You can contact them at 812-365-2705 for more information.<\/p>\n For a little bit longer of a trip, try\u00a0New Harmony, Indiana<\/a>, which is about 180 miles from Indianapolis. This town is famous for having been the site of a social experiment to build a utopian society. Today you can find a\u00a0Gallery of Contemporary Art<\/a>\u00a0and guided historic tours. There is also a\u00a0labyrinth hedge maze<\/a>\u00a0located on Main Street.<\/p>\n For some more outdoor adventures, there\u2019s the\u00a0Tippecanoe River State Park<\/a>, which offers hiking, fishing, swimming, boating, horseback riding trails, and reservable campsites.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Bedford<\/a>, roughly 75 miles from Indianapolis, you can find the\u00a0Bluespring Caverns Park<\/a>. This destination offers an underground boat tour through the caves! The tour lasts about an hour and you can see albino animals!<\/p>\n And if you want to stay close to Indy, or are traveling to Indy, there are numerous options!\u00a0The Zoo<\/a>, the\u00a0Children\u2019s Museum<\/a>, the\u00a0Museum of Art, the Eiteljorg<\/a>, and the\u00a0Indiana State Museum<\/a>\u00a0to name just a few.\u00a0Or if you\u2019re looking for a quick trip, what about the\u00a0drive-in<\/a>?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Families First hopes you and your family\u00a0enjoy\u00a0<\/strong>discovering some of Indiana’s greatest treasures… after all, that’s what road trips are all about!<\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As the summer days dwindle down, Labor Day weekend is quickly approaching. With most of us cooped up inside for the last several months, cabin fever is probably setting in strong!\u00a0So, here are some tips and tricks for a safe, fun family road trip over the long weekend.\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family-childhood-development"],"yoast_head":"\nPRE-TRIP PREPARATION<\/h3>\n
PACKING<\/h3>\n
ENTERTAINMENT IN THE CAR<\/h3>\n
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HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS FOR DESTINATIONS IN INDIANA.<\/h3>\n