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Starting an epic family travel adventure really gets the heart pumping! Â Did we forget anything? Â Where are we staying tonight? Â Are we seriously going to do this??!!
Epic Family Travel Adventure
We’re traveling approximately 7,000 miles over the next month! Â We’re going to make travel stops at Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico; Grand Canyon, Arizona; the Utah National Parks, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Mount Rushmore, and wherever our interests take us. Â We have some things planned and some things not. Â We’re winging it much of the way and excited about it! Isn’t that how you start an epic family travel adventure? With no plan?
Most people think we’re crazy to travel this way — taking two young kids across the country….in a car/SUV….few plans….have you lost your mind? Â Our kids are used to this kind of an epic family travel adventure. Â We travel for our living and truly “do what we love” when it comes to our life. Â We love traveling.
Can you imagine the memories we’ll have from this adventure? Â It’s one of those trips that can change the way you view the world; exposing you to completely new experiences.
Day one was a bit hum-drum — although, it was completely unplanned, too. Â We weren’t supposed to leave until the next day, but we were packed and ready, so why hold off?
Heading West from Jacksonville, Florida, we planned to stop in New Orleans for the night. Â With a few stops along the way, we mainly just boogied down the road.
Our daughter has decided to “cartwheel across the US,” so we had to make a cartwheel stop and it was pretty cool! Â Just outside Pensacola, the rest area had a Navy Blue Angel flying out! Â It was very cool, especially so close to the 4th of July.

Road Trip Dinner
Dinner was also pretty cool, too. Â We wanted something “local” and found Hula’s Bar and Grill in the Yelp travel app in Mississippi, just East of the Louisiana border. Â It was right on the intracoastal waterway with real pretty views. Â The food was pretty good and the service was definitely on “island time”.

Dinner provided a nice break from our travel before the final stretch into New Orleans. Â As we drove onto Canal Street (the world famous Canal Street, according to our navigation system!), local jazz musicians welcomed us to the city and a domestic dispute in the room next door overnight let us know, we’re definitely in Nawlins, y’all!