When Tim and I first had kids I thought traveling with them would be such a hassle. I was completely wrong. While our traveling experiences are no longer the same as pre-children (get there as fast as possible and relax), they are just as wonderful. Now we enjoy the trip just as much as the destination.
Hannah being a beach bum on vacation this year
Traveling with kids takes a bit more planning than just packing the suitcase. Now, several weeks before our trip I scope out destinations to stop at every two hours or so. I use Google, the Traveling with Children’s blog, and of course the state’s travel website. We travel to Wisconsin quite a bit for both vacation and the World Dairy Expo. TravelWisconsin.com is very valuable (plus they have a great smart phone app). South Dakota Tourism also has a great trip planner that I have used. But I always get the best info when I directly email the travel bureaus. For FREE they send you maps, help you plan your trip and give you information about great local events you cannot find on the websites. We have visited city festivals, a Cattlemen’s Rodeo event, explored a waterfall, ate artisan pizza in an historic barn and met some memorable people too.
Eating pizza at Stone Barn-click for website
At the beginning of the month we traveled to Madison, Wisconsin for the World Dairy Expo. This was a last minute trip and getting a hotel room was next to impossible, but thanks to our friends in social media, we got to stay with the lovely Dairy Carrie. I also prepared for the day we were going to be at the Expo. Three kids under 5 is tough when Daddy wants to talk to agriculture salesmen. We kept the kids busy by having them find international visitors (they get to wear a red ribbon) and marking countries off on a map. We also visited the tractor lot more than once. We planned a full day for the kids, so that they would sleep the five hours back home that night.
BigFoot At World Dairy Expo-The Boys’ Favorite Stop
Traveling with cattle is not that much different. Lots of preparation needs to take place before the trip. Today three of our springing cows and two heifers were sold to an organic farmer in Ohio. Ohio is at least a 12 hour trip from here without cows. For both short trips and long trips with cattle, safety and health of the cows is top priority. We make sure the cattle are in good health (they were checked by a vet today). The cattle are loaded calmly on the trailer and not over crowded. For long trips (like to Ohio) cattle must be fed and watered regularly. If the cattle are milking (which none of ours were) a portable milking unit is brought along too.
Click for Source
Cattle can even travel internationally (we have never done it). Here are some photos and a video of cattle being shipped from ND to Kazakhstan: Cows On A Plane photos & video.
Do you travel with children or cattle? Please share your tips and tricks to make the trip enjoyable for all.
Emily
Thanks for sharing my blog! We enjoyed having you guys! Hope your girls make it safely to Ohio. Time still needs to get me a list of cows you guys have for sale!
I’m so glad we got to visit. It was much cooler than staying at a boring hotel! Thanks for the beer and cheese!
Thanks Emily for your suggestions. I will try the Google Blog – great idea. I have come to find that it is not about the trip but rather the journey, and the opportunity to get to know each other even better while making it fun. Making up a variety of games on the way, reading lots of books and neat things to stop at make our regular trips to OH, SD and across MN alot more enjoyable.
Kristin,
You are right. It is totally about the journey. It is wasn’t until we had kids that I fully understood this. We know longer “rush” to vacation. Vacation starts the minute we buckle into the car.
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