PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHUCK GOMEZ, COURTESY OF AMTRAK
1. Consider the train. Amtrak offers trips to Chicago and Kansas City for a modest price, and the train can accommodate large suitcases and items. Tykes can peer out the windows, or if they're packing a tablet, there are electrical outlets at each seat, as well as wifi. (Click here for even more tips on train travel.)
2. If you're flying, book non-stop flights. There are 65 destinations available from St. Louis Lambert International Airport, including the recent addition of Frankfurt, Germany. And Frontier Airlines will begin offering seasonal flights to Tampa beginning in November. (Pro tip: If you're traveling internationally, select at least one aisle seat to provide easy access to the bathroom, and if you’re traveling with an infant, seats at the front of a section have bassinets that are convenient for long flights.)
3. Plan a few stops if you're driving. Plot out some restaurants and roadside attractions to break up the drive. Heading to Chicago? Learn about history at the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield. Driving to Memphis? Catch a 'throwed roll' at Lambert's Café in Sikeston. Spending a weekend in Nashville? Visit the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. Looking for more ideas? Check out this story on one-tank road trips. And consider involving your kids in the planning, which can help get them more excited about the trip.
4. Make the most of travel time with podcasts and audiobooks. Among the St. Louis-based podcast options: We Live Here, Blinders Off, Abby Eats St. Louis, Moonstone Connections, and StitchCast Studio. Or access library audiobooks for free via the Libby and Hoopla apps.
5. Document those experiences together. "Just take a ton of photos, and delete the bad ones later," St. Louis photographer Jodie Allen told SLM, among other tips for taking great family photos. "Simply capturing the moment can be more important than capturing the moment beautifully." In addition to making a photobook of the trip, take time to jot down fond memories in a journal together. (Younger kids can draw pictures or collect stickers.) Be sure to list any favorites: noteworthy restaurants, activities, and surprises along the way.
