Unfortunately, for all of us, the answer is almost always “no.” We don't have many people there, but many time. In such a case, a pit stop at the playground can save the day.
Over the past few years, my husband and I have traveled between Washington, D.C. and Florida to visit family, see friends, take vacations, work remotely, and melt in the winter. I drove there and back 9 times. This equates to more than a month of travel for her, as we break the trip into manageable chunks for young children and older dogs.
When our daughter was almost 18 months old and needed more mental and physical stimulation than exploring the front seat during recess, we started building playground breaks into her schedule. Now it's a staple on long drives, giving us, and most importantly, our energetic passengers, a light in the middle of the road trip tunnel. We can answer her, “Are you there yet?” Even if the end point is a day and a half away, ask her if she can get to the playground in 30 minutes.
In the early days, all we wanted was a convenient place to change diapers and wade, and a baby swing to boot. Now that we have a new baby and a preschooler, we're excited to find space for a high slide, a swing for the big kids, a bridge, and a potty, or at least a small portable potty.
I once met fellow travelers in a quiet, deserted neighborhood park. Some places are crowded with locals, giving you a unique perspective on the city's culture. The Unicorn stop is located near the main road and has delicious grab-and-go food, a playground, restrooms, and a dog park nearby.
We've come to appreciate the train-themed Jefferson Park, perched atop a hill in Richmond. It offers spectacular views of the city and is close to great local coffee shops. James F. Holland Memorial Park in Palm Coast, Florida, ticked all the boxes we had, and then some. My daughter's playground adventures include trying out a toddler swing at Forsyth Park in Savannah, playing an oversized xylophone in Palm Coast, trying out a mini rock climbing wall in Richmond, and climbing a giant ladybug near Brunswick, Ga. This includes being rocked by bugs and riding a scooter. Take a break in Port St. John, Florida.
For short trips, or in waste areas without playgrounds, I find that the grass at the rest area is a good alternative. If you have dandelions that you can pick and scatter, you might even prefer that. During a recent bathroom stop for gas and food between New York City and Washington, D.C., an empty Starbucks patio served a great purpose. Her husband and 3 year old used it as an obstacle course so she could run around while I nursed the baby in her car.
There are plenty of resources to help you choose a playground, including TripAdvisor recommendations, Reddit threads, parenting blogs, and an app called Playground Buddy. When I leave in the morning, I calculate how far I can get in 3 hours and look for a good spot there. But children require a flow-based approach, so I mostly act in the moment.
So when my baby wakes up from a nap crying and my 3-year-old needs a quick potty break, I fumble through Google Maps to find a nearby playground. If I have time, I'll check the reviews about broken swings and dirty toilets. Sometimes I try to find the nearest Starbucks or gas station so I can stop by whenever I can.
I'm sure the day will come when I will power through long drives as a model of efficiency, stopping only for refueling and rescue. But I will miss the detours to the playground and the little snapshots of my kids having fun. We may not be “there” yet, but at least it's fun.
