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Leaving late afternoon and driving through the night with kids on road trips
Posted on 5/29/25 at 8:58 pm
Posted on 5/29/25 at 8:58 pm
Sounds good in theory. Does anyone do this? Could this be the move?
20
Posted on 5/29/25 at 9:10 pm to Joev1
I’ve done it driving from Houston to Colorado and Houston to Destin. Worked well for us, but you have to be able to rally the next day on very little sleep or everyone gets cranky and it’s not worth it.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 9:13 pm to Hermit Crab
Some morning coffee and lunchtime nap would be a must. Would probably depend on how good of sleep the kids get.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 9:49 pm to Joev1
We just leave at 5 in the AM.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 7:11 am to Joev1
Result: a-hole kids running around and parents too tired to deal with them
Posted on 5/30/25 at 7:22 am to Joev1
Ever blink your eyes and realize you passed seven mile markers in that one blink? Don't do that shite with kids.
If you haven't been in the military and experienced what it's like to have to stay awake, and still failing, even with a giant lip full of dip, you don't know how close you can be to dying while you're doing 65.
If you haven't been in the military and experienced what it's like to have to stay awake, and still failing, even with a giant lip full of dip, you don't know how close you can be to dying while you're doing 65.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 7:35 am to Joev1
I hated it
Posted on 5/30/25 at 7:59 am to GetCocky11
When our kids were little we left and drove all night to Disney and they slept in car
We got their with the sun coming up riding thru Disney gates
Just make sure you sleep enough before you leave
We got their with the sun coming up riding thru Disney gates
Just make sure you sleep enough before you leave
Posted on 5/30/25 at 10:09 am to Joev1
I hate driving at night…it’s inherently more dangerous and driving is about the most dangerous thing 90% of people ever do. Not worth it
Posted on 5/30/25 at 10:24 am to Joev1
Never could do it. The kids might be ok, but mom and dad are going to be tired as shite and it just seems like it starts the vacation out on the wrong foot.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 11:52 am to Joev1
We have left the beach after dinner to head home a few times(about a 5 hour drive) and have never regretted it. Avoid traffic, just sleep in once we get home and still have the afternoon and evening that would otherwise most likely be in traffic with everyone else on check out day.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 1:15 pm to Joev1
We always just left really early, when it's still dark. Pull them out of bed, put them in car seats in their pjs, tuck a blanket around them and they usually went right back to sleep.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 1:31 pm to Joev1
When the kids were young, yes, this was the move 100% of time for long (8+hr) road trips. A bag of pepperoni combos, a box of good n' plenty, and a quiet ride with little traffic.
As to the "danger" factor, may be just me but I think it's much safer to drive in next to zero traffic than it is to drive during the day in heavy traffic. That shite gets stressful when you're having to pay very close attention for hours at a time.
As to the "danger" factor, may be just me but I think it's much safer to drive in next to zero traffic than it is to drive during the day in heavy traffic. That shite gets stressful when you're having to pay very close attention for hours at a time.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 1:51 pm to Joev1
Have done it a handful of times from NOLA to Gatlinburg & Disney. My plan has always been to get all of my packing done the night before and le the wife deal with the kids and the final packing touches the night were going to leave. I go to sleep as soon as practical that evening, and wake up around 9pm (even if that means only a 30-60 minute power nap).
I load the car up myself to get the blood flowing. Make a double coffee and set up my late-night meal and sugary snacks (the sugar works better than caffeine for me, but my teeth hurt by the time I get there
). Get the kids in the car sometime between 10-11pm; the youngest ones will be out within the hour, the oldest may hold on for a little while longer but knows to sit in the silence and try to sleep. Wife sleeps as much as possible.
One stop for gas, unless there is an urgent bathroom need. When needed, we will switch spots so I can get a small 30 minute power nap before switching back to finish the drive. When we get there, we plan a low-key day to keep the kids active, and I don't have too much mental stress. That night I am out like a light, and will just need a slightly more than usual caffeine day the next day.
We have never done this on the way back and simply plan stops on the way. It is a lot more miserable this way as the younger kids get really restless and cranky. And plugging them in front of a tablet for the entire ride still brings out the crankiness and "I'm bored" bickering.
I load the car up myself to get the blood flowing. Make a double coffee and set up my late-night meal and sugary snacks (the sugar works better than caffeine for me, but my teeth hurt by the time I get there
). Get the kids in the car sometime between 10-11pm; the youngest ones will be out within the hour, the oldest may hold on for a little while longer but knows to sit in the silence and try to sleep. Wife sleeps as much as possible. One stop for gas, unless there is an urgent bathroom need. When needed, we will switch spots so I can get a small 30 minute power nap before switching back to finish the drive. When we get there, we plan a low-key day to keep the kids active, and I don't have too much mental stress. That night I am out like a light, and will just need a slightly more than usual caffeine day the next day.
We have never done this on the way back and simply plan stops on the way. It is a lot more miserable this way as the younger kids get really restless and cranky. And plugging them in front of a tablet for the entire ride still brings out the crankiness and "I'm bored" bickering.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 3:09 pm to Joev1
My parents used to do this all the time. Bring some blankets and books. Also maybe earplugs and eye masks. Easy.
Posted on 5/30/25 at 11:37 pm to Joev1
The whole point of road trips is to be able to see the countryside.
Posted on 5/31/25 at 12:02 am to Joev1
quote:
Sounds good in theory. Does anyone do this? Could this be the move?
Did this once on the way to Smoky mountains. It was terrible. Took over an hour out of BR with afternoon traffic. Kids didn't to sleep until late. Once we got to the hotel in Tuscaloosa the wife insisted that they take a bath which woke them up. Took a while for them to settle back down and go to sleep. By the time we got up in the morning, repacked, ate breakfast, etc we didn't really gain much time compared to if we would have left BR early that morning.
Posted on 5/31/25 at 12:06 am to Weekend Warrior79
I really don’t understand driving in pitch black
With kids middle of night versus coughing up some money for a plane ride.
With kids middle of night versus coughing up some money for a plane ride.
Posted on 5/31/25 at 9:37 am to Joev1
I used to do it 9 hours on the way home from VA. Would leave about 6 or 7 though so would be done driving by 2 or 3. I’m not sure I would have been comfortable much later than that. Kids could get good sleep for a while anyway. And driving at night is generally less stressful to me.
Posted on 5/31/25 at 12:10 pm to Sherman Klump
quote:
I really don’t understand driving in pitch black
I like starting drives early morning and getting some miles in before daylight. However purposely driving through the night from sunset to sunrise is a whole different story and only worth it in an emergency, and definitely not to save a few hours on vacation.
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