Road-Tripping Mom Shows How It’s Possible to Travel With Young Children While Keeping Costs Low

Courtesy of @thirdcoasttribe

For many, backpacking is just a side hobby—for Care Willink, it’s a way of life. Standing on top of the Grand Canyon, with her two-week-old daughter, Willink knew she never wanted this to stop. Traveling has enabled her to teach her children important life lessons, reminding them to embrace the journey just as much as the final destination.

At the beginning of their marriage, Willink and her husband quickly realized their appreciation for the outdoors. Even though they had bought the picture-perfect home, they decided to sell it and travel around Europe for a month. When they returned to America, the couple juggled between work and travel, squeezing in hiking adventures on the weekends. Backpacking soon became a permanent lifestyle addition for the Willink family, even after finding out they were expecting their first daughter.

Making Memories

Traveling with children is often avoided by many families due to the fear of being cumbersome. For Willink, it’s worth the effort but she also accepts that it’s not for everyone. “We know that different families have different levels of needs for their children and for their families,” she said. However, as long as you want to do it, Willink believes that it’s possible.

Courtesy of @thirdcoasttribe

Creating memorable moments is every parent’s goal and for Willink, the memories are endless. The one that she cherishes very fondly was when she and her family went hiking up a mountain in Yosemite. Her oldest daughter, Remy, was just a baby and could barely say any words yet. At the peak, there were quite a few people around watching the beautiful view when Remy suddenly shouted “Wow!” making everyone laugh. It’s those rare, special moments that mean so much, she explained.

Teaching Life Lessons through Adventure

Many parents argue that children will hardly remember these experiences but for Willink, it’s not about getting them to remember each individual memory but about building their character. Family experiences help children learn the importance of diligence and teamwork. The entire journey before reaching the destination is also critical, whether climbing a mountain or going on an extensive road trip, it is a special bonding time for the whole family. “We play a lot of games on road trips or on an airplane,” she explains. Each of those moments taught her children new things and helped strengthen them as people.

Before the Willink family managed to work remotely, they both had full-time careers and very limited time off. Weekends proved to be the only time for organizing family adventures. Even if families don’t have opportunities for long camping trips, Willink advises looking locally for unique places to explore even if it’s just for a day trip. “A lot of people don’t realize how much there is to do close by,” she said.

Courtesy of @thirdcoasttribe

Traveling can often take a toll on your finances but that shouldn’t be a deterrent to having family adventures. Willink mentioned that one way her family handles this is by bringing along a cooler to save money while out on road trips. Food can be particularly expensive while traveling and eating out every day can really add up. Making sandwiches and picking up small snacks from the local grocery store can help shift the focus on building precious memories rather than worrying about finding restaurants and using up finances.

Learning While Having Fun

It’s also a great idea to start traveling with children while they are still young to help them get accustomed, Willink advises, drawing on her own travel experience climbing the Grand Canyon with a newborn. “It teaches you resilience, and if you start young with them, you get used to it as a mother faster,” she said. Willink explained that this method doesn’t work for all families due to individual circumstances. However, as long as you and your baby are healthy, you can put them on your back and expose them to the outdoors. “They learn that that’s the way of life.”

Courtesy of @thirdcoasttribe

The Willinks enjoy visiting National Parks all over America to revel in their natural beauty and to participate in their Junior Ranger programs which almost every park offers. Children learn through activities and have a chance to collect badges. For Willink, this is invaluable as a homeschooling mother. “And so while you’re able to see all these beautiful things, the kids don’t know it, but they’re actually learning the whole time,” she said.

It’s a universally held belief that spending time outdoors is great for the mind and body. For families wishing to incorporate more adventure into their lifestyle, Willink believes that the extra effort is worth the benefit for the whole family and the experiences gained are life-changing. “If you can make it happen, do it!”