Great Lakes Road Trips: Michigan Kismet Moments. Following the tug of the steering wheel to places we normally wouldn’t have time or patience to go.

I strap myself in, wait for the “Start your engines” announcement. The lights tick down. Green! I hit the accelerator and roar onto the track in my first Daytona 500 race. Zooming around the famed …

Southern neighbor of Beloit, Wisconsin, Rockford, Illinois is about an hour and a half drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, or Madison. Home of the adorable sock monkey, Road Trips for Families ventured to Illinois for a weekend vacation. In the spirit of monkey business, here are some kid-friendly places to “hang out” the next time you are Rockford with kids.

Located just 80 miles from downtown Chicago and 50 miles from Milwaukee, Geneva Lake and the town of Lake Geneva is often called the Newport of the West. A vacation mecca for kids and their families, memories of lakeside fun are waiting in Wisconsin.

Just a couple of years ago, RVing was something that older folks did. Or maybe your camping addicted neighbors. But now, with the price of airline tickets and carry-on luggage rising, families are going back to the RV way of life. Especially for summer vacations. Last year on our road trip through Yellowstone there were dozens of RVs everywhere we stopped. Many rented. Families are going back to national parks and spending time together. But if you’ve never done much RVing, is there a place to learn more?

Grand Rapids, Michigan. Known for furniture and former president Gerald Ford, a city-wide revitalization project is slowly (but surely) transforming this city of nearly 200,000 into an urban destination for students, professionals, and families alike.
Spring …

List everything you really want in a spring vacation. The destination should be easy to get to, have something for everyone to enjoy (even if your kids range in age from 2-15), sun and affordable prices. A road trip to Paso Robles, California, is the perfect solution.

It was 40 years ago that someone from earth first set foot on another planet. We spent only about 2 1/2 hours on that planet (please don’t ask me what planet it was!!), but but they changed history forever. Our children have grown up with space travel as part of their lives. And, they should look back at how it began.

The Best Fireworks and 4th of July celebrations — all over the nation.

The members of the Save the Redwoods League have compiled a guide to “The Redwood Highway” that details suggested trips and sights in the redwoods as well as the history of how the League has helped protect the forests so you can visit with your children today.

I was just telling my daughter that mothers used to say, “Get outside and don’t come back until I call you for dinner.” Kids were supposed to entertain themselves (who has heard of this??) and not get in life-threatening danger, all on their own.

Just in time for Summer Road Trips, Kansas City has launched a summer-long savings promotion called “Sunsational KC.” Now through the end of August, visitors and residents can cash in on almost 200 special offers and discounts in Kansas City—including 2-for-1 attraction specials and hotel rates as low as $49.

If you’re traveling thru NW Indiana or SW Michigan this summer, check out this list of cheap activities from NWI.com.

This summer will be all about day tripping. Just because you’ve paid your share to bail out the banks doesn’t mean you want to forgoe a vacation. And, chances are, you’ve been so busy traveling around the world that you’ve forgotten what’s in your own back yard.

California Road Trips 2009 is a special advertising section that went into selected copies of Sunset Magazine’s June issue. As such, it’s chock full of ads, but there are several pretty good road trip plans in here, and if you want something that is low on hassle and planning, this is a good start.

Even though gas prices have gone down, the economy sure hasn’t made us feel any better about spending money. But, Farmers’ Almanac, the original sustainable living guide (who knew?, suggests some easy-to-follow tips that can cut your gas usage and save you a few dollars whether you’re headed on a family vacation or taking a routine car trip.

Looking for some road trip plans and routes in the green state of Oregon? KATU News has compiled a list of many good options. One of my favorites is the Mount Hood Scenic Byway, but there are also fantastic wine tasting loops as well as a fun Lewis & Clark Odyessy that might make history more fun for the kids.

In case you’re having trouble filling that vacation to San Diego, or, if you need a few fun things to do as you drive thru, here’s a calendar of summer events from the good folks at the Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.sandiego.org).

San Diego consistently wins “Best Family Destination” for a reason. There’s literally something here for everyone, the weather is fabulous, and, look, there’s 50 things to do for FREE. It’s one of our family’s favorite road trip destinations because, let’s face it, it’s hot in Tucson in the summer and San Diego is close and cool. And, they have a beach!