Today’s satellite-based GPS devices, smart phones, and even automobile navigation systems have given us more ways to get our bearings than the days when state highway maps and Rand McNally were the next best thing …

Joining with a handful of states allowing free access to their entire State Park system, residents of and visitors to Ohio are encouraged to hike, bike, boat, camp, and play their way across a sizable …

I love my son (he is my boy, after all), but I have to admit that when it comes to hiking, he’s completely useless. His form is sloppy, he has absolutely no stamina, and carry …

One of the biggest jobs associated with camping as a family is keeping everyone fed. Hot dogs over the fire are easy enough, and a variety pack of those little cereal boxes make breakfast as easy as pulling a jug of milk from the cooler. But go the extra mile with one or two meals and camping becomes an outing everyone looks forward to, and cooking can keep everyone involved.

On a cross country road trip with an almost-teenager, our friends Pace and Kyeli offer their advice for vacation success with tweens and younger teens.

Road Trips for Families interviewed celebrity, and road trip guru Jonny Moseley at Squaw Valley USA in California last week. Host of Focus Rally: America in February, 20110 Moseley is about to takes us all on a nationwide road-trip adventure.

Here’s a short list of some great gear for your family camping adventures. Some of it’s for kids; some for adults. Our only guideline was to find great gifts that would fit in a jumbo holiday sock.

In autumn, families like to get outside to catch hold of the last few warm moments before the sun follows the snowbirds south. While apples are at the heart of the fun, cider and doughnuts (cinnamon and sugar, please) are the real draw. So much so, many places forgo the orchard altogether and just sell the essentials, pressing their own cider and cranking up the doughnut machine. Here are our picks for the top ten apple orchards and cider mills in the state of Michigan.

We’re thrilled to have Jessica Almy of Vegbooks guest posting! She’s the queen of kids’ book reviews from a vegetarian perspective, and has a four year-old daughter, so she’s always reading the latest and best books. Plus she has hand-on experience in the car because her family rocks the road trip. She’s also got a great Facebook page.

With 101 ways to electronically entertain kids on a road trip, Road Trips for Families suggests re-introducing the window as an alternate “low tech” way to unplug, engage, and even bond.

Created to entertain even the most “bored” kid, Road Trips for Families suggest five road-trip friendly iPhone apps for your next family vacation. Be gone, “Are we there yet?” Behold the iPhone!

This year’s extra-cold winter weather had us thinking about what road tripping families need to really enjoy some of the scenery that such weather creates. It’s also a lot more enjoyable to burn off some of that energy by hiking, and there are some spectacular winter hikes right now.

Summer is almost officially over, and it may seem like you can’t afford to get away for Labor Day. But, with a little bit of planning, some online research and a few tips, you can enjoy the perfect vacation and not break the bank.

Let’s face it. There’s not a parent on the planet that doesn’t get a little panicked at the thought of 20 hours in the car with their offspring. So, how do you plan for a more successful road trip? I talked to Dr. Scott Haltzman, author of “Secrets of Happy Families” for some expert advice.

One of the top questions I’m asked when I do an interview goes something like: “How do I keep the kids entertained in the car?” So, for expert advice on the gadgets, I talked to Jody Halsted at Have Kid Will Travel.

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.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASTHO) is asking for your best ever road trip stories.

Would You Rather is really fun because it says “Would you rather have poison ivy in your toes or on your butt!”

I just read a post intended for Colorado travel only (read it here) that talks about mistakes families make when taking road trips in Colorado. And, it’s fabulous advice.