Family Travel & Fun: Don’t think too much.

I’m a big proponent for thinking ahead, stopping while you’re ahead and preparing for things you don’t know you’ll need until you hit a spot when you need them (like keeping that bag of potato chips for 2 weeks in my trunk for no good reason… until my car battery died last week and those chips *saved* my sanity by entertaining my girls’ hunger while we waited for the jumper).

But sometimes, it doesn’t do anyone any favors to stop and think. As much as I think ahead, I equally bungee before I look — figuratively. I’m convinced (and learning, more and more) that you must do both equally – 1) stop, and 2) bungee – to maintain whatever sanity your status quo is. I bungeed this last weekend for the greater good.

My big leap? I called a local hotel and booked a room for a family of four (for one night only) on whim in an effort to do something with my husband’s last-minute day off. Literally, I Googled “family hotels Southern California” and dialed the first number listed on Colleen The Travel Mama‘s site for suggesting the best family property in SoCal, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa. No schedule. No expectations. No serious or meticulous plans. We’d get in the car and just GO for 24 hours. Because the alternative  of staying at home, like we always do may have killed me.

Because we needed some quick family travel and fun. Here’s what happened:

There was also this pensive moment after our breakfast buffet of chocolate muffins and bacon:

And the final confirmation that my almost-3 year old has the most epic bun of anyone I’ve ever known aside from Tinkerbell:

Of course there were many more moments smashed into our banzai overnighter… with some the most amazing memories that I even think surprised my husband. 24 hours and a 45-minute drive was all it took to get us some good family times. 24 hours. Sometimes that’s all you need. And to think that we were originally gonna spend a hum-drum holiday at home. Even with the toddler side-jacking in the bed (when tiny feet are shoved into your back or face all night, preventing you from actually sleeping), we needed this end-of-summer time together. I knew that if I didn’t make this happen, it wouldn’t.

Thing is: It’s often up to the mom to figure things out and ACT QUICKLY (because, Lord knows, the men in the family most likely won’t… I mean that in the most non-sexist and loving way, of course). Moms need to plan and think… but sometimes it’s better if you don’t think too much. Some of the best things in life get lost because we spend too much time and effort thinking about whether or not we should do them. And that’s not fabulous at all.

May I also thank the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa for miraculously having a room available for this crazy brood. Your gorgeous and convenient property – and family-friendly atmosphere – totally did the trick. (For the record, I was NOT compensated to say that.)

DO YOU DO LAST MINUTE FAMILY TRIPS?