Page 4C
East Oregonian
EAT, DRINK & EXPLORE
Saturday, May 6, 2017
Simple is best
and other lessons from
a road trip with kids
Jonathan Elderfi eld via AP
In this August 2016 photo, a two-lane road rises up toward trees somewhere between Pittsburgh and Gettysburg, Penn.
A 10-day road trip with a 14-year-old and
10-year-old — Philly to Canada and back
By JONATHAN ELDERFIELD
Associated Press
GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Road
trip season is around the corner.
Does that fi ll you with memories
of painful car trips stuck between
siblings in the backseat? Or do you
relish the idea of hitting the road,
maybe with your own kids?
I took a 10-day road trip last
summer with my sons Max and
Henry, then 14 and 10. There were
ups and downs as we headed from
the Philadelphia suburbs through
western New York to the Canadian
side of Niagara Falls, then back
home through Ohio. Overall we
had fun but some stops were more
enjoyable than others. Here are
some takeaways.
Sometimes simple is best
The highlight of the trip might
just have been one of our fi rst stops:
the Circle Drive-In movie theater in
Scranton, Pennsylvania, where we
watched a double feature from the
station wagon while eating candy
and drinking soda.
From there, we had a rainy visit
to a state park in Watkins Glen, New
York, and lunch in nearby Ithaca
with a friend.
Next was a biggie: Niagara Falls.
But it turned out to be a bit of a
letdown. The falls impressed, but
the street photographer in me cared
more about the crowds oohing and
aahing at the sights. My kids just
weren’t that interested. I guess video
games can take the wow out of the
natural world.
Later in the trip, we visited Pitts-
burgh, where I’d gone to college.
The Duquesne Incline, an old-fash-
ioned riverfront funicular, and
the sandwiches at Primanti Bros.,
which have French fries and cole-
slaw between the bread, were bigger
hits with the boys than the Carnegie
Museum of Natural History.
Takeaways: Don’t feel obliged to
see touristy places and museums if
the kids don’t care. Look for unique
sites and shorter excursions.
Food, lodging and serendipity
I had my fi rst taste of poutine,
the Quebecois dish of French fries,
cheese curds and gravy, in Canada.
But most area restaurants we saw
were chains, which I try to avoid.
On the spur of the moment we
Jonathan Elderfi eld via AP
In this August 2016 photo, a Bubble Soccer player runs for the ball
on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Penn.,
during the 2016 Pitt Bubble Soccer Tournament.
Jonathan Elderfi eld via AP
In this August 2016 photo, a hungry traveller eats a sandwich fi lled
with french fries and cole slaw at Primati Bros. Restaurant and
Bar, in Pittsburgh, Penn. The original location in Pittsburgh’s Strip
District opened in 1933.
Jonathan Elderfi eld via AP
In this August 2016 photo, a fan takes a picture during a match
between Columbus Crew SC and San Jose Earthquakes in
Columbus, Ohio. Columbus won 2-0.
Jonathan Elderfi eld via AP
In this August 2016 photo, a plume of mist rises as water
plummets over Niagara Falls, as seen from the Canadian side, in
Niagara Falls, Canada. More than 700,000 gallons of water go over
the falls per second.
drove to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a
picturesque town fi lled with coffee
shops, galleries and real restaurants,
for a stroll and genuine meal.
Some of our stops were planned,
including tickets for a Columbus
Crew soccer match, but I also relied
on serendipity and web searches
for things to do on the fl y. Sophia’s,
in Buffalo, New York, was an
impromptu fi nd for a hearty break-
fast on the day of our longest drive
from Canada to Ohio.
I limited the kids’ screen time on
each leg to encourage sightseeing
out the window, but I also had some
meditative driving time to myself
with music cranked as Max and
Henry kept their heads bowed to the
almighty small screen.
As sole driver, though, I didn’t
want to spend every minute behind
the wheel. This was my vacation,
too. So I built in a respite from
the road at an Airbnb cottage in
Vermillion, Ohio, on the south shore
of Lake Erie. We swam, explored
small lakeshore towns, and checked
off some classic pastimes: soft-
serve ice cream from a roadside
stand, fl attening pennies on freight
train tracks and a barbecue.
Driving through farmland and
fi elds, we stopped for lunch in
Oberlin, Ohio, and ended up in
Columbus for two nights with a
friend and his family. The planned
soccer game, a few meals out and
a trip to the amazing and immense
Book Loft book store in German
Village and we were ready to head
back to Pennsylvania.
I love Gettysburg. The history
of the battlefi elds and the majestic
landscape is something I can’t
get enough of. One kid helped
me re-enact a famous Civil War
photograph at Devil’s Den; the
photograph itself was a set-up by
Alexander Gardner so it was only
Jonathan Elderfi eld via AP
Jonathan Elderfi eld via AP
In this August 2016 photo, cars are lined up as customers watch
the fi lm “Kubo and the Two Strings” at the Circle Drive-In Theatre
in Scranton, Penn.
In this August 2016 photo, the late afternoon sun passes between
trees at Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Penn.
The battle of Gettysburg was fought in 1863.
fi tting that I did the same. We drove
and walked at sunset and dawn,
enjoying the best light and avoiding
midday heat before starting for
home.
Takeaways: Don’t eat every
meal in a restaurant and don’t spend
every night in a hotel. Find oppor-
tunities for fresh food, whether
picnics or home cooking. Aim for
a few nights in a vacation rental
or with friends or family along the
way. But bring a blow-up mattress
and bedding in case fold-out beds
or other makeshift accommodations
aren’t up to snuff.
The balancing act
We had our ups and downs on
the trip, the boys and me.
I felt like I was constantly
asking them to pay attention to
the world around them and get off
their screens. On the other hand, I
was also glad they had a distraction
when I lacked plans for dinner.
Simple things were often the
best, like the drive-in or the Pitts-
burgh incline rather than museums
or touristy Niagara Falls. Another
big hit: the motel pool. It’s a great
way to refresh after hours of driving,
and you won’t have to drag your
children off their devices if there’s
a pool to play in.
A few other pointers: Bring
some balls or games. We kicked the
soccer ball during a few highway
stops. And break up the trip.
Instead of highways, take smaller
roads, like the one where we saw
a covered bridge. Buy tickets and
plan for important events, but be
spontaneous too. Everyone in the
car will be happier if they feel their
opinion is being heard.