family vacations – SUZANNE RUDD HAMILTON

Rules of the Roadtrip

While traversing the vast regions of the USA on a month long roadtrip in the 70s, my parents had a lot of rules of the road. You can only eat at McDonald’s, Howard Johnson’s or Burger King. My mom believed big corporations and franchises were always reliable. She had no interest in local flavor. WeContinue reading “Rules of the Roadtrip”

Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno

Soon after our California departure, the view from the backseat was blank. Literally nothing to see. But then some snow capped mountains appeared bigger and bigger in the windshield, despite the 70 degree temperature. It was so out of place in the desert, it almost looked like a movie set, so my dad decided toContinue reading “Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno “

Fun, Fame and Family Secrets – Episode 2 Tales from the Backseat

Traveling in 1970 something was quite different than in 2020 something. Without the all-powerful and knowing internet, planning a trip meant visiting the library to look up travel books or arranging everything through an expensive travel agent. Hours in a library for a busy mother of three was not an option and travel agents wereContinue reading “Fun, Fame and Family Secrets – Episode 2 Tales from the Backseat”

I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7

The difference between being a preteen and a child on a family vacation is like the comparing Mount Everest to the dirt hill kids jump their bikes over. It’s a continental divide. During my preteen years, I wanted to be cool and strived to seem grown-up. And I definitely did not want to act likeContinue reading “I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7”

A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes

Episode 6 – Tales from the Backseat California here we are. After three weeks navigating most of the lower half of the US and a bit of Mexico, we finally made it to the golden west coast. And as any red-blooded American family, the first place we went was DISNEYLAND. It was the mecca of small childrenContinue reading “A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes”

A Not OK Corral

Episode 5: Tales from the Backseat On my family’s continuing journey to map the United States with our brown Oldsmobile station wagon, I learned many things. It was more than just the names and places, but outside of the confines of our hometown, I realized lessons of life, people and my parents that echo throughContinue reading “A Not OK Corral”