Road trips with kids are chaos. If they aren’t, you aren’t doing them right. Only kidding. Really though: taking a road trip with kids is not for the faint of heart and does require some intentionality and planning. I’m not talking about a two-hour drive here. I’m talking about anything over four hours with kids under the age of 10.

In the last few years, my husband and I have made a tradition of traversing the East Coast to celebrate Halloween in my hometown. It’s been a lot of fun, and in the meantime, we’ve picked up a few great road trip stops that I’m going to share with you today!

First things first, you need to know I’m a little type A when it comes to planning things for my family. That means, each road trip stop has to meet certain criteria.

1. Outdoors or in nature. We’ve spent enough time in the car.
2. Free or cheap. Enough said.
3. Accessibility. I don’t want anything too far off the highway.
4. Exercise. I want the kids to feel refreshed and tired when they get back into the car.
5. Food. Whether it’s a picnic or a restaurant, a good road trip stop needs to have a place for us to refuel and reconnect.

All of the road trip stops listed below (except one) have been personally vetted by our family for meeting all the above criteria.

Exit 89A – Appalachian Gem & Gold Mine + The Conery

Appalachian Gem & Gold Mine is a fun little stop just two miles off I-81 in Draper, Virginia. It’s a father-son operation, and the owner is a truly delightful human being. The owner, Stowers, is retired military, and designed and built the place himself. He’s a lifelong resident (minus his time in service) and is happy to chat with you about all things NRV. In addition to a friendly owner, they have a very friendly pup, Po, who solicits everyone for some lovin’. If you had to leave your own doggo home, a visit with Po is sure to hold you over until you return home.

I’ve seen mixed Google reviews on NRV Gem & Mine. Ignore them. My daughter is a mineral and gem enthusiast, and we found so many awesome things in our bucket! From tiny shells to a gigantic Onyx and a sizeable Amethyst, she couldn’t have been more thrilled with her haul.

My next recommendation is one that I have not experienced myself, and that is The Conery. It’s only five minutes from Appalachian Gem and Gold Mine, and it looks like a fun little place to get a sweet treat after some fresh air, but before getting back on the road.

Exit 98 – Randolph Park + a Picnic

Randolph Park. I have so many awesome memories of this place. Opened in maybe 2001-2002ish, Randolph Park has so much going on – walking trails, a great playground with amazing mountain views, DAK lights, a pool (currently rebuilding after a fire), multiple sports fields, picnic areas, not to mention a plethora of community events!

Located only ONE MILE off exit 98, you cannot go wrong with pulling off the highway and enjoying the beauty of this place. Bonus points because there’s a Walmart with great organic options for a picnic and numerous options for food (mostly fast food, but still many to choose from).

Exit 101 – Claytor Lake + The Mason Jar

Claytor Lake is a bit of a local diamond in the rough. As a child, my parents took me there exactly three times – twice for a craft festival and once to fish. As a teenager, I visited to go with the high school PE camp. It wasn’t until our most recent trip that I ventured over to Claytor Lake with my kids and – let me just say – my appreciation for the place has deepened immensely. The drive in is absolutely beautiful, and the colors are truly spectacular. Even coming off a magnificent peak in New England, I was blown away by the foliage here. Additionally, in the off season / during the work week, the place is incredibly peaceful.

In addition to beautiful foliage, how can you beat this view of the mountains? The answer is you can’t.

While Claytor Lake has plenty of picnic benches and waste receptacles, you can’t go wrong with a visit to The Mason Jar for something to eat. The service there is great, they have outdoor dining, and the food is a great time. Better yet, get it to go. When we were there, we tried the grilled chicken with cucumbers for the kids (delicious), mozzarella sticks (no complaints) The Black and Bleu (tasty), as well as the Philly Cheesesteak for the adults. My husband wasn’t crazy about the Philly Cheesesteak, but I’ve never heard him be blown out of the water by one, so take that with a grain of salt and shot of tequila.

Exit 109 – Bisset Park + Macado’s

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This one is a double-whammy for me. Every time I head to the NRV, we order from Macado’s – usually more than once. It’s an NRV staple. Macado’s has a fun college-vibe, and has some funky decor that you won’t see anywhere else – guaranteed. It’s one of the few restaurants that has stood the test of time in the area, and for good reason. The service is typically good, even though it’s mostly run by college students. And the sandwiches are fantastic.

Macado’s is four miles from I-81, and Bisset Park is 2 miles from Macado’s. In total, you’re about 15 minutes off the highway, but it’s worth it. My recommendation here is to grab Macado’s to go, then head over to Bisset Park and enjoy the ambiance of a picnic while the kids run wild.

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Now… let’s chat about Bisset Park. Bisset Park has been around forever. The massive bridge that connects Pulaski County to Radford was half the size when I was growing up. I remember when my dad took me on the bridge (half the size) to witness the devastating flooding in the early 1990s. It feels like the area sort of built around Bisset Park.

Bisset Park has a paved walking path, multiple playgrounds, tennis courts, soccer and baseball fields, and picnic shelters. The entire park is located along a fairly shallow section of the New River, and the ambiance is worth the small jaunt off the highway. That said, the park is currently undergoing some repair work after the massive hurricane issues in North Carolina. The New River is one of only 48 rivers in the US that runs South to North.

Okay, time for some less-than-pleasant talk: the Radford arsenal has a history of dumping into the river. I’m not sure where exactly they dump, but I know it is somewhere between Claytor Lake and Christiansburg. I can’t guarantee the water is safe for wading, but the ambiance isn’t impacted by the type of pollution they’re causing.

Moving on.

Exit 175 – Natural Bridge State Park + Picnic

Natural Bridge State Park had been on my list for a little while. Most people assume that my parents either live at the beach or in the Wild West when I tell them where I’m from. Nothing could be more inaccurate. My parents live in a tightly packed neighborhood in the middle of nowhere. It’s like the worst of the city and the worst of the country had a baby. After a week at their house, I’m ready for some fresh air and time spent in the woods. Natural Bridge State Park fit the bill for this trip.

The Natural Bridge State Park map is a little… hairy. The Virginia State Parks website leaves a lot to be desired. Certainly not as robust as New Hampshire’s. That said, we parked at the visitor’s center and headed down the Cedar Creek Trail. The Natural Bridge is almost immediately around the corner at the bottom of the stairs. From there, we walked to Lace Falls, and then turned back. It was about a 2 mile, mostly flat and paved trek through the woods. There were plenty of opportunities to pull off and admire the surroundings.

One thing to consider is how well your traveling party handles walks, and how quickly they can complete two miles and still explore. I say this because it took our crew about 90 minutes for the walk, and another 20ish minutes to complete our State Park Ranger Badge. This particular road trip for us is 12 hours without stopping, and that made for a really long day. This could be a great road trip stop if your route is less than 8 hours in the car (without stops). Otherwise, skip it and check out something else on this list.

Road trip stops are important.

I’ve done the “power through” thing. With kids, it just doesn’t work. Sure, you might survive, but everyone is going to be sore and cranky. Trust me, if you’re driving through the NRV, stop at one of these exits and enjoy the spectacular scenery and instant relaxation. You won’t be sorry. Life is not about the destination, it’s about the journey. So pack that picnic, live free and drive!

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