Would you drive or fly?

[Clarity]

My BIL is getting married in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in April. I have to figure out if we are driving or flying and neither choice particularly appeals to me.
Driving: 11 hour trip, packing everything we need and then some would not be a problem. We'd have our vehicle and carseats when we get to our destination. (fuel cost about $78)
Flying: 4 hour flight with one stop. 4 seats = at least $800. We'd have to pack at least one stroller, 2 carseats (the girls would be using them on the plane), two suitcases, diaper bag and a bag full of toys and goodies to keep a 18 month old and 3 1/2 year old busy during a 4 hour flight. A car would have to be rented upon arrive (about $120) because I think Portsmouth is about 45 minutes from the Airport. (And because I really want to be able to take dd's to the Curious George Cottage.)

I don't really LIKE to fly, but I don't really like to drive 11 hours with two kids in the car either. And, I can think of a lot of things to do with $1000 rather than buy plane tickets! Oh, we may actually be able to use some accrued airline miles to purchase a ticket or two. That could help.

[SnuggleBuggles]

11 hours isn't that bad. We do that just about every year for vacation. On the way up we start after dh is done with work, go halfway, stay in a hotel then finish up. The way home we do it in one shot. Once everyone is comfy in the car it's pretty easy to just keep going. We did it once when ds was 1yo and he did fine.

The only downside I could see is that if it is a short trip it would be pretty miserable to get back in the car and start all over again with barely a break. So, it depends on how long you will be there. Short trip? I think I'd fly.

Beth

[Clarity]

I think we're going to leave Thursday and come home Sunday or Monday. Dh can't miss too many days at work.

ETA: Although if we did it your way, we could leave Wednesday after work and then we'd probably shoot for home Sunday.

[bubbaray]

Given those facts, I'd probably fly. BUT, honestly, I'd get your DH to take more days off work and drive. That would be my ideal answer....

[happymom]

Flying is soooo much more complicated and a much bigger hassle IMO. I was going to suggest what Beth said- drive halfway and then stop overnight. For the way back, could you leave Sat night and drive through the night so the kids will sleep? Take turns driving with DH and then sleep on Sunday so not exhausted for work on Monday.

[Clarity]

I'd get your DH to take more days off work and drive. That would be my ideal answer....

But then I'd have to spend even more time with my MIL. :crying:Seriously though, he's faculty and we hate to have him cancel more classes than necessary. I'm guessing we'd leave Wednesday, arrive Thursday. Leaving on Sunday would really depend on the BIL and SIL's plans for the day, i.e. if they have brunch planned or something like that.

[tmarie]

I think it would depend on the weather and for me, if I could get a direct flight. We make the trek from the Midwest to Boston several times a year. This past year, our first holiday travel with two kiddos, we drove. We had to stop overnight as our drive is about 15 hours. I hate driving. But I hate plane rides in bad weather with kids, and double that if there is a stopover. We only dare take direct flights. I actually enjoyed the bonding time with dh and the kids. They were amazingly good in the car. For dd who was 3yo, it was a fun adventure.

tmarie

[AnnieW625]

I would fly if you can get a good deal. I hate driving if we are only staying somewhere for that short amount of time, but have done it. Assuming the airport you are talking about is Manchester Southwest is having $25 flight sales so you might want to check that out if Southwest flies out of your airport.

[fortato]

Twice or three times a year we drive from NH to Cleveland, and it's not THAT bad of a drive. BUt.. it can be a PITA with kids... just pack lots to do, and make a few pitstops.

PLUS- if you are going to be in Portsmouth with your own car... you can cross the border into Maine. Kittery to be exact. And you can shop at the Hanna outlet. (there's also a Gymbo, Gap, Columbia, and Crate and Barrel right there) With your own car, you don't have to worry about checking an extra bag to get your purchases home!!!!!!

Portsmouth is a great place to spend a weekend. Hopefully the weather will be nice and you will be able to see some of the sights.

You're right about the airport being 45 minutes away. Manchester Airport is a great airport to get in and out of. Small enough that you aren't schlepping your kids all over the place, but big enough to have a Dunkin Donuts in the airport.

[Clarity]

That's pretty near exactly the drive, Kristen...and y'know...I might have to convince dh to take that extra day and tolerate MIL for one more day too. Just to take her with us to the Hanna store! Terrible, I know, but she WANTS to buy the kids clothes so who am I to stop her? LOL

ETA: Oh, but the "lots of pitstops" turned a 6hr drive home from NYC into a 9hr drive home. It was awful and the major reason I have no urge to repeat. We have just GOT to get a minivan if we're going to do this regularly.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We don;t do pitstops. One meal and maybe one snack because it's harder and harder to get back in the car when you stop. Plus, it's so much nicer just to get home. :)

Beth

[wendibird22]

My bro drives from NY to FL almost yearly with his wife and kids. They leave at bedtime. The girls sleep almost the entire trip. Bro and SIL take turns driving. This cuts down on the crankiness and the pit stops. And with the 2 taking turns driving they each get some sleep so neither of them is a total wreck the next day.

If you decide to fly, have your family check to see if there are places that rent/loan kids stuff or even if your family knows of other parents with young kids who would let you borrow things. That might cut down on what you have to lug through the airport.

[Clarity]

If you decide to fly, have your family check to see if there are places that rent/loan kids stuff or even if your family knows of other parents with young kids who would let you borrow things. That might cut down on what you have to lug through the airport.

It's essentially a "destination wedding" and everyone is staying in the hotel. Future SIL's family has a summer cottage there or some such thing. Except for the travel aspect, I'm really looking forward to it!

[doberbrat]

handsdown drive.

but I hate to fly. getting to the airport 2h early means 6h+ for the trip. then factor in the cost and the aggravation of having to take your shoes off, being in the cattle line, and its thanks but no thanks for me.

but we drive everywhere. pack up the kid(s) the dogs the stuff and off we go.

[JTsMom]

handsdown drive.

but I hate to fly. getting to the airport 2h early means 6h+ for the trip. then factor in the cost and the aggravation of having to take your shoes off, being in the cattle line, and its thanks but no thanks for me.

but we drive everywhere. pack up the kid(s) the dogs the stuff and off we go.
:yeahthat: and ditto bubbaray on getting DH to take another day or 2 off if possible so it's not so stressful.

The thought of flying with two kids and all of that gear is stressing me out just reading about it! The stop would totally put me over the edge. But I have a minivan with a DVD player, and I'm not afraid to use it! ;) When DS was under 2, he was a serious carseat hater though, and at that point, I would have chosen to fly. How do your 2 do in the car?

[Clarity]

How do your 2 do in the car?

Oh, they're not too bad, the 3 yr old is currently in a "mom, I want to get out" phase and that's only after 10 minutes! I can't fathom 11 hours. LOL IF we can get a bigger vehicle before the trip (have to convince dh that it's time - and it really is) then I hope to be able to occasionally sit back there with them to help entertain them. That alone could make the trip bearable. Dh doesn't like to drive at night, but anymore, I prefer it b/c the kids sleep.

[ThreeofUs]

I hate to say it, but I'd drive - primarily because of the two hop. I just can't imagine lugging two LOs with associated seats and carry on luggage between planes, lol!

Also, we've found if we drive during the day we might as well resign ourselves to a LOOONNNNGGG drive with the two boys. (Like your NYC trip, our VA to OH became a 9 hour drive one day when the kids somehow got on different schedules.... oy.) We drive at night as much as possible.

We also bought a larger vehicle for the long travels. Couldn't bring myself to buy a van (that'll be the next car, sigh), but I agree that a nice Oddy would be the perfect way to make this trip. It's a good time to buy, now, too. If you decide to go this route, let me know if you need links to a bunch of sites where folks discuss the prices they got on their minivans, etc. This is how we got dealerships down to a $27,345 quote on a really nice van (that we didn't buy, lol).

GL!

[elephantmeg]

drive. I thought it would be horrible but we took 2 kids to chicago and it went fine (12+ hours each way). Really it was SO nice to have our car, enough space for the booster seats, toys, pack n plays...

ETA we were afraid that if there was bad weather and the flight was delayed it would easily end up with 12 hours in an airport-or several extra hours in a plane-not willing to take that chance!

[ha98ed14]

I'd break it up over two days and drive. With all that gear to lug and 2 kids, I think you will be grateful for your own car.

[LBW]

Hands down, I'd drive. No question. A 4-hour flight with 1 stop + 45 min drive could very easily translate into 8-ish hours of travel. So, really the drive is only a few hours more. You'd be on your own schedule, could stop when you want, and even more important, could leave when you want.

We do 12-15 hour drives several times a year and we always leave at 3-4 a.m. That way we get several hours of driving in before the kids really wake up. Our first stop is breakfast. We get to our destination mid afternoon. Doing it this way makes the drive feel shorter than driving only during daylight hours and getting to our destination in the evening.

Plus, I, too, have many things I'd like to spend $1000 on!

[arivecchi]

Flying with two or more young kids and all of their gear is very stressful. I'd much rather drive and be able to control things more. I would also not dare take a flight that was not a direct flight if I could help it. The Hanna outing is the clincher. :D

[egoldber]

That is a tough call. Normally I would say to fly, but the stopover makes it a tough call.

I actually like that flying makes me REALLY pare down what I bring on a trip. I have become a very light packer because I realized I never even used half of what we brought on trips.

But we don't drive overnight. Our kids have a hard time sleeping in the car and *I* cannot sleep in the car, so everyone ends up sleep deprived when we get there which is seriously not fun.

[Zansu]

If you do drive, consider renting a minivan. We did that for several 8 hour drive before DH got his Sienna, and it worked out well.