Ms B
02-13-2012, 11:37 AM
DH and I have decided to bite the bullet and plan a Memorial Day weekend trip with his parents to Chicago from our home about 4 1/2 hours away. This is DS's first trip out of town; he will be eight months old at the time. We plan to stay up in Lincoln Park and hit the zoo and the aquarium, walk Michigan Avenue, and maybe go out to the Garfield Conservatory.
I think the easiest way to handle transport would be for the ILs to fly to Chicago from their nearest airport and for us to pick them up in Chicago and return them to the airport at the end of the weekend. We could drop all of our luggage and the baby stuff off at the hotel before we pick them up and then everyone could ride in the car around town, with MIL and I sitting on either side of the car seat.
However, MIL has never flown and probably is not about to start, even if we pay for the fare. Also, the ILs are physically incapable of packing light . . . when they come into town for a long weekend, they drive FIL's duallie truck and literally pack the entire back seat full, plus and part of the bed. I doubt that they could get down to one bag each for the flight.
We discussed driving up in the duallie, but I think that will be too big a vehicle in Chicago city traffic. (Seriously, it is like moving the SS Nimitz around.) Plus, I hate the idea of putting all of the luggage in the bed.
We have a Grand Cherokee and a Toyota Avalon, but I do not think we all can fit into either one of those for the drive up and back even if the adults get down to one smaller bag each because we will have the BJCM, the Phil & Ted Traveller, a bouncer or feeding seat, and four days of supplies for DS to lug along (plus whatever gets acquired when we hit IKEA on the way home). Not to mention coats in case it is cold in Chicago (which it has been before on Memorial Day weekend).
Keeping all this in mind, what vehicle do you think we could rent that would hold DH and I, DS in his carseat (probably his Roundabout, but maybe the Boulevard or Radian if I get one picked and purchased by then), MIL and FIL (who are, let's say, amply proportioned) and all of our stuff? Would a minivan do it? Would there be enough luggage space? I just do not know. :shrug:
Thanks for your help!
I think the easiest way to handle transport would be for the ILs to fly to Chicago from their nearest airport and for us to pick them up in Chicago and return them to the airport at the end of the weekend. We could drop all of our luggage and the baby stuff off at the hotel before we pick them up and then everyone could ride in the car around town, with MIL and I sitting on either side of the car seat.
However, MIL has never flown and probably is not about to start, even if we pay for the fare. Also, the ILs are physically incapable of packing light . . . when they come into town for a long weekend, they drive FIL's duallie truck and literally pack the entire back seat full, plus and part of the bed. I doubt that they could get down to one bag each for the flight.
We discussed driving up in the duallie, but I think that will be too big a vehicle in Chicago city traffic. (Seriously, it is like moving the SS Nimitz around.) Plus, I hate the idea of putting all of the luggage in the bed.
We have a Grand Cherokee and a Toyota Avalon, but I do not think we all can fit into either one of those for the drive up and back even if the adults get down to one smaller bag each because we will have the BJCM, the Phil & Ted Traveller, a bouncer or feeding seat, and four days of supplies for DS to lug along (plus whatever gets acquired when we hit IKEA on the way home). Not to mention coats in case it is cold in Chicago (which it has been before on Memorial Day weekend).
Keeping all this in mind, what vehicle do you think we could rent that would hold DH and I, DS in his carseat (probably his Roundabout, but maybe the Boulevard or Radian if I get one picked and purchased by then), MIL and FIL (who are, let's say, amply proportioned) and all of our stuff? Would a minivan do it? Would there be enough luggage space? I just do not know. :shrug:
Thanks for your help!