TRIPS • CHAOS • MEMORIES

We packed the kids, loaded the roof box, and drove across the country. Twice.

Nothing Broke Mostly is the real story of family road trips: the places we loved, the stops we probably should have skipped, the snacks that saved us, the plans that changed, and the memories we wouldn't trade for anything.

No perfect itineraries. No pretending. Just real family travel.

Nothing Broke Mostly travel logo
Current road-trip philosophy: If everyone arrived and most things still work, it counts as a win.
🚙 Cross-Country Trips Long drives. Small people.
🧃 Kid-Tested Stops Bathrooms matter.
🗺️ Real Itineraries Including the detours.
😅 Travel Chaos The stories get better later.

FROM THE ROAD

Latest Stories

The memorable stops, the questionable decisions, and the moments that somehow made the whole trip worth it.

Weekend & Regional

A Visit to George Smallwood Park 🌲💦

A planned hike to Mashel Falls turned into blackberries, river exploring, soaked kids, and one of those evenings that worked out better than the original plan.

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Coming Soon

More Family Adventures Are Coming

New places, useful tips, unexpected detours, and the stories that happen along the way.

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Coming Soon

The Next Stop Is Still Being Written

There are plenty more family trips, trail days, road stops, and lessons learned to share.

Story coming soon

WHERE WE'VE BEEN

Road Trip Routes

What we drove, where we stopped, what we'd do again, and what we'd absolutely change next time.

THE BIG ONE

Cross-Country Trip #1

The original adventure — before we knew which mistakes we'd repeat anyway.

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YES, AGAIN

Cross-Country Trip #2

More miles, more experience, and somehow still plenty of surprises.

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SHORTER ADVENTURES

Weekend & Regional Trips

Because not every good family adventure requires driving through six states.

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SHORTER ADVENTURES

Weekend & Regional Trips

Day trips, short adventures, unexpected detours, and family outings around Washington.

Rocky river at George Smallwood Park in Eatonville Washington

A Visit to George Smallwood Park 🌲💦

What started as a plan to hike to Mashel Falls turned into blackberries, river exploring, soaked kids, and one of those evenings that worked out better than the original plan.

Read the story →

THINGS WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY

Family Travel Tips

01

Don't Overplan

Leave room for tired kids, random stops, traffic, weather, and life.

02

Snacks Are Infrastructure

They are not optional. They are part of the transportation system.

03

Stop Before You Need To

Gas, bathrooms, food, stretching — waiting too long rarely improves anything.

04

Take the Weird Detour

The unexpected stops often become the stories everyone remembers.

Family enjoying a mountain outing together

WHY NOTHING BROKE MOSTLY EXISTS

Traveling with kids is rarely tidy. That’s kind of the point.

I’m a homeschooling mom of two boys, a nature enthusiast, and someone who gets to learn alongside my children every day—which often means mud, snacks, and someone asking “why?” for the 47th time.

In 2025, our family moved from Washington State to South Florida. Instead of flying, my sister and I packed four kids into my SUV and drove across the country. Eventually, we made the trip again in reverse by a completely different route.

Nothing Broke Mostly is where I share places worth visiting, practical tips, packing ideas, lessons learned the hard way, and the adventures that didn’t go according to plan.

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