Universal Orlando - 5 Suitcases

There’s something magical about piling the kids into the car, cranking up the playlist, and hitting the open road with snacks, a loose plan, and a whole lot of family bonding ahead. Whether you’re craving beachy days, mountain hikes, or quirky attractions that leave everyone giggling, here are 10 epic, family-approved road trips across the U.S. that belong on every bucket list. 🚗

1. Pacific Coast Highway (California)

📍 Route: San Francisco → San Diego

Winding cliffs, dramatic ocean views, and charming seaside towns make California’s iconic Highway 1 a dream route for families. It’s packed with incredible stops—and fish tacos galore!

Kid-Approved Stops:

Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey)
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
LEGOLAND California (Carlsbad)
Sea lions at La Jolla Cove (San Diego)

Pro Tip: Stretch your legs often—the viewpoints are unreal!

2. The Grand Circle Tour (Southwest National Parks)

📍 Route: Loop through Utah & Arizona

If your family loves adventure, this one’s for you. The Grand Circle Tour connects five stunning national parks and endless opportunities for hiking, wildlife watching, and outdoor fun.

Family Favorites:

Zion National Park’s easy family trails
Bryce Canyon’s otherworldly hoodoos
Grand Canyon’s South Rim viewpoints
Jeep tours and horseback rides in Moab

Bonus: Kids can earn Junior Ranger badges at every park—a surefire way to keep them engaged!

3. Florida Family Fun Loop

📍 Route: Orlando → Tampa → Everglades → Florida Keys

Sunshine, theme parks, alligators, and key lime pie—this road trip covers it all.

Don’t Miss:

Walt Disney World & Universal Studios (Orlando)
Airboat rides in the Everglades
Coral Castle (Homestead)
Key Lime Pie at the Southernmost Point (Key West)

Best For: Families who want an action-packed trip with a tropical twist.

4. Rocky Mountain Explorer

📍 Route: Denver → Yellowstone → Glacier National Park

Trade beaches for mountain peaks and geysers on this rugged adventure through the Rockies.

Top Kid Experiences:

Dinosaur Ridge (near Denver)
Watching Old Faithful erupt (Yellowstone)
Soaking in hot springs (Wyoming & Montana)
Riding Glacier’s historic Red Buses

Fun Fact: Yellowstone was America’s first national park!

5. Great Lakes Road Trip

📍 Route: Chicago → Michigan → Wisconsin → Minnesota

Perfect for summer, this loop is packed with charming lake towns, historic sites, and delicious food.

Kid Must-Dos:

Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Michigan)
Ferry to Mackinac Island (no cars allowed!)
Cheese curd tastings in Wisconsin

Tip: Plan a few beach days—those freshwater lakes are gorgeous!

6. Route 66 (Classic Americana)

📍 Route: Chicago → Santa Monica

Take a trip back in time on the Mother Road. Route 66 is packed with neon diners, vintage motels, and oddball roadside attractions.

Iconic Family Stops:

Route 66 Museum (Clinton, OK)
Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, TX)
Meteor Crater (Winslow, AZ)
Santa Monica Pier (CA)

Parent Perk: Endless photo ops—and even more family memories.

7. Music & Culture Tour (Southern Style)

📍 Route: Nashville → Memphis → New Orleans

Hit the road for a journey full of music, culture, and the best food you’ll ever eat.

Family-Friendly Favorites:

Country Music Hall of Fame (Nashville)
Graceland (Memphis)
Jazz riverboat rides (New Orleans)
Powdered sugar overload at Café du Monde

Perfect For: Music-loving families who want a dash of history and a whole lot of flavor.

8. Blue Ridge Parkway Adventure

📍 Route: Shenandoah National Park → Great Smoky Mountains

This peaceful route through Virginia and North Carolina is perfect for fall colors, waterfall hikes, and cozy mountain cabins.

Perfect For:

Touring Luray Caverns
Hikes to waterfalls and scenic overlooks
Visiting Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN)
Chasing fireflies at dusk

Fun Fact: The Blue Ridge Parkway is nicknamed “America’s Favorite Drive.”

9. Southwest Desert Loop

📍 Route: Phoenix → Tucson → White Sands → Carlsbad Caverns

Desert magic meets kid-friendly adventure in this colorful corner of the U.S.

Family Highlights:

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Tucson)
Sledding down sand dunes (White Sands National Park)
Alien spotting in Roswell, New Mexico
Watching bats emerge at Carlsbad Caverns

Don’t Forget: Bring lots of water—and a sense of humor!

10. Pacific Northwest Wonders

📍 Route: Seattle → Olympic National Park → Portland → Crater Lake

Moody forests, snow-capped peaks, and hip cities await you in the PNW.

Can’t-Miss Kid Stops:

Watching fish fly at Pike Place Market (Seattle)
Hiking treehouse trails in Olympic National Park
OMSI science museum (Portland)
Gasping at the brilliant blue water of Crater Lake

Tip: Pack layers—it’s rainy, but worth it.

Final Thoughts: Why Road Trips Are Family Gold

Sure, road trips with kids can get a little chaotic (cue the “Are we there yet?” soundtrack). But between the car karaoke sessions, silly roadside attractions, spontaneous detours, and late-night hotel swims, you’re creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Whether you’re exploring rocky coastlines, neon-lit highways, towering mountains, or magical forests, these 10 all-American routes are sure to deliver one unforgettable family adventure after another.

✨ Ready to plan your next road trip?

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16 Things to Know Before Visiting Universal Orlando

1. It's Not Called Universal Studios

Despite nearly everyone calling the park in its entirety Universal Studios, the park is actually called Universal Orlando Resort. The new name is way less catchy, but it was changed to show off the fact that the park now includes 3 parks (Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay), hotels, and an entertainment complex known as City Walk.

2. The Park is Brilliantly Laid Out

These people knew what they were doing when they designed the park! You must walk through City Walk to access Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. That means you’ll be passing by a butt-ton of shops, bars, restaurants, and entertainment spaces on your way in and out of the park.

3. Staying Onsite Has Its Perks.

Dude, the perks you get for staying onsite are BOMB! We’re talking about benefits like:

Early park admission
Express Passes
Water taxis
Priority seating at select restaurants
Anything you buy can be sent to your hotel

4. Pay Close Attention to Park Hours

The park hours fluctuate based on the day and season. Be sure to check the official site for the hours on the day(s) of your visit.

You may also get early access to the park if you stay on-site. (See above).

5. It's TOTALLY Busy!

Universal Orlando is BUSY! Like, most of the time. As you are planning out your trip, you should reference the Orlando Crowd Calendar to see what the anticipated crowds are like during your visit.

Without an Express Pass, it will be difficult to get to all of the rides in just one day.

Visiting during the off-season is the best way to avoid the crowds. If you can help it, avoid summer, major holidays, and school breaks, if at all possible.

Historically, the park isn’t as busy on weekdays. And September, January, and February are typically the best months to visit.

6. Download the App

Like most theme parks, Universal has its own app, and it’s actually pretty freaking great. You should download the app before you leave for your trip so you can check out all of the features.

My favorite features were:

A spot to record where you parked
Maps that you could sort by distance and wait times
A spot to order ahead food

The app also gives a super vague description of what the rides are. I wish these were a little more descriptive because you could literally be standing in a line for a ride that you are terrified of and not even know it.

7. There Are Actually TWO Wizarding Worlds (What the What!???!)

Remember how I said the park designers were brilliant? I wasn’t kidding. If they aren’t members of MENSA, they probably should look into it!

Oh wait…maybe they’re wizards themselves??

These brainiacs were smart and split the Harry Potter attractions across 2 different parks- Universal Studios AND Islands of Adventure! That means in order to get the full experience you have to have a Park-to-Park ticket.

Hogsmede is in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley is in Univeral Studios. Both sides of the HP stuff is connected by the Hogwarts Express, which is a train that you can only ride if you have a Park-to-Park ticket.

8. You Better Drink Up!

The Florida heat and humidity is no joke, yo. Even if you visit during a cooler day, it’s important to stay hydrated. Pack your own water bottle and refill it at the free water fountain points all over the park. We travel with this one and it’s a total game changer!

Shoot, while you’re at it pack a fan, cooling towel, sunscreen, and your patience. Florida is miserable, trust me- I’m from here.

9. You're Packing for a Day- not a Week. Don't Overpack Your Day Bag!

Unless you pay to rent a locker, you’ll be carrying your day bag for all or most of the day. Even if you do rent a locker, this involves going back and forth. Who wants to do that?

Do yourself a favor and don’t overpack your day bag.

For my last visit, I used this fanny pack as my day bag. We had an 80% chance of rain that day so I tossed in a raincoat. I added my driver’s license and debit card, which was it! Smiley brought along a drawstring bag where she kept a water bottle, raincoat, phone, retainer case, and Chapstick.

Other ideas:

Portable Battery charger
Cooling towel
Collapsible water bottle
Neck Fan
Sunscreen

10. Oh...but DO Pack Snacks!

You’re allowed to bring your snacks into the park. You’ll probably want to avoid packing anything with chocolate though, because the Florida heat is a BEAST!

Some ideas:

Goldfish
Chips
Granola Bars
Pretzels
KIND Bars
Fruit Snacks
Dried Fruit

11. We Ain't the Lightning Capital For Nothin', Ya'll.

Here in Florida, it rains almost every day in the summer. We’re talking torrential downpours with violent lightning.

When there is lightning within 5 miles, all of the outdoor rollercoasters will shut down along with the hotel pools and Volcano Bay.

If you see a storming rolling in, be prepared to pivot your plans.

12. Be Single, at Least for a Day!

The Single Rider lines will pretty much always be shorter than the regular standby line. If you don’t mind getting split from your party and don’t want to shell out money for the Express Pass, this is your best bet for maximizing your time.

We found it easier for me to ride the ride first and then have my daughter hop on the next ride. That way, I could wait for her at the exit.

13. ....or at Least Be a VIP For a Day!

Hear me out, booking a VIP Tour might just be the best way to experience the theme park.

Here is what is included with every Universal VIP Tour:

Dedicated tour guide
Behind-the-scenes tours and experiences
Front-of-the-line access to attractions
Valet parking
Reserved seating at in-park shows
Universal Express Unlimited passes for the rest of the day
Discounts on merchandise and food
Free admission to some clubs at CityWalk
At least one complimentary meal (all 2-Park Tours)

Group tours start at $249 per person + the cost of your theme park ticket. Prices vary depending on the time of year and the crowds.

14. Parents, This One's For YOU!

Alright grown-ups with offspring, this one’s for you! All of the rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure now have a special Child Swap area.

If you have a kiddo that doesn’t meet the height requirement (or is scared to death of a certain ride)… that doesn’t mean you have to miss out!

Here’s how it works. You line up for the ride as a family. Once you get to the front of the line, one adult takes the kiddo(s) to the Child Swap area, while the other gets a mental health break and rides the ride. Once the ride/break is over, the adults swap places! This way, there’s always someone watching the kids and the adults don’t have to miss out on the fun.

15. Oh, and if You Hate Lines and Have Extra Cash, This One is For YOU!

Everyone hates lines. Especially when it’s hot as hell out. If you shell out some extra money, you can purchase an Express Pass which lets you skip the line.

The unlimited pass will set you back $100/per person/day. There are limited passes that start at just $20.

If you’re staying at an official Universal Studios Hotel, you get one of these badass passes for free! Totally worth it, right?

It’s estimated that an Express Pass shaves about 70% off of your wait time.

16. You Should Probably Have a Game Plan

The general rule of thumb for theme parks is to start at the back and work your way toward the front. This rule definitely applies to Universal Studios but is less relevant for Islands of Adventure.

When you walk into Univeral Studios, fight the urge to hop on the Minion rides and head straight to the back of the park. Instead, zoom on back to the furthest part of the park- which just so happens to be the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

This plan works 2-fold- 1) You don’t have to retrace your footsteps at the end of the day to exit the park. 2) The wait times are a little shorter the earlier you get back to the HP stuff.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventures!

For future reference, be sure to save our post “16 Things to Know Before Visting Univeral Orlando”! Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5 Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

Be sure to also check out our other posts on Orlando theme parks.

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