Would you go somewhere just for a day out if it was a 2 hour drive away

[Shoutingonthesekidsshows]

With a five year old?
Two hours driving time each way, lunch/dinner there, a boat trip and hour long open top bus trip. Is it easily doable or too much stress?
Expensive to book a hotel and pay for dogs to go in a kennel at the moment

We do it almost every Sunday and often taken Grandkids.. loads do a day trip to the coast.. kids usually sleep on way home.

Yes of course, we're in the East Midlands anywhere fun for the kids is around 2 hours drive. Just go for it. Leave early so you're there bright and early and have a fabulous day! We drove to peppa pig world twice, hotel the first time and there and back in the same day the second time. 6 hour round trip, but it was worth it and the kids loved it, they will sleep on the way home anyway most likely

For a special day out (big zoo, theme park, theatre etc) I would, but for a boat trip and a ride on a bus? Not personally, no. DSD would also have definitely fallen asleep in the car on the way home at that age, so that would have helped put me off!

Is someone coming to let your dog out, or are they going into kennels for the day? Around here it’s not much cheaper for them to go for the night.

What's making you think it would be stressful? It's a pretty normal kind of day out to me

@DappledThings The plan is to go to a fairly busy, tourist city, it might be that that’s putting me off 🙈 it’s just if it becomes one of those days, if Dh gets annoyed driving/parking etc and Dd is playing up that day, you can never predict

OP you seem very anxious - try to keep expectations low! Give it a try, research parking and food options beforehand etc. Accept it may not be perfect, but still a family day. Hopefully it will exceed expectations, but if not, it doesn't really matter. Try a different place next time.

Yes I would, though two hours each way is my limit. They should sleep on the way back after a long day anyway.

I frequently took my then 5 year old on a 3 hour 3 train trip to the beach for the day. 2 hours is nothing.

One of my kids yes, absolutely fine. The other one absolutely no way. Depends on how your kid is in the car really.

If your DH gets so annoyed about parking that the thought of it is making you anxious in advance that's a bigger problem than anything than the general logistics of a day out.

Regularly yes

Yes I hop o er to pairs o eurostar for days out in summer

Can you catch the train if the its the driving causing anxiety?

I wouldn't leave the dogs that long, no.

Could you go on the train? Less stress about driving/roads/parking, and an opportunity for DD to walk around if she gets bored.

Definitely. We have done this lots and I did as a child too, by car and train.

If it were something big, yes.

Two hours is above what I'd normally have done for a bog standard day out at that age, but it wouldn't be insurmountable. Just my personal barometer for when the faff plus inevitable danger nap and tiredness the next day aren't worth it.

We did. Use all of the day and stick their pyjamas on in the car for the journey back.

yes we do this often with our 3 year old. Our nearest big town is 1.45min drive from house, longer if traffic. So if we need to go and get anything we have to do long drive.

It’s 4hr 30 drive to airport. we often land and drive home straight away

@Shoutingonthesekidsshows the good thing about driving is that if your daughter starts getting annoyed at things or seeming like she isn't enjoying the day you can just jump back in the car and go somewhere else. You don't have to stick to "The Plan".

Yes. I've been that far to have a quick coffee with my best friend!

Doesn't sound like you want to go.
You can't predict anything when you go anywhere so saying you don't want to incase your DH gets annoyed or your DD gets upset will mean that you don't go anywhere and the more you do it, the less this will happen anyway as you will learn (as a family) to deal with it better.

I probably wouldn't plan a day like this for just my family - there's plenty to do more locally that would please a 5 yo just as much.
I presume you are meeting someone else and this is a wider family or friend event, or something specific you've promised your DD?

I've done this sort of thing a million times; I live quite rurally so many gatherings and events are a 2hr drive away. With a 5 year old - no problem - if they nap in the car and end up staying up late it's not a big issue.

Unless there is a specific health concern, I'd work on your night driving, you don't want a preference for not driving (understandable) to become something you're anxious about which then leads to limiting what you do.

I would be considering if there would be any rush hour traffic to consider too, as you don't want to ideally make the journey any more than 2 hours.

It depends what it's for. Normally my nephew's/nieces birthday parties start at 11 or 11:30am, so we leave around 9 o'clock to get there a few minutes early. They attend the party for two hours, and then we have a coffee and cake at say, my parents' house, for an hour before heading back home.

It ends up being a 9-5 day!