Road trip tips
Buy a portable DVD player. They come with headphones and can be mounted onto a headrest so the kids can watch while you drive.
Rent a car with good gas mileage, unlimited miles, and, if available, a global positioning system, such as Hertz NeverLost.
Pull over every two hours and let the kids run around.
Where to stay
These hotels all offer suites or adjoining rooms.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
2700 Lenwood Road
Barstow, Calif.
888-465-4329, 760-253-9200
Featured a Jacuzzi suite with dazzling views of the Mojave Desert for $177.25.
Fairfield Inn Marriott
1029 North Grand Canyon Blvd.
Williams, Ariz.
928-635-9888
Williams is a great jumping-off point for the Grand Canyon. Adjoining rooms at $59 each.
Travelodge of Williams
430 East Route 66, Williams
928-635-2651, 800-403-4176
Featured a tiny, heated pool, and a suite for $79 with one massive room and one tiny one. Good enough for one night, though the parents had to tiptoe through the kids' room to go to the bathroom.
Marriott Suites Las Vegas
325 Convention Center Drive
702-650-2000, 800-228-9290
A two-room suite $149, which includes all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. The pool is heated and includes a Jacuzzi and restaurant service. Blocks from The Strip.
Where to eat
Pancho McGillicuddy's
141 West Railroad Ave., Williams
928-635-4150
Saloon-themed restaurant has live entertainment. Fun for the whole family. Entrees $8-$20.
Goldies Route 66 Diner
425 East Route 66, Williams
928-635-9955
Fifties-style eatery serves breakfast all day.
Forty-Niner Cafe
Furnace Creek Ranch
Highway 190 in Death Valley National Park
Furnace Creek, Calif.
Offers hearty American fare.
Symphony's Restaurant
Pahrump Valley Winery
3810 Winery Road, Pahrump, Nev.
775-751-7800, 800-368-9463
What to do
Dinosaur Tracks
Moenkopi, Ariz.
Peel your eyes for the little ''dinosaur tracks" sign on US Highway 160. Unofficial Navajo guides will show you the tracks for a tip.
Grand Canyon National Park
South Rim
928-638-7888
Get there well before the sunset rush. Try the Desert View entrance by driving north from Flagstaff on US 89 via Cameron.
