At the height of my clothing consumption days in my late teens, we were invited to the wedding of a family friend in Austin, Texas. It was a two day drive from our home in Colorado Springs, and my mother, in the interest of managing her limited trunk space, gave me an ultimatum: I could only take as many clothes as I needed for the trip. No more.

Traveling with children will be a memorable event - the question is "What kind?" Your chances of a lifetime memory you will cherish increase significantly with some advance communication and preparation.