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About Along for the Trip
We’re the Buss family – Carrick, Carrie, Andrew, and Cadence. We’re an Oklahoma family who believes every family can see more of the world without waiting for someday. Along for the Trip is where we share what actually works when you travel with kids. Whether you’re exploring a national park in a weekend or discovering a new culture over spring break, we can help you get there.
Our mission is simple – make family travel feel possible, affordable, and meaningful for families like yours. At Along for the Trip, we always try to give you the best information so you can plan the best trips. Authenticity is something we’re proud of, which is why the photos and writing are ours.
Look around, explore, and let’s plan your next trip!
Family travel blog · Since 2016 · Updated November 2026
Home base
Oklahoma
Who we are
Mom, Dad, & two adventurous kids
How we get there
Cash + Miles & Points
Where it started
Every Kid Outdoors
Kids’ picks
Iceland · Athens · National Parks
Our story
From a fourth-grade park pass to a family travel obsession
We’ve always loved to travel. Carrie and Carrick both traveled some in high school and college, but kids change things. As new parents, our trips were quickly limited to weekends close to home. Small getaways to resort hotels or nearby theme parks were the norm for us. It was fun, but we knew we didn’t want to put everything on hold for years while the kids got older, so we started looking for ways to travel a little more adventurously while keeping our sanity.
When the kids were old enough to manage some luggage on their own, we decided to take trips to Disneyland and San Diego. Of course, these are pretty ‘safe’ bets as far as family travel is concerned, but we still had a blast and created some amazing memories together. This was all back in 2014, which was also the year we took the kids on their first family ski trip.
In 2015, we took our first international trips, visiting Whistler, BC, London, Paris, Dublin, and Los Cabos. We timed a Philadelphia stopover for the July 4th celebrations with Bastille Day in Paris. Everything came together perfectly (except for overpacking – ahem…) and we were really hooked. Using points & miles came in clutch as we were able to fly in business class in both directions, stay at nice hotels, and really enjoy our time together, which is what it’s all about. That first macaron in Paris is something we’ll always remember.
When our youngest was in fourth grade, we discovered Every Kid Outdoors. Having a free annual pass opened the door to America’s national parks and really unlocked our imagination to find ways to use it. With a tight budget, we’re always looking to maximize value, so this was perfect for us. Armed with a couple of Companion Passes from Southwest Airlines, we started to look for trips that we could build into our school breaks and summers with as many U.S. national parks as we could.
For our family, ‘maybe someday’ became ‘How can we go this weekend?’
In 2016, after our incredible ski trip to Japan, we decided to start Along for the Trip. It served two purposes – a place to document our own travel, and a hub to help other families plan bucket-list trips of their own. While we never fell into the ‘full-time blogger’ or ‘travel influencer’ categories, we felt that there were families we knew looking for ways to plan better trips, visit awesome, kid-friendly places, and stay within a budget. We figured we could help, and we’re glad you’re here!
Why trust us
Inspirational travel, even (and especially) with kids
And why you’ll want to come along.
We’re just a family with real jobs in education and IT, with real schedules, and a real commitment to prioritizing vacations that we’ll never forget. We plan carefully, make it work with a mix of cash and miles, and share all our successes and failures so you can travel better.
Those early national park trips did more than check boxes. They nurtured a family wanderlust that we still suffer from today (chuckle). We learned to plan around school calendars, pack light but smart, and find the adventure in both the Grand Canyon and the diner in Albuquerque with the amazing spicy pork. And we realized that if we could make these trips work as two working parents with two active kids, you can too.
Real life
We plan around school calendars
We’re not luxury-only travelers or full-time influencers. We have jobs, band, dance, and homework. Every trip on this site was planned around a real family schedule, so the pacing is built for kids who need a snack and a break.
- Trips that fit a long weekend or a school break
- Kid-friendly hikes and easy logistics
- Real intel, photos, and our honest take
Real money
We pay our own way
Miles and points cover the expensive parts that would otherwise stretch our budget, and we cover the rest with our own money. We’ve worked with a few brands over the years, but now it’s just easier to use our own cash and do what we want.
- Go for big wins and sign-ups
- Book as early as you’re able
- Learn how to play the game
Real details
We share what actually works
You’ll get the honest version. What we booked, how we booked it, what the kids thought, and where we got it wrong. Adapt our plans to your family’s rhythm and budget and skip the guesswork.
- Our own photos on every page
- Honest opinions
- Mistakes included – on purpose – so the next trip is even better
Points and miles
Traveling affordably with points and miles
This is not a points and miles blog. There are plenty of places on the internet that cover that subject better than we can. However, a huge part of how we make this sustainable is using points and miles strategically. We earn through everyday spending and sign-up bonuses, then redeem for flights and hotels that would otherwise be out of reach for us. They’ve taken us on some pretty incredible adventures, and let’s face it, sometimes it’s about the journey, not just the destination.
Here are some quick tips and tricks, but let us know what you’re planning and we can help with the specifics.
Our approach is practical, not perfect
Go for the big wins
Welcome bonuses and transferable points do most of the work. We don’t chase every promotion or juggle a wallet full of cards. Carrick and Carrie each carry the Capital One Venture X, one of the easiest travel cards to get value from (that’s our referral link).
Book early, use partners
Peak weeks go first, so we try and book as soon as the calendar opens and we know when our breaks are happening. Partner airlines often price the same seat for far fewer miles. This means taking some time to learn about airline alliances and how to leverage them.
Never spend to earn (but sometimes it makes sense)
We don’t buy things to rack up points, and we pay every card in full each month. A point isn’t free if you paid interest to get it. Watch out for deals on purchases you make anyway. Sometimes the right deal comes along and it makes sense to stock up!
Treat points like a budget
Groceries, gas, and bills already happen. Routing them through the right card turns them into flights and hotel nights.
Every little bit helps, and if you already travel for work where you get to keep your loyalty miles, you’re already ahead of the game. Remember, free flights in economy are better than no flights at all, so use what you’ve got!
Where we’ve been
Where we’ve been, and where you might go next
Believe it or not, our very first national park visit as a family wasn’t somewhere close to us like Hot Springs or Rocky Mountain NP. It was to Haleakalā National Park in Hawai’i followed by Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. In the same day. The entire trip was only about 72 hours, which tells you how eager we were to visit as many parks as we could while we had our fourth-grade pass. It was exhausting and exhilarating all at once. You can read more about that craziness here.
All that to say, we recognize that every family is different. Just because we tackled multiple Hawaiian islands in 72 hours doesn’t mean other families want to attempt that. Our guides are laid out so the information is easy to find, and the photos tell the story. Mix and match, steal ideas, and enjoy YOUR trip. We’d love to hear about it!
While national parks have become a bit of an obsession for us – we’ve been to 46 of 64 now – we also just love traveling together, no matter the destination. Many of our trips are simple road trips to a nearby city. The trick is finding the fun wherever you go. We have a rule that we always try the local cuisine, find the local custom, or take the local tour. If we don’t like it, fine, but at least we tried something new. Japan is where we learned to love curry, Canadian poutine is yummy, and pizza at Machu Picchu is terrible. And now you know!
Here are a handful of our favorite travel memories: a chocolate tour in Ghent, Belgium, snow monkeys in Japan, Machu Picchu, Peru, roller coasters at Cedar Point, winter in Yellowstone National Park, finding banana slugs in the Redwoods, and so many more.
National park road trips
Where it all started. Iconic views paired with kid-friendly hikes. Lots of fun detours from the Grand Canyon to the parks nobody has heard of.
Japan
Not many people can say they’ve skied the Japanese Alps. We did it over spring break, and it was amazing. The logistics can be challenging, but the payoff is huge. One of our favorites.
Iceland
Waterfalls, black sand, and a ring road that makes every day a road trip. One of our all-time family adventures.
London and Paris
Built for first-timers. Museums, parks, and a pace that says ‘we can do this with kids.’ Where our passports first got a workout.
We share the honest details. What worked, what didn’t, and how we booked it, so you can adapt our plans to your family’s rhythm and budget.
We’re excited to have you Along for the Trip!
Who we are
Meet the four of us
Andrew, Cadence, Carrie, and Carrick
Two parents, two kids, and a tendency to say, “Sure, why not?” Here’s a little about each of us.
Eagle Scout, drummer, student at Oklahoma State
Andrew
The AftT outdoorsman
Andrew is currently studying geology and geography at Oklahoma State University, so it stands to reason that one of his favorite trips (and one that he chose himself) was Iceland. The double major keeps him busy, and on Saturdays, you can find him playing in the OSU drumline at the football games.
As an Eagle Scout, Andrew is definitely up for a good hike. He enjoys backpacking, camping, and all things outdoors. He’s hiked the backcountry of Glacier National Park and the Sangre de Cristo range at Philmont Scout Ranch, and paddled the Boundary Waters along the U.S./Canada border.
Some of his other favorite things are snow skiing, riding roller coasters, Lord of the Rings, and going on a good food tour in a new country.
Ask Andrew for his favorites and you’ll get Iceland, Glacier National Park, the chocolate tour in Ghent, Belgium, and the fried chicken at Willie Mae’s in New Orleans. Souvlaki in Greece and Belgian waffles in Brussels get honorable mentions.
Dancer, oboist, student at Oklahoma State
Cadence
The AftT Foodie
Cadence is currently studying oboe performance at Oklahoma State University, where she performs with the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Cowboy Marching Band. She has a passion for music and the arts, but when we’re traveling, it’s the best local cuisine that she’s after.
From dumplings in Japan to chocolate in Belgium, Cadence wants to sample it all (can’t really blame her). She’s also a big fan of visiting the Disney parks (Florida, California, and Paris so far) and is looking forward to visiting some others.
Cadence’s picks are Athens, Greece, Redwood National Park, the Amsterdam food tour, and New Orleans gumbo. The Westman Islands in Iceland and loukoumades in Athens are right behind them. No surprise from the AftT Foodie.
In high school, Cadence was a three-year member of the OkMEA All-State Band, a competitive tap dancer, and a world traveler!
Mom, teacher, luggage wrangler, and strategic bag packer
Carrie
It was probably her idea to begin with…
Carrie currently teaches high school English and is an alumna of Oklahoma State University. She met Carrick there while performing with the Cowboy Marching Band and was the band’s drum major for two years.
If you are reading about a really cool trip on this blog, it probably started with an idea she had. She has the best ideas, and then Carrick makes them happen. Over the years, she’s wrangled kids, luggage, passports, and tickets to make sure that everybody gets there with everything they started with and she always nails it.
She’s a big fan of Harry Potter, visiting the Disney parks, any kind of tour, day hikes in our national parks, and a good road trip. Technically, Carrie has visited more countries than anyone in the family (which she likes to point out), and she revels in beating Andrew at Phase 10.
Carrie says choosing is too hard, but she landed on Ireland, Olympic National Park (it just took Mesa Verde’s top spot), the chocolate tour in Ghent, and Willie Mae’s fried chicken. Her honorable mentions could fill a page: Iceland, Athens, Amsterdam, Disneyland Paris, the Harry Potter studio tour, the British Library, loukoumades, Uncle Clay’s shave ice (sadly, now closed), the Ghent Altarpiece, Preservation Hall, Mesa Verde, Acadia, Badlands, and Porto’s in SoCal for amazing Cuban desserts.
Dad, IT nerd, chief travel planner
Carrick
He never met a national park he didn’t like.
Carrick spent three summers in high school touring the U.S. and Canada with a drum and bugle corps and hasn’t stopped moving since. He has a BA in music from Oklahoma State University (percussion), a day job in IT, and a soft spot for airplanes, mountains, museums, and ski days.
Carrick is the chief travel planner and is always on the lookout for deals on points, miles, transfer bonuses, and anything that can help things go smoothly on the road or in the air. Leveraging airline transfer partners and award-chart sweet spots is his nerdy hobby.
National parks hold a special place in his heart, and he loves taking the camera out and capturing the kids enjoying them. Almost all of the photos you see on the blog are his, and a few have even won some awards.
Besides our national parks, some of his favorite destinations are Iceland, Japan, Peru, and Bora Bora. He’s also an #AVGeek and loves to fly, ride in cool planes, and enjoy the journey.
If he has to pick just one of each, it’s Iceland, Olympic National Park, and the snowcoach tour through a snowy Yellowstone, and his favorite city is Athens. For food, it’s Guinness in Ireland, green curry in Japan, souvlaki in Athens, chocolate in Ghent, and warm stroopwafels in Amsterdam.
Good to know
Questions readers ask us
Nope, and that’s we blog. We have two jobs, two kids with activities, and a home in Oklahoma. We travel on school breaks and long weekends like most families, and everything we write assumes you do too.
We pay our own way. Our own cash covers the parts that miles and points don’t. We earn through everyday spending and welcome bonuses, and make sure to take advantage of high-leverage uses of those points. The rest is planning early and picking trips that fit a real budget. We share the how on every post where it applies.
Not these days. We’ve done a few hosted stays in the past and said so in those posts. Now we pay our own way, and everything on the site is what we’d tell a friend who asked.
A mix of the kids’ wish lists, a national park we haven’t seen, and wherever points make an expensive trip cheap that year. Some years that’s a big international trip, and some years it’s road trips closer to home.
We’d love to hear from you! Email Carrick at carrick@alongforthetrip.com or Carrie at carrie@alongforthetrip.com, or find us on social. We read everything, and a good question often turns into a post.
Keep exploring
Grab the kids, pick a destination, and come Along for the Trip
National Parks
Where our travel habit started. Park by park, state by state.
Family Ski Trips
Whistler, Japan, Idaho, and Colorado, with the kids in tow.