Please find below some tips we live by while on the road...

• Travel routes and accommodations go hand in hand when planning, and good careful choices here can make your life a lot easier. Explore multiple options when researching highways as well as public transportation, then link to where you'll stay. Our choice of accommodation was just minutes from the interstate, a block from the subway, and central for walking to almost all of our chosen attractions.
• We stayed at Hampton Inns while on the road. We like it because there are no surprises. Always included free wifi, parking, full breakfast, pool and travel centre while remaining economical. It'd be our first recommendation.
• We made good use of our Philiadelphia CityPasses maximizing visits and doing them economically.
• Importantly, Sullivan's Auto went over her with a fine toothed comb. The 2006 Toyota once again performed admirably.
• Check with your card company before leaving so they know the card may be used abroad and drop a limit on expenditures in case it gets stolen.
• Beware that many states won't accept a Credit Card at the pumps without a zip code. This is a tough one for Canadians. You'll may have to go in and purchase at the counter prior to pumping... pain in the butt!!!
• We had a solid Canadian dollar in the markets... close to parity. It left gas, food, clothing and accommodation a good deal.
• If you have questions... ask them. We got great information on attractions and even just where to pick up some groceries / bottle of wine.
• Have your ducks in order at the border... you know what they'll ask about and possibly for... be ready and organized.
• While in the car...
  • We used a combination of GPS, google maps and paper maps. We always knew (roughly) where we were, reducing a lot of road stress. Of course, we found the GPS irreplaceable in the larger metropolitan areas.
  • The kids are awesome travellers. However, it was always important to stop and get out for a bit. We took time to stop and stretch/snack/bathroom/etc. at obvious points to keep the peace.
  • We kept a cooler at all times filled with water and goodies between the kids keeping cool a host of healthy treats. Worked well on the longer car trips as well as in the hotel room at night.
  • The i-Pod/i-Pad and accompanying charger left a means for music, e-books, and maps as well as our main communication tool home via face time / e-mail. The novel that Janie downloaded provided welcome entertainment as well.