Weekend adventures, big and small, are all so crucial to the grand canon of making family memories. We’ve a tiny window of time in which our kiddos are tiny themselves, and so my husband and I truly attempt to make it count, no matter where we are.

Whether we’re investigating tiny pine cones tucked away in great tree nooks with our children during a lesson in botany disguised as a hike in the woods, or whether we’re visiting a new playground setting for a picnic lunch, trying new things and getting fresh air is the stuff that memories are made of.

As children get bigger, so do the adventures, and we’re working our way to bigger escapades that require more planning among the mini-day trips and activities that require only spontaneity. Last weekend, we traveled with other family members to a regional fairy-tale themed park. It was a state away, and we were in a state of awe as we traveled back roads and gorgeous scenery to get there. It’s not schmaltzy, it really is all about the journey sometimes.

We experienced a beautiful weekend at a theme park that was a step up from our local amusement port of call, and it was upon returning home in a sleepy state to our home state – where laundry piles and unpacking adventures next awaited – that my husband and I realized two things.

We mused that a vacation – particularly with young kiddos – can be a successful one when it includes just the right mix of thoroughly planning ahead along with the resolve to be flexible.

It’s the improvised, unscripted moments in travel that make for the best memories. But planning ahead and researching is truly a must, the backbone to any journey.

Mapping out lodging, meals, packing sensibly, and research are a traveler’s best friend when making way to hit the open road.

• Search for discounts. Some getaways let you get away with a more affordable price if you search promotions.

• Travel to places that are age-appropriate for all sightseers aboard. The park to which we traveled included rides and things to do for kids all across the age range circuit, and for us ‘big’ kids too.

• Reach for the stars – rating stars, that is. Websites abound that give ratings to any destination you could possibly imagine, a true silver lining to today’s tech abundance. Research where you’re going, whether it’s renting a home or checking out a local venue or activity.

• Get your paperwork in order. Organize all travel documents, confirmations, passports if necessary.

• Hype it up for the little travelers. According to travel expert Rick Steves, a great way to prep kiddos for travel of any kind is to get them enthusiastic about what they’ll be seeing. Read books or watch movies set in the places you’re traveling, or relate your tots’ favorite games to where you’re going by adapting some of your destination’s theme.

• Document the experience – not just with smartphone selfies. Steves also recommends picking up journals for older kiddos so that they can record their journey and make it into one big souvenir. He advises to paste in ticket stubs or draw pictures of what they’ve seen. Record reactions, feelings, smells, tastes to different adventures throughout the vacation.

• Make a solid packing list – and check it more than twice. Pack the essentials – toiletries, food that can’t be purchased once you’ve reached your destination, phone chargers, clothes, diaper pails, whatever you can’t live without day to day.

Traveling with younger tots? According to parents.com, you should remember to bring your toddler’s blanket and pillow if you’re staying somewhere overnight. It’s a comfort to kiddos when sleeping in a strange place. And don’t forget snacks, favorite tunes, or a portable DVD player to make a lengthy venture a sweeter voyage.

The smoother the sailing, the sooner you’ll be pumped to get back on the road again.

And with kiddos, you can start small and slowly build your way up to bigger adventures as they become old enough to appreciate the adventure.

Steves notes that at some point during a whirlwind trip, kids may complain. But he advises to not lose heart, that one day the child who once rolled his eyes touring a particular stop – museum, tourist attraction, etc. – may very well talk about it later in a positive light, when something experienced or seen down the road will trigger that childhood memory.

Because that’s what it’s all about.

That’s what it comes down to.

And perhaps Steves sums it up best: “Besides building memories, your investment in a trip now is a down payment on developing a true citizen of the world.”

So get your culture on.

Bon voyage!

— Michelle Cote is the art director of the Journal Tribune and a nationally-syndicated columnist. She enjoys cooking, baking, and living room danceoffs with her husband, two boys and a dog. She can be contacted at mcote@journaltribune.com.