NPR Road Trips: Family Vacations: Stories That Take You Away

NPR Road Trips

by Noah Adams

With generous splashes of popular culture and human interest, the "NPR Road Trips" series introduces you not only to far-off locations and unusual destinations, but to the people who inhabit them and seek them out. Each story focuses on real locations, real people, and real history in the thought-provoking, imaginative and entertaining way you ve come to expect from NPR.
We all have memories of family vacations some successful, some less so, and some gone terribly awry. When it comes to reporting colorful, compelling tales of family vacations, no one does it better than National Public Radio.
Originally heard on "All Things Considered "and "Morning Edition," the stories gathered here are entertaining, provocative and moving. Like Laura Lorson 's Hard-Earned Lessons from the Family Road Trip, in which she recalls endless hours in a hot car, eating junk food and listening to AM radio. And Setting Sail with Family, Imperfections in Tow, Marion Winik 's account of a not-so-perfect family reunion at sea. And Family Camping, in which commentator Joel Achenbach points out that camping is a serious sport.
NPR knows that everyone has a dream vacation, but many of us are settling for economic-reality vacations. So Tom Goldman asks, Who Needs a Fancy Cruise If You ve Got Inner Tubes And when Robert Smith learns the price of Broadway tickets to "The Little Mermaid "($121 each ), he takes a more frugal route, piling the family into his Honda Civic and heading to the drive-in. Warmly remembered, richly detailed, these stories invite you to share in the journey of others and may inspire you to plan your own.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Travel, Memoir, Humor, Short Stories

1 pages, Audio CD

First published April 7, 2010

Reviews

[Anna]

I loved this. A bunch of mostly funny stories of family vacations from various NPR programs. My favourite is the kid in Kentucky who attends a fancy school on scholarship. At the beginning of every school year, everyone is asked what they did on their summer vacation. She chats enthusiastically about her trip to Cincinnati to the best restaurant ever, where you carry your own tray, pour your own soda and get your own ice cream (and Mum has a coupon!). She is followed by Jennifer who went to stupid Paris on the stupid conchord, eating at some stupid place where they only spoke stupid French. That night at dinner, her mother keeps getting calls from her daughter's friends' parents to get the name of the amazing restaurant - the Ponderosa. Life is what you make it, eh?

[Melki]

This is a collection of fun tales of memorable family road trips - from the exotic to the insanely mundane. I got quite a few laughs out of this, though I was mostly relieved that my family did a lot of "stay-cations" even before they became popular.

[Debra]

This really needs to go on your next road trip. A one disk compilation of vacation stories and misadventures that will have you laughing.

[Ren]

A short collection of stories of family vacations. Some are funny, some touching, some just make you happy you weren't there. I cracked up at the Ponderosa Steakhouse story!

[Peggy]

A pleasant one hour travel adventure with lots of different people to lots of different places, most offering up tiny insights into the joy of going (or not).

[Stacie]

Sweet charming stories about family vacation. Probably need some happy memories of road trips in the family truckster to really enjoy.

[Art]

A theme-related series of essays all from NPR. To me that means they are heartwarming and often though provoking.

[Shaun]

I love NPR audio books for their high entertainment and laughter value. The last story I found particularly inspiring.

[Sue]

I like This American Life better.

[Lisa Roberts]

seemed more like a podcast - short vignettes from NPR contributors of funny and meaningful family stories, probably only 45 minutes

[Kelly]

Several different vignettes on the topic of summer vacations. Very cute!