It seems like now is the time when everyone is planning their big family road trip for 2013, my little family included. My husband and I have been debating whether we'll make a big drive with our daughter, not to mention where and when, and I have to admit I've been feeling nostalgic for the trips of my childhood. Nothing we've talked about even faintly resembles the way we road tripped when we were kids. And I know from road tripping!

Back in the early '90s, we'd take the family minivan (not-so-affectionately called the Dustbuster because of its portable-vacuum shape) to Cape Cod every summer. I'd keep the travel log, while my little brother kept me thisclose to tearing my hair out.

Giving you misty water-colored memories, isn't it? Let's take a road trip down memory lane, shall we?

This is a sponsored post by Buick Enclave.

Think summer is the only season to load up the car and head off on a family adventure? Think again! Winter can also be a wonderful opportunity to take a road trip and create vacation memories that will last a lifetime -- especially when your ride is the latest in family-friendly luxury and safety, the new 2013 Buick Enclave.

Road trips with children are notoriously no fun. The last big one I took with my family was from Boston to Chesapeake Bay, which turned out to be 10 hours for what should have been an 8.5-hour trip. It wasn't SO bad, but the reason it was like that was because of bathroom breaks. Our 4- and 5-year-old seemed to have to pee every five seconds (was it all that juice we kept bribing them with?), so we were constantly in search of bathrooms.

That was a summer trip. Now, it's the dead of winter, and if we were going to take a long road trip, the weather would give me great pause and concern. I am not sure how we would deal with the frequent stops and the risk of bad weather. But one thing is sure -- I wouldn't put my potty-trained kids in diapers.

It seems insane, right? But apparently, SOME parents are doing this on long road trips.

Can I get a show of hands on who would absolutely love to take a tropical getaway right now to escape the winter chill in the air? I think it's safe to say that each and every one of us could use a vacation in a place that's warm, breathtakingly beautiful, and most important -- easy on our wallets.

Unfortunately, when most of us think "tropical," we immediately start seeing dollar signs in our heads. A lot of exotic destinations are so expensive that we can really only afford to go there in our wildest dreams. But believe it or not, there are a few tropical getaways you can take that won't break your bank, and will still leave you relaxed and rejuvenated.

I recently flew an airline with "open seating." Which basically means you get an assigned boarding number (like at a deli counter) and you must fend for yourself and your family from there.

As I walked the aisle, I quickly assessed my potential row-mates. Had they recently showered? Would they take initiative in an emergency? Are they so young that they're in diapers? Are they so old that I may need to resuscitate them during the flight?

When I finally picked my seat, the look on my new neighbor's face was one of total disdain. What I wanted to say was, "Look at me lady, it could be worse -- the woman behind me has a colicky infant and the guy behind her has something that sounds like the plague!"

As a nervous flier, I'm easily annoyed about things that happen on planes (clearly). So I thought I'd "air" some of my grievances about flying.

Taking a road trip and sitting in the car for hours upon hours can get pretty boring -- especially for young kids. Being strapped into a car seat with nothing to do is never fun, and that's why it's essential to make sure you have plenty of things packed to entertain your little ones while you're traveling from point A to point B.

And of course, the absolute best thing to entertain kids are gadgets that provide plenty of options for passing the time. I learned pretty early on in my son's life that car rides are much more pleasant when there's some sort of electronic involved -- which is probably why we have at least five or six along with us on any given trip. (You gotta have options, people.)

Are you dreading the big holiday flight with your toddler? Deep breath, parents! You can do this. First tip: Arrange your flight schedule around your toddler's nap times. Ha! I'm totally kidding about that one. That is impossible. Okay, moving on. Seriously, you can prepare for a few of the most common worst-case scenarios. All it takes is a little preparation and a whole lot of letting go of perfection.

You've seen her on the Travel Channel gallivanting around the world to the most exotic of locales, but when it comes down to the best vacations for families, Samantha Brown says sometimes the simplest trips are the best ones. While we'd all love to dash off to stay at a five-star resort, that's not a realistic scenario for many families, and she says it's not necessary to create lasting family memories

I caught up with Samantha recently to talk about her current involvement with our nation's national parks and to get some tips for traveling on the cheap with kids in tow.