How We Planned Our Entire Family Vacation in Minutes Using ChatGPT (and You Can Too!)
Spoiler alert: It took less time to plan our 17-day summer road trip than it usually takes to pack school lunches for the week.
If the thought of organizing a family vacation gives you flashbacks to tabs-on-tabs of Google searches, mismatched schedules, and never-ending group texts… we get it. Planning a multi-stop, family-friendly vacation can be overwhelming—and that’s before you even start packing.
That’s why this year, we did something different:
We planned our entire Northeast family road trip using ChatGPT. 🙌🏼
And not only did it save us time—it helped us plan with intention. Because summer is about making memories, not spreadsheets.
From Overwhelmed to On-the-Road: How ChatGPT Made It Easy
Our trip was a big one—17 days, 5 people, 10+ cities, and two countries. We had historical landmarks to visit, stadiums to tour, waterfalls to see, and the kind of road trip snacks only a family of five can carry.
But instead of drowning in logistics, we asked ChatGPT to plan it all for us—and it delivered. It created a detailed itinerary with driving routes, hotel and activity suggestions, historical stops, and even a packing list.
Want to Do the Same? Use This Prompt Template:
Here’s a slightly more generic version of the exact prompt we used. Just copy, paste, and fill in your details in ChatGPT:
“You are an expert travel agent who specializes in road trips across [region or country]. Plan a [number of days]-day trip for a family of [number] with the following ages: [list ages]. The trip starts and ends in [city/state]. Must-stop cities include: [list]. Please recommend additional cities that align with the family’s interests in [interests like history, nature, sports, museums, etc.]. The family prefers to drive no more than [X] hours a day, except for Day 1 when they are open to a longer drive. Please create a time- and budget-efficient driving route and a full itinerary for each stop. Include sightseeing, family-friendly restaurants, and rest days. Also, please provide a packing list tailored to this specific trip.”
✨ Want to save even more time? Add something like:
“Format the itinerary in a printable list I can copy and share with my family.”
Why This Saves You Time (and Mental Energy)
We believe summer should be about connection, not chaos.
And while there’s nothing wrong with Pinterest boards and group chats, automating the groundwork lets you focus on what really matters:
✅ Spending more time together
✅ Saving your brainpower for the fun stuff
✅ Actually being present on vacation—not constantly searching Google Maps
Using a tool like ChatGPT to handle the planning doesn’t make the trip less meaningful—it makes it more intentional.
BONUS: Let ChatGPT Help You Pack Too
Seriously—don’t sleep on this. Add "Create a family packing list for this trip" at the end of your prompt and it will remind you of things like rain jackets, chargers, passports, road trip snacks, and extra activities for the 4-year-old.
Because you know someone’s going to forget socks otherwise. 😉
Your Most Intentional Vacation Starts with One Prompt
You don’t need to spend hours Googling.
You don’t need a travel agent.
You just need a few smart questions and a tool like ChatGPT to do the heavy lifting—so you can show up fully for the moments that matter.
💛 Summer isn’t about doing the most. It’s about making space for what matters most.
Let’s make this the most intentional family vacation yet.
Pin it. Save it. Use it.
And don’t forget to bring snacks. Always snacks.
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