Twenty
print these · take them with you
The worksheets, packing lists, and daily logs I print out and keep in a folder in the van. Real templates, not pretty ones.
I'm going to be honest with you. I have tried the apps. I have tried the spreadsheets. I have tried keeping it all in my head. The thing that works for me is a manila folder in the van with printed pages I can write on at gas stations and read at red lights.
These are the templates I use. Print them, fill them in, take them with you. They're designed for letter-size paper. Tap the page tabs below to jump to the one you want.
Skip to the one you need
Planner page 1 of 6
Fill this in before you book a single thing. The questions that decide everything else.
What three things would make the trip a success even if everything else fell apart? Write them here so you don't lose them in the planning.
What does everyone in the car agree they don't want? Long drive days? Crowded places? Fancy restaurants? Cold water?
Planner page 2 of 6
Print one per day of your trip. Fill in the morning, leave the evening blank for things you discover along the way.
Fill in the morning and the sleeping plan the night before. Leave the afternoon flexible. Some of the best parts of our trips have happened when we changed the afternoon plan because a local recommended somewhere better.
Planner page 3 of 6
One sheet with every reservation number on it. The thing you wish you had when the wifi dies in the lodge parking lot.
| Date | Place | Confirmation # |
|---|---|---|
| Date | What/where | Time slot |
|---|---|---|
Multnomah Falls (May 22-Sep 7), Mount St. Helens, Oregon Caves tour times, Cleetwood Cove (closed 2026-2028, returns 2029) all go here.
| Date | Restaurant | Time · party size |
|---|---|---|
| Date | What | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
The dates by which you need to cancel to avoid charges. Worth tracking on a single line so you don't forget.
Planner page 4 of 6
Adapted from a decade of actual PNW family trips. Check off as you pack, don't skip the rain layer.
Planner page 5 of 6
Fill in the budget column before. Fill in the actual column at the end of each day so you know where you stand.
| Category | Budgeted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Lodging | $ | $ |
| Gas | $ | $ |
| Groceries | $ | $ |
| Restaurants | $ | $ |
| Park fees / permits | $ | $ |
| Activities / tours | $ | $ |
| Souvenirs | $ | $ |
| Miscellaneous | $ | $ |
| Total | $ | $ |
One line per day. Quick and dirty.
| Day | Lodging | Food | Gas | Fun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 2 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 3 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 4 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 5 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 6 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 7 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 8 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 9 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
| 10 | $ | $ | $ | $ |
America the Beautiful pass ($80) covers entry to every national park for a year. Pays off in 3 visits. Buy it before your trip.
Pack a cooler. Eating breakfast and lunch from the cooler saves $80-150 per family per day vs restaurants. The biggest single budget lever.
Camp 1-2 nights to break up hotel runs. Cuts lodging by 70% on those nights. Even mid-tier campgrounds with hookups are $40-65 vs $200-350 hotels.
Costco gas on the way in and out. Saves 30-50 cents/gallon. Worth a detour for a full van.
Planner page 6 of 6
Print one per kid. Five minutes of writing per day. They'll keep it for years.
Each day, fill in these three things. That's it.