Can you say "Road Trip"?

My wonderful, crazy, generous mother has proposed a road trip in September to Maine via Ohio to visit my (only living) paternal grandmother. We'd leave (dates may change) Sept. 11 and drive from Charleston, SC to Canton, Ohio, which is about 11 hours straight driving time. I haven't seen my grandmother in 5 years and this will probably be the last time I visit her. Camille met her when she was 2, which she doesn't remember and Danny hasn't met her at all. I'm not 100% sure Danny will be making this trip anyways.

We'll stay in Ohio for two days and then hit the road to Maine through Pennsylvania. We'll be staying in a rental for two weeks before heading back to Ohio and back to Charleston. On the agenda- antique shopping, a trip to Freeport (home of L.L. Bean and awesome outlet stores), a little sight-seeing, and MAJOR relaxation, absorbing the atmosphere and beauty of New England.

We'd be gone for about a month, possibly September 11th through October 5th. There's a lot of planning to do between now and then, not to mention details! I'm more excited than stressed at this point but there's a decision of whether to take Danny (3 years old, temper tantrums and all) with us or just use this as a "girl's trip." Danny will have opportunities in the future for "guy's trip" with my Dad when he gets a little older. He just wouldn't meet his great-grandmother, which is a factor. And I don't know how I would handle being apart from him that long. Plus dh would need help taking care of him, which I'm sure I could arrange with some of our fabulous church members.

Okay, now to think about ways to maintain sanity while traveling long distances with children!