It's a blast. No different cost/time wise than other family traditions. Just a desire to hit the road and money for gas.

We used to go a few times a year, but now that my kids are 11 to 7, it has kind of taken off, and with gas now so cheap we are going even more often.

It's a ton of fun, so much to see!

We've also got into the history aspect, Native American ruins, ghost towns and stuff, plus museums and the kids eat it up. So it just perpetuates.