Family vacations can be exciting adventures filled with amazing wonders, or they can be dispiriting ordeals that kids wish would end. Planning is the key to a great family vacation, but what should you consider if you want everybody to enjoy themselves and have a great time? Here are 10 tips that could help you plan the perfect family vacation.
1. Plan As a Family
If you want your whole family to enjoy a vacation, everybody should be involved in its planning. If your kids feel like their opinions are being listened to and taken seriously, they will have much more positive attitudes when the time comes to pack suitcases and head to the airport. Choose a destination that offers something for everyone, and make sure that every family member will have at least one day when they will be the boss.
2. Make the Journey Fun
Robert Louis Stevenson once said “It is better to travel than to arrive,” but he probably never went on a long trip with kids in tow. A long flight or drive can quickly become unbearably tedious for kids with active imaginations, so do everything you can to make the journey fun. Make sure that your kids wear appropriate clothing and will be able to plug in and recharge their mobile devices. Pack plenty of snacks, too. Go to the airport’s observation deck to watch planes take off and land, or make a few detours on a road trip to alleviate the monotony and add a dash of excitement.
3. Consider Your Budget
Family vacations can be expensive, and there are always unexpected costs. You won’t be able to relax and have fun if you are constantly worrying about money, and your family will sense your anxiety. You will be far happier if you plan a family vacation that you can comfortably afford, so you should resist the urge to go all out.
4. Make Sure You Have Plenty of Room
Vacations can be stressful, and cramped accommodations will make things worse. Staying in a beautiful hotel may make you feel like a movie star, but an Airbnb will be more spacious and allow each of your family members to relax and decompress in peace. An Airbnb will also have a kitchen, which could be a real blessing. You will be able to prepare some of your kids’ favorite meals, and you will spend less money in restaurants.
5. Plan for Emergencies
Emergencies tend to happen at the worst possible times, and what could be a worse time for disaster to strike than a family vacation? Before you pack your bags, do a little planning to prepare yourself for unexpected setbacks, especially if your vacation involves traveling abroad. Find out where the nearest emergency room is, and get the name and contact details of an English-speaking doctor. If any of your family members take prescription medications, find out what you will have to do to replace a lost inhaler or a misplaced bottle of pills.
6. Choose Your Dining Options Ahead of Time
Vacations give us a chance to broaden our culinary horizons, but your kids may prefer fast food to local delicacies. Arguments over where to eat are a common source of family vacation strife, so choose your dining options ahead of time. If you want to visit a gourmet restaurant and wear one of your beautiful dresses, your kids will be far more accommodating if they know they will be eating burgers and fries the next day.
7. Be Adventurous
A family vacation is a time to let your hair down and have some fun, so be adventurous. Rent a car and venture off the beaten path, or immerse yourself in the local culture. Your kids may want to ride on a roller coaster or visit a waterpark, but don’t spend your whole vacation doing things that you can do at home. A family vacation is a great opportunity to enjoy new experiences, and fabulous resorts have more to offer than beaches and pools. Just remember to pack appropriate women’s resort wear for a fun time to celebrate your family vacation.
8. Leave Gaps in Your Schedule
A packed schedule can suck all of the fun out of a vacation, and strict timetables can be very hard to stick to in unfamiliar surroundings. If you plan to fill every day with activities, somebody is bound to be disappointed when you can’t fit everything in. You can avoid this problem by leaving gaps in your schedule to account for the unexpected. If you spend half of your family vacation checking the time, you won’t have nearly as much fun.
9. Pack Light
Seasoned travelers say that you should set everything you will need on a trip to one side, and then pack half of it. You won’t have to pack as much clothing if you pick an Airbnb with a washing machine or a hotel that offers laundry facilities, and that means you won’t start your family vacation by lugging heavy suitcases around. You can also lighten the load by giving your kids backpacks to carry.
10. Plan Some Alone Time
You will enjoy a family vacation a lot more if you have at least one day that you can spend on your own doing the things you like. You can spend your alone time relaxing on a beach or visiting a museum, or you could visit some local boutiques and check out the ladies’ tops and blouses. A day like this will give you a chance to relax, unwind, and recharge your batteries.
The Perfect Family Vacation
If you plan ahead and include activities that everybody will enjoy, you will have a family vacation to remember. Your kids will have exciting stories to tell when they go back to school, and you will have memories that you can cherish forever.