Family vacations can be the stuff of lifelong anecdotes, great stories and happy memories, but they can also feel like a grueling challenge for parents to organize! It doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think, however – and with some careful planning, your next family trip could be the most easy-going and enjoyable one yet.
Make sure you read up on all the practical health info first
Getting sick while traveling isn’t fun for anyone, but it’s even more of a challenge if you’ve got children in tow. That’s why one of your first priorities when planning a family vacation should be making sure you’re up to speed with all health advice for your planned destination before you commit.
Circumstances can change at short notice, so having a clear idea of what healthcare you might need to consider before traveling means you can enjoy your vacation, confident in your family’s health.
Plan all your travel ahead of time
Traveling with a family means you need to be on the ball with every stage of your vacation. Gone are the days where you can improvise on the go. You’ll feel a lot more relaxed when you know that every moment of your travel plan is already carefully thought out.
From airport parking with a service like Parkon.com, to arranging rental cars or transfers at your destination, it’s a great idea to book it all in ahead of time.
Take it slow
When you have younger travelers in your entourage, things are inevitably going to take much longer than you planned. If you’ve left ample time for this, however, then the extra time going through security, getting snacks, dealing with minor meltdowns and including extra naps will actually be a breeze.
It can be tempting to try to rush through, in an effort to get to the more enjoyable parts of your trip, but taking it a little slower can make it a far less stressful, and even pleasant experience.
Likewise, when you get to your vacation, it’s also worth taking your time here too. Less is more – instead of packing your family’s schedule with several museum trips, excursions and sightseeing tours, try to limit the number of planned activities. Not only do younger brains get easily overwhelmed when too much new information is thrown at them, it can also be extremely tiring.
Pack minimally
A common family vacation mistake is to over-pack when traveling. Not only is this extremely time consuming, but it can also add extra stress and worry when trying to move around with several cases of luggage.
If you’re traveling to a family-friendly destination, then in all likelihood, you’ll be able to find common items easily there. So focus on packing the core essentials only those that are more difficult to replace or source away from home. You’ll surprise yourself with how little you really need, from extra clothes, to emergency snacks and entertainment, when you pack with care.
