Reading Time: 4 minutes 5 Tips For Planning A Family Vacation
Who hasn’t felt a little desperate when planning a family vacation? Any parent who tells you otherwise is most likely kidding themselves. Planning a family vacation might take a little extra organization, but it’s not impossible.
If you’re already running figures in your brain, fear not – planning this vacation doesn’t have to break the bank. Your family will come out of it feeling replenished. Plus you’ll have so many pictures of fond memories to reminisce about years later.
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Where To Start Planning A Family Vacation?
You’ll find below 5 tips for planning a family vacation that will help you relax even before you leave your home.
Research
You’ll have to decide where to go and how to get there. If flying, book your tickets in advance to get the cheapest prices. The same applies to any other means of transportation. If your vacation is not abroad and you can drive, then do your research and find the cheapest stations to fill up your gas tank.
Find family-friendly accommodation, which will most likely include activities to keep kids entertained. Plan transportation beforehand. You don’t want any last-minute surprises and go over your budget.
Many believe going out for dinner is where you’ll easily go over budget, but transportation is usually what families tend to forget to count.
Spend a few hours looking up every aspect of your trip, and you’ll feel calmer that you have it all planned. You’ll save money too in the process.
Pack Early
You may be thinking, well, that’s obvious, but whatever you think is “early”, pack earlier than that. The two weeks running up to your departure date can be highly stressful with errands to run, laundry to take care of or last-minute purchases, so you absolutely do not want to leave packing for this overwhelming period.
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Better to start packing well in advance, and whenever you remember something essential, all you’ll need to do is grab it and throw it in your open suitcase.
If your kids are older, let them pack themselves. Ensure they know how and won’t end up with unnecessary items and enough underwear. Give them a list of what items of clothing they’ll need and how many, gadgets, and anything else you’ll allow them to take with them, and then let them take charge.
It’s one less task for you, and you’ll probably need to do it before closing their luggage.
Snacks And Essentials
Another tip to make your life easier is to pack some snacks for the trip and for when you’re on vacation. Snacks will keep everyone happy and even if you plan on where to go out for food, there are always unexpected situations. Your young ones will appreciate having a loved snack with them on the go.
Besides snacks, you should also plan to have blankies and even pillowcases from home to bring a little comfort at night, something recognizable. Especially with babies, bringing something they sleep with and having that “home smell” will make even the fussiest travel babies a feeling of comfort.
Plan B and C… and D
When all is planned and done, make a plan B and C, and possibly even D. Travelling includes so many uncertainties, and you’ll need to have a backup place if things go awry. Plan B and C for things like restaurants and group activities and even transportation is highly recommended so you don’t stay stranded.
The weather may also change. So prepare activities according to the forecast, which are easily adaptable if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Moreover, remember to pack different layers to, once again, avoid any surprises.
Ensuring you have different plans may take a little more work from you, but it will make the few days before the vacation and the vacation time a lot easier to enjoy.
Don’t Plan It All
Contrary to the above tip, do not plan it all. As mentioned, traveling comes with uncertainties and unexpected moments, however, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll go all wrong. Some surprises and hiccups along the way make your vacation even more memorable and positive way.
Leave Room To Go With The Flow
Make plans for certain activities or days. But then leave days open for impromptu outings and to see what everyone feels up to. This is, after all, a vacation. You should feel relaxed. In the end, you want your family to have a great time, so plan accordingly, even if that means planning less.
And if after these tips you’re still wondering how on earth you could do it on a budget, maybe you could consider working while on vacation.
Now, that might not seem very glamorous. However it could mean you would have a longer vacation time, or even be able to go abroad more often. You could look up an online job that will give you the freedom to travel anywhere, anytime you want and stay in paradise for as long as you want.
And Remember, The Memories Are What Will Last Forever
The planning and stress only hang around for a little while. Planning a family vacation becomes more manageable when you have the right tools and tips to help you through it. Go on now. Your next family vacation awaits you!
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Erin is the mother of identical twin girls and their slightly older brother. She is a domestic engineer, and previously had a career leading customer service teams for a major HVAC company. Cleaning without harsh chemicals, and cooking easy and usually healthy meals are part of Erin's daily life. She volunteers with youth leaders, and genuinely wants to help others win. Erin has a degree in Communications, with a focus on Broadcast Journalism.