Follow these guideposts for your next family adventure

Family vacations are never easy to plan – especially when you have very small children in tow. The whole prospect can be daunting when it comes to ensuring that everyone’s needs are taken on board and that you don’t face difficulties along the way. Essentially, it’s important to remember that any vacation should be relaxing and stress-free, therefore, it’s important to do some careful planning in the months before you travel so that all of the finer details are taken care of. While you cannot predict all small obstacles, you can make well-informed decisions to make your family vacation as streamlined as possible. Take a look at the four tips below for planning the perfect family vacation:

1) Pick a Great Family Destination

The destination you choose is vital for the perfect family vacation. It would be wise to carry out plenty of research to get some insight into which destinations are most suitable for families. It’s good to know the types of attractions and activities on offer so that you have peace of mind that both the adults and kids will have an enjoyable trip. Other aspects to take into consideration regarding the choice of destination may include the flight time and the weather.

2) Choose suitable family accommodations

Accommodation is also a vital factor for your family vacation – after all, it is going to be a ‘home away from home’ for a week or two so you need to make sure it’s a suitable choice. When booking, it would be advisable to look for the best offers as well as the best value for money. Family Vacation rentals, for example, would be a much more practical option for children due to the fact that there are facilities to cook your own meals as opposed to eating out (which can become costly) and plenty of outdoor space for your offspring to let off steam.

3) Choose entertainment wisely

Young kids, in particular, will find long journeys grueling and tiresome, so it would be advisable to prepare as much entertainment as possible to keep them occupied en route. There are several clever travel treats to keep in mind, such as the following:

  • A bag of goodies (featuring puzzle and coloring books, games, candy and crayons
  • Books/magazines
  • Audiobooks
  • Portable DVD player or access to movies via an online streaming service

Extra tip: Don’t give each treat to them all at once as they’re likely to get bored much quicker. Instead, hand them over gradually to keep the journey fun.

4) Plan a suitable itinerary

Planning an itinerary with children is likely to be different to when you were a couple and could simply please yourselves as to how the day evolved. Children have their own needs, so it’s unlikely you’ll be able to cram every single sight and activity into your daily schedule.

During the planning stages, it’s essential to contemplate which activities are a ‘must’ and those that you don’t mind missing out on. You’ll also need to schedule some snack breaks and much-needed downtime at the end of the day so the kids can relax and re-charge.