Family Travel Tips - 8 Ideas for Smooth Family Travel

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As a busy parent, you deserve some rest and relaxation. Here are 8 tips to help you derive the most enjoyment from your next family vacation.

1. Start planning now - the earlier the better. When you research your destination in advance, you"ll spend less money, and you"ll probably have a more relaxing time, too. Spend time as a family researching your destination using print travel magazines as well as online sources and guidebooks.

2. Let your kids in on it. Ask each of your children to choose a few things to see or do on this vacation, as well. When kids are invested in planning the trip, they take more responsibility and, ultimately, derive more enjoyment from the trip.

3. Take your time. Try hard not to cram too many activities in any single day, especially if you have young kids. Children need downtime, especially when they are away from their normal routine, so schedule time for resting between events. Plan to return to the hotel for a brief nap or quiet time before going to dinner, for example.

4. Don"t over-pack. Everyone will enjoy the trip more if you travel light. As long as you"re not embarking on a super long trip, kids who are grade-school age and over can probably be responsible for carrying their own suitcases or duffels. And, if they are seasoned travelers, you may be able to trust them to pack it, as well. We hand our children each a checklist and away they go. We check to make sure they have everything they need, but it"s nice for them to make their own choices and be included in the process of preparing to leave on the family trip.

5. Bring things to do during downtime. You might reserve a special bag of goodies and activities that you bring out only when the kids find themselves bored and restless, perhaps when they are waiting for a connecting flight or for the multitude of other delays that can occur on a vacation. Here"s what"s in our "emergency bag": a deck of playing cards, a few dice, a book of mazes, a small set of colored pencils and a book of intricate designs to color, that even my older children are captivated by. You"ll also want such a bag of "emergency snacks," which includes nuts and other forms of lean protein.

6. Try to stick to your routine as much as possible. Don"t stray too wildly from the kids" ordinary bedtimes, for example. And eat at normal times. Kids are so much more even-tempered when their sleep patterns and blood sugar levels stay on an even keel.

7. Consider the help of modern technology. While you"ll probably want to put limits on these types of entertainment sources when you"re paying an arm and a leg to see new parts of the country and the world, a well-timed (albeit brief) dose of portable DVD player, iPod, or Game Boy can help weary traveling parents in untold ways.

8. Stay open-minded.You want to have a fairly set itinerary, and you want to keep your routines fairly predictable, but the ultimate goal is to have a refreshing, rejuvenating vacation where everyone is able to lighten up, be flexible, and have fun. Start each day by reminding yourself of this simple truth, and have a great trip!

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Source by Jamie Jefferson

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