Where To Take My Family On Vacation – If you’re planning a family reunion at a destination or just bringing grandma for babysitting (crossover), it’s helpful to think of your trip like a long Thanksgiving dinner: there will be good times, bad times, and bottles of wine. It is more of a condition than a suggestion. Below, some tips for pre-trip planning.
Not pictured: The bass-loving DJ and free margaritas that convinced my mom that this would be a great family event for my six-month-old.
Where To Take My Family On Vacation
The day my mother (we’ll call her The G) met Josh, Thomas, and me in London — she was wired, out of touch, and angry about a $90 black cab — she collapsed on our Airbnb sofa and said, “Well, I’m so excited to be here,” Of course…all my friends say I’m only invited to babysit!
The Dos And Don’ts Of Planning An Extended Family Vacation
She wasn’t entirely wrong. I had a secret hope that she would happily take Thomas on day trips to the London Zoo – or at least to the neighborhood playground – while I snacked on buttermilk scones, wandered around the Tate and watched a Shakespeare play or two.
The point is that G wanted to watch the show too. And move to Tate. And she loves lemon curd. She had a “bad relationship with technology” and couldn’t figure out how to get to London Zoo, and was allowed to play for 30 minutes. Plus, at 18 months, T wasn’t interested in being more than four feet away from me – that’s 1.21 metres.
While our “multi-generational” (the travel industry’s favorite phrase these days) trip to London was overall a success, a pre-trip chat that clearly set out holiday expectations would have done us a lot of good.
If you are traveling with family or even visiting loved ones, here are some topics to cover before going to bed:
Family Vacation To Denver, Colorado
If your parents and siblings aren’t the stay-at-home type (and many of them aren’t), don’t count on celebrating the holidays. So, if you have — dare I say expectations — free babysitting during your trip, talk about it with Gigi and Papa before you go. Consider setting a maintenance schedule, and if you’re not having any luck talking to anyone during the day, see if you can get a volunteer to stay after you sleep so you can take a potentially exhausting outing. A teenage niece or nephew might be interested in making a few bucks — if they can stay away from their iPhones.
Be realistic about how much space your group will need, and remember things — like 6 a.m. wake-up calls, bedtime tears, and child-proofing gear — that the rest of your crew may not be used to. If you can swing it, rent a hotel room or your own house with a suite that you and your kids can call your own (in other words, if it’s a complete wreck, other people won’t be able to judge) and enjoy the tantrums and quiet times.
If your destination is vehicle-based, rent two cars, especially if you have children under five. This reduces major stress points like activity times (if your child needs a nap or takes too long to put on their shoes, you won’t hold the whole set) and unexpected stops. In other words, it buys you the ability to set your own schedule.
Yes, even more so than now. You live and breathe the weekly milestones your kids go through, but family members may not be privy to what time your kids wake up, where they are on the potty, what their last food was, and whether their favorite word is at this moment. “No” or “poo poo.” Keeping your extended family updated on your child’s progress and tests may earn you a little attention, but in the end, it’s all about staying on the same page.
A Much Needed Family Vacation
What made this family trip a success? Easy hosts, lots of kids’ activities, self-serve snacks, and maybe a three-day time limit.
While your adult family members may love building sandcastles or taking a disposable cannonball to the pool, they’ll also want to spend some alone time at the beach, and they’d better have a fresh lemon margarita on hand (I know, I know .)You want one too.) Try to get a basic idea of the adults’ expectations on vacation — how much time they want to spend with your kids — and start managing the kids’ expectations before you go.
When I travel with my family, we all throw a certain amount of money into a bowl and take it out to pay for shared meals – even if I order an arugula salad, Uncle Andrew orders a Wagyu steak. Discuss whether your children will charge you more: Depending on their age, they may or may not add to the bill.
Not to spoil the mood, but family gatherings like the Fourth of July are notorious for injuries because it’s easy to lose track of who’s watching the kids. Extended family vacations are equally joyful events, but parents should always be aware of the children’s whereabouts or have a clearly designated second guardian – ideally not the aunt who counts olives in a martini as her daily vegetable ration.
Family Vacation: Saint Augustine Beach
Hello guys! If you’re traveling with extended family members like a grandparent or aunt, bring a pen and paper and ask them about their favorite childhood memories. Here are some questions to spark your imagination. What other questions can you ask? Can we earn money or products from companies mentioned in this post? As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Are you wondering when is the best time to book a family vacation these days? Well, I can tell you that the short answer is as soon as possible. Today I plan to share some travel trends, some interesting things I’ve personally experienced, and how I advise you to approach your 2023 family travel goals!
Planning a family trip is very different from booking a trip for a solo traveler or even a trip for a couple. For the latter, it is much easier to find flight deals for one or two people, and almost any type of hotel room can accommodate two people, while families should look for double rooms or suites when traveling. So, while I do find some great deals for traveling the world on my own, which can be a bit difficult with two kids at home, this blog will be entirely focused on family travel using my family of four. The data indicates
As I write this post in November 2022, I think it’s worth noting that travel isn’t just about “back to normal,” it’s coming back with a vengeance. There are several factors at play here! And it looks like a potential recession isn’t one of them, as people are spending more than ever on travel!
What I Wore On My Family Vacation In Northern Michigan
With travel opportunities lacking or very difficult in 2020 and 2021, this has left people wanting to travel more than ever. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder! In addition to this drive to travel, many are actually finding themselves with more money in their travel budget left over from canceled trips and the impossibility of travel, resulting in record crowds in many popular destinations this fall, with no end in sight. Everyone is dying to book flights!
But now, let’s talk about this year. 2022 has been a wild ride, to say the least! During the first half of the year, many American families were still hesitant to travel (especially abroad) mainly due to travel restrictions and hassles that came with moving. I can tell you that there was nothing more stressful than making an appointment at a random CVS in Tallahassee to get a nasal bulb on our way to Cape Canaveral for our cruise to the Bahamas, only to find out the next day that they were missing my sample. Fortunately, a kind pharmacist in St. Augustine came to my rescue and settled the matter less than 24 hours before our cruise departed.
I know that my experience was not unique and that the fear of situations like mine means that for most of 2022 there is still an opportunity to find great places and discounts for family travel. It was so easy to book a trip last minute and I knew my wheels were constantly spinning as I planned (mostly imaginary) trip for my family after trip. We were so tied up with school and sports schedules, it made me wish (just for a minute) that we could homeschool the kids!
But the travel industry has changed dramatically in the past few months and some clear trends have emerged, showing us what to expect when planning a family vacation in 2023. I have personally encountered many hurdles and higher prices than ever before when trying to plan trips. During the school holidays, so much so that we are going to Europe next week because, frankly, it was cheaper than elsewhere (mainly the Caribbean and Mexico). We even gave up on a tropical vacation
