How to Plan a Stress-Free Family Vacation
Planning a family vacation can be a time-consuming process, but there are certain things you can do to make it easier.
Start Early. Start considering vacation decisions much earlier than you think you should. For instance, if you want to go on a trip in February, start planning in August. Accommodations seem to book up much more quickly in the post- COVID era.
Make it activity based. When planning a family trip, I think its easiest to focus on the kind of activity you want to do and then narrow down the destination. Activity-based trips are excellent for families as they give everyone something to look forward to. Your activity doesn't have to be something adventurous like surfing; it could be golfing, hiking, or even French fry tasting.
Find convenient lodging. When looking for accommodation with young children, it's worth splurging on location. Find the most reasonable option within walking distance of wherever you plan to go, such as the beach or restaurants. If you are looking for a hotel that accommodates four to five people, using search terms such as "apartment hotel," "suites," "villa," and "family room" can help narrow down your internet search.
Review the tours. I always start with a google search and then check Viator. Always cross-reference what you find with TripAdvisor or another review based web site. Take the reviews with a grain of salt, but do read them. If 9/10 users give something a bad rating, it was probably not a good experience. Pay close attention to where the tours depart from and how convenient they are for families. If you find one person who says the French food at the Mexican resort was terrible, you can ignore that person's opinion.
Make a loose plan. Once you have your tours, loosely plan your day. Plan for two activities a day, one big and one small, with a rest break in between. If your kids have been active, don't feel bad about giving them some downtime with devices in the middle of the day while you also relax with a book or a cocktail. Its easier to cancel and activity than it is to wake up with kids raring to go while you try and drink your coffee and come up with a plan.
Commit to the flight. When booking flights, the fastest option is not always the best. Allow for at least an hour layover, preferably more, so your kids can run around and you can eat before you get to the next destination. This is particularly important if you are returning to the US from abroad and need extra time to go through customs.
Pre-book transportation if possible. If you know you aren't renting a car and will need transportation somewhere, go ahead and book it. Don't show up at the airport with hungry, tired children and try to figure it out. Your hotel or Airbnb host can usually help you with this.
If all of this sounds like too much and you want to take the trip but don't want to spend time planning it, hire a service like Trip Well Planned to help you.
Happy Planning!
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