Planning for your first family travel experience is likely one of the biggest travel-related decisions you’ll ever make. Ensuring you create a vacation that every member of the family will enjoy – most notably yourself! – can be a daunting task. With a little planning and preparation, taking your first family vacation can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can have, one you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Let’s take a look at some things to consider before you make your plans.
- Pick a family-friendly destination – This may seem like a no-brainer, but there’s a difference between places that are family-friendly and those which actually cater to them. Many resorts, for instance, have activities specifically catered to children, and may also offer child care services to ensure that children enjoy their stay as much as possible. Look to strike a balance between their enjoyment and yours.
- Choose your activities – It may be tempting to bring a young child to an expensive theme park, but ask yourself: will they enjoy it more than a trip to a beach? It all depends on the age of the children, of course, but young children might enjoy chasing seagulls just as much as meeting a character at a tourist attraction. Always choose your destination activities with your children in mind.
- Pack wisely – Travelling with young kids can feel like moving an army at the best of times, and going on a trip is no different. There will, of course, be things you will absolutely need to take with you – such as strollers and car seats – but one area you can scrimp is on clothing. Your child won’t mind wearing the same outfit several times, and taking advantage of local laundry services is a great way to mitigate the sheer number of items you need to travel with. As well, many staples such as sunscreen are likely available at your destination, so determine what items you can pick up on arrival instead of bringing them from home.
- Air travel – If your child has never flown before, ensure they have activities to keep them occupied during the flight. Coloring books, reading material and games are a great way to accomplish this. As well, if appropriate for their age, consider bringing chewing gum – it’ll help reduce ear pain caused by pressure changes.
Planning and preparation are the keys to enjoying your first family travel experience. With the right destination in mind, carefully-chosen activities and proper packing, your family vacation will be one to remember.