Family Travel Made Easy: Tips for Stress-Free Vacations

A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. While vacations are supposed to rejuvenate us from our everyday lives, they can also be stressful at times. Thus, a major consideration for vacations being able to unplug and enjoy them. The following guest post is entitled, Family Travel Made Easy: Tips for Stress-Free Vacations.

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Traveling as a family can sometimes feel like it’s more trouble than it’s worth. After all, who among us has not experienced either an in-flight or in-car melt-down, potty accidents, and much more? These all-too-common situations usually make the adults question their sanity about even attempting such an experience. However, with the right kind of preparation and a good mindset, you can travel with your family (kids or dogs) and still create an enjoyable experience, which might turn out to be a beloved core memory for your family. Read on to learn more on how to keep vacations stress-free:

Plan Well & Do It Together

If your kids are old enough, and you are okay with them having input on your vacation, start the entire planning process together. This can give kids a sense of ownership that will help them feel a part of what you are planning. This type of personal investment will, in turn, make them much more likely to engage in activities and contribute positively. This also goes for significant others. Make sure that the whole family is involved in deciding on a destination and activities. Of course, it’s impossible to please everyone in the family 100%, but even if you compromise, allowing each member to play some role in planning will greatly enhance the experience for the entire group.

Have an Overall Goal

It’s important to define what your goal is for your vacation. You might say, well, who sets a goal for vacation? However, if you don’t, then each person might enter into the process with an entirely different purpose and outlook, which will only cause conflict. Therefore, talk about the goal of your vacation beforehand, which will obviously alter what you book in terms of activities and where you stay. For example, ask your family if the goal of their vacation is downtime, meaning no planned activities, reading on the beach, just relaxing, or if it’s more planned and organized, like scuba diving or going hiking. If you find that half your family wants to sleep in and spend time without an agenda while the other half prefers to have activities throughout the day, then you might have to split up at some point. Alternatively, you can take turns, meaning you will have some days that are scheduled and some that aren’t to accommodate both preferences.

Pack Well and Thoroughly

Once you know where you are going and presumably what activities you will be doing, you can move on to packing. Yes, this will involve packing what you are wearing. However, for a stress-free experience, packing should also include some items that will prevent meltdowns and injuries or treat them if they occur. Therefore, the following are good extra items you will want to gather to ensure that your experience after you leave home is as stress-free as possible:

● Small first aid kit. There is always a risk of a scrapped knee or cut finger. Make sure you have this with you to address these issues.

● Snacks for the drive or trip. No matter if you are flying or you are driving, you want to have snacks at the ready. No need to create a hangry situation where meltdowns are almost certain.

● Travel documents. Make sure you have your passport and any other necessary documentation either downloaded on your phone or have a physical copy. You don’t want to be searching for your reservation or flight number at a ticket desk. Instead, have all this organized and ready to go.

● Sunscreen. Obviously, you will want to pack sunscreen if you are going to the beach. However, even if you aren’t, if you plan on being outside, it’s a good idea to have sunscreen on hand. Getting sunburned is super easy to do even on overcast days, and when on vacation, we tend to spend more time outdoors than we would do working, so make sure your skin is protected.

● Charger for electronics. During your journey, electronics will likely be your saving grace. Make sure that you have chargers for all your devices, so you can juice them up and have them ready to go the next time they are needed.

● Pack a separate bag for traveling issues. Make sure you have a separate bag with wipes and a change of clothes in case you have to change while on your way to your destination. Of course, this is wise with small children, but even older kids can spill drinks on their tops, so having a change of clothes is ideal for everyone. Add the wipes to take care of whatever mess might have caused the problem.

Allow For Stops and Interruptions

Part of having a stress-free experience when traveling is being flexible and being willing to go with the flow. You cannot anticipate every single stop you will need to make, the traffic conditions, the flight schedule, and more. Therefore, go into the experience almost expecting the unexpected. Then, when it happens, gather your family and determine to make the best of it. If you have to detour out of the way due to traffic, look for a fun restaurant to stop at on your new route; if you have to stop for an unexpected potty break, consider looking in the nearby area for a shop or two to explore (if you don’t mind adding some time to your journey). This will get you all up and out of the car, allow you to stretch your legs, and give you renewed energy for the next leg of your journey.

Embrace The Experience

Last but certainly not least, to have a stress-free vacation, make time to embrace the experience. Take it in. Breathe deep, cleansing breaths. Look around you, talk to your kids. Enjoy your dog’s unbridled joy as they run through the surf. Try to commit your experience to memory. Keep in mind that the point of your journey is to spend time with your family. So, as much as possible, get off your device, take your kids off theirs, and engage with each other. Do something fun together, something perhaps even a bit scary, and get to know each other even better. Don’t put pressure on your kids, but instead, take it all off of them and yourself and simply live in the moment. This is truly how to have a stress-free family vacation.

Ashley Nielsen

Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.

How To Successfully Plan Your Itinerary For A Family Vacation

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Health/Wellness. Vacations are important for our health and wellbeing. Properly planning them out is important though. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Successfully Plan Your Itinerary For A Family Vacation.

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Photo by Pixabay

Planning a family vacation is an exciting thing to do. However, the success of your family vacation largely depends on the activities that you plan for it.

This is why you need to make sure that you plan out your itinerary carefully for your trip. Planning your itinerary requires some special consideration. Here is a look at the best way to go about doing it.

Start With Your Budget

Having a clear budget is the best way to start planning your itinerary. There is very little you can do without a proper budget. Once you know how much money you can spend at any given time throughout the trip the easier it will be to plan your itinerary.

Make sure you plan out your source of funding and how you will access it while you are on your trip.

Make a List

Make a rough draft of all the places that you want to go while you are on your vacation. Once you have created your list, you can then check out all the prices you will need to pay to visit these places.

Consider how much you will pay for transportation and accommodations where necessary. Taking all these things into consideration will help you to narrow down your list based on the budget that you have already created.

Choose the Right Season

You need to select the season that is best for you to travel. Remember, that most travel destinations have what is known as a high season.

This high season happens around summer or Christmas time. These are some of the most exciting times to travel but they are also the most crowded at the airports, and also at your destination.

If you don’t like crowds and value your privacy then the low season is probably best. It will be a lot more relaxing, but in some destinations, the weather may not be as great as in the high season.

Do Your Research

Before you start planning your itinerary you need to do your research on the location where you will be going. Find out about the safety of certain locations that you are interested in visiting.

Research the transportation options that are available, For example, you can get a Louisville charter coach co if you are in that area to you to make your trip a comfortable one. If your vacation is out of the country you need to know where your country’s embassy is located and also the nearest police stations to the places you will be visiting.

Having all this knowledge will ensure your safety and security.

Start Planning

Having a firm understanding of your budget, the places you want to visit and how much it will cost are important factors when considering your budget.

Deciding on the right season for your vacation and securing proper accommodations is a must. Also, consider your safety and security as well when planning your itinerary. Doing all these things will ensure that your vacation is a good one.

Bucket List Holidays That are Within Reach

A key focus of my blog is Health and Wellness. A key part of our personal health is taking vacations. Vacations not only renew our personal health but in many instances the destinations are lifelong dreams. The following contributed post is entitled, Bucket List Holidays That are Within Reach.

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Image credit – Pixabay

We all have a list, either written down or somewhere in our minds – what we would do if we won the lottery, if that big investment comes through, if we are suddenly gifted with a huge inheritance from a long-lost relative. It will be different for everyone, but top of many people’s lists is a fabulous holiday. Well, it might be time to seize the day. Below, we’ve listed some top, bucket list destinations that might be within reach even before you make it big. Read on to find out how you can enjoy a luxury vacation without breaking the bank.

1. Yachting

If you’re dreaming about turquoise waters, hopping between islands that look like paradise, being brought champagne on ice whilst enjoying the sunset over the ocean, then a corporate yacht charter is the dream holiday for you. If sunbathing on deck whilst sipping on a cocktail and enjoying the open water is your idea of heaven, then look into a yachting holiday for your next escape. There are some excellent value-for-money packages – which doesn’t mean scrimping on quality one bit. You can enjoy the Rockstar lifestyle, cruising between tropical islands. The ultimate celebration of a lifetime.

2. Safari

There are plenty of reasons a safari is top of so many people’s list of dream holiday destinations. Experiencing an entirely different way of life and seeing animals that you’ve only encountered before in zoos or onscreen. If you love travel and wildlife, then an African safari is the perfect getaway for you. You will be embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, and doing so surrounded by spectacular landscapes and animals in their natural habitats. Even if you just want to relax in nature, you can do so, and there are plenty of safari options to suit every budget.

3. The Pyramids

If you are looking for an experience on vacation that will take your breath away and is truly stunning, then look no further than a trip to explore the Egyptian pyramids. There’s a reason these huge stone monuments are listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – seeing the feat of human building and engineering in a time before machinery is truly awe-inspiring. There is so much history in the stones and it’ll be an educational trip for kids as well. Do your research and find out whether an Egyptian adventure is the perfect vacation for you (with or without the kids)!

4. Blue Lagoon

Swimming in the bluest lagoons you’ll ever see in Iceland is an unforgettable experience. The water is heated so, although you’ll be surrounded by snow and ice, you can relax and unwind in the warm water, looking out over the unspoilt, snowy landscape. Not only that, but while you’re in Iceland, you can catch another natural phenomenon that makes it onto many people’s bucket lists – and that’s the chance to experience the Northern Lights. Many people dream for years about standing beneath the curtains of light in the sky so, if that appeals, take the opportunity and book this once-in-a-lifetime trip.