The complete Guide to Family Travel
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Chapter 1: Planning the ideal Family Vacation
For many people trying to organize a family vacation can be almost as stressful as when you decide to move home or start a new career. There are many factors which need to be taken into consideration to ensure that every body in the family gets the most out of this vacation. So why not sit down with every one and discuss what they would like to do whilst on vacation you will be surprised just how much everyone’s choices will differ. If you have teenagers they may want to do something a little more adventurous whilst the younger ones may just want to be able to sit by the pool or on the beach each day.
Such factors which will need to be taken into consideration are the ages of those who will be going on the trip. If for example you have small children or babies in the group it may be wise to look at vacation resorts which offer special facilities to keep the children entertained both during the day and at night when you want a break. Many hotels and resorts now offer a children’s club where the kids can go and join in activities with other children of their own age group (thus giving them a chance to make new friends).
Further more when planning a family vacation for all the family it is important that you look at what sort of accommodation the resort is offering you? Most travel companies will now offer you holidays with a wide variety of accommodation which can be tailored to suit your needs and which will come with an all inclusive price for not only the accommodation but any flights or other travel that will be needed (trains, boats etc).
Another issue which will need to be taken into consideration when planning a family vacation is the cost. Luckily today it only takes a couple of clicks of the mouse to find the right sort of vacation that you and your family will truly enjoy and at a price to suit your budget. All you need to do is carry out a search of one of the top search engines such as Yahoo or Google and see what they can offer you.
If you are really looking for something that little bit more special when planning a family vacation why not look at either a cruise or booking yourself in to one of the all inclusive resorts that have been specifically set up with families in mind. There are many companies that if you carry out a search of the internet will be able to provide you with the information you need and in other chapters of this e-book we will look more closely at such subjects as how to make traveling with small children and babies easier, where you should go on holiday with your family, how to plan the perfect holiday itinerary etc.
Chapter 2: Tips to Consider in order to plan the ideal Family Weekend Away
As everyone knows planning a family vacation can be quite stressful and exhausting and hopefully the tips provided below will help to make it less so.
Take an extra day off for your vacation so that you have sufficient time to get everything organized for the weekend. Make sure you have everything up to date on Thursday evening so that you don’t have to answer any calls from the office on Friday.
Even though the kids will not be taking an extra day off make sure that they have all the school work up to date before you leave for the weekend.
When going away for a weekend with the family make sure that you do not have to travel too far. If going by car will take too long, then think about getting a flight instead (certainly in Europe most countries are only a couple of hours flight away and the cost of staying abroad will probably be the same as going some where close to home).
Next accommodation must be carefully chosen should be comfortable and suit everyone’s needs. Remember a weekend break is a time for the whole family to get away and let off steam and relax. Unfortunately this won’t happen if you are stuck in some dive of a motel or hotel. Remember a weekend away is for indulging yourselves.
Whilst away why not arrange to pamper yourself (especially great for the adults and teenagers in the family). Get yourself booked into a spa for a hour or so and enjoy a sauna or a massage. It is important that every one does something that will help to lower stress levels, if you want let the kids eat more and watch TV for a little longer than usual.
Why not when booking the family weekend away book the kid’s a room that is separate from yours and then why not get an early night and lay in till late the next morning.
Remember the whole idea of this family weekend away is to relax and get some much needed rest. So it is wise not to spend time playing sports or games that will exhaust you or gambling at the casino all night. Instead spend most of your time whilst away reading a book, listening to some great music or even just sleeping.
The whole idea of going away for a weekend with the family is so that you can spend time together and what better way is there but than to eat your meals with each other. It does not matter whether you order in or go to a restaurant it is great to rediscover the simple pleasure of spending time with each other.
Some hotels now offer yoga and meditation classes whilst others offer cooking and writing workshops, so why not find one that you think will appeal to the family and see who would like to join you on it. Don’t worry if they all say no, you can still do it yourself.
This tip is one that all the women in the family will love is retail therapy and no family vacation or break will be complete without a little bit of it. So just take a trip to the local mall or market close to where you are staying and spend a little.
Finally, why not just spend time sitting down and talking to each other and find out what is going on each others lives. This will not only strengthen the bonds between the family members but you will all come back feeling and looking much better.
Chapter 3: A few points on how to make traveling with your family easier
When thinking of traveling with your family most people would not agree with the saying “the more the merrier”. But it can be it. It just depends on how you plan it. Traveling with your family can not only be hassle free but be fun as well and below are provided a few tips which hopefully will help to make any family trip or vacation a lot more stress free.
Firstly why not have a meeting with all the family members who will be going on this vacation and ask their opinion of places that they would like to visit and make a short list and from this look at the one which everyone in the family seems to approve of. Also include to plan for fun activities whilst on vacation that the whole family will enjoy.
Why not distribute certain tasks to other members of the family such as when packing (let them pack their own if they are big enough). Give everyone a particular task that they can be responsible for prior to leaving on holiday. Not only will your load be lessened but it will make everyone else feel involved in the vacation.
If you are traveling by car then only pack essential things that you need. Many resorts and amusement parks have strollers that can be hired. Why not transfer shampoo, mouthwash and the like into small plastic containers or even purchase special travel packs of these products (they can be found in most drug stores, chemists and supermarkets today). Although when traveling it does not mean you have to go without, just carry the most important things that you require.
When leaving on your holiday make sure your house is secure, in some places there are companies which will house sit for you whilst you are away. However, if not speak to a neighbor and ask them to keep an eye on the property for you. Finally prior to leaving the house, make sure all electrical appliances have been unplugged and that all windows and doors are secure. If the house has a security alarm fitted then set it as you leave.
Ensure that any medicine that is required is close at hand especially any prescription drugs that need to be taken by any family member (don’t pack it into the bag which will be going into the hold of the aircraft). Include in this medicinal kit place such items as aspirins, insect repellant, bandages etc. Also ensure that you bring enough of the medication required for any particular family that will last the whole of the vacation.
Finally remember your cameras to take pictures and videos of your vacation. Why not give the kids a chance to take some pictures as well and hopefully everyone will get a memorable photo of the vacation. Then when you return why not use these photos to make up a travel journal which can be enjoyed time and time again in the future.
It is important that any trip or vacation you plan with your family should be enjoyable and everyone should have fun. Hopefully the points provided above will help to achieve this.
Chapter 4: Ways to make
flying with Children a
little less stressful
For many parents when arranging a family vacation is to make sure that it will appeal to the whole family. But instead of sticking to all the old favorites such as Disney World etc., why not try for something a little more exotic say go to Costa Rica, Kenya or Australia.
However, when taking any vacation with the family to such exotic places there is one part of the trip that you will need to be prepared for where small children or babies are involved and that is the flight. Even the shortest trip on an aero plane can seem like an eternity to small children and below are provided a few tips to ensure that any flight not just long haul ones can be made that little less stressful.
1. When looking to book a family vacation check with your travel agent and find out which airlines and airports are more child friendly. They can often provide you with details of those airlines (such as Virgin) that provide activity packs and special meals for children whilst on board. However, it should be remembered that children’s meals will need to be booked prior to flying with that particular airline.
2. If you are able to when flying from the UK to the USA then try to arrange as late a flight as possible as this will encourage your children to sleep during the flight. Also when returning from the USA to the UK a flight that lands later in the day or evening will also encourage the kids to go to sleep much sooner (hopefully helping to lessen the effects caused by jet lag).
Chapter 5: Things that need to be taken into consideration when Babies are going on the Family Vacation
For many parents when planning a family vacation that includes young children or babies this can be almost as stressful as if you were planning a battle campaign.
There are many considerations which need to be taken into account when planning the right sort of vacation for the family.
1. When planning the holiday look at which resorts can provide you with special facilities for you baby or child whilst you stay there (such as do they supply the room with cots etc). Do you really want to be sharing your bed with your baby?
2. If you happen to be traveling abroad by flying then you will need to discuss with the airline in question as to where your child or baby will be placed when on the flight. Some flights offer a special cot which a baby can be laid in for the duration of the flight (and these can usually be pre-booked prior to your flight). Whilst some airlines may require you to purchase a separate seat on the flight for children over a particular age (so this additional cost will need to be taken into consideration) when looking at arranging a vacation for your family abroad.
3. When looking at arranging a vacation for the family and you have a baby then it may be wise to find out if any of the resorts you wish to stay at offer a babysitting service. Many resorts which specifically cater towards families will offer such a service, but this will usually be an additional expense which will need to be factored in to the cost of your vacation. However, wouldn’t it be great to know that you can have a pleasant meal one evening with your spouse or partner without having to worry about the baby or kids?
4. When traveling with either a baby or young children it is wise to bring along their own particular feeding bowl and utensils as you will often find that many eating establishments and hotels do not have the right sort of equipment that a young child will need. Also include with this disposal or wipe clean bibs as they are not only very convenient when you are traveling but will cut down on the laundry you need to do whilst away.
5. Should you ask an establishment to warm through either food or milk for your child then be sure that you check its temperature when it comes back, unfortunately many restaurant staff and cabin crews are busy and may overheat the food by mistake? Also it may be wise to inform the restaurant staff or cabin crew that you will need food or milk warmed up well before it is actually required.
6. As you can well imagine it may be difficult to get feeding equipment sterilized whilst traveling and therefore look for products that are now available which will assist you whilst on your vacation such as microwave sterilizer bags through to disposable bottle liners which you will find available in most baby equipment stores.
7. Also don’t forget those all important scented nappy bags, for when you have to change a baby in an emergency and there are no facilities close at hand. You really do not want a nappy stinking out the car until you can get rid of it in a bin. These are also a great place for putting baby’s and kid’s dirty clothes into before you can wash them.
8. Other items which are essential on any vacation where both babies and children are concerned and should be taken with you are sun protection items such as hats and creams or lotions. Also why not invest in a small battery operated nightlight which as well as being a comfort to your child when they are asked to sleep in a strange place, but if you should happen to be breastfeeding, you don’t want to find yourself falling over everything in a dark hotel room and waking the rest of the family up.
9. Also why not consider bringing along your child’s favorite blanket which will hopefully provide them with some comfort and reassurance whilst staying in unfamiliar surroundings. They are also great for helping to provide a shield against light whilst traveling on a plane.
Chapter 6: How to survive when traveling with Children
How many times will parents hear those fateful words when traveling with children and which they all dread to hear “Are we there yet?” or “Mom, he’s hitting me” along with “I’ve got to go!” and finally yet again “Aren’t we There Yet?”
For many, these phrases drive fear into any parent’s heart and make them wonder why they ever decided a family vacation would be a good idea.
But hopefully the ideas provided below will help in making traveling with your children a little less stressing and much enjoyable for them.
If you happen to be going on a driving holiday then whenever possible travel at night and let the kids sleep in the back. However, be aware that it is easy to become tired when driving at night and when ever you begin to feel sleepy then roll down the window, or play some music (not too loud to wake the kids)or just find a nice quiet safe place where you can pull over and take a short 20 minute nap.
It is vital that whenever planning any road trip where kids are involved that you arrange to stop every 90 minutes or so and by planning your travel itinerary well in advance you will be able to note those places which offer kid friendly places such as parks with playgrounds, historic monuments or areas of natural beauty where you can park up and get out of the car and walk around for a few minutes. Not only giving the kids a break (about 15 minutes will do) to walk or run around as this will not only stop them fidgeting in the back of the car but will work off some of that pent up energy they have.
Why not include in the car some sing along tapes or CD’s for them. Although you may find your kid’s groaning at your attempts to sing along to the music that is playing they will soon join in especially if it is songs they know well.
If you want to do something really special for your kids then why not make up goodie bags for them which include such things as travel toys and games, bubbles, pens and pencils and colouring books. Not only will this cut down on the amount of arguing about sharing things, but it will make each child feel that little more special. Some items that can be given to them that will be particularly useful when you stop for a break is as a Frisbee or ball for them to throw and run around which will help get rid of some of that excess energy they will have from being sat in the car for long periods of time.
Finally look at items which can be used for quiet time in the car when traveling, may be for the older ones you could give them a small notebook into which they can write about their trip. Why not think about buying some small inexpensive personal CD players for each child so that they can listen to their own kind of music rather than what you prefer. It is a good idea to supply each child with their own backpack or box where they can keep all their particular travel items and which will be easily accessible to them when traveling.
Chapter 7: Travel Board Games
Keep the Kid’s Amused and Quiet
Whenever you go on a family vacation one part of it that no one really enjoys is the time spent traveling. But one way of making sure that the kids are busy in the back of the car or on a long plane journey is to bring some travel board games with you.
Certainly for many years now board games have been a great way for family and friends to spend time together and they are ideal to encourage children to communicate, use their imagination as well as teaching the about winning and losing.
Such travel board games that should be considered are as follows:-
Scrabble Travel. This is always popular with kid’s and adults alike and because the board is recessed the pieces are held in place and do not move around. Also it is great that when you stop for a break you can stop and then resume the game when you get back. The board is compact and has its own carrying case so it will not take up too much space in your luggage. The kid’s will become so engrossed in producing words that the time traveling will pass much quicker (or so it seems to them).
However, for those children you are a little younger you can also get travel versions of Hungry Hippos, Connect 4, Guess Who and many others. As you will see each travel board game comes in its own compact carrying case (both for easy use and storage).
In fact many toy manufacturers have recognized the need for travel board games and have now developed combination sets as well. In one you may have Chinese Checkers on one side and a Chess game on the other. These travel editions always have magnetic counters and roll-o-matic dices (so even if the ride becomes a little bumpy the game can carry on as normal).
However, if you want to go a little more high tech then you can also get electronic versions of popular board games such as Battleship’s and Connect Four. Though many people find that this kinds of games are better suite to single player’s and many parents often complain that the screens are too small and may cause strain to their child’s eyes. Plus do you really want to be sat in your car or next to someone on a plane and here that awful beeping noise etc., whilst you are trying to get some rest.
If you want to go even further with regards to electronic games then you have the choice of both Nintendo, Playstation and Game Boy as a another option to take with you when traveling with kid’s (many of these now come with headphones supplied so you no longer will you have to listen to the beeps and bangs as they play their games).
You will soon discover either when you visit your local toy store or by going on the web just how many different types of miniature board games there are specially designed for travel in mind.
So why not visit your local toy store today and see what travel games they can offer you. You may even want to take a look online before you go on your next family vacation.
Chapter 8: Why not consider an all inclusive package family vacation
In this chapter we will look at why you might consider taking an all inclusive family vacation and how to go about planning one.
As you will soon discover an all inclusive family vacation can not only be fun for the whole family but a more convenient way of spending vacation time together. With such vacations you can often spend a week or two with your family in more exciting locations without having to worry about planning schedules, transportation or having to work out how much all those little extras are going to cost. You only pay one price once for each member of the family and then you can go ahead and enjoy your vacation.
Today more and more families are turning to an all inclusive family vacation not only because they can fit it to suit their budget but there are a wide variety of resorts that they can go to. Certainly in the US more and more families are looking at Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii to provide them with a relaxing but fun family vacation. However, there are many more resorts that offer all inclusive family vacations such the Rocky Mountains and Disneyland in both California and Florida.
However, if you wish to make an all inclusive family vacation truly memorable then plan it with all members of your family. By taking time to plan such a vacation you will not only be ensuring that the whole family has fun whilst away, but they will also learn more about the world around them, thus ensuring that you all get the most from your vacation.
The first thing to make a decision on when planning an all inclusive family vacation is to look at the locations available. Remember you need to take in to consideration both the amount of budget you have and also any time constraints on when you can travel. There are certain times of the year when it is better to take a family vacation than at others. If for example you decide to take the vacation in Florida at the time when schools are taking their vacation periods then be prepared to pay almost and sometimes even double what you would pay if you went there outside of these periods. In fact the best time to take a holiday anywhere in the US is between April and May and September and November as rates during these periods are more affordable compared to those that you would expect to pay in high season months.
Also when looking to book an all inclusive family vacation it is wise to check that there are no age limitations in regard to children as there may be some resorts that only have activities which are suitable for older children. If say you were taking a vacation where rafting is involved you may find the youngest age of child they allow will be about 10 years of age, so this kind of holiday will not really be suitable for those families whose children are younger than this.
If you can look resorts which have been specifically designed with children in mind and offers a selection of activities for them, how safe they will be when carrying out any of these activities, what other kinds of entertainment are available and what kinds of foods they have to offer children. Also with these kinds of sites you have the chance to meet other families with children the same age as your own, which may turn a good vacation into a great one.
Finally before you choose your all inclusive family resort see what is included in the package price? Unfortunately a lot of these all inclusive family vacations can be expensive, but any parent who has already taken such a vacation is that you will get lots of fun for your money. Usually most package prices include flights and transportation to and from the airport, accommodation, basic activities, the use of sports and leisure equipment, all meals at the resort; some will include transportation for you to visit local places of interest.
Really the best thing about taking a all inclusive family vacation is the convenience and comfort offered to both parents and kids a like. So with a little imagination planning a vacation for the whole family can be fun and exciting as well as a great way for the family to spend time together.
Chapter 9: Ways to make the family vacation to Disney World
a pleasant experience
A family vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida can be one of the most memorable for the whole family. However, for many parents the thought of arranging a vacation to Disney World can seem extremely intimidating because of the cost aspects involved. However, below are some simple tips for planning such a trip and which should not only make such a vacation hassle free but will help with saving you money.
Firstly you need to consider what kind of accommodation you want to stay in during your vacation? Not only are there the expensive all star resorts at Disney World but you will soon see that there are many reasonably priced hotels close to the resort it all depends on what kind of budget you have.
If the decision is to stay at one of the Disney World hotels such as the Boardwalk Inn you will often find that they provide a list of when special events are taking place at the hotel. Many of these hotels will have Disney Characters appear at them during certain times of the day when your child or children can have their photos taken with them and get their autographs. A good tip to remember is if you wish to attend one of the breakfasts that the Walt Disney hotels offer to which Disney Characters attend it would be wise to book this in advance (preferably on the day you arrive at the resort or even pre-book when booking your vacation).
Another good tip is to book your passes for visiting the various different entertainment parks at Disney World prior to leaving. In some respects you may find that this can save you money. Also why not go that little extra and arrange to have a Key to the World card which means no worry about having to carry money with you when visiting the different theme parks as everything can be charged to this and be paid off when you leave at the end of your holiday. Also forget about carrying all the souvenirs that you have brought during the day, with the Key to the World card all you need do is show it to the sales representative and they will arrange for the goods to be delivered direct to your hotel suite.
For many people when visiting Disney World they can soon find it very exhausting and arrange to take some time out to relax. One of the great things about Disney World is that it is prepared to deal with the needs of small children and there are many facilities available to parents with young and small children such as crèches, changing facilities as well as babysitting services (however such services need to be booked in advance).
When doing the tour of the theme parks here are a couple of tips that were useful when I visited the resorts with my family.
1. If you can attend Animal Kingdom first thing in the morning and go on the safari as soon as you arrive. Unfortunately as the day gets hotter most of the animals go into hiding to get away from the heat.
2. Should you find the ride that you want to go on is busy, then go to one of the fast track machines and pick up a fast track pass. This gives you a time to return to that ride and all you do is go into the fast track lane and you will almost certainly get on the right straight away (no having to hang around in queues for hours on end).
3. Also look at using the “Baby Swap” service them many of the theme park rides have. What happens is whilst one adult stays with the baby or small child the other goes on the ride and then after they come back they swap places.
