10 Tips For Planning Your Family Trip

Traveling is good, but traveling with your friends and family is even better! It’s a great way to get closer and know them better. Everyone comes out more united after experiencing an adventure together. It is important to take certain precautions to avoid boring and conflict-inducing situations.

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So check out these 10 tips for planning your family trip.

1. Involve everyone

The trip starts at the planning itself. So get ideas from all those joining the trip. Ask for their likes and dislikes. Know their expectations. Ask these questions: Where would they like to go? Do they prefer a warm or cold place? What would they like to do? If there are disagreements, try to hear out everyone’s side and negotiate.

Read more: Things To Consider When Choosing Your Next Family Vacation Destination

2. Think of activities for all

Once you’ve gathered all of the interests of those joining, plan out the activities. In the list of activities, make sure that at least one of the activities would be enjoyed by all of those who will be joining the trip. But make sure to add some personal flair and flavor to the trip as well. It is important that each person has the “your” moment on the family trip.

3. Organize all Documents

You will be handling a lot of documents during the trip. And being organized will be your friend here. From passports to tickets, to passes, you will need to have easy access to these all the time.

Make sure also to check if there is a need for extra documentation, especially if you are with children 12 years and below. My tip: have a water-resistant clear folder to hold all of your documents. And prepare extra copies also.

Wellington’s: Guys, we were not allowed to check in on our Johannesburg flight because I didn’t have Parental Consent when I traveled with my kids alone (without my husband). So organizing documents is very important!

4. Do as much as possible in advance

The more you prepare before the trip, the more you can enjoy the during. Buy any ticket needed during the trip in advance. This can ensure you get the most convenient times and the best prices for your planned activities.

5. Depart rested

The trip starts way ahead of your departure date. It may be difficult, but it is worth packing two days before and having the detail of the trip checked and rechecked days ahead. This allows you some peace of mind before you leave the house.

Having a well-rested body and a calm disposition allows you to think clearly whenever there are last-minute changes or cancellations. So be sure to take a rest before the trip. You’ll have more energy to go through all the things you have planned out.

6. Research your destination

Lookup for more information about your destination. You can check online review websites about experiences of similar groups in the places you will be going to. You can call your hotel to ask for more information to make sure you are able to customize your experiences to your group. Your questions should be geared towards improving your trip such as ensuring safe spaces for children and elderly, easy access to food and transportation, and being away from noisy establishments.

Read more: Tips for Safe Travel with Young Children

7. Get Vaccinated

There are certain destinations that you will be required specific vaccines. Make sure that all those joining should get their vaccinations prior to the trip. With a particular focus on the children, you need to make sure that you are safe from any untoward health risks when going on a trip. It will be a total buzzkill if you expose yourself to health risks that are otherwise preventable.

Added tip: keep a record of vaccination cards of your family and make sure they are up-to-date with their vaccination requirements.

8. Prepare for Emergencies

We can never predict emergencies. So, it is best to come prepared. Make sure you carry at all times the essentials: some cleaning kit, extra clothes, extra cash, medicine, toiletries, and medicine. Check if anybody has special needs or special diets, so that you can check beforehand how to deal with them during the trip. Noting hospital locations, emergency phone numbers, and police contacts in your destination could make or break you during these tough times.

9. Delegate tasks

Taking care of everything is stressful and can make you forget things. So distribute responsibilities among the family. The son, for example, who likes maps can be responsible for taking navigations and directions. He can check how the city is in Google Street View and note the distances between road, hotel, and sights.

A more methodical and responsible person can take care of documents, passes, and tickets. The one with an interest in photography can be in charge of documenting the whole trip. Each member can use their own skills to maximize the total experience.

10. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to have fun. It is always good to stay on top of things, to always have things under control. That’s what the planning is about. But again, things can go awry easily. And that should be ok. Just go with the flow – if things do not go as planned, then treat it as a new adventure. Laugh it off, and just enjoy the trip. That’s the best way to go traveling with your family.

What are other tips when planning a family trip?

About the author:

Bernard M. Miller is a professional blogger. He contributes different ideas to various blogs to improve his writing portfolio. He is working with The Leather Makers, a premium brand that provides Custom Leather Jackets at a reasonable price.

*Content edited for clarity | Originally posted on April 26, 2019 | Updated on June 7, 2019

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