After the last year or so, a good portion of families in the US is going to need a vacation. Going on vacation is a great way to decompress and get a pleasant change in scenery that can provide an incredibly rejuvenating and revitalizing mental health renewal. Planning a vacation, however, can be one of the most significant barriers to having a carefree getaway. 

Vacations for the whole family are even more complex. Not only do you need to consider where the clan is going to go and what everyone is going to want to do, but you’ll need to consider where they don’t want to go and things they don’t want to do as well. There are financial concerns, travel preparations, and more. It can be one of the most stressful and even frustrating things to plan. In the end, though, it’s almost always worth it. We have compiled a list of the most useful steps and tips for helping you plan your next family vacation. 

Decide Where You’re Going

This should be the first thing you do since too many people let their budget define where they can go. But for a change of pace, decide where you want to go first. This lets you take a little more freedom when considering your family’s vacation destination. Talk to your family about what kind of vacation they want, what they want out of it, what experiences they would like to have. You may find that there is more commonality than you think.

Figure Out Your Budget

Now that you know, or at least have an idea, of where you’d all like to go, start figuring out how much you will need to have saved to make that vacation happen. Your budget can be expanded or reduced by fairly significant amounts depending on when you plan to take your vacation. Be sure you research local activities and experiences and what they will cost. Transportation is also a major factor in vacations, so be sure your travel costs are all fully accounted for. 

Buy Your Tickets

If you are leaving the transportation up to someone else, take this time to buy your airline or train tickets for the dates and locations that you will be visiting. If you will be driving to your destination, or using a rental car while at your vacation location, make sure you have placed those reservations far in advance so that there are no issues when you walk in to pick up your vehicle. 

Book Your Accommodations

Options for family-friendly vacation accommodations are nearly endless. No matter where you plan on going, you can nearly always find local hotels, resorts, even a rental house or cabin can be had depending on location. If you stay at a hotel, be sure to investigate potential discounts on local attractions, as many locations will offer coupons or discounts for those who book rooms at their establishments. Some even have on-site water parks or other attractions that the kids will love, which also reduces the need for travel.

Make Your Family’s Safety A Priority

This is an incredibly unique time to be taking vacations, and in many places, you will need to go through additional steps to ensure that your family is safe and protected, as well as able to legally visit some locations. Make sure you have any vaccinations that may be required by your destination, as well as any time-sensitive tests that may be required in areas more heavily affected by the pandemic. Take this time to inquire about the sanitation and cleaning protocols of your accommodations as well. 

Make Arrangements For Any Special Needs

If you will be traveling with any family member that may require medication for radical pain relief, may have potentially dangerous food allergies, or other special needs that need to be addressed, be sure to discuss this with the location or locations where you’ll be staying. If you feel like your child may need medicine that you can only get near your home, or something that they prefer, like Genexa’s cough medicine for kids, for instance, be sure you travel with a sufficient quantity.

Plan Your Activities And Events

While you will certainly want to establish a plan for what you want to do and when don’t be too rigid. Sometimes the most enjoyable vacations lack any formal structure. In some cases, you may just want to wake up without an alarm, spend some “you time” with your Gorilla Bow fitness equipment to start the day right, then just see where your vacation destination takes you. However, if there are special events or excursions your family wants to take part in, you should be sure to schedule those to make sure you can partake.

Make Sure You’re Ready To Travel

When you have kids, this is one of the most challenging steps. Making sure you have everything you need before you hit the road can be a mind-bending and nerve-wracking task. Start with the big things. If you are traveling internationally, for example, make sure you have current and valid passports for everyone, before you start worrying about music from your favorite artists to play during the journey. Many people don’t realize that you will need a passport that will be valid for at least another six months in most international travel situations. 

Get The Kids Ready

If the destination needs a long car ride or a lengthy flight or train ride, it will pay dividends to take a little time to prepare your kids for the excursion. If it’s a first, let them know what the general airport, train station, or road trip experience will be like, and how they will need to behave or act. Be sure to impress upon them the importance of staying nearby, and be sure to download a few apps or kids games to help keep them occupied during the voyage.

Pack

The last step before leaving is often one of the most stressful. Make sure you have created a checklist of everything you will need, far in advance of your travel date, to ensure you have plenty of time to add things to the list you may have forgotten. Even if you have a checklist and have marked off every pair of Mallary by Matthew underwear you’ve packed, it can still feel like you are forgetting something. This is normal, and once you pass this step, you can usually take a solid breath of relief.

Travel

This step can add some stress too, but in most cases it’s entirely manageable and reasonable. Whether you’re going by plane, train, or automobile, once you finally head out, it’s official. You’re on vacation, you just need to get there. Take this time to start letting yourself relax and unclench.

Relax & Enjoy

Once you’ve arrived at your vacation destination, you can breathe that full sigh of relief. It’s really real now, you are finally, fully, on your well-earned and meticulously planned family vacation. Go with the flow, have fun, and don’t worry about squeezing too much out of your stay. Don’t think about work, don’t think about anything but finding your joy.