I originally titled this "How to Plan a Successful Family Vacation". However, don't we all do that? Noone sets out and plans a vacation to fail. When we plan vacations we always have it worked out in our mind what it will be like. If we are honest, we build it up in our minds more than the realm of possibility. So here are five things you can do together to help your family vacation be a success.
1. Set a budget. Yes, I just used the "B" word. Hear me out. This is not meant to be a killjoy. Nothing ruins a vacation like a money fight. If you start with this step it will make the planning process so much smoother.
I know how it works in my family. We agree we want to go to a place with an ocean and sand. I am thinking an all-inclusive at a five-star resort for 10 days. My wife is thinking a house rental on the beach. My kids might be thinking hotel with all the amenities. None of that matters if we are vacationing with a 3-night camping budget. You will enjoy that camping trip more if you are not comparing it to that trip you can not afford.
Nothing will make you despise any vacation more than making credit card payments for that trip the next two years. This step effects, not only this vacation but future vacations as well. If you are still paying for last year's vacation then your budget for this vacation will be limited even more. Set a realistic budget and plan the best vacation you can for that budget.
2. Decide on the type of vacation. If one person is thinking mountain resort, someone else is thinking beach, and someone else is thinking rodent-infested theme park you have some work to do. If one person hears vacation and immediately thinks Mai Tai's under a beach umbrella and another person thinks daily sightseeing tours every day there will be some conflict if some expectations are not communicated ahead of time. This can be very difficult and often requires some give and take. With the proper planning ahead of time, you can often do some of each.
3. Decide on a location. This step is so important and is a natural outflow of the previous two steps. Here are some questions to consider when deciding on a location. How much of my budget and how many vacation days do I want to spend on travel? Would it be better to fly or drive? If you have small children, that question is the million-dollar question because both options present very unique benefits and challenges. If we fly, will we rent a car or just use public transportation? For example, if you vacation to Park City, Utah, you do not need to rent a car. Their public transportation system is fantastic and it is free.
What do the reviews say? Don't take one bad review very seriously, but if you see a pattern do not expect a different experience than those 500 one-star reviewers. What time of year are you traveling? Do you really want to tempt fate with a trip to southern Florida during hurricane season? Do you want to walk around that theme park in the middle of August? Could we save money and still have a great time by going during the off-season? Is the location in line with what we decided in the first two steps?
4. Make a plan. I know some of my fellow free spirits are saying, "A plan, on vacation, really?" Yes, make a plan. Remember that budget we talked about in step 1? This is where you get to have fun with that budget. You have decided on your type of vacation and where it will take place. You know how much your travel and accommodations are going to cost. You know how much money and how much time you have left. What are you going to do with it? If you happen to have a planner and a free spirit on the same trip this step is vital.
Here are some things your plan needs to include. Meals: how often are you eating out and how many meals are you preparing in your room? How many fast food, mid-level, and high-end restaurants will we visit based on our budget? Activities: how much time and how much money will you spend on activities, sight-seeing, excursions, and shopping? Decide how many and what days will have something planned and how much time will be for relaxing and open free time. Remember, your plan is just a plan. When you arrive on your vacation don't forget to do step 5.
5. Have fun by being flexible. The world does not always cooperate with our perfectly laid out plans. Keep your schedule as flexible as possible. You might be dealing with adverse weather conditions, jet lag, or illness. You might think you want to spend your entire vacation on the run, but once your brain hits vacation mode, you might decide another afternoon or two sitting by the pool is what you need. If you are traveling with children and teens, they might say they want to go the entire time, but they still need rest too. Unless dealing with emotional meltdowns is your idea of a good time, leave some margin in your plan. You don't have to see and do everything an area has to offer. If you come home a little disappointed that you did not get to do everything you wanted to do, that can be a good thing. You can vacation there again and that makes the other steps much easier.
I want to leave you with some common vacation pitfalls that you can avoid;
1. Over planning- It is a vacation. Your family should not feel like they are punching a clock.
2. Under planning- Husband- "What do you want to do?" Wife-"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Child-"I'm bored!"
3. Free Vacations- There is no such thing. You have worked hard for these vacation days. Don't spend them in a high-pressure sales presentation that will take an entire day. I don't recommend it, but If you want to buy a timeshare do it at home before you go.
4. Solo planning; include everyone in the process
5. Letting little things become big things
6. Trying to control the uncontrollable. Flights get canceled and it rains sometimes.
7. Taking work with you.
8. Not including a buffer in the vacation budget. Important things are not packed, plans change, and things go wrong so have a plan for the unexpected.
9. Poor Planning- There is no excuse. Use your resources. Use the internet, a travel agent, or another service. With everything available today poor planning should never happen.
10. Procrastinating- the calendar will not get less busy if you wait to put a vacation on it. The perfect deal is not coming. Shop, find the best price and book it. It does not have to be big and fancy but it is important to get away. Make it a priority.
What would you add to these lists? Let's talk about it in the comments.
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