Family Vacation Planning

Riviera Maya - Mexico

Although family vacation planning can be the hardest part of taking the trip, some vacations don’t get stressful until you arrive at your destination. You can reduce stress when you travel with children from the minute you decide to go away until the minute you arrive home, by keeping a few family vacation planning tips in mind.

Last-minute trips can be fun, but when you’re planning a big family vacation, it pays study guidebooks well in advance of your estimated departure date. What can you see and do on your family vacation during the evening as well as daytime? Will there be activities that suit a wide range of ages? How close are local restaurants, grocery stores and attractions to your accommodations? If you can, begin the planning for your family vacation at least six to nine months in advance of the intended dates and consult more than one source for information on your family vacation destination.

You don’t have to cater the whim of every family member on your family vacation, but one way to promote togetherness on your family vacation is considering each family member’s likes, dislikes and personalities. If your spouse or children feel left out of the planning process or you’ve planned an itinerary that doesn’t take what they’d like to do (or not do) into account, you’ll likely experience more conflict than harmony on your family vacation. Make a list of everyone’s favorite activities and interests and seek to find a destination that offers something for each member of your family—including yourself.