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Family Vacations and Travel
The time for relaxation, bonding, enjoyment. The family vacation. Unfortunately,
it doesn't always seem to work that way. Spend any time at a vacation destination and watch many of the families--stern
faces, public arguments, crying children. This is supposed to be fun, right? Did we forget to have fun and enjoy
ourselves?
Since the needs of more than one person will need to be addressed, careful planning and a relaxed attitude will
often help to soften the potential "bumps in the road."
Making the Most of Your Vacation Time
 Plan in advance. You'll save
money and are more likely to get what you want. In some popular destinations, bookings are full a year in advance.
You'll often save money on airfare, hotels, tours, etc. if you book in advance.
Don't expect too much.
A successful family vacation might be wonderful and will hold many great memories, but it probably is not going
to change your lives. Deal with your stress before the vacation or you run the very real risk of bringing it with you as an uninvited
guest.
Get on "Vacation Time" as quickly as possible. And savor it as long as possible. For many families, it takes a full 2 days to
"wind down" and they start "gearing up" for their return 2 days before leaving--meaning that
a 7 day vacation only provides 3 days of real relaxation.
Leave work at home.
Vacation. Vacate. LEAVE! Unless communication with the office or job is an absolute necessity, cut off all lines
of communication. Let them phone you once and they will probably phone you all week. Forget about email and voice
mail. Yes, you may have to spend a few hours wading through it when you return, but it won't drive a spike into
your vacation.
Vary your routine.
A vacation is not only time away from work, it is also an opportunity for time away from your routine. Don't simply
transplant your daily routine to a new location. Try something different.
Value your time together. In
many cases, the entire family will be ensconced in a small motel room--leaving no space for retreat. Value the
situation rather than fighting it. Play a game, have a family discussion, order a pizza and eat it together in
the room. Take advantage of the time together rather than stressing about it.
RELAX. Don't
assume that you need to see everything, do everything and experience everything in one week. That's the attitude
that brings you home saying "we're exhausted! We need a vacation from the vacation!"
Hints and Tips on Family Travel
- If you are going overseas, remember that ALL members of the family--infants
included--will need passports. For more information, see the section on passports.
- A lot of family vacations start on the wrong foot even before they have
started--when the packing begins. See some tips on packing
efficiently.
- See the hints and tips related to traveling with children.
- Need suggestions for travel locations? See our destinations page for links
to free brochures and travel information around the globe.
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