Family Holiday Travel Tips
Family holidays are gaining momentum, and you may just be one of the many who is in charge of planning the perfect family vacation. So here are our top travel tips to help you plan a dreamy family holiday and steer away from the word disastrous!
🚀 Opt for off-season travel
Don’t feel confined to only travel during holiday time when the travel season is in full swing. The trip will cost you a fortune considering how top-notch your choices must be to cater to your family’s preferences and comfort. Moreover, it tends to be less crowded during low season, which allows for more fun and less throng at the main sights and attractions.
🚀 Pre-book as much as you can
Last minute isn’t a word that goes with family holiday. Look into planning and confirming everything in advance. Accommodation, airport transfers, attractions, EVERYTHING!
Research the accommodation options well, read reviews, and pick the best hotels that suit your family’s choices. Short list the must-see places and activities for each destination as per the likes and interests of the family. Also pre-book the attractions so you can get early bird prices and skip the lengthy queues. Express pass works like a charm as that way your family will have more fun and moan less.
🚀 Book accommodation strategically
Whichever type of accommodation you pick, be it a snazzy hotel, exquisite resort, or a homely villa – ensure that they are well-facilitated and have comfy beds. Because really, you don’t want any of your family members to be put off by a shabby hotel room.
PRO TIP: Choose a property that serves free welcome drinks as that helps with creating a positive first impression of the place 😜. A good breakfast spread will ensure the day starts on a wonderful note!
Ensure your accommodation is located at a strategic location, so you are at walking distance from restaurants and supermarkets, and easily accessible to transport options. Also look into booking accommodation near the airport if you have an early morning flight, so not much sleep is lost in the quest of reaching the airport on time, and no one leaves the holiday feeling grumpy.
🚀 Plan to do something out of the ordinary and surprise them
Ensure the place you’re heading to will provide heaps of opportunity to try new things. Everyone gets excited exploring something new or partaking in a never-before-done activity. It serves as a sweet chance to create new fond memories. Just don’t make mention of it beforehand and surprise them during the trip to watch a gush of excitement reflect on their face. It could be anything from spending a day at a water park, hopping on a speedboat to an island, going to a magic show or a musical, something as grand as hot-air ballooning, or little things like visiting a chocolate factory or trying out a new type of cuisine at a unique restaurant by the beach, on the lakeside, or on a hilltop.
🚀 Creativity is your best friend on the family holiday. Tag it along!
Certain aspects of the family holiday may turn out to be bland. Try animating them by being creative and adding little activities that will get the family to be involved and lively. Spend time together at the pool while having drinks and nibbling on some fruits. Choose to indulge in a family spa altogether. When an activity involves sitting and just waiting (such as watching the sunset), bring your family to a cafe or supermarket so they can pick up coffee/tea or some of their favourite goodies to munch on. Food is great to keep one preoccupied 😜. While shopping, encourage one another to select souvenirs or useful novelties for the house. Buy matching t-shirts to wear on one of the days of the trip, and take lots of photos to cherish forever.
You’re an amazing planner and that’s probably why your family relies on you for the holiday planning. As much as there is fun in being spontaneous and going without an itinerary, you wouldn’t want to take chance when you travel with family (unless they are chill as a cucumber and super easy-going and don’t throw tantrums). Don’t forget to bring ample amount of patience and a sense of humour with you just in case things go topsy-turvy unexpectedly! 😀