How to Plan a Summer Getaway for Your Family

With the kids off from school and the presence of beautiful weather, summer is the perfect time to travel. Planning a vacation, especially for the whole family, might seem daunting, but following some simple tips can help.

Book Early

Summer is a popular time for travel, which means that hotels, restaurants, shows, and tours can book up early. Families may need to book up to a year or more in advance for some tourist destinations. Planning at the last minute for your trip to Santa Barbara or other locations can still work out though. Doing so may simply require some flexibility and a willingness to stay at a different hotel or to go on a tour at another time than what was hoped for.

Vary Activities

Parents might want to explore historical attractions, and kids may be looking forward to days spent at the water park. Planning activities that will appease different tastes is important. While everyone might not love every activity, each traveler should have some experiences that they’re particularly looking forward to. Planners can ask for input from the rest of the group.

Create a Schedule

Adhering to a schedule might not initially seem relaxing, but doing so can actually help travelers to more thoroughly enjoy the vacation. Without a schedule, families might miss out on opportunities to get tickets to shows or to participate in some fun aquatic activities. The schedule should include periods of time to relax and rejuvenate as well. While failure to schedule any activities can lead to a wasted vacation, a packed agenda can exhaust the family. 

Be Flexible

Parents with teenagers or families traveling as a group of all adults should recognize that some members of the party might want to skip certain activities. For example, an older teenager may not want to go to a children’s museum, and a few cousins may want to try a different restaurant one night. Planners shouldn’t feel insulted if some travelers want to enjoy the vacation in their own way. Having a balance between spending time together and pursuing individual interests can actually make a vacation more pleasant for everyone.

Pack Patience

Travel delays have become common as more people are going on trips, particularly domestic or international trips that require flights. Factor the possibility of delays into the schedule, especially when traveling to and from the vacation destination. Parents with small children can pack extra snacks, games, and books to keep little ones occupied. Planners should also avoid scheduling an activity for shortly after they are expected to land or arrive at the destination. Schedule some time to account for possible delays. 

Allocate Responsibilities

Planning a vacation for a family, especially a large group, can be overwhelming for one person. Allocating responsibilities can help. For example, one traveler could be in charge of booking dinner reservations for the weekend, and another could take on the responsibility of researching the best theatrical performances in the area. In fact, some people might be happy being asked for their input on the trip. 

Going on vacation with the family is supposed to be fun. Vacations that are rushed or poorly put together can take away from that experience. Therefore, planning the trip in a detailed way can help all of the travelers have a wonderful experience.