Vacation Tips to Make Any Family Vacation Happy

Summertime is the most popular time for vacations.  That being said, it can also be the most stressful time. Lots of people are traveling here and there. There is a lot of waiting in lines at various popular locations.  Lucky for you, I created this post just in time for your family vacation. Here are vacation tips on how to make your vacation happy and relaxing!

Jump to:

• Have the kids involved in the planning process.
• Have a Flexible Itinerary
• How to Take A Great Relaxing Vacation
• Pack for activities.
• Teach the kids about the area they are visiting.
• Have a positive attitude and get excited.  
• Turn off your messaging and data plan so you can concentrate on family and friends.  
• Manage expectations
• Carve out time for yourself.

Service your car before you leave for vacation.

If you plan to drive to your relaxation spot, it is essential to ensure your car is in good working condition. Get that oil change, don't forget the tire rotation, and get the brakes checked. Many service stations now do an overall inspection when you take your car in for an oil change. It's recommended to do this at least a week in advance to allow for any necessary repairs before your vacation. You don't need to have car problems while on vacation. Read this post from Firestone Complete Autocare for details on ESSENTIAL CAR MAINTENANCE BEFORE A LONG ROAD TRIP.

Have the kids involved in the planning process.

Especially if the kids are old enough to complain about what they are doing, give them small tasks to review, such as reading the destination city to find out more places to visit. Have them find places to eat online for particular days.

Holding a family meeting at the beginning to discuss where to go and what to do helps everyone. Below are some questions to ask at this family meeting:

• Where do you want to go in the northeast, southwest, etc..?
• Would you like to visit ..... or ....?
• Do you want to go to theme parks, beaches, or downtown cities?
• How about doing an event like a theatre show or seeing a sports team?
• Do you want to visit national parks?
• Do you prefer staying in a hotel, on a cruise ship, or in an Airbnb? Do you like to sleep separately or share a room?
• Should we drive, fly, or take a train?
• How long should the vacation be? Shorter than one week, a week, two weeks, or longer - shorter trips are great for younger kids.
• Should we cook meals or eat out? How often do we do this? Do you want a kitchen or a kitchenette?
• When do you want to take a vacation? After school ends, before it begins, in the middle of summer or winter break
• Do you prefer swimming in a pool or at the beach?

Are you celebrating a birthday while on vacation? Have the kids pick a place to eat for the special family member. Getting them involved will allow them to take ownership of their vacation trip.

Have a Flexible Itinerary

Creating an itinerary is helpful, but don't make it too tight with time. Scheduling one activity and one dining-out event per day is sufficient. After all, everyone may want to take a nap too; it's vacation, after all. This post shares even more about how to make your trip relaxing. Feel free to check it out.

Pack for activities.

Make a customized packing list for clothing and supplies you will need for your various activities. Doing this a few weeks before you leave will allow you to think about what is required. When you create a thorough packing checklist (affiliate link), you can revise it for future trips as the kids get older.

Here is a two-page checklist for you to share.  It has columns for up to 5 members of the family.

There is always something to do before going away. This page allows you to record everything. If possible, staple or use double-sided tape to keep these two pages together.

NOTE: There are extra spaces for you to write in other items you need to take on your vacation. And, extra columns to add children as well.

Below are two other packing checklists (affiliate link) to help you with specific types of vacations.

HOW TO EASILY PACK FOR A SHORE VACATION WITHOUT STRESS

THE ULTIMATE CRUISE PACKING LIST EVERYONE NEEDS

Think ahead and schedule daytime and evening events with the entire family in mind.  

Decide ahead of time on the different evening activities you will be doing.  Will the kids need to be watched by someone? What will you be doing while the kids are doing their activities? Ask these questions before you go and decide on a plan. Visit our post about packing for long trips.

Add some time for exploring to your schedule.

Not everything needs to be scheduled while on vacation. Try visiting local landmarks in between events. You can visit local parks, museums, trails, shopping areas, outlet malls, etc. that you didn't plan to see for something spontaneous to do.

Teach the kids about the area they are visiting.

It doesn't have to be a formal history lesson. A causal online learning about the area the kids will be visiting works well. Research the culture. Show them where the destination is on a map. Is the city famous for something? Find out. And, how it was founded is a simple thing to learn with your kids to help them. A little information will help the shyest kids feel more comfortable with the trip.

Have a positive attitude and get excited.  

Every family vacation should be a happy one. If something unexpected happens, be flexible with your schedule. Share with your kids the benefits of this vacation and what makes the place you're visiting fun.

Turn off your messaging and data plan so you can concentrate on family and friends.  

This can be difficult for everyone to do throughout the entire vacation. But how about turning off your cellphones during every meal? To generate conversation, try talking about the day's activities and what family members are looking forward to. At dinner, you can talk about your favorite thing that day and what you would want to do again in the future. This will help your family members feel more involved and more willing to take part in the trip.

Manage expectations

Not everything will be perfect on the vacation. Expect tiredness, meltdowns, schedule delays, and possibly even missed events. Young kids have their own time to do things and the energy to do them, so be flexible. Remember, it is essential to spend time together, not to make it a perfect trip.

Carve out time for yourself.

You do not have to do everything together. Have a night out with your spouse or partner, and let the teens participate in their own activity. Adding this time in will make everyone feel better by the end of the vacation. It will help with minimizing arguments.

When looking back on their childhoods, kids remember their vacations. So, make every vacation a happy and memorable one. Taking the time to plan and organize your vacation will allow you and your kids to be much happier and more relaxed during the entire trip.

Now it is your turn. What was your favorite childhood vacation? Please leave a comment.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.

Below are more vacation organization tips posts to help you and your family enjoy your travel this summer.