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Much of the fun of any vacation is deciding where to go and then making plans. In fact, one study showed that people who are planning a trip get a happiness boost. “Vacationers reported a higher degree of pre-trip happiness, compared to non-vacationers,” reported Jeroen Nawijn, PhD, a senior lecturer in Tourism at the Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, “possibly because they are anticipating their holiday.” Spread the excitement around by involving the whole family in making decisions about your trip’s itinerary and other details.
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Consider All Lodging Options
Motels are the obvious and easy choice for securing a temporary home away from home, but don’t forget to also check out potentially money-saving ideas, such as renting a camper, doing a home exchange or booking a property through Airbnb.
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Check All The Boxes
Ensure that nobody gets left out of the process by letting each family member choose something they’d like to add to the activity list. It’ll be easier for children to endure siblings’ preferred pastimes when they know their activity of choice is coming up.
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Keep A Packing List
Depending on the destination’s weather and the activities you’ve planned, luggage can quickly fill up with unneeded items — or end up without essentials. Start making a list of what to bring a couple weeks before the trip, then stick to it.
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Dig For Deals
Research special online deals and discounts prior to booking all reservations. And while at your destination, ask everyone from hotel concierges to ticket booth operators for hints on unadvertised ways to save.
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Location, Location, Location
If staying in a hotel or resort, request rooms close to pools or any other part of the resort where the family will be spending a lot of time, to avoid too many inconvenient trips back and forth.
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Be Flexible
It’s ok to relax the rules while on holiday, so don’t sweat it if bedtimes, daily diets (have your cake and eat it too!) and other routines are slightly altered. They can easily be readjusted once you’re back home.
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Put Down The Screens
It’s almost impossible to avoid using screens for taking and sharing photos, navigating electronic maps and doing seemingly countless other tasks, but build in moments where they’re a hard no — like during all meals.
