Travel becomes more stressful when there are more of you. Making sure you have what you need, and be where you need to be, is pretty easy. Doing that for an entire family, however, can be quite difficult. That’s why we have gathered the tips you’ll find below. They should help you wrangle your family, get things under control, and enjoy a fun and convenient family vacation.
Below we have outlined some best practices for booking, packing, and mentally preparing yourself for the perils of family travel. If you’re traveling by your own vehicle, you’re going to need a bigger vehicle, maybe even something like a Winnebago. If you’re interested in RVs and mobile homes, you can find more at https://camperguide.org/winnebago-ekko-review/.
Book Smart
If you are booking accommodation as part of your travel plans, you should be smart about it. First, try to book accommodation that has separate sleeping areas. This will cost a little extra but you should still find a sweet enough deal if you shop around.
Then your family can spread out between two rooms instead of one. This gives everybody more room and it allows everybody some more privacy. Adults won’t have to go to sleep when the kids want to, either. If you have the opposite problem, you also won’t be kept up by kids who refuse to sleep.
Before you even hit the road, have your planned destination organized to save you and your family from last-minute chaos. If you can reserve something, consider doing that. You should definitely make reservations if you’re bringing an entire tribe with you. Some venues may have difficulty dealing with a large family if they just walk through the door, so reserving gives them time to prepare and allows things to go smoother.
Bring Snacks
When you’re traveling with the whole family, and especially kids, you should have enough snacks for the journey. Nobody wants to be trapped in an RV with a bunch of hungry family members.
Use up all the storage space within your vehicle to bring along snacks. They can be healthy snacks too, like some fruit. You don’t want to get your kids wired up on sugar while traveling, after all. Also, non-perishable foods are best for longer journeys through hot climates. If your destination has outdoor activities, packing trail mix and other camping/hiking foods is also a great idea.
Speaking of outdoor activities, you should also store a lot of snacks because it may rain. If your RV is the hub of your vacation, and not a hotel or other accommodation, then you may need to spend more time inside. You should have an idea of what the weather’s like in your area and how your destination will be when you’re there. If your destination is in a hot climate, battery powered air con is a great addition to your RV.
Bring Entertainment Too
Along with snacks, you should take books and games that don’t require any electricity or external power sources. Then, if you’re trapped in a mobile home, your entire family will have something to do. If you do have a full RV battery and a few battery packs, you can also bring a handheld tablet and keep it loaded with apps that can be played offline. It can also be used to watch videos and play audio.
Surprises can also be a great way to keep a family trip calm when kids are around. Small toys, coloring books, and other forms of entertainment that are new to a child will capture their attention much more than the same old playthings. This also applies to teens, too, as long as the new form of entertainment is compatible with their interests.
Take Breaks
When traveling long distances, stopping for a break is a great way for everybody to get some fresh air, stretch their legs, and decompress after the stresses of modern-day travel. You can’t do this on a plane, of course, but a long train journey or an RV road trip will give you plenty of opportunities to stop at interesting places and take in the scenery.
You can also engage in some retail therapy, where you can get more entertainment for yourself and your family. If your path takes you past tourist trap locations, then you can spend some time there too. When you have a camper van, you can spend more time on the journey instead of rushing to the destination.
Jessi is the creative mind behind The Coffee Mom, a popular blog that combines parenting advice, travel tips, and a love for all things Disney. As a trusted Disney influencer and passionate storyteller, Jessi’s authentic insights and relatable content resonate with readers worldwide.
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