Traveling With Family: Top 5 Family Travel Tips

Traveling With Family: Top 5 Family Travel Tips

If you are planning your next vacation and are taking the entire family including the kids, it is wise to be prepared and ready for any travel issue that you may encounter along the way. Travel can be a whirlwind of adventure and fun if you are ready for all of its bumps and blips. Some may believe that the travel experience starts when you arrive in your destination, yet it truly starts once you climb on board the plane.

Whether you have a baby or a teen, it is a great idea to have a backup plan or plan ‘B’ for every type of travel scenario where the kids are concerned. This can be a life safer when traveling with the family and can allow you to avoid any major upsets or travel dilemmas. Here are 5 family travel tips for your next family vacation.

#1: Make a List and Check it Twice

Before you start packing, sit down and make a list of everything you may need during the flight and during your vacation. If you are traveling with a baby or small children it is wise to have baby Aspirin or children’s Tylenol for ear aches and pain. For nausea, try brining some Gravol along with you to cure any upset tummies. This list should include anything from medications, sun block and baby wipes to trail mix, stuffed animals and coloring pencils.

#2: Insure the Entire Family

Let’s face it. Travel is unpredictable and it can throw us some punches at times. People do have accidents and they do require medical services whether it’s a bad case of Montezuma’s Revenge or a sun poisoning. Wouldn’t you feel at peace knowing you had everyone covered for any medical service and emergency? Give yourself the peace of mind and buy travel insurance before you fly off into the open skies.

#3: Entertainment is Imperative

If you are taking a long-haul flight to Europe or planning to drive across the United States, you will need entertainment for everyone in your family. Avoid boredom by any means and bring a bag full of goodies to keep everyone occupied. This can also be one of your carry-on bags on  the plane and may include MP3 players, portable DVD players, Ipod’s, notebook, coloring pencils, drawing book, comics, books, stuffed animals, favorite toys, puzzles, travel Scrabble and more.

#4: Keep a Positive Attitude

Expect the unexpected. Travel is an adventure and it has its crazy moments and calm moments. If you prepare yourself before you travel and accept the fact that things may not work out exactly as you planned, you will save yourself a lot of frustration, stress and upset in the long run. Start your vacation with a positive attitude and you will be able to overcome small travel obstacles with more ease and grace.

#5: Make Sure You Have a Plan B

Tours, hotels, flights and car rentals can all be overbooked. Wouldn’t you rather you have a backup plan for those moments instead of struggling and getting all stressed as you try to find any hotel that will take you and your family? Have a plan ‘B’ option and carry all the details with you to your destination. By having this extra plan B ready, you will save you and your family any travel anguish and worry.


Author Byline:

Natasha Jervis is a dedicated and professional travel copywriter with over 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. Some of her past and current roles include the New York Times travel channel on About.com, Sunwing Vacations, CanadaTravels.com, Escapes.ca and a variety of other worldwide travel media resources. You can find some of her more recent works here.