Unforgettable Family Vacations You’ll Cherish Forever
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Memorable family vacations…Where Everyone Has a Great Time!
As summer beckons, seize the opportunity to create unforgettable family memories.
The secret is to finding kid-friendly destinations that offer a variety of activities and moments of serene bliss where every member of the family can find their vacation “sweet spot.”
As a parent, you will want a holiday that offers precious adult “alone” time, while the kids are safely enjoying their own adventures.
Let’s discover what to look for when choosing the best family vacation and some “all in one” options so that you can sit back and enjoy.
If you are going to put this unforgettable family vacation together yourself, you will want to look at a couple of things like destination, accommodations, and itinerary.
Destination
A family vacation is much more difficult to plan than either a couple’s getaway or choosing a specific child’s camp.
You need to find a place that offers a variety of activities and attractions suitable for different ages and interests.
While the kids enjoyment is important, it is equally crucial for adults to relax and rejuvenate.
You are looking for balance, or something for everyone.
Accommodations
There are so many choices now.
I am a huge fan of VRBO.
I like the idea of my kids being able to be…kids.
In hotels it can be awkward because the children need to be quiet, lights need to go out at the same time for all, and lights come on at the same time for everyone; it is hard to be yourself when you are all living in one room.
It is especially hard to be yourself when you realize you basically have a person in the room on either side of you, above you, below you and across the all.
The walls are not that thick, and if you are a conscientious person, it can feel like walking on eggshells.
Then there is the whole food thing.
I do not like to cook while on vacation, but breakfast and snacks, well that is not really cooking.
With a family of four, you can easily spend $40 on breakfast alone.
It is difficult to have food to prepare in a hotel.
The VRBO is perfect.
You rent a house, often times for the same price or cheaper than a hotel.
Everyone gets their own room.
You get a kitchen.
You can even find a house to rent close to a popular destination you plan on visiting like the beach or a national park.
Or, if you have active little ones, within walking distance of a really great park.
You can also look to see if the VRBO has features that make it more of a destination than an accommodation.
What do I mean by that?
In Phoenix, many of the houses have swimming pools.
My nieces love to stay at a house in Phoenix with a pool and do not really care if they do any other “sites.”
You can also see if there is a game room, extensive board games, or snow toys if you are heading to a cold area.
Itinerary
ItineraryAnother strategy is to involve the entire family in the planning process.
Sit down together and brainstorm ideas for activities and attractions that everyone would enjoy.
This not only ensures that everyone’s preferences are taken into account but also creates a sense of excitement and anticipation.
Remember, a family vacation is a collective experience, and involving everyone in the decision-making process can make it even more memorable.
If you have a wide age range of children, ask each child one place or thing why most want to see or do while on this vacation.
Try to make sure that everyone gets to do their number one thing.
This way, your older kids won’t grumble when they have to go to the children’s museum or your 5 year old can be reminded that they got to play for hours at the museum while they are at your teen’s choice of a Spring Training game.
I know, many parents do the “divide and conquer” thing: one parent takes one child and another takes the other child that way the children are doing things that are more “age appropriate” and that they like more.
I am not a fan.
I like going out with your child, one one one as a special occasion, like once every two months.
I do not like the message that they do not have to learn how to “suffer” you can’t see me, but there is a huge eye roll happening, through the boredom of whatever their younger sibling choses.
They are part of a family unit.
Families do things together.
Besides…this is a family vacation!
I would encourage that.
Another critical part of planning the itinerary is you need to make sure of open days and hours.
This way if your children just want or need some downtime, you already have it worked into the schedule.
If your family will be doing anything like rides or zip lining, be sure to check weight and age restrictions.
If you decided that you are overwhelmed and you do not want to plan every aspect of your family vacation, I have a couple of “already done for you’ or all-inclusive options.
A stress-free vacation for couples with kids is not just an escape from reality; it is an investment in their relationship and overall well-being.
By prioritizing self-care, nurturing their connection, and embracing new experiences, couples can create a harmonious and fulfilling family dynamic that will continue to thrive long after the vacation ends.
So, as you embark on your next kid-friendly getaway, remember to seize the opportunity to relax, rejuvenate, and create lasting memories with your loved ones.
Wondering what the kids will due while you are in the car, on the plane, or waiting?
I created 100 super fun “Would You Rather” cards!
Make the road trip fun!
100 Would you rather cards!
- Easy to print
- 8 "cards" per page
- Good for ages 5 and up
- A social emotional learning lesson for each level (not based on a social issue, but on true SEL learning)
- Some are thought provoking
- Some are just fun and goofy
questions to bring fun to your road trip
All-Inclusive Resorts
An all inclusive resort means that once you get to the resort, your hotel and food is already paid for.
Often it also includes any non motorized sports, including paddle boards, kayaks, snorkel gear, and pool toys.
And many adults are excited by the all inclusive that include unlimited alcohol.
What I loved most about taking my family to all inclusive when the kids were little was the food options.
Kids can be picky eaters.
They are also usually on a certain food schedule.
The buffet at the resort is almost always open, has kid friendly food, and it offers dietary and allergy restriction food choices as well.
If you do your research and read the reviews, you can also find some amazing Kids’ Clubs.
I usually searched for all inclusive with fabulous Kids’ Clubs, then I started narrowing down my choices by destination, which was further narrowed down by price of plane tickets, and finally options for me, as I am always happy on a beach.
My favorite place to search is TripAdvisor.com.
I like to read what other people have written and you can put in the search what you are looking for.
The reviews also have the date the review is written.
The date is incredibly important if you are heading to the Florida side, as there have been years when hurricanes have taken out large sections of some of the resorts.
The other option if you just want to purchase the trip and have the rest done for you is to go on a cruise.
Cruising
Cruises are all-inclusives on water.
I loved cruising with my kids.
My kids loved cruising the most of any of our vacations, except, oddly enough the house we rent each summer on the Oregon coast.
As the children got older, like eight years old, they would read the schedule for the day and tell me which activities they were planning on doing on the ship.
This is where the cruise vacation outshines all of the rest.
There is more to do on a cruise for every single age and interest than any other vacation.
We just recently came back from a three family cruise.
The ages ranged from 11 to 55.
Every night there is a show that is kid friendly that you can watch.
There was a cupcake decorating “class” that the 11 and 16 year old attended.
Nightly karaoke that the 11, 16, 23, 27, 28, 50, and 54 year olds attended three times, there were many nights were the 11 year old was there with just her friends that she met on the ship.
I thought I died and had gone to heaven when there was an art scavenger hunt on board.
I did this alone and had a wonderful time.
My sister and her husband took salsa lessons.
The point is there is so much going on.
The eleven year old went to the kids club and found a group of kids that she hung out with the entire week.
Cruises offer more than the all inclusive resorts.
The food is also better, not that it is bad at the resorts, it is just amazing on the ship.
However, the all inclusives are pretty much the price they say when you buy.
The cruise is not even close to the price you buy it for online.
The cruise line makes its money on the up charges.
Gratuities, taxes, WiFi, photos, alcohol, specialty coffee, water bottles, soda, shore excursions, room service, fitness classes, and random fun things like the cupcake decorating or BINGO, these are all extra on a cruise.
In crafting the ultimate family vacation, the goal is clear: to create a series of unforgettable moments where every member of the family can have their ideal vacation.
This summer, find an opportunity to either plan your adventure for next summer, as it does require quite a bit of planning, or take the plunge and go on a fun filled family adventure this summer!