Tips for a Great Family Vacation
The biggest mistake you can make when planning a family vacation
is not involving the entire family. You probably think that when
it comes to vacations, parents know best. But you might be
surprised to realize that children, even young ones, can provide
valuable input. Children are as exposed to advertising as the
rest of us and they have their own ideas about what the family
vacation should entail, so listen to them.
There's no right formula for a successful family vacation. In
fact, one size does not fit all when it comes to spending
quality time with your family. Your family vacation doesn't have
to be two weeks long, or taken during summer months, or spent at
the more popular tourist destinations. Busy working parents
can't always coordinate this amount of time away from work, and
believe it or not, children often get bored when traveling this
long.
Thinking "outside the box" when planning your family vacation
can lead to some interesting and memorable times. Instead of one
long vacation, break your time off up into smaller chunks and
plan multiple vacations throughout the year. Traveling
off-season means lower prices, less crowds and a different
perspective on the destination.
For example, Florida is a great place to visit during October,
and it wouldn't be difficult to add a day or two onto the 3-day
Columbus Day week-end. If you don't want to miss school, plan a
family vacation to Colorado during the summer months instead of
during the height of ski season. Or, spend spring break
exploring local attractions and other areas of interest right in
your own state.
Next time you're planning a family vacation, let you children
voice their opinions and allow them to research the ideas they
present. The Internet makes this easy, and you'll all have a
better time as a result.