9 Tips for Better Family Trip
No matter how well you have traveled, traveling is a very different experience than solo backpacking or couples with small children. I remember planning our first family trip to California, like it was yesterday. We had so many questions and did not know where to begin. How can we get a passport for a baby? Do we need distance from a doctor to get before we go? What we need to pack? Will we be able to sleep when we share the hotel room with our little ones? How do we keep entertain him? What if something happens abroad?
Without experience as traveling parents, we pre-empted on the way we as a couple. This strategy was a good starting point, but we learned a few valuable lessons the hard way and made a few mistakes. Now, with two small children traveled for many years, I want some of the most important travel tips to share, we have learned so that you avoid our mistake and travel easier:
Book accommodation with separate sleeping areas
select accommodations that one with two beds or two-bedroom suites offer instead of the standard hotel room. , You will pay a little more for this convenience, but a good night's sleep is the most important ingredient for a successful family trip
They concern: if everyone is piled in one room, you can probably need to go to sleep if you do your children. Well, if it's been a long day of travel and the sleep is what you're after, this will not be a problem. However, if you want to have a drink, read a book, watch a movie or have a conversation, it is to book the best accommodation that separate you and your children sleeping area.
Not every hotel has one - or two-bedroom suites, so you do a little more research. We use most of the major sites such as Expedia.com, Booking.com and Hotels.com to get an idea of the hotel options in our price range, we go directly to the site of the hotel at the study room options and availability.
Apartment Rental are the best option for this. They are often cheaper than hotels and offer all the comforts of home. We are looking for centrally located apartments, fully equipped kitchen and laundry, saving time and money. We like to use Airbnb and VRBO.
on the safe side, book
Before kids, we rarely reservations in advance. Part of the adventure arrives, without a plan, and thus the time to run, right? The problem with this style of travel is that when you have children need to consider their threshold for uncomfortable
Do yourself and your kids a favor. To avoid making hotel and transportation reservations ahead of time unnecessary frustrations. Wandering the streets to wait for hours in search of a hotel room or an additional 6 hours in a train station, is at the best of times not fun, let alone when you add a cranky child on the situation. Not nice.
not assume that your hotel or apartment will have a crib or high chair available. Call ahead to confirm availability, although the hotel's website states that it has on hand cribs (they can be used by another guest during your stay).
Lighten your load, rent equipment
Did you know that the most popular destinations services have for families strollers, cribs, car seats, high chairs, playpens and to rent bicycles?
We have this first service earlier this year on a trip to Sayulita, Mexico. We rented a two-bedroom apartment for a few weeks, so we needed to find a stable crib for our child. recommended The owner of the apartment, a local business that set up the crib before our arrival and picked it up after we left. It was super convenient and cheap (I think we paid about $ 50 per week).
Availability depends on the location, the season and the length of time you need to use the item. I have yet to find a central site that works for all targets, so it is best to use online research and a local business, the good feedbacks. When in doubt, ask the almighty Google
Protect yourself -. get right travel insurance
This is self-explanatory. Travel insurance can feel like an annoying, unnecessary costs, but it is always best to play it safe, especially with young children.
Our child has a severe food allergy and our child is accident prone, so a trip to the hospital is not out of the question. This is not the time to cut corners to save a dollar, so get the right plan that protects all. When in doubt, pick up the phone and someone specific about your questions and concerns to talk
Matt tells .: Cameron's right. Travel insurance is not something that you without leaving the house. I never do. Here's to buy travel insurance my detailed instructions.
Your Tablet Charge
The tablet is guilty in our top five travel items we ended up never to leave home without it. We bring two tablets with us when we are traveling, an iPad and a surface. Each tablet has a different purpose. We use our surface for cartoons and movies, because it has a USB port. The possibility of our children see their favorite programs is a lifesaver, especially on long flights and in the evenings, when we need some quiet time. We use our iPad for games, music and video. Our toddler loves Angry Birds and coloring programs, so we pull the iPad out if it playful and creative feel.
Both tablets are loaded with white noise (sounds of waves, rain, etc.), we are boosting night and place next to their beds. The loud noise is soothing and drowned out other noises that might disturb possibly. Try it if your children have difficulty sleeping during the trip.
Select. Your goal wisely
, can to select the right target your trip make or break with the family It is important that your children's needs to be considered, but it is equally important to visit a place that interests you. Most destinations have some form of amusement park or family-friendly attraction, so if you make your short list, look for targets that some adults who have fun for you too.
Do you still travel with a stroller? If so, consider goals with proper roads and pavements, as it will be easier to get to than trying to navigate the jungle and more obscure places.
Long travel days are hard, so it is advisable to pick on the little ones, a goal that has direct flights. I choose hotels that near attractions are centrally and / or (as the beach), which reduces the need for taxis or public transport. Make sure these things in, when picking a target to factor.
treats and surprises are always a good idea
Attach. Small gifts and / or treats and reward your children for good behavior When on a long flight or train ticket, you give your children a small gift like a toy car, puzzle, or coloring book. Not only does it promote good behavior, it keeps them entertained.
It's a good idea to choose your child a few small souvenirs from the places that you so have to let them visit of the trip a keepsake. On our trip last summer to Alberta, we visited the city of Drumheller, known as the "Dinosaur Capital of the World." After we checked into our hotel we visited a tourist shop and let our child choose a toy dinosaur. That has him thinking about dinosaurs, what made him our visit to the dinosaur museum so much more exciting. Timing is everything. "Remember when we went Dinosaur Town, Daddy?":
Now, every time he with this toy dinosaur he plays says That was $ 5 well applied.
Check your ego with your luggage
most parents fear the dreaded meltdown while. On a flight I know that I did it. My anxiety levels rise in order to obtain the moment our boys irritable and fussy. I do not want to disturb others on the plane. I do not want to be the guy.
But the reality is that even the quietest of children a break. is and downed happen wines, so it is to roll up to you with the punches. As They will respond to set the tone for future flights. If you freak out, there is a good chance your child air travel with mum and dad are angry associate.
Do not worry about what others think. Many people on the plane are the parents, who would have been capable of. You can empathize with you and are ready to give a hand when needed usually.
Stay cool. Smile. Ask for help. It will be over before you know it
Slow down
If there is a tip I would take all the families on trips like, it is this:.! Slow
do not try as you used before children travel to replicate. Things are different now, so do not try too many activities or sightseeing to squeeze in a day. Enjoy your great activity or adventure in the morning when all fresh and recharged. Break up the day and to spend at the hotel back some quiet time before venturing back.
had Most travel experiences we have are the ones where we have set the right expectations for every day. Remember, travel should be fun. So make it fun!
Family travel is not a frightening experience, which should be maintained "until the children are older." It takes a little more planning and an adaptation of the setting, but you 'll so glad you made the extra effort when you will see the positive effects of travel have on your children ... and you.
Cameron wears, is one half of the duo behind the award-winning Canadian Travel Blog TravelingCanucks.com. Having traveled to over 65 countries and territories on six continents over the past eight years, he now lives in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, with his wife Nicole and their two boys. You can her family travel adventures on Google+, Twitter and Facebook.
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