Holidays for family: What a great opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones, but also a possible source of stress and uncertainty. Well, it doesn’t have to be. With some research and thoughtful planning, you can create holidays for your family that will be fun and relaxing, all whilst providing time for bonding with loved ones. Here are the top tips for having a great and stress-free family vacation.
Don’t leave your planning until the last minute
Leaving the planing for the holidays for your family until the last minute might mean taking advantage of discounted offers. But you will also have less flexibility of choice. And if you travel with children of school age you will most probably travel during high season which means more demand and less choice. Also, consider early bird offers for those who book in advance. Even if they aren’t displayed it is always worth asking.
Decide the destination carefully
Before you begin narrowing down your list of potential destinations for the holidays for your family, it’s important to decide what type of holidays for your family you want this to be. Are you looking to relax with maybe a bit of adventure here and there, or do you want to explore your destination top to bottom without missing even one sight or activity? Choose activities and attractions that align with your preferences.
Strike the right balance between preplanning and spontaneity by deciding on an itinerary artfully. It’s beneficial to plan certain activities beforehand to ensure that everyone in the family is clear about expectations, but also leave room for flexibility and spontaneity. Decide on a particular activity per day, with some options that are best suited to each family member’s interests and preferences. This way, the entire experience will be fun and not overwhelming for anyone.
Do some research
After deciding what type of holidays for your family you want, it’s time to start researching different destinations. Use the Internet and talk to friends about their tips on great destinations. Use the local experts: Write to vacation rental hosts, preferably those that offer accommodation to suit the holidays for your family, and ask for advice regarding local attractions and things to do for you and your family. For some examples in Puglia in Southern Italy see here for some ideas. This will also give you an idea of how responsive they are. The way they reply will tell you something about their quality of service.
Plan activities that appeal to everyone
Choose activities that each family member can engage in and enjoy, avoiding any pressure for anyone to take part in things they don’t particularly like. Alternately, plan unified events that appeal to each person for different reasons. If some family members are interested in shopping but others not so much, compromise by planning a trip to a location with lots of shops and some other attraction nearby, for example a beach. This way everyone can do what they like most, to end the day together with a relaxing stroll and dinner in some cozy seaside restaurant.
Put together an itinerary but leave some room for spontaneity
A loose schedule will help you get the most out of our trip and avoid the risk to miss out on something you all had looked forward to. Especially during peak time popular attractions should be booked ahead of time.
But don’t get too hung up on your schedule. Allow for flex time, so that the group or individual family member can be spontaneous about spending their days as well. And set the scene for some informal quality time together. Ordering in or a local chef on some evenings of your stay will provide the perfect setting for that. Having these shared moments of laughter and joy will give the whole family wonderful memories that last long after the vacation has ended. And that is, after all, what holidays for the family is all about.
Calculate the travel costs carefully
Before settling on a destination for the holidays for your family, calculate the travel costs and determine what is affordable for the family. Be sure to factor in expenses such as airfare, accommodation, car rental, meals, groceries and activities. Allow for some extra to cover for unforeseen costs and miscellaneous expenses. Be reasonable about what things should actually cost. It’s better to over-plan than under-plan, so that you can go out to eat a few extra times when you don’t feel like cooking or allow your kids to buy that special souvenir.