Everyone knows that planning for a trip can be stressful, whether it’s one person, a couple, or a family with kids.  Are there any ways to make it easier?  Of course there are.  I’m going to give you the tips that I use to plan our family trips!

1. Plan ahead!  The further in advance you can plan, the better.  You can frequently get discounts when you plan ahead.  The more discounts you can get, the more money you can save for fun stuff.  For example:  I know that we are making a trip to Clearwater Beach, FL this year.  I already have the hotel reserved, so that I know that we will have a room and not have to stress later when everything shows as being sold out!  I made sure that there was free cancellation, just in case something happens that we have to change the dates for any reason (or have to adjust our reservation later).
If you belong to AAA or another motor club, chances are, you can call and request free planning tools to help you with your trip planning.  AAA gives you all the maps you need as well as clear directions, with tips of places to avoid due to construction or other possible reasons for backups (and will even tell you where areas are that cops closely monitor speed).  They will also give you TripTiks to help you with your planning based upon their suggestions of places that are highly recommended.

2. Make lists!  This kind of goes with plan ahead.  You need to make lists of places that are on your “have to do” or “want to do” lists.  Places on your “have to do” list are places that you will definitely plan on visiting, or activities that you know you will be doing while on your trip.  Places on your “want to do” list are not definite but you might decide you want to do while you are there.  If you have extra time that you didn’t plan on, then you pull out the “want to do” list and you can say, what do we feel like doing today?  Then you can pick something off of the list and you have all the information on it so you know what to expect.
For us, while we are in Clearwater, the number 1 item on our “have to do” list is “See Winter”.  This is Leslie’s very favorite place (so far) in the Clearwater area.  So we know with 100% certainty that we will be going to Clearwater Marine Aquarium while we are there.  It is cheaper for us to get an annual family membership to go, even though it’s only one time, than it is for us to pay for tickets that day.  So, I will be purchasing the membership well before our trip.  On our list under CMA, we have prices, and I would like for Leslie to do the Dolphin Care Experience while we are there as well.  So at the moment, I’m looking into that and what she will need for that opportunity.  I list everything out (including when they open and the time that they close) so we can easily plan that day out.

On our “want to do” list is boat ride.  Last time we were there, we had to separate into 2 groups for this part.  Two of the kids wanted to go on the pirate ship and two wanted to do the Sea Screamer.  I am hoping that this year, we can just do one as a group, but if we have to separate, I want to know which ones to plan for.  So soon I will be adding a list of options to my boat ride list and have the kids each choose the one they would most want to do.
For making these lists, contact your motor club for things to do in the area, or check out the city’s website.  Frequently, there is a tourism site as well, with suggestions of things to do while there.
How often do you get to a location, then realize that you forgot to pack something?  Another list that we always make while planning for a trip is a list of things to pack/take.  Last time we were in Clearwater, we got boogie boards, so those will be going on the list.  I also list out every person and list all clothing items under their name.  Then when it comes time to pack, all I have to do it tic off the items as I put them in the suitcase.  This way, chances of forgetting something and having to purchase it on the trip are greatly reduced, therefore saving some money.

3. If you have ever been on a road trip with kids, you know that they can get bored easily.  One necessity on our trips are activities and snacks.  The last thing you want to hear on a 10 hour drive is a constant chorus of “I’m hungry” and “I’m bored” from multiple kids.  If they have different activities and snacks, all you have to do is pull something out and they are good to go.  Don’t forget to take plenty of water too!

4. If you are taking a road trip, you may want to stop along the way, to see the sights or to eat.  Another list that we make is a list of restaurants and the expected cost along the route.  Once again, you can use your trip guides for this list.  You can also list them from cheapest to most expensive if you want, so you know what to expect.  This brings me to our next hint.

5. Create a Vacation budget.  The last thing you want to do is get somewhere and realize that you don’t have enough money for your trip.  Know how much you have to spend BEFORE you leave the house and how much you expect to spend.  I would suggest having at least 20% more money than what you expect to spend, that way if something doesn’t work out or costs more than you are budgeted for, or if you have an emergency, you are covered.
For example, I already know that our hotel for our Clearwater trip is going to be around $1,000, and I expect to spend at least another thousand on activities and food.  I plan on taking $3000 for the trip, which should cover any unexpected expenses while we are there.  This way, if anything comes up, we will have the money available.

6. Keep it simple.  This is especially important if you have little ones who can’t walk much, have to take naps or have to keep to an eating schedule.  If you plan out days and days of activities that consist of a lot of walking, or you can’t make frequent eating or bathroom breaks, your kids will be miserable and so will you.  A trip can be as stressful on a little one as it can be on you, and sometimes more-so, because they are in a strange place with strange surroundings, rather than being in their familiar home.  So plan things based upon the needs of your youngest child!  I stress, do not over-plan your trip.  You can always add activities from your “want to do” list if you want to and your youngest child is up to it.  That’s why I suggest the two lists.  You can make sure you do all the things from the “have to do” list, then add in things when possible.  Relaxing on vacation is important too!

7. If you need a way to save money, take food with you, or make a point of finding a grocery store when you get to your destination.  There is nothing that says you have to eat out every meal while you are on a trip.  If you plan ahead, you can take a cooler with food.  If you choose a hotel with a free breakfast, you take food for lunches (make sure the hotel you choose has a full kitchen, or at least a small fridge) then you only have to pay for one meal a day while you are there.  If you plan right, and depending on the size of your family, and the choices you make while eating out, you could probably get away with only spending $60 to $70 a day on food.  Even with my family of 6, that’s an attainable cost for food on vacation, using this technique.

8. Have an emergency plan.  If your vehicle gets a flat, breaks down or someone gets hurt what are you going to do?  Make up a first aid kit ahead of time to keep on you where ever you go.  Include all the basics, as well as an instant ice pack, ace bandage and whatever emergency medicine you might need.
I have a child with epilepsy and one who gets severe migraines.  Both have rescue medication for these situations.  Those meds will be in my travel first aid kit.  Having a car first aid kit is a good idea too.  At least $500 should be in both first aid kits, for emergency situations you may not have planned for.  Hospital visits and car shops can get expensive fast!  This will help take away the stress of those emergencies!

9. Don’t waste your money on a lot of souvenirs.  Plan on buying each child one thing and if they want anything else, they can use their own money.  If they know in advance that they are going on a trip and will have to buy any extras themselves, they will be more likely to save their own money for it.  If they don’t have the money for it, they don’t really need it anyway.

10.  Don’t stress about everything being perfect.  Things don’t always go the way you want them to.  Vacation is the same way.  If one of your “have to do” activities is outside and it rains the whole time, preventing you from doing that activity, plan an indoor activity instead and know that there will always be “next time”.  Even if you don’t get to take vacations that often, another opportunity will arise or you can “plan” another trip down the line.  If a child gets sick, cut the trip short if you have to.  There is no reason for one of you to suffer the whole time.  Or let one parent stay at the hotel with the sick child while the other takes the other kids out for planned activities.  Rotate which parent goes so that both parents get some time to enjoy the trip.  And always remember that there can be a next time with careful, thoughtful planning!

11. Lastly, remember to enjoy your trip!  Create lasting memories without a lot of arguing and fighting.  If something goes wrong, don’t let it ruin the whole vacation.

I hope that these tips help you in making your next family vacation fun and stress free!  Remember that you are trying to create memories to last a lifetime!  The more fun you have, the more fun your kids will have.  If you stress about everything, everyone will be miserable!

Once you have done all this it’s time to Pack For Your Vacation!