Direct flights.
While direct flights are typically sought after, they can be especially life-saving for those traveling with children. This simple tip can save hours of travel time — not to mention less time lugging bags around and navigating your way through terminals will keep the whole family a little bit more content. A straight shot to your destination will help the everyone arrive more eager for vacation mode then spending an entire day just getting there.
Bring snacks and treats.
Airports jack up the cost for everything, especially meals — don’t be caught without snacks throughout the day and end up spending far too much money on them. This especially comes in handy if you, or the kids have dietary restrictions. While there are certainly dining and snack options in many airports, it may be better to bring what you and like as well as the kids favorites! Even water will cost you an arm and a leg. Bring your own refillable bottles — many airports now have bottle filling stations — and save yourself the money and plastic!
Entertainment
Stock up a tablet. Travel days will leave you with seemingly endless empty hours and restless children. Books, movies, and games on a tablet game while away a chunk of that time when there are limited options for entertainment. But, don’t place all you eggs in the electronic basket — keep some non-battery entertainment handy — coloring books, cards and other toys that don’t need a charge. Another great way to keep children entertained is to encourage them to keep a travel journal — involve them in the trip as much as possible! They can draw pictures of their favorite parts of the trip or journal about the experience getting there.
Get the insurance.
Do it. While travel insurance is certainly recommended for all travelers, don’t take your chances with children that are more susceptible to foreign places and germs. Getting travel insurance will help you keep your peace of mind throughout the trip. Consider the peace of mind and confidence of having insurance should something arise.
Choose your destination wisely.
Depending on your needs as a family when traveling, think about the particulars of a destination as you think about where you would like to go. Consider an all-inclusive resort with plenty of activities for all ages and a wide variety of food for picky eaters. Another great option is a family cruise that keeps children and adults busy and entertained. While a lovely stay in Bora Bora sitting on the beach may initially sound wonderful, younger kids could be bored with the lack of activities.
We can help with this — knowing the ins and outs of different countries, resorts, and destinations allows us to make recommendations based on family travel.
Cut down on luggage and rent!
It’s already difficult enough toting around your own luggage and managing to remember everything. There are many popular destinations that have rentals — playpens, strollers, cribs and more that are available to rent. Try and keep your travels as stress-free as possible. In doing so, you and the whole family will have a much more enjoyable time. Lugging around your own personal luggage as well as the kids and then the strollers and other equipment can be a real hassle!
