Getting the family together and going on a luxurious vacation is one of those things that is much easier said than done. As good as it feels to dream about relaxing with your family on a sunny beach without a care in the world, the reality is that planning trips can be a hassle. When it comes down to it, there is a lot of planning and work that goes into every trip, be it a weekend getaway to somewhere close or a week-long trip to a foreign place.
However, the stress that most people experience when planning vacations is often unnecessary and is mostly a result of a lack of organization. When you think about all of the steps it takes to plan a trip at the same time, it can seem overwhelming and can stress you out pretty quickly. However, if you break it into reasonable steps and tackle one thing at a time, you’ll have a trip planned before you know it, stress not included. Here are a few tips for planning a family vacation in the easiest way possible.
Choose a Destination
First and foremost, you’ll need to decide where you’re going. Picking a destination is one of the most exciting parts and the destination you choose will determine everything else about the destination, from the budget to the activities you’ll do while you’re there. For some people, choosing the destination is a breeze. For others, it can be difficult, especially when people have differing opinions or preferences. In either case, however, you’ll need to figure this part out before you do anything else.
Set a Budget
Once you’ve picked a place, you’ll need to decide on a budget. Do some research to see how much the average family spends while visiting your location, and adjust it as you see fit to create a budget that works for everybody. Vacations are meant to reduce stress, not create more of it, and setting (and sticking to) a budget will help make it a stress-free experience.
Pick a Time
Choosing a time that works for everybody is often one of the most difficult parts of planning a vacation, especially if you have older children who are in high school, college, or are working. Juggling everybody’s schedules all at once can be difficult and stressful, but the good news is there’s a quick and easy solution for it: technology!
The best way to choose a time that works for everybody is to have everybody who has serious commitments download a shared calendar app and mark off all of the dates and times that don’t work for them. Once everybody has marked off the days that won’t work, you’ll have a list of tentative dates and times that might work. From there, you can do a little coordinating to refine the calendar and find the perfect time that works for everybody. Piece of cake!
Figure Out the Logistics
Unfortunately, every vacation does require a lot of effort to figure out logistics. Some of the things you’ll need to do include:
- Finding a place to stay. With the invention of services like Airbnb and HomeAway (among others), finding a place to stay has almost never been easier.
- Fulfilling all the necessary requirements for international travel. If you’ll be traveling internationally, you’ll need to make sure you satisfy all VISA and passport requirements, as well as getting any necessary immunizations and taking any other recommended precautions.
- Finding a way to get around. This step is usually pretty simple, as it’s just a matter of deciding whether you’ll rent a car, use public transportation, or use services like Uber or Lyft.
- Deciding where you’ll eat. This can be a bit tricky because where you eat will largely depend on your appetite, current location, and other things, but you’ll want to do some research beforehand to see the best places to eat with your family where you’re going.
Plan Out the Fun Stuff
Obviously, this is one of those steps that depends entirely on where you’ll be going. If you’re going to the beach, for example, you probably won’t need much except some swimsuits, sunscreen, and picnic supplies. If you’re more adventurous, you’ll need to rent equipment like ATV’s, skis, or scuba gear and make reservations to swim with sharks, ride the world’s longest zip line, or participate in other activities.
Stay Safe
The best vacations are the ones that are memorable for the right reasons, not the wrong ones, and taking safety precautions will increase the chances of your vacation being a good one. As you’re planning your trip, you’ll want to make sure all of your family members are on the same page when it comes to staying safe.
Sadly, tourists are a popular target for burglars, muggers, and other criminals because they’re easy to spot and often don’t know where to turn for help after a crime has been committed. Before you leave for your trip, read a few guides on how to stay safe while traveling and take that advice seriously. You’ll be glad you did!