Family vacations are meant to be times of bonding and relaxation, but many times they are plagued with stress and worry. Too often, lack of planning or unmet expectations lead to a frazzled family who needs a vacation when they get home from their vacation! This problem can be avoided by advanced planning and setting realistic expectations. Here are some tips to plan a productive and restful family vacation.
Set a Budget
Before setting out on your family adventure, it is imperative that you sit down and discuss what your budget will be. A budget will help set the tone of your entire vacation. Are you looking to have a splurge trip or are you looking for a fun, family escape without the worry of how you are going to pay for everything? A vacation should not be a source of additional stress that emanates from unplanned and unaffordable expenses. Determining that ahead of time will help relieve the stress of money from your trip.
Don’t Overfill Your Days
Hopefully, the success of your vacation is not measured by a tally of how many things you managed to cram into each day. It is far too common on vacations to plan activities one after another and leave no time for real relaxation. One possible practice is to space out the days or periods of rigid schedules between days with nothing planned. Some days could include a range of possible activities with no set goal of accomplishing them or the timing of potential accomplishment. For those that enjoy cruises, this is one of the reasons that days-at-sea are so often appreciated. There is no pressure of waking up or trying to be on time for the set schedules that are associated with shore excursions. While this may be quite important in everyday life, it is especially important while on vacation that you leave some margin in your day-to-day schedule.
Be Prepared to Be Flexible
Schedules and planned outings are great ways to stay on top of your vacation, but being flexible is a must. Things can change at the drop of a hat and knowing that it is a possibility will help you set realistic expectations for your trip. While it’s hard to prepare for the unexpected, you can prepare to be flexible.
Vacation or Education?
It is understandable that on some vacations, you might have the added motivation of learning about a culture or geography that you are being exposed to. Determining (and agreeing upon) the purpose of your trip is a great way to create a productive family vacation. Are you heading to a new city or country that you want to learn about? If so, focus on museums and walking tours to learn about the local history and culture. Do you want to relax and refresh? Then plan to enjoy naps, a good book, or movies, keeping your days mostly free.
Family vacations don’t have to be daunting. They can be a perfect time for you to bond as a family if you set proper expectations and goals for your trip. Don’t be afraid to plan an unconventional trip or to not stick to a strict itinerary. Plan ahead, don’t fill every minute, agree on the purpose and goals, and enjoy the time with your family.