Traveling with your loved ones can be one of the best experiences in your life, or it could become your worst nightmare.
Exploring an unfamiliar place is a challenge on its own, especially if you do not speak the local language. However, traveling with your family, including babies and very young kids presents even more issues.
You want your first trip abroad to not be your last. So, if you are planning to jet off somewhere this coming holiday season, you might want to keep these tips in mind.
Book Early
The last thing you would want when you arrive in an unfamiliar place with your kids is to find out that the hotels are full and you have nowhere to sleep. If you are heading to your destination during the peak periods, then expect a flurry of tourists fighting over hotel rooms, restaurant tables, transportation, etc.
However, even if the date of your arrival lands on the off-peak seasons, it is advisable to call your choice of lodging or private transportation services as soon as possible. This way, you have more options and you would not have to worry about logistics; you will be able to just enjoy your trip.
Before your scheduled departure, get a confirmation of your reservations to ensure that everything will go smoothly.
Plan One Big Activity Per Day
You want to, as much as possible, explore your destination and see all the attractions during your trip. However, will your kids have the energy — and patience — to go to every museum, every park, every shop in the city?
Consider giving your kids time to rest in between. If, for example, you are heading to a theme park on Day 2, plan the trip to the beach on Day 3. By having only one big activity per day, you and your kids will get to fully enjoy the day.
Pack Wet Wipes and Medicines
Public spaces, especially airports and airplanes, are teeming with disease-causing pathogens. That is why wet wipes, and alcohol-based sanitizers, come in handy. Do not be ashamed to wipe seats, tables, doorknobs, and other items that you do not own before you use them. Remind your kids, and yourselves, to wash their hands regularly, too, to avoid catching a disease during your trip.
You should also pack medicines into your carry on. Aside from the medicine that you or your kids have to take regularly, bring treatment to common ailments like ibuprofen, antacids, antihistamine, anti-itch cream, etc. Bring a thermometer, too, just in case.
Ask Everyone to Use the Toilet
Before you head out to go sightseeing, ask each member of the family to first go to the bathroom and do their business. You might not find a public restroom in wherever you are going or, if there is one, it might not be clean. Children also tend to sometimes forget that they have to go.
To avoid the inconvenience, urge everyone to use the toilet to pee or to poo before you step out of your hotel room.
Do not let the stress of planning your trip get in the way of having fun. Your mission when you travel with your family is not to take as many pictures of popular destinations as you can, but to create memories and bond with your spouse and kids.
