Planning a Family Vacation
Busy parents, take heart! If you’ve got kids, we know you’ve got better things to do with your time than spend hours planning a family vacation. So we’ve done some of the work for you, searching out the most useful Web sites for family travel and compiling them all in one convenient place. We’ve also made up a handy-dandy packing checklist that includes all the gear, games and gotta-have items you’ll need to get you through your next family vacation. So what are you waiting for? Your next family vacation is just a few clicks away!
Plan Ahead- Make sure you have all the details and everyone on the same page. If it’s not going to be fun, why go?
Communicate- Use a travel planning tool like kayak and set up a family trip webpage. Keep everybody on the same page
Near the park- What’s better than wiffle ball and BBQ with the family?
Pool- Make sure you have a nice pool. Never underestimate the importance of a good pool.
Hospitality / Concierge Desk- It’s best to plan ahead of time, but it’s always nice to have a knowledgeable helping hand available for questions
Choose wisely- Pick a place to stay in the center of the action.
Hit the pavement- Walk, walk, walk everywhere including the restaurant. Walking will really connect you to your destination and give a chance for everyone to connect.
Outdoorsy- Choose at least one Activity involving animals, sea life, or nature. We hear all the time how the highlight of a family vacation was the hiking trip or zoo expedition. Kids love it.
Baby-time- If you’re traveling with babies make sure to bring along baby proofing items, and baby healthcare products like sunscreen and bug screen.
Kid-time- try to keep in mind what stage a kid is in their development and throw them a few bones on the trip that are age appropriate
Adult-time- Make sure the grown ups can have some alone time someway, somehow.
Our Favorite Web Sites
We scoured the Internet to find the most useful sites for family travelers, and these seven stood out for their useful content and functional design.
GoCityKids.com highlights unique, child-friendly attractions in more than 20 major U.S. cities. We’re not just talking the standard touristy stuff like museums and zoos — think skating rinks, hands-on art centers, and public parks perfect for picnicking or kite flying. The site’s clear organization and easy-to-use search feature make this a favorite for busy parents.
FamilyFun.com is Disney’s Web site and has a plethora of travel advice and kid-friendly links. The site offers a vacation finder feature that allows you to enter a region (say, the Midwest) and a type of travel (like “outdoors” or “factory tours”), and get customized results. There’s also useful information on beach vacations, camping trips and (of course!) theme park getaways.
WeJustGotBack.com provides detailed reviews of family-friendly hotels and resorts in the U.S., the Caribbean and Canada, with more destinations reportedly on the way. You’ll also find reader tips, city guides and even a member photo gallery. Free registration is required to access most of the site.
BabyCenter.com is a comprehensive parenting site with a great section on traveling with younger kids (up to age 8). Features include expert advice, emergency checklists, itinerary ideas and survival tips. We like the way the information is geared toward specific age groups.
TravelWithYourKids.com has information on all aspects of family travel, including things to consider while planning a trip, how to keep the kids entertained on the plane and even how to find the places in the U.K. where the Harry Potter movies were filmed.
Family Cruising: If you’re considering a cruise for your next vacation, don’t miss this resource page from our sister site, CruiseCritic.com. Find out which ships and cruise lines are the most family-friendly, read up on onboard kids’ programs, and learn how to choose shore excursions your children will love.
Care.com is for parents who love to travel with their kids but could use a day or night to themselves once in a while. The site offers a searchable database of nannies and baby sitters, sorted by zip code, so that parents can find reliable childcare in any U.S. destination. Profiles of each provider include qualifications, certifications and years of experience. Parents can also request free background checks and video references.
People who looked at this item also looked at…
Related items
Related Websites -
Photo Contest from Embassy Suites Hotels Embassy Suites Hotels have announced the new launch of its popular âSnap Happyâ family vacation photo contest with a âHappiness... -
Disney Savings Tips Our family is in the very early stages of mapping out a Disney World vacation in the next year. Our... -
Family Summer Vacations Needed For the last couple years now the idea of going on a summer "staycation," not a vacation, has been all...










No Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post.