Posts Tagged ‘02’

Family Travel Idea: Florida Vacation

Most families with children visit Florida during the summer months,
when school is out – and the Sunshine State bakes in heat and humidity.
So before starting off on a day of touring or a visit to the beach, parents
should keep some things in mind.If you are uncertain, try offering a few
suggestions to the rest of the family and have everyone vote. This way everyone
gets a chance to voice their opinion and cast their vote about where the family
will spend their vacation.There are a few popular family vacation destinations
but with a little creativity you may be able to find the perfect travel destination
for you and your family.


Camping trips are one example of a great family vacation. Whether you opt to
camp at a nearby location or travel cross country to a national park of your
choice you may find that choosing just one of the many beautiful locations
available to be your most difficult decision. With so many gorgeous national
parks as well as breathtaking smaller wooded areas to choose from, finding the
right place for your camping trip can be difficult. Many popular destinations
limit the number of campers per season and it can be very competitive to obtain
one of these permits. In some places, permits sell out within hours of when they
go on sale. Many potential campers are aware of the date that permits begin
being sold and anxiously await this time to snatch up prime camping spots in
their preferred location.


Tours of famous museums are also excellent ideas for family vacations. Even
young children can appreciate distinguished works of are on their own level.
They may not be capable of understanding the intended meaning of the art or of
interpreting the symbolism behind the piece but they can certainly form their
own opinions about what they like and what they don’t like. If you visit an art
museum during your vacation take the opportunity to ask young children what they
think about certain pieces of artwork. This will encourage them to think for
themselves and learn to formulate their own opinions.


Beach vacations are also family friendly ideas. Building sand castles,
participating in beach games, snorkeling, boogie boarding and swimming are just
a few of the activities that families can enjoy together on their beach
vacation. The ocean can be a dangerous place for young children if parents are
not careful about supervising them. Although the beach is a fun destination it
is important to remember that you should remain vigilant to ensure that young
children do not enter the water alone where they could be at risk of drowning.
Exercising proper precautions can help to make your beach vacation enjoyable.


Memories that last a lifetime are often created on family vacations. There
are so many options available for families who wish to travel. Camping trips,
museums and beaches are just a small sample of the popular family vacation
locations available.


The Benefits of Family Travel

Many families decide each year to take a summer vacation. Though many do choose to vacation during the summer season, even more families choose to vacation during the off-season. What category does your family travel fall into?


There are several reasons why some families are not able to take a family vacation, one of the most common involving the cost. Unfortunately, many adhere to the disbelief that a vacation has to be an extravagant trip. This is not true, though. Whether you travel to a nearby amusement park, camp at a state park, or travel around the globe, each one can be a fabulous summer vacation.


Busy schedules are another reason many families are unable to take a family vacation. They forget that the purpose of a vacation is to getaway and take a break from those busy schedules. For this reason, summer vacations are a popular time because the kids are out of school and this may be the only time for the entire family to getaway together. Whether you set aside three days or two weeks, you are encouraged to take a summer vacation and enjoy the benefits of spending some quality time with your family.


Quite possibly the greatest benefit of a family vacation is the time you will be able to spend together. In today’s busy, fast-paced society, many families spend very little time together due to long work hours, busy extracurricular activity schedules and homework. For many, a summer vacation is the only way a family can spend some quality time together uninterrupted by the routine daily demands.


Another benefit of a summer vacation is the relaxation for both the adults and the children. Today, children must function differently than in the past. They are bombarded with a lot of daily homework, busy sports schedules, after-school extracurricular activities and pressure to be at the top. This can be sometimes be a lot of pressure and difficult to handle. A summer vacation may be the rest and rejuvenation they need to meet the demands of another busy academic year.


In addition to you children, you and your partner are likely in need of some relaxation and rest as much or even more than your children. A summer vacation will give you the time you need to forget about work and personal demands. Forget about cleaning the house or turning in a work report, but rather fall into the role of tourist, relax, do some sightseeing and enjoy the time with your family.


You are encouraged to involve the entire family in choosing a destination like Alicante in Spain, especially if your children are older. Be sure to choose a summer location that everyone will enjoy. Maybe schedule a guided tour that everyone agrees upon. Or, find a resort that has fun-filled activities you can do together as a family or the children can enjoy on their own.


Just remember: the purpose of the family vacation is to reconnect as a family, relax and rejuvenate. You busy schedule and work demands will be waiting for you return, don’t worry. Just enjoy the family time!


Family Travel on a Budget

Who says that you can not travel with a family on a tight budget? All it takes is it a little creativity and a lot of planning and that family vacation can happen for under five hundred dollars. Yes, I said it FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Okay, so you may have to be willing to sleep under the stars and pack a lunch but the time that you will spend with the ones that you love will be worth it.


Our first vacation experience will be the Great Smoky Mountains with all of its magnificent views, abundant wildlife, and endless tourist stops. The Smoky Mountains’ are home to numerous camp sites, hotels, and other forms of lodging. A campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains’ National Park is $14-$23 per night according to the official website. There are approximately 20 campsites within 20 miles of the national park. As for hotel rooms, there are thousands. The cheapest hotels are to be found in Pigeon Forge, the new found tourist Mecca of the Smokey’s. Out of season rooms can be commonly found for $19.99 a night so sleeping under the stars does not have to be the only option.


Hint, if you do splurge for a hotel look for one that offers a complementary breakfast or in the least has a mini fridge and microwave. This will save tremendously on the food budget. And while we are on that subject, remember restaurants are usually cheaper at lunch then dinner. So, opt to eat lunch as you main meal and eat at the hotel out of the cooler or the mini fridge for dinner.


Now, you have to keep the natives active because we all know that kids will not be content with just sitting back and enjoying the fresh mountain air and some quality time. So, what do we do now that most of the budget is gone for gas, lodging, and food? Free entertainment of course. And yes, it is out there. You just have to know where to look and how to find it.


Family Travel Games

If you’ve ever spent a long time in a vehicle with children then you’ve probably had to come up with some quick, creative ideas on how to keep them occupied. I have spent countless hours playing travel games with children. Here are a few of the family travel games that I have found perfect for passing the time.


Travel Scavenger Hunt


Make a list of things you might see as you’re travelling (this will vary depending on your location). Some good examples would be… an airplane flying overhead, a lamb, a cyclist, an ambulance, a yield sign, litter, a train, etc. Make a list for everyone or play the game as a group. If children are playing individually, the first person to call out an item gets to check it off their list. If the item appears another time at a different location on your route another child may call it and check it off of their list. Whoever gets all of their items first or whoever has the most items when you reach your destination wins.


Travel Bingo


Make up some blank bingo cars and purchase some automobile, street sign, animal or any combination of applicable stickers to put in the blank spaces. Just be sure that any stickers you buy are of items you might see in your travels. Have the children choose and place one sticker in each square (kids love stickers, so even that part is fun). As you’re driving children call out and check off any items on their card that they see along the road. The first one to get a full diagonal, horizontal, or vertical line checked off wins. In a pinch, children can draw their own bingo card on a piece of paper and either write in or draw items they might see on their trip.


Category Cards


Buy a package of blank index cards and either write one category name or draw one category picture on each card. You should make up at least sixteen cards. Categories should reflect things you might see on your travels. Be creative with your ideas and the possibilities are limitless. Some good examples would be… street signs, emergency vehicles, transportation, animals, restaurants, sports, etc. When the cards are complete, shuffle them and turn them upside down. When traveling, the first player must draw a card and find something that fits the category picked. When an item is found the next card is picked up and an applicable item is found. All players take turns until all cards are used up. Cards can then be reshuffled and the game can continue, however, if a ‘car’ was found for the vehicle category on the first round, a different vehicle (eg. truck, train) must be found on the next round. Play for fun or set a time limit for each item and score a point only for items found in the given time.


Licence Plate Spell


Have each child choose a different 5 letter word. When driving each player must find the first letter of their word on a licence plate. When the first letter has been found, they must find the second letter of their word on a different licence plate. This continues till someone completes their word. Then, players choose new words and start again. The player who completes the most words first by the end of the trip wins.


Family Travel Checklist

Travelling with a family can be a nightmare. Most family travel meets some sort of major emergency or crisis during the planning phase, and it usually occurs right before they are due to go to the airport for departure. No matter how well the parents have planned, something never ever fits in and this can cause extreme panic when there are several children to deal with as well as making sure that everyone arrives at their vacation destination in one piece.


It is no wonder that family travel can cause major stress when you consider all of the things that have to be considered and then remembered. With insurance, packing, documentation, hotel arrangements, flights and other similar elements of family travel to deal with, what you really need is a checklist to use to ensure that all elements are dealt with in the correct timescales to ensure that the dash to the airport is not an ordeal!


To help you cope with this, here is a checklist that you can use for any given trip, whether going abroad or remaining in a domestic setting. All of the information is relevant and can certainly help you to relax and enjoy your vacation!


Six Months To Go
1. Assess your financial situation and estimate spending money
2. Collect information on the places that you would like to go. The Internet is a great resource, but you can also use travel guides and brochures to get an idea of the type of hotel to stay in.


Five Months To Go
1. This is the absolute latest that you should book your vacation accommodation to make sure that you have plenty of time to plan the family travel from start to finish. Remember to compare prices and check out deals and discounts.
2. Book family air travel and confirm the departure times and dates.
3. If you do not already have one, apply for a passport and look into the family travel destination to see whether you need further documentation, such as a visa.
4. Apply for a visa or permit if necessary, making sure that you comply with all of the requirements.


Three Months To Go
1. Begin to plan out activities for the whole family. Research the activities in the local area that are suitable for family travel, as well as the prices and availability because it may be necessary to book some activities in advance.
2. Check and compare travel insurance policies and purchase the family travel policy that best suits your needs.
3. Make an appointment with the family doctor for the necessary vaccinations. This can be found on the embassy website, in the same place as the visa requirements that you researched previously.
4. Organise your finances so that you know how much you have to spend and how much of your credit limits you have left. This will enable you to decide which cards you will take.


Two Months To Go
1. Purchase all of the necessary clothes and equipment for family travel.
2. Make sure that all of the accommodation and flights are fully paid and ready for you when you get there!


One Month To Go
1. Gather all of your documents together and photocopy them all twice, leaving one copy with your family and take another copy with you just in case there are any problems.
2. Organise any medication that you and your family will need.
3. Copy the itinerary that you have booked and planned so that your family knows exactly where you are going and when you will be going there.


A Week To Go
1. Purchase all travellers checks and money required for family travel.
2. Cancel any regular deliveries that you may have and pay up any bills, making sure that there is enough money in your account to cover any remaining bills
3. Pack for family travel!


After this checklist is complete, you should be good to go so you can just relax and enjoy yourself!


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