Would you like to plan a trip with your family sometime soon but not sure where to begin? Planning a family trip can be stressful. Worrying about pleasing everyone and ensuring your your plans go smoothly can be tiresome. Don't worry, by following my five simple steps you will be on your way to the ultimate trip with your loved ones.
Pick a destination that is family friendly
First things first, you need to agree on a location for your trip. Choose a place that will be accommodating towards a family. Not everywhere is a good place for large groups or children. Sit down with your family and discuss everyone's budget, desired length of stay and expectations. This will help you to pinpoint where exactly you are headed.
Find accommodations suitable for your group, make reservations
This is something you will want to do far in advance to be sure you get the ideal spot for your family to stay. If you want to all be together, you may want to book a large rental home but be careful as these rentals often come with a lot of strings attached. Perhaps everyone wants to stay at a hotel and have their own rooms. Discuss this and book your reservations as soon as you can. Things go quickly and you do not want to stress over your lodging.
Plan Your Itinerary
Get everyone involved in this one. Let everyone plan an activity for the family to take part in on your trip. If you don't think you will have enough time for this, than collaborate on ideas of things you want to do. You can even get the kids involved in this one, this will allow them to get excited no matter where you chose to go. Planning your itinerary out beforehand with a group makes things way easier when you are away. Working with a travel agent can take the burden off of you as the organizer in planning your itinerary!
Prepare to be Flexible
Have the mindset before you go that you will not stress over little things. If you have a large family, you need to prepare yourself to be flexible while you are away. Know that everything may not go according to the plan and that is okay. At the end of the day, it is about the time spent together and the memories made. If you think this way before you even go, you will be ahead of the game.
Pack and Get Organized Ahead of Time
Start preparing in advance for your trip. Make lists of things you will need and start packing. Only pack what is necessary and avoid packing too much. For some help, check out our checklist at https://www.mckeetravel.com/single-post/2017/09/25/TO-DO-LIST-BEFORE-YOU-LEAVE-ON-A-TRIP. Waiting until the last minute to get items ready will leave you scrambling and at the risk of forgetting something important.
Now, all there is left to do, is to go enjoy your time together on your trip. If you want to eliminate all of the stress of planning a group or family trip, go ahead and consult with a travel agent such as myself. I would love to help you plan that perfect trip!
