The Keys To A Great Vacation Plan This Summer
Welcome to the official beginning of summer! Are you planning on a fun summer family getaway this year? Whether it’s a one tank trip or a simple stay-cation, a little planning will help you make the most of your time and money.
- Know thy family! No matter what kind of trip you’re planning, you probably already have a good idea of what your little travelers can handle. Eight hours of sight-seeing is going to be a challenge for kids of any age just as a full day at the theme parks would be for the grandparents. Try to be realistic when planning your activity level and meals—nothing goes well when your group is past the point of hungry.
- Try these websites to help you plan. Vacationrentals.com, VRBO.com and HomeAway.com are good websites to browse through if you’re looking for a vacation home or condo to rent. Typically you’ll see exactly what the property looks like through the photo galleries. For hotel deals, try booking.com or Hotels.com where you can sort by rating, budget, location and more. To save money on airfare, try the fare watch alerts on airfarewatchdog.com or Kayak.com. Priceline’s “Negotiator” tool can really help travelers save money on last-minute deals, just specify the hotel rating, neighborhood and dates.TripAdvisor is still the final word in travel, as millions of reviewers sound off on everything from hotel rooms to restaurants to vacation activities-a must for any vacation plan.
- Factor time and money into your budget. When you’re planning, don’t forget that your time is just as important and as valuable as what you spend on a vacation. For example, if you’re hitting the theme parks for a day, you know that you’ll be spending time waiting to ride the popular rides. Perhaps a fast-pass is the way to go if you only have one day. Driving all-day to a popular beachside resort several states away? That makes sense if you won’t need your car once you get there. If you only have a long weekend, pick a destination that is realistic for that amount of time. It’s no fun coming home from vacation more exhausted than when you left.
- Family Travel? No more than one event per day. On paper, it’s so tempting to load up your sunny vacation days with lots of activities. Why not take advantage of getting every minute of fun out of your time away in this new destination, right? But the reality is if you’re traveling with kids, plan for about one fun event per day and see how that goes. If your kids are younger, you will likely all need some downtime afterwards and if you are traveling with teens, they’ll also appreciate some “chill time” by themselves. Spending quality time together is more important in the long run than checking off sight-seeing landmarks.
- Unplug & Enjoy the Moment. Just because smartphones make it so easy to point, click and share your vacation memories doesn’t mean want to spend all of your time playing photographer. The best memories really are those small moments in time that you witness first-hand, not necessarily through a lens or electronic device. Forget about how many people “liked” that amazing sunset pic you snapped and just focus on enjoying your vacation. It will be over before you know it.
Here’s wishing you and your family a safe but fun-filled summer!
