How To Plan An International Vacation With Your Family
There’s nothing like creating fun memories with your family in a relaxed setting. According to a survey, 88% of families are expected to travel this year.
While family vacations are exciting, it requires a lot of effort, especially when traveling internationally. Planning can get complicated because you have to consider every family member’s preference and individual needs.
So, if you are in charge of getting your family together for a trip this year, here are five of the best tips to help you plan the perfect overseas vacation with your family.
- Get your passports ready
The first thing you must do when planning a trip overseas is to ensure your passports are valid for travel when the time comes. Very few countries will let you in without a valid passport.
Most countries will also allow entry if you have less than six months of passport validity. Therefore, ensure that every member of your family’s passport is valid or complies with your vacation destination’s passport requirements.
If you’re in charge of keeping passports, you can make copies of them and any other important documents in case you lose any originals.
Since you are traveling outside of your home country, you must find out whether you would need to have a visa before arriving at your destination.
- Carefully book flights
Going on an international family vacation requires careful planning and preparation, especially when kids are involved. This is especially the case when booking flights.
When booking flights, you must ensure that you find good seats and have your family sitting together. It can be a frustrating journey if your family is scattered all over the plane.
You should also consider other challenges associated with this mode of travel. For example, if you have to make one or more stopovers during the journey, you need to know if you will have to switch terminals or pick up your luggage at each stop.
You must also check the times to see if you have enough time to make it to your next gate. Factor in any potential events that might come up, like feeding your kids or stopping to use the bathroom.
Think about how you’re going to get around at your destination. Using a rental car company like Go Rentals is a good idea as it can save money on transport if you’re going to be moving around a lot.
- Find the most suitable accommodation
Once you’ve figured out where you’re going and how you plan on getting there, it’s time to think about where you would like to stay.
Hotel rooms are the most common option for most families. There are also different types of accommodation. I like cozycozy to compare all sorts of accommodations in one search.
You can rent house at an affordable price or rent a boat for your family if you’re feeling very adventurous. As long as you can find a place where you can spend time together and bond more, you are good to go.
Your choice of accommodation can affect how well your vacation goes. To ensure everyone is on board with where they will be staying, you can present a list of places and ask your family to weigh each place’s pros and cons. You will find the best choice as you keep narrowing down your list.
- Ensure there are enough activities for everyone to enjoy
It might be challenging when planning an international family vacation, especially as each family member is of varying age and with different interests.
You can start by asking your hotel or home rental owner what activities will be available nearby or onsite. You can also research your destination to find out what activities are perfect for your family.
Depending on where you are going, you can visit the beach or historic monuments, try different foods and drinks, or join a tour group. No matter what you choose, ensure that everyone has a good time.
- Have a packing plan
Traveling with family can get overwhelming, as there are so many people you would have to attend to. It can make packing even more difficult, especially if you are packing for your little ones.
Instead, spend a few weeks to your travel date making a list of all essential items you must pack for your family. Stock up on any medications, snacks, and other items you will need for travel.
Encourage other family members to also pack early to avoid rushing on your day of travel. You would hate arriving at your destination only to realize you’ve left something important.
Family vacations are amazing; you can build fun memories and get to know each other better.
Ensure that you use these tips to plan your next international family vacation.
You can relax throughout your trip knowing that you have everything covered.