Let’s face it, as much fun as they can be, summer vacations with the family can also be a bit challenging. Especially when teenagers are involved. Don’t let their moodiness discourage you. Even if family members are on different pages, it is possible to have a fun and memorable vacation. In this post, we’ve compiled a list of tips to guarantee a fun time this summer with your family.
10 Family Travel Tips
1. Be sure to document the trip. To ensure that everyone gets in the photos, pass the camera around the family and allow each member to take pictures from their point of views.
2. Let everyone contribute to the road trip music selections. That’s right Mom and Dad, a little Katy Perry and Justin Beiber won’t kill you. And who knows? The kids might enjoy your Prince, and Barbara Streisand picks.
3. Manage to make time for private moments. When my family of six took trips, by the time we returned home, we were beyond sick of each other. We found that the arguments and heated moments weren’t as common when we made time to do our things. Be it talking on the phone with friends or reading a magazine quietly, the inclusion of private time made everyone a little happier.
4. Institute gadget-free hours. That goes for you too, Dad. That business call can wait. Have the family decide on designated times gadgets are not permitted. In addition, eliminating them completely may put family members in tech withdrawal which may result in horrible attitudes. Therefore, allowing them for the designated time may be everyone’s best bet.
5. Play cheesy games. You never get too old for this. My family and I had a grand ole’ time playing “Two Truths and a Lie” at a dinner table during one summer vacation. In addition, we learned a lot about each other, but we laughed and created memories.
6. Break the trip up and allow for historical bits AND fun attractions. Last year my Dad wanted us to visit Washington, D.C. While I didn’t enjoy going from monument to monument in the summer sun, I had a ball visiting the Newseum, and my sisters and step-mom enjoyed shopping. There was a little something for everyone!
7. Make an itinerary for the trip weeks and months ahead of time. This keeps everyone on the same page without any unwanted surprises.
8. Let everyone get a choice in food selection. If I had it my way, we’d only stop at Thai, Greek or Caribbean restaurants on vacations. However, a better idea is to allow everyone to choose a restaurant along the way. Mom may select BBQ one day, and Moody Teen may want Japanese. Everyone gets a chance to try something they like.
9. Want this summer’s vacation to be a surprise? Give out weekly clues leading up to the day of the trip. This kind of family involvement gets everyone excited!
10. Call a family meeting before the trip. Get everyone together to discuss plans and share thoughts and ideas about the trip. Also, discuss preferences and attempt to get problems resolved before they even start.
Got any summer trips planned? We’d love to hear about them!
Surviving Vacation
