Family Vacation Planning

Get out and explore with family

These are some of the best ways to get out and explore with your family:

• Plan a trip that you can all enjoy. Take everyone's interests and needs into account. If you're traveling with young kids, consider bringing along a tablet or phone so they can watch their favorite shows during long car rides. If your older children are game for an adventure, look into booking something like zip-lining or horseback riding!

Be together as a family.

Family vacations are an excellent opportunity to spend time together as a family and create lifelong memories. Whether you're traveling domestically or abroad, there are many ways to make your next trip together something special. Consider these ideas:

• Explore new places together. Go on hikes, bike rides, or take in a local museum or outdoor attraction. You can also learn about the culture by visiting historic landmarks and sites related to local history.
• Be active together! There is nothing quite like getting outside for some fresh air and exercise—especially if you do it with your kids in tow! If hiking is not your favorite activity, there are plenty of other options that can include everyone from young children up to adults: swimming at the beach or pool; practicing yoga out under the stars; playing sports like tennis or golf; visiting theme parks such as Disneyland & Disney World Resort Theme Parks, Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park and SeaWorld Orlando Aquatica Theme Park with its Waterpark or find theme parks local to the area you plan to visit; renting surfboards at Huntington Beach Surfing Lessons and hitting up one of Southern California's many beaches nearby, the list goes on! The opportunities are countless when it comes to activities suitable for all ages (including yours).

Plan a trip

After deciding on the destination and dates, it's time to start planning. The most important things to do are make a budget, find out about weather conditions for your trip, and figure out what activities you'll want to do.

Here's a quick checklist:

• Make a rough plan of how much money you're going to spend—and where. As with any vacation, there's no shortage of places to splurge. But if you budget correctly from the beginning, it'll be easier for your family members to stick within their limits—and avoid carrying around too much cash at once (which can lead to lost wallets).
• Try not to overbook yourself! It can be tempting when so many fun things are happening in one place at once, but don't forget that this is supposed to be an enjoyable experience for everyone involved! Your kids will probably want some downtime after spending hours playing with other kids or doing sports activities together every day. They'll need plenty of rest before hitting up another attraction in full force later on during your trip. No one likes cranky kids, so make sure you schedule downtime for everyone (including mom and dad!) to rest and recharge.

Discuss options for vacationing with your family.

Before you book a vacation, here are some factors to consider. How much time do you have off? Make sure you plan enough time to visit all the local attractions during your trip.

Are you able to afford the trip? Remember that not every trip you go on needs to be expensive and grand. You can spend time together and bond on a simple, inexpensive camping trip that your kids will remember for years to come.

 Is your family ready for an extended absence from their routine? Make sure you take into account kids' ages and abilities. Are you going to need to plan for nap times and breaks? These are just things to think about when deciding on locations and activities.

 Will they be young enough to enjoy the excursion or old enough to appreciate it if you're traveling with children? Are you going to need to plan multiple activities for the different ages of your family/party members?

Do you need more time at home than on the road, if possible (for example, if your child is starting school)? What climate would be most comfortable for your family members—hot and humid or cool and dry?