Some might wonder why I am writing a blog on travel. Well, March is often a travel month for families with spring break or Easter break. I thought I’d do some travel tips, but not the usual kind. We have already traveled a few times internationally with our young boys (ages 5 and 2). When people find that out, they ask how we do it and if we have any tips. I’m a lifelong international traveler and my husband caught the international travel bug when we started dating. We’ve tried to get the boys travel ready from a young age so that we can go on trips, whether in the US or abroad, and enjoy them as a family.
Part I (today’s post) will cover planning travel and getting ready for travel. Part II (tomorrow’s post) will be more about what can make the actual trip easier.
Get kids excited about travel
I recently had a conversation with a mom about travel. She shared that her family travels to the same places every year, mainly because of her son wanting to go to the same places. She asked me how we get our boys to go new places. I shared that the nights I put our 5-year old to bed, we talk about a different city, whether in the US or an international destination. I try to describe the historic sites, tourist sites, and what the city is known for. We talk about where people live and the way people get around. We even talk about the language(s) they speak and what they eat. It gets him excited to see the cities in person.
Plan ahead or be flexible
In general, I plan my family’s vacations months in advance. I’m a planner by nature. We know when the boys have vacation because school calendars are released so early. That advanced planning allows us to generally get good rates. If you’re going to use miles or points, you really want to do the advances planning because the miles and points required are lower and there are more options for where you can go.
A good friend always gets great deals when he looks for deals last minute. He and his extended family travel around the same time each year, but they wait to figure out where they’re going and get amazing deals, whether rentals, airfare or even cruises. Essentially, if you’re flexible on timing or willing to plan very last minute, you can find great deals on airfare, hotels and packages. I think it’s helpful to do a bit of homework ahead of time on destinations and hotels that might interest you and then look for good deals when you’re ready. Or even if you have an idea of general kind of trip (e.g., beach vs. adventure vs. skiing), it will make last-minute planning easier. Don’t have a plan for spring break ye? You still might find some great deals out there, even for an extended weekend.
What do you do to get ready for your travel with family?
