Parents Want to Know 101: Travel Guide for the Well-Traveled Family, Part 1: How to Choose the Best Family Travel Destination

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Travel Guide for the Well-Traveled Family, Part 1: How to Choose the Best Family Travel Destination

My family.....with the exception of Minnie Mouse (smile).

By Sharon Rose

Getting Started

There are so many tourist attractions in the world for you to choose from. The question is how do you choose the best family travel destinations? There are several destination considerations, such as: schedule, costs, and kid-friendly. Most families include children, so they should be considered. In addition, at the beginning of your planning stage, in choosing a destination, you should consider the options available for transportation. Will you travel by car, air, etc? Researching is a must and gets your planning started. Also, if you are going to work with a travel agency, they will be helpful in giving some professional ideas and opinions. Travel agencies are a good resource that should not be overlooked.

Early Discussions

There are many best family travel destinations, but the most important thing is to talk about it with the family group. You want everyone who will make the trip to value and enjoy the experience. Invite each family member to give their ideas. Talk about it in a group discussion. If you can't all be present together use a group discussion format, such as phone calls, texts, or create a Facebook family event page. Today's technology, with social media, can bring you all together. Be open to listen to the ideas of others. This is the moment when you should be able to determine the best results for the whole family. Try to choose a destination for which several ideas can be incorporated. For example, some may want to go to the beach, but others may want to tour museums, theme parks, or enjoy the nightlife. Choose a destination that has all of these activities available and include all of them when you plan your daily trip itinerary. We're not there yet in our planning, but to gain cooperation, it would be wise to explain that you plan to create an itinerary to fit the likes of everyone in the family group. Part of the open discussion should include the best travel schedule for everyone, as well. Talk about the time of year family members can travel, such as holidays or spring break. Some family members may need to schedule time off from work well in advance, so, this is an important part of the discussion. You can make it work!

Research

Take advantage of the many ways in which to research various destinations. The internet is one of the best sources. There are also travel books, brochures, and documentaries. YouTube, on the internet, is a good source of short travel videos. You don't have to be disappointed, that your destination was a place you never wanted to go, once you return from your trip.

Travel Budget

The best family travel destinations have a big variety of things to do that fit all age groups. However, that does not have to mean an expensive vacation. Consider your budget for the trip and talk about it with the family. Starting the planning early will give everyone an opportunity to put a savings plan in place and/or have a good understanding of what is needed, financially, for them to make the trip. Also, if working with a travel agency, by planning early, you may also be able to take advantage of a payment plan, often with discounts. Whether you plan on your own or with a travel agency your budget is important and "key" to your travel plans being put into action.

Check tomorrow for Family Travel Tip # 2.

For a Spring Break destination, my family chose Disney World, Orlando, FL, and what a great choice!

Family pictures from Disney World Vacation, April, 2013. We stayed at the Art of Animation Resort for 4 nights and 5 days. We visited 4 theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney's Hollywood Studios.