Plan Your Itinerary Carefully

Deciding where to go on vacation creates a bit of stress for all of us. There are a number of factors to consider. The most important is the destination, followed by how we get there, where we are going to stay, and what we are going to see. Another factor is the budget. If you are single, some vacations can cost more because a lot of room rates are based on double occupancy. If you are traveling with small children, you have to cover all their expenses and maybe some daycare if you and your spouse want some "alone" time.

Most popular vacation destinations will have many attractions. So many, in fact, that you can not possibly see them all in one trip. You also have to be aware of the limits of your family members.

If your vacation is 7 days or 10 days, you should plan your itinerary accordingly. You have a day of travel before and after the vacation. When you arrive at your destination, the kids may be tired and cranky and though it is afternoon, they will probably need to rest. After delays in an airport and time spent in the air, you may also want an afternoon nap.

Including your children in the planning of your vacation itinerary increases the experience for them. They may not want to go to an art museum but they will be more receptive if they have picked out attractions they enjoy and you will have to see.

Plan your itinerary so there are activities for both adults and children during the day. This will help to keep them from getting cranky from following you to all the things you want to see.

Traveling long distances is not easy for any of us. Here are some things to keep in mind for yourself and when you travel with children.

1. Acknowledge the interests your child may have and not subject them only to attractions you want to see.
2. Plan your day with extra time between attractions so you have time to get to the next one, time for bathroom breaks, food breaks, and any other unexpected thing that may pop up.
3. Be aware of your children getting overtired. You should plan rest times between activities.
4. You may want to plan in afternoon naps for younger children or you may want to stop at a library or bookstore to read. The young ones may nap in your lap while you read.
5. If you plan your day so that your activities are in the same general area, you will spend less time getting to each attraction or looking for a place to park.
6. Do not plan all the food stops beforehand. Just as you included your child in what attractions you will see, you let them have at least one choice of where to eat each day or on given days during the trip.

In large cities, there are always attractions that interest both children and adults. If you like art, many museums have areas where children can create art. Many science museums have hands-on activities and the most interesting visual creations that can occupy a small child.

The purpose of a vacation is for the family to enjoy being together. You can not please everyone all the time but you can try to make the trip easier on everyone.

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