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Health & Fitness

Traveling with Kids – It’s All in the Planning!

Need some hints on how to make sure everyone has a great vacation with the kind of warm, fuzzy memories that will be retold for years to come – then take the time to follow a few simple tips.

Cheryl Jones, Neighbor

When booking a family-friendly vacation, the first thing you’ll need to do is establish a budget and then do a bit of research  to determine which destinations and hotels fit your budget. With family-friendly hotels in most destinations, you can  combine great resort amenities with beautiful beaches (in Mexico or the Caribbean islands), or exciting eco-adventures (in Costa Rica), plus local cultural interests. Many hotels offer kid’s clubs for the 4-12 year old set, most have fantastic pools with lazy rivers, fun fountains, water slides and more. Some resorts even offer nurseries, baby clubs or toddler programs, and some even offer nanny services so you can enjoy some adult time away from the kids. Several offer activities geared toward ‘tweens' and even teens. Do your homework and choose a hotel that meets your family’s specific needs, then present a pre-selected list of options at a family planning meeting. AND don’t forget – you and the kids (even infants) will all need U.S. passports to travel out of the U.S. and to return to the U.S.

  • If you want to make sure that everyone has a great vacation with the kind of warm, fuzzy memories that will be retold for years to come – then take the time to follow a few simple tips:
  • a) Get the entire family involved in the planning process.
  • Have a family discussion about everyone's trip priorities regarding where they want to go and what they want to do on vacation. If done in moderation, handing over some decisions to the kids is a terrific way for them to learn planning and thinking skills.
  • b) Choose the right destination. Make sure everyone is in agreement about which destination will provide the most fun and the most options for each member of the family (beach, water sports, sightseeing activities or perhaps adventure activities like canopy tours, horseback riding, river rafting or other soft adventure activities).
  • d) Choose the right hotel/resort -- All-Inclusive or EP? All-inclusive is usually the best bet with kids – it’s an excellent choice when keeping to a budget is an important factor.  All-inclusive plans generally include everything in one price – day and night time activities, non-motorized water sports, all meals and snacks and unlimited beverages. A convenient fit for a family on a budget who wants to do it all and not worry about the expense of every little detail.
  • Traveling with your children can be a fantastic way to bond with them, show them the world, make memories to last a lifetime, and feed their sense of adventure.

    • The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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