Family Travels: Planning A Memorable Holiday Vacation

With the winter holidays right around the corner, it’s time to decide how your family will celebrate together! 

Traveling during the holidays is an opportunity to create memories that your family will reminisce on for years to come. Why not take the time to plan an extra-special holiday vacation?

Whether you head to a far-off destination or embark on a staycation nearby, make it a priority to plan a trip that they will never forget!

Here are a few ways to make your family’s holiday travels an experience you’ll never forget!

1. Choose a unique destination.

When you spend every holiday at home each year, the memories begin to run together. You find yourself wondering things like, “Was it 2014 or 2015 that we got the kids a new playhouse?” or, “What year was it that we accidentally baked way too many cookies?”

By switching it up this year, you can ensure that your happiest holiday memories will stand out in your mind as the most memorable celebration yet.

Visit a destination that you’ve never been to before, or a place that holds a special meaning for you, like your hometown or the city where you fell in love. These special places will soon hold an even greater meaning!

Even if you’re staying closer to home, research some off-the-beaten-path attractions for your holiday travels.

Maybe the destination you choose will become part of your family’s holiday tradition!

2. Spend the holiday “off the grid.”

A holiday away from home is the perfect opportunity to disconnect, unwind, and spend uninterrupted time together. 

While a technology-free trip won’t be ideal for many families (especially those with teenagers!), planning some screen-free time for everyone will give an opportunity to spend quality time together without distractions. 

You won’t believe how at peace you feel without the constant pings of emails, social media notifications, and phone calls that keep you tied to your daily routine!

Not only will a break from electronics give your family a chance to reconnect and get to know each other better, but it is also an opportunity to try new activities and make memories together. 

Spend a day hiking a new trail, exploring the city you are spending the holiday in, or head out to lunch or dinner to taste test a cuisine your family hasn’t tried before! Without phones and tablets around during your holiday vacation, the conversation and laughter will flow seamlessly.

If family photos are important to you, grab an instant camera before your trip so that you can capture your memories in real time. We love this one from Amazon!

3. Plan extra-special activities. 

You know your family best, so keep their unique needs and personalities in mind as you plan your holiday travel itinerary. It might require some compromise to come up with a plan that makes everyone happy, but the memories will be so worth it!

For the most memorable holiday trip, try to plan at least one activity each day that everyone in the family can enjoy. To make it the most memorable holiday yet, be sure to plan activities that you can’t do near home!

It’s also an opportunity to teach older kids and teens how to compromise. For example, you might say, “If we spend this afternoon at Legoland for your little sister, we can spend tomorrow afternoon ziplining.”

No matter what extra-special activities you choose, the most important thing is that your family is spending time together and creating memories that will be passed on for generations!

4. Make time for tradition. 

No matter where you spend your winter vacation, it’s important to take your holiday traditions with you! This can help ease discomfort little ones might feel about spending the holiday away from home. 

If baking cookies and decorating the tree is something you do with your kids every year, bring that magic with you on your holiday travels, too.  

If you’re a “game night” type of family, bring board games (or video games, if that’s what you prefer)! And be sure to bring whatever you need to stream your favorite holiday movies.

By bringing your traditions with you, your holiday away from home will be twice as memorable!

5. Keep it simple.

Remember, the holidays are all about spending quality time together.

Try to keep your plans fun but simple and flexible, so everyone in the family can enjoy a stress-free, low pressure holiday vacation. This will ensure that the trip is memorable for the right reasons!

With thoughtful planning, this year’s holiday away from home is one your family will reminisce about for years to come! Maybe holiday travels will become your family’s new tradition. What better way to cultivate the next generation of travel lovers?