If you’re not careful, planning a family vacation can quickly get more difficult than it needs to be. When it comes to making a fun experience for the whole family, you have a lot of options to consider. In this post, we’ll look at seven things you can do to make your next family vacation the best one!

1. Don’t Feel Pressure To Only Eat At Restaurants

Restaurant eating can be difficult especially if you’re traveling with young children. It’s rare that you’ll find a place that everyone agrees on. Dealing with small children inside a crowded restaurant doesn’t make things any easier. With destination trailers or a vacation condo, you can easily control when you eat and what you’re eating. Instead of spending $40 on every meal, you can use your money efficiently by buying what you usually eat at home. Cooking your meals on vacation will save you a lot of time and hassle.

2. Don’t Go All Out

Vacations quickly turn into work when there’s pressure to see absolutely everything at your destination. You have to assess your group and determine your limits. If you’re traveling with the elderly or young children, you’re going to have to make time for rest in the schedule. Give yourself enough time to enjoy each activity and don’t feel like you always have to be on the move to see the next thing.

3. Give Everyone Some Time On Their Own

Family vacations can get a little claustrophobic if everyone doesn’t step back and take some time for themselves. This is especially important if you’ve been cooped up for over 12 hours in a car together. Alone time doesn’t necessarily mean you have to all go your separate ways – someone may want to read a book while another watches a movie. Give your family the chance to take the time to do what they want at some point in the vacation.

4. Try Renting Equipment

Renting equipment can make your life a lot easier. Instead of paying to have your strollers, cribs and car seats transported, you can rent these things at your destination. If you enjoy biking, you can also rent a bike instead of having to lug yours around. The price of renting certain items is very reasonable especially when you factor in freight and other baggage fees.

5. Use Technology To Your Advantage

During long drives, entertainment is a must. If you have young children, you can’t expect them to sleep all the time or keep all their energy bottled up. Before you leave, load up your laptop with movies and games for the long ride. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have your favorite tunes for the times when the drive seems like it will never end. Loading up sounds like white noise or oceans noises can also help you fall asleep in an unfamiliar place.

6. Don’t Rush Getting To Your Destination

Nothing is worse than having to hurry on vacation. Make sure you leave enough time in your plans for transportation and unexpected delays. It’s also important to try avoid the busy times in your destination. No one wants to waste valuable vacation hours just waiting in line. A good rule to go by is to add 20 minutes to each task for every child you have!

7. Make Sure To Document Your Trip

Documenting your trip will help the whole family remember the vacation vividly. Don’t feel you always have to get the whole family to pose for pictures all the time; take some candid shots and photos of your destination. Taking videos of your experiences and bringing home meaningful souvenirs is a great way to remember your trip.