Category: Travel and Vacations

Does the idea of a road trip sound great in theory, but make you groan when you consider all the details? You’re not alone.

Family road trips often sound like an amazing opportunity for quality time and bonding. But the tenth cry of “she hit me” and repetition of the Wiggles soundtrack can quickly drive you crazy.

Luckily, we’ve got all the info you need to make your family road trip a success. Read on for some smart travel tips that’ll help you actually enjoy your next adventure.

Making the Most of Family Roadtrips

A road trip is a great way to travel as a family. You have the freedom to go wherever you want and can easily pull the car over for food and bathroom breaks. You’ll also get to explore parts of the country that you would miss if you were flying to your destination.

But it’s not all fun and games, and a road trip can quickly turn into a nightmare if you don’t prepare correctly. Here are some smart travel tips to get you started:

1. Do Your Research

The best thing you can do to make your trip go smoothly? Research. Get online and find where other parents drove, where they stayed, and the activities they recommend.

Speak to other parents and get suggestions for experiences or itineraries. Keep in mind the ages of your kids (and theirs) so you can ensure you’re getting the best advice for your situation.

2. Travel With Other Parents

What’s better than a road trip? A road trip with other parents and kids. The more people you travel with, the less likely you’ll hear “I’m bored” from your kids.

You’ll also be making decisions as a team, and can enjoy a well-earned glass of wine at the end of the day.

3. Drive Safe

Before you leave, it’s a good idea to get the car checked out. Whether you have a teeny Toyota or a handicap van, take it in for a service and check that everything is working as it should.

Before you leave, check the tires. You may also want to check the back seat to ensure all windows and doors have the child safety locks activated and there are no choking hazards back there.

4. Take Entertainment

There are now more ways to entertain your kids than ever before. But even the most prepared parent can still hear whining on a long drive.

The answer? Pack more options than you think you’ll need.

However you feel about screen time, most parents allow at least an hour or two on road trips. Here are some other great options:

• Reading
• Family podcasts
• Games like “I Spy”
• Audiobooks
• Talking
• Looking up information about the area
• Listening to songs
• Writing in journals

5. Take Frequent Breaks

If you’re close to your destination, it can be tempting to keep driving, even when the whole family is tired. Instead, avoid setting a strict schedule and play it by ear.

That means regularly taking breaks for snacks and the bathroom. Encourage the kids to run around (set up a quick game of tag or race around the car), and try to stretch your legs yourself.

Smart Travel is Sane Travel

A family road trip doesn’t need to be stressful. By following the above smart travel tips, you can enjoy spending time together as a family and see the sights without losing your sanity.

What are your top road trip tips? Leave a comment below and let us know! Then, check us out for more tips on thrifty living and more!

Are you thinking of heading overseas on a family vacation?

Taking the family overseas is a great way to bond as well as expose kids to a different culture.

Before you take off, however, there’s a lot of research and planning that needs to take place in order to have the best experience possible. Here are a few tips to ensure the whole family has fun the next time you’re going on vacation:

1. Make sure you have all paperwork ready

The first step is making sure you have all the documents you need for international travel. This typically includes proper identification, such as a passport.

When you’re traveling with the family, make sure everyone has what they need well in advance of your departure date.

Once you arrive at your destination, make sure all documents are stored safely so they’re not stolen or lost during your trip.

2. Research, research, research

This step should really be done before you even decide that you’re going on vacation. Researching where you’ll be is key to a successful trip, especially when traveling as a family.

First, make sure everywhere you’re planning to go is safe for a family. This might not always be obvious, so try to read reviews or consult a travel advice website before leaving.

Next, get a good idea of what you’ll want to do and activities, tourist attractions and restaurants that will be good for the whole family.

3. Plan out an itinerary

After you’ve done your research, you should be ready to build out your itinerary. It’s crucial to have an itinerary planned out well in advance to prevent surprises from popping up.

For example, make sure every restaurant you pick is family-friendly and that there will be menu items everyone can eat. Some restaurants around the world won’t be accommodating to certain diets or feature children’s menus.

4. Pick the best accommodations

When going on vacation as a family, picking the right hotel or other accommodations is key to having a great trip. First, make sure the hotel you’re looking at allows children.

Also, read reviews of the hotels online and do a special search for reviewers that stayed there with children. There’s often a lot to be learned from people who have already stayed there.

Reading reviews and looking at user photos is also key to getting an idea for how big the hotel rooms are and what amenities they have. Hotel rooms differ around the world and they might not be the size or have everything you’re used to at home.

If you’re craving more space and a more authentic vacation, you could also consider renting holiday homes. Renting a home in your destination often gives you more space for the family, as well as helps you assimilate into the culture and feel like a local.

5. Pack a survival kit before going on vacation

It’s always best to plan for the worst, especially when you’re traveling in unfamiliar territory. To do this, you’ll want a well-stocked backpack or purse to take around with you on your daily excursions.

Stock this pack with essential you know you’ll family will need, because you might not be able to pop into a store and buy them quickly. This can include things like diapers, batteries, a map, a bilingual dictionary, water bottle and more.

Do you have more tips for traveling with the family? Leave them in the comments below.

Looking to start planning your next family vacation but aren’t sure where to go?

Colorado Springs is the perfect spot. It has something for everyone to enjoy.

There’s outdoor sports and adventures, amazing sights, and lots of culture. With so much to do, it’s hard to figure out where to start planning!

Thinking of what you should do on your next Colorado vacation? Then don’t miss out on this awesome list of things your family can do in Colorado Springs.

There’s All Sorts of Sunny, Outdoor Fun

Colorado Springs has a comfortable, sunny climate. In fact, there are 300 days of sun a year!

There are plenty of places to golf, camp, hike, and horseback ride.

For heart-pounding adventure try white water rafting on the Arkansas River. It’s the most popular place to raft in the country.

The area is also known for outdoor rock climbing. There are many rock formations to try.

One activity Colorado Springs is not known for is skiing. After enjoying the warm weather, head North for some skiing.

Vail, Colorado has some of the best skiing in the US. Leave your gear at home because there are plenty of great ski rentals in Vail.

Colorado Springs isn’t just about adventure. There’s plenty of other things to see.

Visit One of the Many Sights and Attractions

Colorado Springs has fabulous sights and attractions. Some are man-made, some from nature.

A must-see on your Colorado vacation is Garden of the Gods Nature Center. Its beautiful red rock formations make for incredible views.

Nearby, check out Pikes Peak. This majestic, 14,000-foot purple mountain was the inspiration for the song “America the Beautiful.”

At the bottom of Pikes Peak you’ll find Santa’s Workshop. It’s an amusement park with 2 dozen rides. The park is open from May through December.

Other attractions include The Ghost Town museum, The Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad, and America’s only mountain zoo!

Though this is an active city, there’s still lots of culture and relaxation to enjoy.

Dine, Play, Sip, and Stroll

Enjoy dinner at The Airplane Restaurant. You can have a great meal inside a Boeing KC-97 tanker.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is another unique dining experience. They serve a 3-course dinner on a 3 hour roundtrip train ride.

For a little adult fun, there are casinos and wine-tasting rooms. There are 14 breweries and distilleries to tour. Print out a brewery tour passport and map to plan where to go.

There’s also a vibrant arts scene in Colorado Springs. Take in a show at the Philharmonic. Go to the Old Colorado City ArtWalk and tour galleries and outdoor installations.

Are You Planning a Colorado Vacation?

If so, then Colorado Springs is the perfect place to go. There’s so much to do you’ll be able to appease everyone in the family!

Before you start planning what you’ll do there, plan how you’ll afford to get there. Going on a family vacation doesn’t have to mean putting yourself in debt. Check out this post: 5 Tips for Handling Your Travel Finances Next Vacation.

When you’re looking at family ski vacations, you want to spend less time stressing about the planning and more time getting ready for the slopes.

Ski vacations can be pricey, but the right planning ahead of time can save you bundles of money and stress. With these tips, we’ll show you how to get your family on the ski adventure of your dreams without all the stress.

Be Flexible — But Not Too Flexible!

If you are flexible with your travel dates, you’ll be able to take advantage of promotions and deals. You can often score big discounts if you go on less popular days.

But you also don’t want to go so far chasing a deal that you compromise your vacation! Remember, skiing is a seasonal sport. Without snow, you’re out of luck!

So, if you see a great deal, check what the average weather conditions are like for that area during the time you’re thinking of going. If March in that area is notoriously warm, or they usually don’t have snow by late December, the savings probably aren’t worth the risk.

Instead, consider being flexible with where you are willing to go. 40 states have ski resorts, so you’ve got a ton of choice.

It may be worth going further to get to the resort if you can take advantage of a great sale. So when you’re searching for resorts, cast a wide net.

Consider Alternative Accommodations

A hotel or chalet room might be your default thought when it comes to ski vacations accommodation, but it isn’t necessarily the best one.

Less traditional accommodation can sometimes provide big savings. Condo or vacation home rentals come with kitchen facilities. This means you don’t have to pay to eat all your meals out. Instead, you can cook something healthy and hearty to give your family the energy they need to ski all day!

Plus, vacation homes are often big enough to split with other friends or relatives, helping cut down on costs while making your vacation more social.

Many ski resorts offer these sorts of alternative accommodations. For example, https://www.whistlerpremier.com has vacation homes and condos all throughout Whistler.

Rent, Don’t Buy

Unless you are a family of avid skiers, you probably don’t need to buy your own equipment. It would take a ton of trips for it to be more economical than renting.

When you own the skis, you need to store and upkeep them, and it makes plane travel more expensive. Plus, your kids will be constantly outgrowing their old skis.

Renting is much more economical. However, you will want to buy a few necessities. Ski goggles, gloves, good coats and snow pants are all a must.

Budget Everything

Once you’ve decided on your resort and accommodation, you can draft an accurate budget.

Check out the prices of the resort restaurants by looking at the menus beforehand. Figure out where you can get groceries if your accommodation has a kitchen. Factor in any clothes you still need to buy, like sweaters or long underwear. Don’t forget to stock up on travel essentials like your first aid kit.

And don’t forget a bit of pocket money! You can be sure you’ll want to buy a round of hot chocolates to warm up after a long day on the slopes, and a few souvenirs never hurt. Factoring these expenses into your budget will keep you from overspending.

Wrapping Up

Ski vacations are an absolute blast! With the right planning, you can make sure that yours goes flawlessly.

With some flexibility about your dates, resort, and accommodation, taking advantage of rentals, and having a solid budget, you can set yourself up for a great trip.

Are you planning a ski vacation? How did your last trip go? Leave a reply and let us know!

When you travel with kids, you could be setting yourself in for a stressful time. 6% of parents in one survey confessed to returning home early from a family holiday because it was just too much for them.

A road trip with kids should be simple right? Wrong. They’re tired, they’re fidgety, they start fighting in the back – we love our kids, but sometimes they can be little terrors!

Here’s how to keep your sanity on a long-haul road trip.

1. Distract Them with a Map

When you travel with kids, give them a map and let them trace a finger along to your destination.

This can help to keep them occupied, as well as manage their expectations of when you might arrive.

Plus, they might learn the names of a few states or cities – parents can live in the hope we’re providing a bit of education for the little ones!

2. Plan Regular Breaks

On a long drive, there’s no doubt all that pent up energy in the back seat is going to cause a fuss sooner or later. And you’ll need the bathroom.

Scope out gas stations along your route before you leave, and plan where to stop.

Find places where you can park up a while and head to a nearby play area. Let them run around until they’re tired – and hopefully, they’ll be a bit quieter when you continue driving.

While you’re pulled into a gas station, you might be interested to know about how to get free gas and keep the cost of your trip low. You might also want to check for coupons to grab free or discounted food.

If exercise doesn’t work, how about trying to teach them a ‘calm breathing routine‘? Turn it into a game if you must.

Anything that stops them asking “Are we there yet?” one more time.

3. Bring Some Entertainment and Food

Bring books or audio books along for the drive. If you have an iPad, consider giving them that to play with if they’re old enough. Or even DVDs if you’re lucky enough to have televisions in your car seats.

If you have more than one child, handing them a travel set of a game like checkers, with a magnetic board and pieces can work wonders to keep them quiet for a few hours. So long as it doesn’t cause a fight.

Snacks can help to keep them quiet too – but don’t overdo it on the sugar. The last thing you want is a five-year-old at the height of a sugar high in the car with you.

If it’s a long journey, don’t forget to bring a packed lunch for the family – or make use of those gas station stops to refuel yourselves too.

Travel with Kids – Are You Still Sane?

Hopefully, these tips help you to survive your road trip with your mental health completely intact.

We hope your trip goes well – and if you want to save some money while you’re out of town, be sure to check out these hot deals – you never know when your luck will be in!