Any parent will know the simple words “Are we there yet?” strike fear into your heart. You’ve spent so much time planning your family vacation and you want things to run as smoothly as possible.

Well, thankfully, there are a few simple ways you can plan the ideal vacation for your family, and ones that help you travel efficiently and stress-free with the kids.

So, if you’re tired of always fighting over where your next vacation will be, or having to find different ways of entertaining babies, toddlers, and teens, look no further. Here are our top tips for planning the perfect family vacation:

Choose a Family-Friendly Destination

A lot of hotels, tours, and attractions are geared toward people of all ages, with major providers, e.g. Marriott, offering package deals that are available at a number of different budget levels.

Equally, it’s also easy to plan your vacation yourself, so you can choose an area or resort that’s jam-packed full of things to do. And as you plan your trip over the coming months, you can often find spots that your entire family will enjoy, whether it’s a waterpark, museum, outdoor activity center, or natural wonder.

Once you’ve explored the options available you can plan your trip so it’ll have something for everyone. But don’t forget to be a little flexible, too, as you may find that peak seasons mean overcrowded beaches, so you may need to hunt around for things to do that won’t involve major queues or crowds.

Rent if You Can

Even though taking a lot of your must-have essentials, like baby strollers and car seats, with you may save you money, it’s also far less convenient. With a lot of tour operators, car hire companies, attractions, and hotels offering you the ability to rent many of these things, it’s often much easier to do this. And that’s not to mention the hard work it’ll save your back from with you not having to lug these items around the airport!

Have Some Quiet Time

Just like we need our own space and downtime, so too do the kids, so always make time for some quiet hours during your schedule. It’s easy to get carried away creating a fun-filled itinerary but ensure you’ve all got time to rest in between activities.

For example, you may be touring around all of the attractions your location’s got to offer, but it’s probably got some secluded beaches or quiet parks, too. So make the most of these by enjoying a relaxing lunch, reading a book, or just enjoying the scenery on offer. 

Finding these moments when you can relax and unwind will help you enjoy a slower pace before you get stuck back into your sightseeing schedule.

The key to planning a family vacation that’ll keep everyone entertained at all times is to continually surprise and delight. By planning your trip in advance you’ll be able to find plenty of things to do that’ll wow you and the kids.