Travel is one of the things we enjoy as a family. Apart from going to places we have never been, we also create happy memories together. Travel is also a great way to relax and relieve stress due to work and other stuff. It is also fun to learn and experience new things like history, traditions, different delicacies and many more. Meanwhile, other travelers use it as a chance to meet or gain new friends.
Travel sounds perfect, but did you know that planning a trip can be a daunting task? I am the one who always plans and organizes our travels in which I do a lot of research on the best option that would work for us. Planning sounds a lot of work but it’s exciting too! Knowing the fact that you and your loved ones will go on a trip, who wouldn’t get excited? Anyway, let me share with you this simple guide on how I plan our family trip.
1. Know your destination. Your destination is important because this is where your planning lies within. Upon searching, I consider the travel time, activities, attractions, do’s and don’ts, and if the place is safe for the kids and family-oriented. Afterward, I make a list of places to be discussed with the whole family.
2. Research destination costs. Destination costs consist of airfare, accommodation, local transportation, food, entrance fees to attractions etc. Basically, this is everything you will shell out when you are in your target destination. Try to read travel blogs because they usually include their actual expenses for reference.
3. Find a Flight and Accommodation. Lately, booking your flight and accommodation comes hand in hand. And there go online booking sites as a one-stop traveling solution to book your flight and hotel all in one place. One of my favorite online booking sites is Traveloka. It is very easy to navigate and offers the most competitive price for flights and hotels in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Moreover, they have no hidden charges or add-ons and prices are inclusive of taxes. And the good news, you can pay using credit cards, mobile/internet banking or choose from their various official payment partners. Booking your flight and hotel has never been this easy!
4. Plan your Itinerary and Activities. An itinerary is very important for you to have a schedule to follow and this is where travel blogs become very useful. With travel blogs, you can easily identify then list down all the activities you want to enjoy and know how much do they cost. You can also buy travel guides where you can find suggested activities for you and for your family.
5. List down all the things you will need. Regardless of your mode of travel, make a list of the things you will need three weeks before your departure. Clothes, extra pillows, medicines, toiletries, gadgets (camera, mobile phones, and chargers) snacks and documents if needed. In our case, three weeks are enough to complete and pack everything we need. Moreover, I make sure to bring extra diapers, clothes and few of my toddler’s favorite toys. I use a separate backpack for our essentials like wallet, mobile phones, camera and passports to be easily carried everywhere we go. Given with so many styles and functions, you may check Backpackhack.com to find what’s the best backpack based on your needs. I also check the weather forecast on our destinations to make sure we dress appropriately.
Important tip: Make sure to perform a maintenance check on your car if you are planning to drive to your destination. You may also consider buying a travel insurance if you will travel for a long time. You never know what might happen, at least you’re covered.
Once you are done, you can now sit back and relax. When the most-awaited day has finally come, go on and have fun on your trip!
Hope you learned something from this and feel free to share with me your tips on the comment section below. Thank you for reading! 🙂
Some great advice! Good to be prepared.
Thank you for share this with us! I will keep this info in my mind for my next trip.
nice and interesting post!
lu | coco & louis
Great tips. I like to pay for most everything upfront for trips as it takes away the stress while on the trip.
Yes, some kind of schedule is a MUST. You're right. All good tips for parents. Planning is key to saving aggravation on the trip.
Carol Cassara
Those passport covers are too darn cute!
My relatives are coming home later this year and I was appointed to book the flights and the accommodations for our vacation with them. Everything you have listed here is tried and tested! It helps to do a lot of research and to look for the best deals too.
Great tips! I travel very often, but I can always use a reminder to be more organized.
All great tips! Researching cost goes beyond the ticket and traveling cost. When traveling with the whole family, need to be prepared for some unexpected expenses too.
These are awesome tips for family travel! Knowing a researching your destination is a must!
Great tips! Especially about the car. It is important to check your fluids, and don't go on a trip if you need an oil change! Do it before your trip!
I agree I think it is a good idea to create a planned schedule. I find that paying upfront saves worrying about payment too!
I always start with the destination too. That alone is difficult because there are so many wonderful places to visit.
These are such great tips. I love to travel and will be saving this blog 🙂
agree with all your points, very helpful indeed 🙂
I start with the place. That's the best part. Then the planning…trying to fit everything into a short amount of time. 🙂
brilliant! I did all of this and more for my trip to japan and it was the best experience of my life.
Great tips.
These are great tips. We are planning our first big trip for next year. I can't wait to start planning.
Wow never knew travelling would be easy. Thank you for sharing.
Shut the front door! Is that a passport book? How freaking cute is that?!
Great post to follow for traveling. Definitely need to schedule plans and plan the day. I agree, be prepared for the weather.. I am traveling this week and had to buy rain gear because I forgot to check weather