We are about half way through our 2 week family vacation road trip. Our tour started in beautiful Old Montreal and we have now moved on to summer fun at Smuggler’s Notch Resort in Vermont. Tomorrow we leave Smuggs to visit my cousin in Concord, New Hampshire for a few days of family time and then off to Boston, Mass. Finally, we drive back to Canada for our final few days in Mont Tremblant, Quebec.
Strolling the streets of Old Montreal pre-crepes.
I admit, I was a bit nervous about all of the driving and even more wary of all of the “together time”. Two weeks is a lot! But what I have learned is that the best way to make your family vacation work is to follow these Top Tips:
1. Buddy Up – Travel with Friends. This is a bit of a tricky one but can be the key to a fabulous vacation for the whole family. We had a great time at the start of this road trip because we were with some great friends. We have traveled with a number of different families over the years which can make a world of difference. The kids have someone to play with and the grown-ups have a pals too.
The girls living it up in the bubbles! Good times.
Problem is that if it is not a good match it can actually be disastrous. Make sure that you know the family well and that you have similar parenting philosophies and expectations before you even consider traveling together. Also, make sure the kids are a good match for each other. If one is adventurous and active and the other likes to play games and read it could lead to problems. Talk about this with your friends in advance to make sure you are all on the same page.
2. Make It Fun for Everyone – Consider the whole group. This is a tall order and not always achievable but definitely worth thinking about before you book. My family are doers. We like to be busy. Often I hear people say that they would NEVER put their kids in camp or childcare on vacation because they want to spend time together as a family. They say this like kids in camp is some sort of prison sentence for them and for you, a statement that you can’t stand to be with them. But my kids love camps and it is their vacation too! For example, today I went to pick my daughter up early to take her to the waterpark but she begged to stay. Her camp group was swimming at a remote reservoir that they had hiked to and she was having a blast. Plus, she had made new friends and hanging with me was boring.
My kids want camps to be filled with games and adventure but at many places, like Smuggs, there are options for stage performance camp or arts and crafts or others if your child is into other things. Not all families are alike and you should make sure that everyone is going to have a bit of what they desire while you are away. A happy family makes for a great vacation. For me, as much as I love being busy there is nothing like a sleep in, late breakfast and a good massage so keep in mind what every member of your family likes when you book. This will make the vacation more fun for all!
3. Food for Every Day – It’s a long time away from your kitchen. Not only do we have a picky eater in our family but we also have a tween boy who is constantly hungry. Therefore, we try to vacation where there is a kitchen in our unit. Now, most of you know I am no cook but eating out for every meal can really get you in a funk and your tummies and pocketbook in one too. Therefore, we spend a little extra on our unit to save on eating out. We have breakfast at home every morning and we either meet back home for lunch or pack a lunch fresh from our kitchen. This gives us a lot more control on the fresh fruits and vegetables our family consumes as well as the consumption of certain restaurant go-to items (can you say FRENCH FRIES?!).
Having our own kitchen also comes in handy when our tween is ABSOLUTELY STARVING every 1/2 hour or so. We keep veggies and dip, crackers and cheese, fruits and, of course, some special treat snacks for those in between snack times. Without the kitchen we would be stuck eating snacks from a bag or ordering room service. It is well worth it!
4. Limit the Screens – But don’t eliminate them. Of course a long road trip is made relatively painless with a DVD player, an iPad and books on tape but down time between activities can also be a good time to get out the screens. Many of my iPad apps are throwbacks to the board games of yesteryear and after a busy day a little relaxing play can be an important thing.
On this road trip our old faithfuls for the iPad have been Boggle, Harry Potter Lego and the word game Jumbline. And last night instead of participating in the resort activities or exploring one of the great restaurants in nearby quaint Stowe, Vermont, we ate at home and had movie night. A fabulous and much needed night in!
Much needed downtime after a very full day!
5. RELAX and Have FUN – . I know it’s a cliche. I know you’ve heard it so many times you aren’t even really listening. I know it is definitely easier said than done but, take it from someone who has a hard time letting go, it is well worth it. Spend a little time doing what you like either with your family or on your own. Been longing for a massage? Make it happen. Always wanted to go zip lining? Go for it. And do your best to leave the stress of your busy life behind you. If for no other reason than because you will be rested and uber efficient upon your return to work!
So, what are your tips for a successful family vacation?