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Yup. I said it.... and I stand by it. Planning a family vacation can suck the life right out of you. I've been staring at the computer for hours trying to decide on the last few things I need to book before our trip next month. It's exhausting. I smell from sitting here in my pajamas all day and I really, really want to break down and hire a travel agent to finish this mess! But I wont. I will press on (and you really should too)! So here is my advice:
1- Join the rewards club- it takes 5 minutes and usually costs you nothing to join the hotel, car rental, airlines....etc... rewards club and it will save you money in the long run (if the rewards club has a cost like the discount den associate with frontier airlines- do the math). I just used points I earned on our last couple trips from LQ.com to get a free hotel room. My rental car was not free but thanks to a discount code and some points I had banked with Thrifty.com I did get a minivan for 12 days for about half what priceline told me was their lowest rate.
2- Don't be afraid to re-book- I had my rental car all booked a few months ago but when I logged into my email this morning, there was a discount code for President's Day that I was able to re-book under that made it even cheaper! It cost nothing to cancel the original reservation and it saved me money! The moral of the story is: keep checking prices, they may drop!
3- Use Trip Advisor- yes, use trip advisor, but don't use it to book anything without checking a few other places first! Tripadvisor.com is a great tool for finding entertainment while on vacation. Type in the name of the city you're visiting and it will show you the top attractions in the area. It will also give you web links and options to buy your entrance tickets through the trip advisor website. I highly recommend you visit AAA or any other organization (unions, aarp...etc) that you may belong to before purchasing tickets from this site (also don't forget about #1- some of those rewards clubs have combo deals). It may take you more time to look things up but it'll be worth it in savings.
4- Roadtrippers.com is fantastic!- Seriously! It's my favorite! You input your starting and end point and this wonderful website maps your journey. It gives you options for hotels, outdoor activities, kids activities....etc... along your route. As with trip advisor you will probably want to check for discount tickets elsewhere but this site does a great job of helping you find roadside attractions to make your journey just as fun as the destination!
5- Use social media- put a message out to the masses, something as simple as, "does anyone have any advice on where to stay in (city) with small kids?" will get you assistance from friends. "Where do I eat while in (insert city here)?" will get you some great ideas as well! Pick their brains!
6- Make notes and keep them- I cannot stress this enough! I have a journal, in which I keep all of our travel plans. It's a monster of a book that contains the last 5 years worth of hotel, flight and attractions information. I have a page for every trip of "maybe destinations"- things that we would like to have time for but might not get to. When I find myself back in a place I pull out the book and see what we missed last time. I also note activities we particularly enjoyed and others we hated.
7- Make a calendar- I always have a hand made calendar (usually on 1-2 sheets of paper) with everything we are going to do each day listed out for myself with approximate times and entry costs or confirmation numbers for prepurchased tickets. It's color coded and covered in scribbles from where I've changed my mind on things. I also have an extra space for things to do if we have time. It sounds silly but having it all written out while I am planning makes it easier. I tend to write things on post it notes and move them around a lot! I call this my vacation rough draft and it does help me stay organized!
8- Don't be afraid of distance- It's about three and a half hours from Virginia Beach to Washington, DC. When camping in VA last summer we got up early one morning and drove to DC for a day exploring the museums around the National Mall. Totally worth the drive!!
9- Spend 5 minutes googling the educational value of your destination- If you pull your kids out of school for mini vacations (like we do- don't judge- its so much less crowded and much cheaper!) spend some time googling educational activities. Lots of school districts will excuse children if you take the time to fill out a short form. The form for our district asks where we are going, when, and what we might do that holds educational merit. It may get approved, it may not, but if it does the absences are excused. Chances are if you have a museum or national park in your plans your kids will be covered.
10- Find a Walmart- Let's be real. Walmart (and maybe Target) are the only stores that are everywhere in the US. One of your first stops, maybe even before checking in to your hotel, should be for groceries. I am always selective to choose a hotel that has a continental breakfast included but having snacks is a must for a traveling family. I always grab a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, granola, fruit snacks, crackers, and bottles of juice/water/soda. I usually grab a cheap cooler or insulated bag to keep stuff in if my hotel doesn't have a fridge. It is so much cheaper to give your kid a PB&J when they're complaining that they are hungry then to locate the nearest MacDonalds and a lot healthier too!
Bonus tip- Ask the kids where they want to go!! Give them a list of 5 things to choose from and let them do the research and decide! My kids get on the computer and look things up then tell me yes or no. It is a lot easier to ask their opinions before you leave home than to have them be miserable once you get there!
