[ BY MELISSA CERNA ]
Planning your summer vacation can be just as fun as the trip you and your family are going to take. This is the time to get together and decide where and what do you want to do. Get all the details, gather brochures, go to the internet and print materials. Then have a family meeting before making reservations, request vacation time from your work and decide on a budget.
Travel Tips
1. Keep your vacation planning information in one place. Create a labeled file folder (“Hawaii Vacation”) and use it to keep your airline, hotel, car rental information, as well as maps, guide books, tourist information, contact information for people you know where you are going, etc.
2. Plan ahead for your wardrobe. Think about all of the activities you might do, and imagine what you’d want to wear for each activity. For example, on the beach you might want a swimsuit, coverup, slip-on footwear or water shoes, a sun hat, sunglasses… maybe even a face mask, snorkel, and some flippers. Will the kids want shovels and buckets to build a sand castle? Do you need to supply your own beach towel, or will you be staying somewhere that supplies these for you? What about waterproof sunscreen? The more you can visualize yourself on the beach, the better prepared you will be. One helpful tool for wardrobe planning is a web site that offers weather averages for thousands of cities around the globe.
3. Use a travel checklist. Create your very own packing list to get you started. Once you’ve tailored this to your needs, keep it in the travel file you’ve created. This will help you to pack both the basic necessities, as well as some of the more obscure things you might not remember but would want to take with you.
4. Let your children pack their own travel bags, and make sure their bag is small enough so they can carry it themselves. Help them select things they can do on the road or in the air: Walkman and cassettes or CDs, books, handheld video games, portable crafts, card games.
Air Travel
1. Pack a carry-on that is small enough to stay with you at all times. Include necessities that you must have, in the event that you get separated from your other luggage for a day. If you need to take medication on a regular basis, be sure this is with you. If traveling by air, be sure to check with the airlines what is permitted on the plane and what is not. It will avoid delays and embarrassing moments at the security check point.
2. Plan early to get early booking discounts. Many web sites will find the “best deals available for you.”
3. If you’re really adventuresome and are not particular about where you want to go, you can also book last-minute reservations. There is some risk involved in doing this, but you can also get some great deals this way. Some companies sell surplus seats from a “distressed inventory,” at some great bargains.
4. If you have any concerns about your safety while traveling to a particular destination, you might check out a web site that offers a report on global hot spots to avoid. Be sure to bring your passport. Before booking your flight, learn if you need visas for the country you are traveling to.
5. When you’re flying be sure you have seat assignments ahead of time.
Going on a Cruise?
Planning your first cruise can be a challenge for those who either haven’t traveled much or who haven’t taken an organized tour or vacation. How do you plan that first cruise? Family and friends often get together to discuss where they want to travel next. You might have heard cruise tales from and seen (or been subjected to) cruise vacation pictures taken by your family and friends, or read in magazines and the Web about how much fun (and economical) cruising can be. If you want to “take the plunge” and go on your first cruise, where do you start?
First-time cruisers should probably work with a travel agent who is experienced in booking cruises. However, before you contact the travel agency or cruise line, you’ll have to answer this question.
Who is going with you?
This should be the easiest question, so let’s start with it. All age groups are welcome and planned for on a cruise ship. You will be able to find a cruise that will give any age group from toddler to great grandmother a memorable vacation. Friends of mine with teenagers often say they have found it to be the best family vacation yet. If you don’t have kids or don’t want to be around them while on vacation, there are some cruise ships that are almost adult only or won’t have many children.
A camping adventure
Whether you have a tent or a camper, camping is a wonderful way for families to work together and enjoy each other away from the stresses of work and school.
Camping Tips
1. Decide if a tent or camper is best for your economic and spatial needs.
2. Buy a tarp and rain-resistant spray for a tent if yours doesn’t have a rain fly; foam pieces and air mattresses work great for comfortable sleeping.
3. Bring appropriate clothing and pack light; bring along a large basin for washing clothes and small children; don’t forget the clothes line and clothes pins.
4. Pack a first aid kit.
5. Don’t serve children large portions of food during the day since they’ll want to swim and hike.
6. Plan a menu before you go; keep the meals simple.
7. Bring lots of toys and create a play area for the children.
8. Things like a frisbee, soccer ball, and baseball equipment can be used for the entire family.
9. Have the children help out setting up the campsite, doing dishes and laundry, and making a fire so you’re not doing all the work.
10. Don’t set up a rigid schedule; plan enough outings to keep everyone happy!
You need to plan ahead and be prepared, but all the work will be worth it. You might not have electricity during the trip, but if you bring the essentials and think simply, you will not be bothered by not having some modern conveniences. Years later, you and your family will remember fondly all the time you spent around a campfire laughing, singing, and telling stories.
Depending on your budget and the amount of people going camping, you have to decide what style and size of tent or camper to buy or rent. Dome-style tents can be set up easily and have few pieces. Although a camper is more expensive, they attach easily to the trailer hitch of a car and have pullout beds, a stove, refrigerator, sink, dining table and drawers for dishes, etc. They can sleep six and you don’t have to worry about leaks in a rain storm. Make sure the tent is large enough for everyone to sleep comfortably and for the baggage. Foam pieces or air mattresses work well to sleep comfortably and are more compact than extra blankets.
Don’t pack too much. Two sets of clothes are enough for a four-day trip. Bring one warm sweater, a light jacket, a couple of shirts, shorts, pants, extra underwear, socks, and two pairs of shoes. If you plan on hiking, bring a pair of hiking boots that fit over your ankles for ankle support. Bring a large basin so you can wash clothes and small children.
If you have a tent you’ll need a couple of coolers packed with ice for perishables. Try to bring mostly non-refrigerated food like bread and nuts. Don’t allow the children to eat large quantities at one sitting since they’ll want to do a lot of exploring and swimming. Small meals will keep up their energy. Plan a menu before you go and have the kids help choose the foods they want. This way you’ll save time at the campsite deciding what to make and you can plan how much food will be enough. Keep the meals simple like hamburgers and hot dogs. If you want to avoid bringing a lot of utensils and food, you can always eat out one night at a close-by restaurant.
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