If you are looking for the perfect family holiday for your brood this year, you may be keen to explore a new and exciting destination. Rather than venturing to the same old Balearic as every other year, you could be hot-footing it to more unique and less trodden shores. To ensure your little darlings have the most enjoyable break, you need a tried and tested recipe for the perfect family holiday.
Ingredients
One well researched and reasonably priced flight
A pinch of travel insurance
A well stocked larder of games and activities to keep the kids amused
Family friendly accommodation
A sprinkling of fun activities
Method
1. Before you book the first deal you come across on the Internet, consider how far your holiday budget will stretch. If you are willing to fly at unusual times or you aren’t heading to distant shores during peak season, you should be able to get some cheap deals on your flights. Alternatively, you may wish to either book well in advance to be sure of the most reasonable deals, or you might want to leave it until the very last minute to book a package holiday deal. By doing this, you have less control over the destination you are travelling to, but you can be certain of a discount on your flights and accommodation.
2. Once you have secured your flight, you need to book your travel insurance . Do this immediately, or you will inevitably forget. Travel insurance is vital just in case the unforeseen might happen. There’s nothing worse than your little cherub getting an injury in a foreign land and not being able to afford treatment. If your flights are cancelled, and it’s not your fault, travel insurance will ensure you receive a refund and don’t lose your money.
3. Heading abroad can be a pretty stressful time for parents. You and your brood are excited and cannot wait until you reach your destination for a week or two of fun and memory making. However, where on Earth are you going to earmark as your vacation hotspot? You could choose the simple pleasures of a road trip around your home nation. While less far flung, this vacation can be cost effective and a lot of fun. Perhaps you fancy a grander adventure touring the ancient sites of China or the Inca Trail of Peru. Or maybe your unit needs less activity and would value the relaxation and pampering of a Caribbean island. Wherever you choose to take a jaunt, you must ensure you and your family are prepared.
If you are venturing to distant shores in the low season, you might be keen for a winter getaway. Rather than heading to the ski resorts of Val d’Isere, Val Thorens or Meribel, why not consider somewhere a little more child-friendly. There can be no better winter destination than festive Lapland with kids . Your little darlings won’t only have the opportunity to meet the big man in red himself, but they will also have the opportunity to enjoy a dog sled ride, enjoy trekking on a reindeer sleigh, experience the joys of ice fishing and they may even hone their snowmobile skills. A trip away during the winter months can be a world away from the standard fayre of a summer holiday on a Greek island or on the beaches of a Costa. The fun of exploring snow-filled vistas as a family can be second to none.
If your offspring are curious little creatures, you might be keen to take a jaunt to Iceland. This land of fire and ice has something for everyone such as the still live volcanoes, the mammoth glaciers that can be snowshoed upon and the chance of seeing the natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights. Geographical wonders lurk around every corner, and you could find yourself wrapping up warm and taking your brood to see a giant frozen waterfall, venturing out on the seas to try and spot minke and humpbacks or simply enjoying the thrills that the cosmopolitan city of Reykjavik has to offer. Whatever it is you fancy, the wintery destinations have it all.
4. The accommodation that you choose can make or break your holiday. You don’t always have to succumb to the package holiday hotel that is thrown in to your deal. Instead, seek out your own hotel, log cabin, hostel or even a yurt. While comparison websites are great to give you a feel for the range of accommodation available in a region, you might be better off contacting th hotels directly to get the best deals. If you want your little darlings to experience Japan like a local, head to the island of Miyajima and stay in a traditional ryokan. If a French gite is more your thing, head online and source the best deals.
When you are travelling to your destination, whether it’s a two hour drive or a twelve hour flight, there will inevitably be lulls where your kids get bored. This can lead to frustration and poor behaviour. To try and nip this in the bud before it even begins you need to be armed with plenty of time consuming fun activities. Take some travel games with you, pack the tablets and iPods and never underestimate the power of the portable DVD player. A movie takes up two hours and can induce a nap that can take up another couple of hours; perfect to allow you some respite from your little cherubs.
5. Finally, make sure you are as well prepared as possible for your trip. Keep things simple, ensure the passports, tickets, and visas (if needed) are packed. Don’t forget to roll instead of fold, use backpacks instead of suitcases if you’re going to be travelling around a lot, and have a skeleton itinerary for your trip abroad. A family vacation is when you can spend quality time together as a unit. Don’t squander the opportunity. Keep your days full of fun, and you can enjoy reaping the rewards of the perfect family holiday recipe.
