Ways to make your family vacation extra special this year

Written by special contributor, Hayley Jennings

Planning a family vacation can be a lot of fun. It also can be stressful. There are always those key issues that you seem to have, year after year. Squabbles, forgetting things, illnesses – that kind of thing. At the same time, it’s important to remember that vacation time is precious. And when you all get to spend time together, you’re going to want to make the most of it. You can do that by shaking things up a little. By changing the pace and trying something new, you may find that you enjoy your vacations more. And that definitely makes them all the more special. Yet, when you’re in a vacation rut, and you tend to just fall back into a comfortable routine, how can you shake it up? And more importantly, what sort of things can you add in, work on, or try out to make your vacation extra special? Let’s take a look.

Go Someplace New

First of all, one of the most obvious choices for you to work on is going to someplace new. This can be particularly helpful to families who go to the same place each year or end up going on similar kinds of vacations. Shake things up quite a bit by working out where to go next that’s a little different. It’s the easiest way to do something a bit different.

Go With Friends

Next up, it could be that you want to change things by traveling with different people. Do you always go away with your spouse and kids? Then why not invite friends. Sometimes, you’ll find that you can really change the feel of the vacation by having others along with you. Friends can make road trips more enjoyable, and give you amore diverse experiences because there are more people to interact with.

Take The Parents

Another tip would be to travel with your extended family, too. Just like traveling with friends, it can be more enjoyable when there are others around you. And when you’re looking to go with family, you’ll want to think about the right people. Your parents or in-laws could be perfect. Not only do they get to enjoy quality time with you, but they can also make traveling with kids less stressful. It’s a win-win.

Do A New Style Of Vacation

The next kind of idea is for you to think about doing things completely differently. Do you usually head to the coast? Then why not try a city break. Usually go to a resort? Why not try a lakeside vacation. You could even look to go skiing or on a more adventurous trip.

Stay Longer

A really simple thing you could do that will make your vacation seem more special is for you to stay a bit longer. Going on vacation for a week is nice, but maybe two weeks would be better? Or, they say that ten days is the perfect duration for a vacation. Either way, staying for longer can be much more enjoyable.

Do The Opposite

When you’re set in your ways, you may find that the main reason vacations seem boring to you is the repetitiveness. Maybe you need a change of scenery? Or you even want to step out of your comfort zone. If you know that this is in the best interest of your family, then look to do the exact opposite of what you would usually do. Skiing in February could beat out beach time in August. Or if you go to the east coast, maybe the west coast is finally calling?

Enjoy Days Out

It’s also fun to change the pace a little when you’re on vacation. It also helps to stave off boredom and redundancy. So, heading to different attractions can be a lot of fun. Get online and look for different park reviews and the best days out. Then see who wants to do what and aim to get some tickets.

See More Sights

From here, you’ve then got the option of looking to see a lot more sights wherever you are. There are so many incredible places in the world, and if you’re in close proximity to any of them, it would be a shame to not see them and explore. Investigate a bit before departure to see what’s near your destination and make a plan to see the most notable places.

Try New Foods

Do you always seem to eat the same things when you’re on vacation? Even the same kinds of things that you eat at home? Then maybe you need to change that up by trying new foods. The good thing is, there are a ton of foodie destinations around the world. If you’re worried that you’ll get push-back, then the trick is for you to research different restaurants ahead of time and maybe even book a food tour. So get looking now, and see what new things you all can try.

Explore More

Another really simple thing that you could aim to do is just explore more. If you usually lay by the pool and do nothing, then maybe getting out and seeing the local landscape or culture is going to be just the change you need.

Experience Different Activities

The next step you could consider here is the different activities that you can enjoy when you’re on vacation. Tennis, yoga, water sports – anything nearby that’s on offer could be great. Why not give them a go just to have more fun!

Try Different Accommodation

Finally, you may even want to think about shaking up the places you stay in. Always head to a beach house? Why not try a hotel? Always go for a lodge? Maybe camping could be more your thing. Sometimes, you can pretty much have the same exact vacation, but by staying in a new style of accommodation, it can feel like a completely different experience.

And that’s really all there is to it. Sure, a lot of the time, you’re going to feel as if it’s hard to make changes, and you may even get a lot of resistance. Not everyone will enjoy the same things but if you know that some of these ideas are going to make the trip way more fun or enjoyable in the long-run, then working on them is always a good idea.

Pick and choose the ideas that you think your family will love, or that will make things more enjoyable altogether. And don’t feel the pressure to do or try them all, just focus on things that might work for you. When you’re able to shake things up, you’ll find that it pays off for everyone. 

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