International traveling tips for large families
Learn practical international travel tips for large families to make your trip stress-free and memorable.
Did you know family travel makes up 30% of the global leisure travel market? Despite such notable statistics, traveling for large families can be challenging. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a memorable and smooth trip.
As you plan a trip, you can utilize a few tricks and facilitate an unforgettable experience for everyone in the group that you wouldn’t achieve during a solo tour. Read on and discover simple yet practical international traveling tips for large families.
Take your time picking the destination
The travel destination can make or break your trip, mainly because what one group member likes may not be closely related to the rest. That’s why you must thoroughly research the destination and ensure there is something for everyone.
For instance, you can pick family-friendly international destinations like Costa Rica, considering the many activities you can explore, from wildlife views, hiking, zip lining, and water sports, exploring the beaches, volcanoes, and jungles to eco-tours. Such an extensive list means you’ll quickly find an activity for everyone to enjoy the trip.
Designate enough time to plan the trip
Planning is everything, especially since there are many logistics to consider when organizing international travel with kids. Which is the best window that won’t affect the kids’ school time? Does the window align with your budget and work schedule? What vaccinations must you get before leaving, and what’s the safest time to ensure the best protection? Can you find flights and accommodation options that best match everyone’s unique needs?
How about your travel plans once you arrive? Would you be better off with a rental car, or can you easily get around with public transportation? Setting aside enough time to plan international travel with kids gives you the flexibility to account for everyone and everything. The flexibility also helps avoid last-minute rush and capture the best flight, accommodation, and other deals that impact international travel with kids.
Pack light and right
Packing can be hectic, especially considering the activities you intend to try and if you’ll explore different regions abroad. As you prepare for international travel with kids, the best way to tackle the packing is with lists. Create a packing list and assign each family member responsibilities. This way, you’ll account for each family member’s needs and efficiently pack light.
Only pack a few toys and games the kids might need during the flight and buy more at the destination. This also applies to costumes, allowing you to save more space and carry smaller luggage.
Stay organized
You have the passports and tickets, but can you easily retrieve them at the checkpoints? One of the must-have items on your international travel with kids’ checklist is a secure bag for the essential items you need to access quickly. In addition to passports, visas, and IDs, among other documents, you may also need to retrieve essentials like medication at a moment’s notice. This emphasizes the need for a secure place just for those items.
It is also best to ensure you’ve copies of the documents secured separately as backup. Being organized is often overlooked, but it can save you from considerable frustrations like forgetting the passport on the table before heading out, which could mean missing the flight or the trip.
Invest in travel insurance
Insurance is an easily overlooked travel aspect, yet it is among the most valuable large family travel tips. Consider investing in a travel insurance policy covering medical emergencies, lost luggage, and trip cancellations.
Travel insurance covering more elements is vital since it is easier to lose luggage when traveling as a large group. This is not to mention cancellations, such as when there’s a problem within the group. Medical emergencies can also prove costly, especially if more than one group member falls ill exploring a destination abroad.
Plan activities wisely
Selecting the best international places to travel with family is only the beginning. You need to develop an itinerary to keep everyone engaged and happy during the trip. For starters, it helps to research and pick family-friendly activities and attractions everyone can enjoy. From here, you can branch into everyone’s interests and see how they can seamlessly be integrated into the itinerary.
For instance, if the kids want to enjoy the beach, and older members would like to go surfing, you can pick a day for the water activities where one adult watches kids on the beach as other members go surfing. Such a plan can help you get the most out of the trip, where everyone gets to create memorable experiences.
Leave enough room for changes
You have a solid plan to explore family-friendly international destinations, but what happens when the unexpected happens? Unexpected delays or changes in plans due to uncontrollable elements like weather can be chaotic if you aren’t flexible enough. Staying flexible makes adjusting accordingly and maintaining a positive attitude easier. This is important, especially when traveling with kids because anything could happen. If you are rigid, it could ruin a whole day, if not the entire trip.
Don’t discount safety and security
You certainly considered the region’s stability and security when picking the best international places to travel with family. However, you aren’t in the clear just yet, noting that anything can happen, including being separated from the group. That’s why you should familiarize yourself with the local emergency contact information. This way, you can quickly get the needed help should something happen.
Also, ensure that you have a way to stay connected, especially when exploring crowded places. For example, you can set a meeting point and time, ensuring everyone can contact each other even if they lose their mobile phones.
Conclusion
Large family trips can be quite unforgettable as you explore fun destinations together. It is an excellent way to create wonderful memories together, reconnect, and strengthen family relationships away from the daily routine. The best part is that international tours are increasingly becoming more manageable with features like global entry that make processes easier.
Online services further make the processes convenient, allowing you to find the most competitive deals like flights, accommodation, and rental cars, among other considerations. With these considerations and the above international traveling tips for large families, you’ll stress and hassle-free plan and enjoy trips that’ll help you mark more items off your bucket list.