When planning a family vacation, we often tend to deliberate over travel destinations that offer the most value for the money we’re spending; and, based on the brochures or websites we’re eagerly reviewing, we’re expecting everything short of rainbows and unicorns.
While, of course, there is nothing wrong with this logistical approach to planning a vacation, it does have one serious drawback: it’s incomplete. Preoccupied with details about travel, expenses, and available amenities, recreational options, and sightseeing opportunities, we all tend to leap to the conclusion that the vacation will achieve its grand objective of making us instantly happy. Other than showing up, we’re expecting to have the time of our lives without much effort on our part.
Here’s the thing: high expectations often result in keen disappointment. No vacation is perfect, and although this might sound sacrilegious to say: things can go wrong.
Given the possibility that mishaps, delays, and frustrations, along with bad weather, food, and moods, are entirely possible, here are six ways to exponentially improve your probabilities of still having a fantastic vacation:
1. Establish a comfortable “base camp.”
Where you stay will have a huge impact on your family’s moods. When considering luxurious accommodations, hotels aren’t your only option. Welk Timeshare offers you deluxe accommodations with kitchens, living rooms, and patios, as well as recreational sporting opportunities such as golf, tennis, and swimming.
Staying at a timeshare gives you the freedom to do things your own way, like turning up the music, to the flexibility of preparing your own meals, which might be important if any family members are on any type of restricted diet for health reasons.
2. Carpe diem: “Seize the day”
While doing things in a moderate, balanced, and sensible way is probably a good idea when it comes to managing your everyday affairs, vacations are a great time for breaking out of your comfort zone. For instance, if you’ve always wanted to go horse riding along a steep mountain path or swoop through an indoor skydiving wind-tunnel, there may be opportunities available at your travel destination.
3. Preparing your own meals.
While restaurants can be fun if it’s a break from your normal daily routine, eating out for all your meals on vacation can quickly get old. You’ve got to moderate family arguments on where to go, figure out how to get there, make a reservation or wait for a table, and then, after you’re finally seated, hope that the meal is worth the high price you’re paying for it.
Ironically, when you’re on vacation, cooking in your own rented place becomes enormously appealing. You can cook what you like, accommodate the preferences of your picky-eating children, and save money… which you can now spend on visiting museums or going on a local group tour through a historical site.
4. Seek Safety in Numbers
Most people that you encounter on your travels don’t intend you any harm. Unfortunately, there are always some bad apples. You will want to stay safe by keeping close to other people. One of the best options is stay in a hotel in a densely populated part of town. You can also look for a motorhome park if you are traveling by RV. You can find a Motorhome Rental Near Me if you plan on going this route.
5. Add a few luxuries.
While you might be inclined to be frugal to make sure that you have enough money to cover all your incidental holiday expenses, it’s possible to overdo it, denying yourself of the pleasure of a few luxuries. For instance, if you’re traveling halfway across the world, you don’t always have to book economy class. If you travel first class, you’ll have a much nicer trip, enjoying fine food and drinks and getting a good night’s rest in a reclining seat.
6. Don’t overschedule.
Since you will only be spending a short time at your various destinations, you may have set up a hectic sightseeing schedule for yourself. If you have the energy, that’s fine, but if your family includes a toddler or a grandparent, you may end up exhausting and exasperating them. So, set a pace that works for everyone, include scheduling some downtime.
7. Prepare your mind.
If you are traveling to a culturally-rich place like Florence in Tuscany, Italy, where you can see some of the finest masterpieces of Renaissance architecture and art, you’ll appreciate it even more by boning up on some art history. When, for example, you understand the backstory behind Michelangelo’s sculpture of David as you stare up at it in the Galleria dell’Accademia, you’ll experience a deeper sense of awe and wonder.
In conclusion, by applying one or more of these suggestions, you’ll be able to turn a good vacation into a fantastic experience.
