By The Backseat View
After decades of traveling, I’ve learned a thing or two so benefit from my mistakes. The main thing I have learned is not to be afraid to travel with kids, they learn so much.
Planning
- Always leave extra time around the most important event. When we were in Alaska to see the bears, we left an extra day in case the weather canceled our flight. In Yellowstone, I left a day blank and ended up with a child in the hospital.
- Don’t overpack your vacation itinerary.
- Plan, Plan, Plan then be flexible and roll with the day.
- We plan our snorkeling and fishing trips for the early morning due to afternoon thunderstorms on the ocean. If I’m snorkeling, I have MY mask, lens defogger & snorkel instead of drowning in the cheap ones on the boat.
- I always plan two days for fishing, if it’s a bucket list or an important type of day, due to the weather. We had four days booked for fishing in Costa Rica and only went twice due to the weather. Fishermen stay booked and you can rarely reschedule the next day so I plan to fish more than needed.
- Travel on shoulder season for better deals and less crowds. We go to the Florida Keys in the June off-season. We don’t step foot in Disney unless schools are in session, and avoid holiday weeks. During July to avoid the 100-degree Florida heat and million-people crowds, try Michigan beaches and Colorado for nice temperatures and off-season crowds.
- Download offline maps in case Wi-Fi is unreliable. The most popular National Parks have timed entrances so advance plan those trips to get tickets. The America the Beautiful Pass is perfect for National Park vacations.
Flights/cars
8. I always book direct flights and fly early. The earlier the flight, the better chance it leaves on time. We are always hours early to the airport.
9. Flights are unpredictable so leave plenty of time between flights and extra time for arriving late. The day after we land in a new town is spent on supply runs, biking, zoo visits, and things that can be skipped if our flight is delayed.
10. I get refundable rental cars and watch prices 2-3 months out and always find a cheap deal. We did nine days in Colorado with only $250 for a Toyota Four Runner.
Packing
11. We all travel LIGHT with a carry-on and backpack only regardless of the destination. Luggage is practical, not pretty.
12. Weigh all luggage that’s going to be checked. Follow all TSA liquid rules.
13. Don’t buy expensive liquids, perfume, or anything in the airport. When your plane makes an emergency landing, all that wine and perfume will go in the trash while you board another plane.
14. Place an Apple Air Tag in all checked luggage.
15. I roll our clothes and use packing cubes. The boys do better with each day packed in a zip-lock bag.
16. Create a packing list in your notes section or on paper and mark items off. Start a week out for big trips.
17. The clothes are a basic color scheme and all match for swapping up pants and shirts. I pack more shirts than pants.
18. Bring layers for all trips. Airplanes can be chilly so bring a sweatshirt. Boats in Florida can be chilly at 6 am for fishing departures and lightweight pants are great to fight off bugs. I check the weather then check it again and pack layers just in case. I have woken up to snow in Disney. We had a snowstorm in July in Washington, so always pack that sweatshirt and rain jacket.
19. COMFORTABLE shoes are the only way to travel. No more than three pairs of shoes on any trip. We spent ten days in Costa Rica with nice sandals for dinner outfits, water shoes for getting on boats, and waterproof hiking shoes. Disney is two pairs of tennis shoes and flip-flops for the pool.
20. Zip-lock Bags are life. I pack at least six on every trip for waterproof phone storage, food leftovers, wet clothes, and snacks. I always have a couple of chip clips in a zip-lock bag holding the other Ziplock bags. I bring a trash bag for dirty clothes.
21. A stain remover pen or a small block of Fels-Naptha because someone always spills something on their nice dinner shirt or gets blood on their fishing pants.
22. I have a plastic soap bar container box that has detergent in it for emergency washes. If the guys are fishing, I have baking soda to wash the clothes for horrible scents.
23. We have allergies so we bring our travel shampoo, conditioner, and soap in case everything provided has coconut oil in it.
Survival
24. Everyone has a reusable water bottle. If I’m leaving the USA that’s a LifeStraw bottle because I am not getting sick. I know there are world safety standards and y’all might meet those. I didn’t come all this way to have diarrhea… I’m dumping that lemonade in my life straw cup.
25. Small First Aid bag with band-aids, Neosporin, alcohol, and bigger band-aids and wraps if we plan to fish.
26. Small medicine bag with Immodium-AD, gas-x, heartburn tablets, Tylenol, Advil, Meclizine, and Zofran (nausea prescription). I travel with a thermometer and all our prescription drugs.
27. Sunscreen, chapstick with SPF, hats for everyone, SPF shirts, sunglasses, and Sunburn supplies with Aloe and lidocaine.
28. Extra battery chargers, the phones go dead faster on vacation. Phone chargers for the car.
Prepared
29. Have copies of your passport & license on your phone. It can take six months to get a passport so check those expiration dates.
30. Prepare to be robbed. Extra cash is stored down in those stinky socks and underwear in a zip-lock bag. Extra cash is always split between our belongings. The boys have additional credit cards because teenagers aren’t a target as often as adults. I never wear any real jewelry on vacation.
31. If I take necklaces, put their chains in a straw to prevent tangles.
32. Download a book to everyone’s phone. Never know when there’s no Wi-Fi and you are stuck on a plane runway for hours.
Lodging
33. Make sure the neighborhood is safe. Nothing worse than a cheap hotel with 4 deadbolts and warnings about meth and stolen cars at check-in.
34. You get what you pay for. If it’s a great deal, be wary, it has a hidden problem like people in the basement of the house. Read all the reviews, eventually, someone will be honest.
35. Always take that TRIP…plan it and GO!
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