Taking a family vacation is a great time to bond, but long travel times can make even the most patient children antsy. This can lead to unnecessary bickering and a damper on the family fun. This article will help ease some of the travel-time tension by giving you some ideas to keep your children entertained throughout the whole trip.
Always make sure that you have a set location for your important paperwork and documents when traveling. It is easy to lose or misplace these things. Determine a safe pocket or pouch ahead of time, and always take them out and put them back in this same location.
When booking your hotel stay, pay attention to cancellation policies and fees for date changes. Prepaying for a cheaper rate only benefits you if you can definitely travel on those dates. If you might have to change dates, you can save more money by paying a higher rate at a hotel with a more lenient cancellation policy.
Before booking any vacations, do some comparison shopping. Make sure you’re getting a good deal on your flight and hotel by looking at the prices of several websites. If you don’t need to leave or return from your trip on an exact day, check the price of several days in the same week. One might be cheaper.
Another good way to get some sleep on an airplane is by using headphones or ear plugs. This will drown out the constant engine noise and also the little kids and talkative adults on the plane. You will be able to relax and get some much needed rest.
Confirm your reservations. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination, only to find out that there isn’t a reservation in your name. As a simple precaution, 24 hours before your scheduled arrival, verify your reservations online or over the phone. This will allow time to make alternate plans if your reservation was missed.
If you’re going on a cruise, pack a snorkle with you. Then when you stop at one of the locations, hit the beach and do a bit of snorkling. You’ll be amazed at what you can see while snorking, especially if your cruise is in the Caribbean. And buying a snorkle is a lot cheaper than paying for a snorkle tour!
Read the fine print on all travel purchases you make. This ensures you will always get treated fairly. For example, sometimes airlines try to tell you they can not change your flight, but their contract often states that they can. Companies try to hide this information from you because they want more of your money. Be a prepared consumer so that businesses will not be able to take advantage of you.
If you are traveling abroad, it’s a wise idea to sign up with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a free government service for citizens of the United States who live in a foreign country or are planning to visit one. Providing STEP with your contact information and some details on your trip allows them to contact you in the event of an emergency and to advise you of travel warnings and alerts.
Joining a hotel’s loyalty program can provide you with many different traveling perks. Members of these programs often get special bonuses that are not available to the general population. Some hotels offer free internet access or a free drink every morning for breakfast. Others will iron a few items of your clothing for no charge. Loyalty programs are a way to make your hotel stay a little more pleasant.
Bring an over the door shoe organizer along whenever you’re staying in a hotel. Being an organized traveler in a hotel can be tough. There is limited drawer, counter, and closet space. Keep your bathroom essentials, shoes, and accessories organized and in clean site by putting them in your shoe organizer as soon as you arrive.
Want to relax early in the morning when you travel? Check the alarm clock as soon as you check in. Often the alarm was set by a previous guest, or possibly even the hotel staff. Not checking it can mean a six a.m. wake-up when you’re hoping to sleep until eight.
If you are someone who loves to travel frequently, a timeshare may be a good investment. Many timeshares offer a points system and exchange weeks. If your timeshare is in Maine and you would like to go to Aruba, you can exchange or trade your timeshare week with someone else. Although there is an initial investment, the money you will save on hotel stays, will be well worth the expense.
A family vacation is a great time to bond, but as stated at the beginning of the article, long travel times can lead to boredom and bickering. Hopefully, this article has given you some great tips for easing the travel boredom, and will make your next vacation a memorable one.
