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Traveling With Kids - Getting Started
Do you have kids? Do you think that traveling is out of the question (budget) because you have kids? This blog post is for you.
Why should you travel with kids?
Traveling with kids makes the world go around! One day the kids of today will be the adults of tomorrow.
Travel allows kids to become empathetic & grateful beings. Some kids are less fortunate and don’t have access to the things that other kids have access to.
Travel allows kids to become more educated. Life in a kids home country can be very dissimilar to kids lives in other countries. While your kid may enjoy the comfort of a nice home and organic vegetables., other kids may live in a shack and are thankful to have access to one meal.
Travel allows kids to become more “cultured”. Cultured has many meanings. For me, cultured means that an individual learns about and experiences the cultures of others. From destination to destination you’ll find that cultures differ. Sometimes the differences are slight and in other situations the differences are great.
Destination Considerations:
Every kid is different. I’ve traveled to destinations that I would have never thought a parent would take a kid and the kid really adapted well. I’ve also seen kids not adapt well and the trip wasn’t just a nightmare for the family but for others as well. Know that as a family with children you are not relegated to Disney related travel!
Before Choosing Your Travel Destination:
- Take into consideration your child.
- How old is your child? Is your child potty trained?
- Is your child well traveled and/or acclimated to being around others?
- Does your child adapt well to different environments or situations?
- Does your child have any dietary considerations? Food allergies?
- Does your child have any medical necessities? Asthma?
A Few Destination Ideas:
Hawaii - separate blog post coming soon!
Caribbean Islands
Las Vegas - yes there are lots of activities geared toward kids
Dubai
Washington, DC
Why Avoid a Destination?
- Avoid destinations that have lots of paid activities
- Opt for places that have a number of free activities
- Free museums
- National parks
- Designated walkable sightseeing areas
- Free concerts
- Avoid destinations that might make traveling more stressful and less of a vacation for the family (this will differ from family to family)
Things to Know Before Choosing Your Lodging :
Today many hotels and resorts have age restrictions. Do your due diligence otherwise you may end up being disappointed upon arrival.
For example there are some hotels and resorts that cater to families versus adults only. The Hyatt resorts Dreams collection & Excellence resorts Finest collection are two examples of companies that do family resorts well.
Family resorts and hotels incorporate activities that suit every member of the family. Water parks, art classes, childcare, children’s clubs, etc.
Family hotels and resorts have diverse food choices, from hot dogs to pasta to filet mignon to sushi.
Family hotels and resorts have age specific pools (Adults only pool, Children only pool, Mixed age group pool (family pools)).
Family hotels and resorts have entertainment options that cater to various age groups.
What to Do After You have Chosen Your Lodging:
Book directly through the desired hotel or resorts website. This is where you will get the best deals and if for some reason you need to cancel or make changes the process will be easier. No middle man to deal with.
Book well in advance! You will get the best deals the earlier you book.
Sign up for hotel and resort email lists. No one likes junk mail, but these emails could really open the door to deals that will provide a significant cost savings for your desired family vacation.
Possible Lodging Benefits (always checkout the FAQ for a resort or hotel):
For many all inclusive resorts, children 12 and under can stay in the same room as their parents for no additional charge. One child per each paying adult in the same room. This is a huge money saver for families.
All inclusive resorts include everything (well almost). A “special” restaurant may have an up charge or offsite activities will need to be paid for separately. Most food, beverages and onsite activities are taken care of once you have paid for your stay in full. This is another money saver for those families traveling with kids.
For many hotels children under 17 can stay in the same room as paying adults for free. This again is a huge money saver for families.
Air Transport:
This unfortunately is where there is very little leeway. The best you can do is download a flight tracker app and get alerted when airfares for your desired location go on sale or change (go up or down).
You will often find that flights are cheaper during off season or low season for a particular destination. Keep in mind that some destinations don’t necessarily experience an off season or low season. Flight prices for those locations often don’t change unless a specific airline decides to run a special for the destination.
Air Transport Additional Tip:
Once you are alerted of a flight sale go over to the actual airline website and book your flights from there.
If for some reason you need to change or cancel your reservation, the process will most likely be more straightforward and easier.
No third party or middleman to contend with.
The airlines can better assist you.
In conclusion, always Travel With Purpose (TWP). Travel because you enjoy it. Travel to learn. Travel to experience. Travel to become a better person in this world. Become more empathetic. Become more understanding. Become more humble. Become more grateful. Become more appreciative. Become more thankful.