10 Best Family Travel Tips

If you plan to drive on your next road trip, take along our travel tips to help kids work off some of that pent-up energy during the trip.

Besides using one of their guidebooks to get unique ideas for places to go, here are some other suggestions we offer.

  1. PLAN  2 – 4 ACTIVITIES within a one hour drive time of each other. Base you choices on the season of year.
  2. Know DIRECTIONS & PARKING INFORMATION before you leave. In addition to the site’s website, GPS are good resources for directions.
  3. If in doubt, MAKE RESERVATIONS, especially for tours. Find out what is SUGGESTED TO WEAR, especially for factory or transportation tours. When in doubt, DRESS DOWN and DRESS IN LAYERS.
  4. For the road, PACK SNACKS and BEVERAGES.  Also, PACK TRAVEL GAMES & TOYS and plenty of TOILETRIES. Click on the graphics below for some great suggestions like Travel Bingo, Magnetic Games, and Invisible Ink Books.
  5. If your budget allows, have the VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A TV/VCR unit
  6. PLAN PICNICS along the way. (Allow time for a rural/scenic route to take advantage of free, clean picnic facilities).
  7. Choose FAMILY FRIENDLY LODGING.
  8. HISTORY is easy, if you SNEAK IT IN! Engage your kids by learning state facts (people, places, history, etc) using fun and educational activity books found at many gift shops.
  9. Gravitate to MUSEUMS that are HANDS-ON.
  10. SOUVENIRS are fun for kids to pick out and keep as a MEMORY of your visit of favorite places. (They can even be practical, too!)

Five summer travel tips from a hospitality expert

With temperatures climbing, it is time to start enjoying summer vacations. Hospitality expert Sandy Chen, an associate professor in the Restaurant, Hotel, and Tourism Program at Ohio University’s Patton College of Education, offers five travel tips on saving money while staying comfortable during summer travels.

room with double beds and sofa bed suite

TRAVEL TIP 1. Book accommodation with economy hotel chains. “By doing so, you not only get more value out of the money you pay for the room since these hotels normally offer free breakfast, WIFI, swimming pools and gym facilities, but you also accumulate loyalty points with these hotel chains, which you can use in the future for free or discounted rooms,” said Chen. “If you use a credit card that rewards ‘cash back upon purchases,’ you could save more for future use.”

TRAVEL TIP 2. Book accommodation one or two days before you check into a hotel. Chen explained, “Unlike the airline industry where you can receive low airfare if you book way ahead of time, the hotel industry plays the other way around. Studies on revenue management show that customers normally can get good deals with hotel room rates if they wait until the last minute. But make sure you do reserve a hotel room via phone or website before checking into the hotel. Normally the walk-in rates (without reservation) are the highest rates you could get. However, in the peak season, this might be somewhat risky since sometimes all your favorite hotel rooms could be sold out due to special events. This might mean you would not get the right hotel room in the right location.”

TRAVEL TIP 3. Check three major reservation outlets to compare rates and special offers. “Sometimes, travel reservations sites, including the hotel’s website, the hotel’s reservation staff at its physical location, and an online booking website like Expedia.com, offer different rates. When they do offer same rates, they might have different bonus offers, such as government rates, veteran discounts, and loyalty rewards,” advised Chen.

TRAVEL TIP 4. Book accommodation in suburban areas instead of urban areas. “Booking hotel accommodations in the suburbs, instead of urban areas, could mean saving several hundred dollars on one trip,” said Chen. “For instance, a hotel room in downtown Washington D. C. is much more expensive than one in the suburb Rockville, Maryland, which is only 35 minutes away by car to the capital city and may offer free shuttle service to and from the city and nearby areas.”

TRAVEL TIP 5. Consult customer reviews on hotels if you are interested in booking. “Websites, such as TripAdvisor and Expedia, have customer ratings of hotel facilities and service quality. Many of them give detailed descriptions of hotel experiences, which can help you decide the right hotel in which to stay,” said Chen.

About the expert: Sandy Chen, an associate professor in the Restaurant, Hotel, and Tourism Program at Ohio University’s Patton College of Education, gained hospitality experience at a five star hotel in Beijing, China and at Walt Disney World in Orlando before deciding to continue her education. See her full biography here: https://www.ohio.edu/ucm/media/experts/ohioexpert.cfm?formid=1822088&pageid=2802315

Do you Like us on Facebook? If not, you’re missing some good tidbits…

Gosh I love Saturday mornings on FB! Discovered 3 travel tips I forgot about:
1. use dryer sheets as air fresheners and spill picker uppers
2. freeze juice boxes before road trip – they double as mini ice packs and a slushie drink!
3. use old fitted twin sheets as van seat protectors.

OUR FACEBOOK PAGE for weekly updates – https://facebook.com/kidslovetravel

MIDWEST HOMESCHOOL CONVENTION in Cincinnati is hosting a workshop about Family Field Trips on a Budget

COME TO booth #1621 – KIDS LOVE TRAVEL at the Midwest Homeschool Convention and check out our books and show specials. (http://midwesthomeschoolconvention.com ).

ONE of the authors will be there so think of a QUESTION or two to get a JUMPSTART on your next trip!

AND, take a fun break and listen in on one of our convention workshops:

Kids Love Travel – Let’s Plan an Affordable Family Day Trip!

Family Field Trips with kids can be a delight or a disaster. Two things that make a homeschool trip great: low-cost and educational fun.

INSIDE SCOOPS. What are some secrets to get the most value for your money. Where to sit to get best value? what to bring? why to get there early? Examples: on Tours-why standing in the first two rows is beneficial. What about having a picnic at a castle? Why go early to outdoor dramas?

EDUCATORS? There’s suggestions for finding FREE lesson plans embedded in many listings as helpful notes for educators.

Marriage of guidebook and the Internet.

Guidebook= organic – highlight it, dog ear pages, write notes, already organized and filtered for kids, unbiased (no fee), and accessible without a wireless connection.
Internet=  the newest discounts, web updates, extra insights can be found at the links provided on every page.

KIDS LOVE TRAVEL GUIDES can save you $$ in just 20 minutes reading just one chapter in one book! We can save you dozens of hours on the internet, too.

A Natural History Museum that’s called the Creation Museum?

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS – Flashback to an earlier time:

As we waited in some lines opening day of the new Creation Museum, we were greeted by friendly faces and warm smiles from the docents and the guests alike. Many had been waiting for this museum to open for years, so what was another few minutes. “Much of the experience features displays that would be similar to what you would find in a natural history museum, so you will see exhibits on par with some of the fine science museums around the world,” said director, Mark Looy. “Because we’re taking our visitors on a walk through history from Genesis to Revelation, it is a biblical museum combining Scripture with the best of what science can present.”

Interesting twist on most “Dinosaur” museums. Yes, there were tons of dinos, many animated –even dragons! Really, right up there with “Dinolands” in VA, OH & FL but also including some items like simulated walk-thru gardens, caves and even an ark!

Elements we like best in Natural History Museums are simulations: walk thru limestone caves (OH), Ice Age (OH), Indian mound sites (TN, IL, OH), copper mines (MI, TN), or coal mines (TN). Some of our favs have giant prehistoric creatures hanging overhead (OH, NC). Many have wonderful paleontology labs (OH, PA, VA, MD) where real scientists are actively working on specimens. All that wonderful science to absorb – but one difference…the timeline. Same science, different starting points. Curious? Check out the Creation Museum for details…

15 More Places Every Kid Should See Before 15

Wondering where to take the kids this summer? Budget Travel has some great ideas and is pleased to unveil 15 More Places Every Kid Should See Before 15. (2 of them are favs from the KIDS LOVE ILLINOIS book)

Last year, Budget Travel chose 15 places they thought every kid should see before they turned 15. This year, they took it one step further and invited readers to weigh in on their favorite kid-friendly destinations.  The editors then used the reader-generated nominations (562 to be exact) to create the 2012 list.

What made a destination worthy of inclusion? It needed to be fun, educational, and especially magical through the eyes of a child. It needed to inspire adults to tap back into that childlike sense of wonder. And it needed to have universal appeal.

In case you were wondering…my fav pick of the 15 is from our KIDS LOVE ILLINOIS book…Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield…Disney does Lincoln…overloaded!

KIDS LOVE TRAVEL TIPS: Healthy Road Trips

Healthy Road Trip Tips

Family road trips are a tradition. But they can also be tiring, frustrating, and result in way too many backseat meltdowns. How to keep everyone comfortable, healthy and well-fed on the road?

Water, Water Everywhere

Recently, I was camping with a friend, and I noticed that she had no trouble getting her kids to stay hydrated. How? Each had his or her own super-cute decorated metal water bottle, which they carried everywhere; they could even clip them to their belt loops on walks! So off we went to the store, and I let each of my kids pick out their own water bottle. Hearts, peace signs, turtles; there were all sorts of cute designs and they had a blast lining them up and choosing. Sure enough, the water bottles go everywhere with them now, and I no longer have to nag them to drink. The act of taking “ownership” really works!

Plan for Healthy Eating

Frequent reliance on fast food is not an option. So when we travel, we pack healthy snacks and a cooler full of water bottles before we leave. While we may go through a drive-thru for a quick lunch, we have options when we want to stop and stretch a while. When it’s time for a rest stop (we suggest at least every two hours), we’re well-prepared and can take advantage of any beaches, parks or picnic grounds we pass along the way. And if the kids are wiggly and restless, unabandoned free play is a great way to tire them out!

Stop at Farm Stands

There’s no better way to experience the country you’re driving through than to stop by a roadside stand – and you can pick up some fresh fruit to eat along the way, too. Many popular farm stands also offer seasonal tours or play barns for a couple hours of fun. 

Be Prepared

You never know what’s going to happen on the road, right? That’s why I keep “Mommy’s Backpack” nearby with everything we might need in outdoor situations. Here’s what’s in it:

  • Mosquito repellent
  • Swiss army knife
  • Mini-flashlight
  • Sunscreen
  • Moist towelettes
  • Water bottle
  • Roll of paper towels. (for ALL of life’s messes)
  • Band-aids
  • Outdoor Toys – frisbee, blow-up ball to toss

Family Travel Tips for Christmas

Think the family budget has no room for a family weekend trip right now?

Read our budget travel tips for making a quick Seasonal Getaway more affordable.

Besides using one of our guidebooks to get unique ideas for places to go, here are some other suggestions we offer.

1. PLAN  2 – 4 ACTIVITIES within a one hour drive time of each other. Base you choices on the season of year.  Holiday Trolley Tours are so fun – singing carols and sipping hot cocoa…invite cousins, grandparents, etc. along.

2.  For the road, PACK small wrapped gifts of  TRAVEL GAMES & TOYS the kids get to open every couple of hours.  Why wait for all the gift giving on one day? Spread stocking stuffer giving out there & back.  

3.  If your budget allows, have the VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A TV/DVD unit. Play Christmas dvds all the way…

4.  Choose FAMILY FRIENDLY LODGING. Our family “vacations for a living” so we found budget hotels the norm. We joined hotel memberships and charge cards. We will not stay in places that are dirty. We look for hotels with indoor pools and free breakfast. For some reason, if they offer both, they are more likely to be clean and family-friendly environments. 

In suburbs, I spend no more than $70 per night. Beach properties, no more than $100. Those rates are with the extras I look for.  For some other family lodging tips read: Three Tips On Choosing Budget Family Accommodation http://bit.ly/1qANyJ.

 5.  HISTORY is easy, if you SNEAK IT IN! Engage your kids by learning with Santa and his elves. Historical homes are basically boring to tour in the summer, but near the holidays, what stuffy old house doesn’t smell sweet with the scent of cinnamon and gingerbread cookies?

Each Week in December we’ll choose more Holiday Travel Tips and share some examples.

What about you?

Do you have some tricks you’ve learned that make traveling to visit relatives at Christmas less stressful but still inexpensive and fun?

Please comment and let us know…

A MOM’S BACKPACK for TRIPS

Ok, moms, not only do you have to plan the next great family vacation, but you’re also the person who should hold, in your care ONLY, a wondrous backpack that keeps peace. Here is a Suggested Checklist:

  1. Extra set of house and vehicle keys

  2. Medical Insurance Cards plus prescription meds handy

  3. A secure assortment of OTC meds – esp. ibuprofen – kiddie & adult versions

  4. Travel Folder – maps, directions, reservation confirmations

  5. Family Travel Guide (https://kidslovetravel.com/travel-books)

  6. Books/Magazines for Me Time
  7. Books on tape for the kids (recommended iphone app: http://tales2go.com)

  8. Deck of cards/Frisbee/ball for playing at rest stop

  9. Small flashlight and fresh batteries

  10. Umbrella and light rain covers

  11. Plastic or mess bags for wet items

  12. Disposable wipes

  13. Pocketknife

  14. Sewing kit

  15. First-aid kit

  16. Snacks/gum

  17. Water bottles

  18. One hand towel (for wiping wet seats)

  19. Zippered plastic storage bags/chip clips

  20. Travel Games – individually wrapped to hand out at intervals on trip

 With these items packed, we promise your trips will go much smoother. No worries.

@copyright Michele Zavatsky, the Family Travel Mom

FAMILY TRAVEL – ORGANIZED

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR NEXT VACATION

Many probably don’t know exactly how to prepare for longer trips. Most wonder: What should I be doing to prepare my house while we’re away?

As the family that’s been to 1,000 different cities and over 5,000 places around the Eastern half of the country, we understand. Honestly, it takes a checklist – one similar to the one we’ve put together here – to keep this sometimes frazzled mommy mind on track.

BEFORE THE TRIP CHECKLIST – HOME

2 Days Before Trip

Return library materials that come due while you’re away

Find a good book to read at the local bookstore/library or download e-book.

Do Laundry

Clean House (no mom wants to come home to a mess)

Pay bills / Banking (have some cash on hand)

If a friend or neighbor cannot collect your mail, make arrangements for it to be held at the Post Office.

Eat leftovers and sandwiches to use up perishable items in fridge & pantry

Make an arrangement with a neighbor, friend or relative to check your home periodically.

Arrange for lawn care or snow removal. Ignoring these areas will make your house stand out in the neighborhood and announce to everyone that you are gone.

DAY BEFORE TRIP

Fill up gas tank

Charge cell phones

Run dishwasher

Pack snack bags and kids’ travel backpacks

Pack suitcases. Begin lining them up in foyer.

Day of Trip:

Toss or freeze perishable bread, milk, meats and cheeses.

Take out the trash

Fill the gas tank of your traveling vehicle

Water plants

Secure care of pets

Empty dishwasher. No dirty dishes in sink. No standing water.

Unplug computer and TV. Pack laptop.

Turn off water and/or put water tank on vacation

Set thermostat

Disconnect garage doors

Close windows and secure exit doors

Make sure oven/stove are OFF (better yet, don’t cook the day you’re leaving).

Out the door:

Flip breaker on garage doors OFF

Grab purse / wallet

Secure lock. Set alarm.

Don’t forget to grab your destination KIDS LOVE TRAVEL guidebook! Place it on your dashboard for handy reference.

Ok, you’re ready to go and create some new family memories! No Worries.