Planning Your Family Summer Vacation

In San Diego, we’re spoiled with nearly 365 days of summer weather, so it can be hard to motivate to travel anywhere else. However, summer brings in a lot of tourists and is the perfect opportunity to take a summer vacation outside of San Diego county. Family vacations call for extra preparation, so give yourself plenty of time in order to plan a great trip. Whether you’re hitting the beach or going to the desert, these tips will help you have a seamless family summer vacation!

Do Your Homework

So you want to go on vacation, but where? To get ideas, start by looking for affordable flights from your home airport. When you find a few locations that look promising, do your research to find the destination best suited to the kind of vacation your family desires. Do an internet search to see if there are any special events in the area during your preferred vacation days—events like conferences or festivals can increase hotel costs or cause a lot of traffic congestion, so it’s good to learn about potential challenges before you book a flight.

Plan Ahead

Once you’ve decided where to go, look at local tourism websites to plan what activities and events you want to do on your vacation. Determining what activities you want to do will help narrow down the location where you should book lodging, and avoid any non-family friendly happenings. As you get closer to the date, check local weather reports to determine what clothes to pack.

Start Packing Early

As soon as you know what climate you’ll be in, start creating small packing areas for each member of the family. Breaking packing up into small chunks will make it a lot less daunting than trying to pack up the whole family the night before you leave. Start with clothes, medications, and any necessary documents. For younger children, create a packing area for toys, diapers, and formula.

Pack Snacks

Any parent knows that family vacation travel requires lots of snacks! Prepare snacks for any car, train, or airplane travel to make sure the whole family stays happy. Make sure whatever snacks you bring are TSA approved and easily packed. These gluten-free snacks make the perfect travel treat!

Leave Room for Spontaneity

Even if you have a well-planned agenda, family vacations require flexibility and time for unplanned activities. Some of the most enjoyable moments of vacation are the casual time together spent relaxing by the pool or sharing a good meal. Running from activity to activity can be exhausting, so make sure to allow yourself time to slow down and unwind—it’s supposed to be a vacation, after all!