Traveling During the Holidays
Whether you are traveling by car, plane or train, everyone dreads the infamous holiday commute. So how do you avoid hearing the seemingly inevitable repeat chorus of “Are we there yet?” Have a plan for your upcoming trip, be organized and remember to make the best of it.
- Book all travel plans well in advance.
This includes the big picture items such as flights, car rentals and hotels. Not only will booking early save you money, but it will save you the stress of having to find what is available as the holidays get closer. Tip: Book your flight on a Tuesday afternoon for extra savings. - Use a list to organize packing.
The best way to organize your packing thoughts and work through the “travel what ifs” is to use a packing list. Smead Organomics has a printable Travel Packing List to help ease the daunting idea of packing for an entire family. - Clean up the car.
Between errands, practices, clothes, snacks, papers and groceries it is easy to fall into the trap of having the family car become just another storage container. A car full of clutter is not the way you want to start your road trip. Be sure to view Your “On The Go” Vehicle Organizing Checklist to get your family ready for the road. - Have plenty of fun activities on hand.
No matter how you are traveling there is going to be a lot of down time for kids. Be sure to bring plenty of fun, time-filling activities, including toys, books, printable travel games, music and audiobooks. If your tablet or smart phone is typically off-limits, traveling is a good time to bend those rules. Make sure to add kid-friendly apps, shows and games and have them accessible before the trip.
Remember that things may not, and most likely will not, go perfectly as planned. Try to relax and find the silver lining of the situation. Maybe that flat tire in the desert will lead your child to the best lizard hunt they have been on or the delayed flight creates a funny family story to be shared years later.
Having an organized plan and strategy in place can help turn typical holiday travel nightmares into a more enjoyable family experience for everyone.
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