Any parent who has ever had the misfortune of planning a family vacation that didn’t go over too well with the kids knows that it might have been better to simply stay at home bored, but that much richer. Too many times we plan family vacations based on what we think the kids will enjoy without taking into consideration their needs and desires.
Planning a Trip Everyone Can Enjoy
Yes, it’s your vacation time too, but why not choose something that the entire family will enjoy? You can actually spend much more time in leisure and less time battling ill-behaved kids if you plan a vacation that they will enjoy. According to some of the most well-respected trip sites online, children and teens alike enjoy time in the great outdoors. Forget those 5-star restaurants and Broadway plays in the Big Apple you’ve always wanted to visit. Are you looking for a bit of R&R? If so, these are the top 3 summer vacations for families with kids. Keep them happy and you might even have a few moments for yourselves as well!
1. Theme Parks
If there is one thing kids of all ages absolutely love, it would be all the amazing theme parks the country has to offer. From water parks to fantasy land and everything in between, there is no lack of exciting parks to enjoy throughout the year. It may be freezing cold in the Midwest in January, but South Florida or Southern California have water parks open 12 months out of every year. Take the kids to a theme park and you might even be able to wear them out enough so that you and hubby can enjoy an evening out on the town!
You’ll need a babysitter, of course, but that is easily remedied as well. Check out online listings of babysitters around the nation and you’ll see just how easy it will be to do a bit of mom and dad time while the kids rest for the next day’s fun in the sun.
2. Primitive Camping
Have you ever considered what it would be like to sit around a campfire roasting marshmallows with the kids, singing those same camp songs you sang as a kid and hiking through some of the loveliest forests this country has to offer? Most national forests and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands have free, or almost-free primitive campsites you can explore.
All you need is a tent large enough to accommodate the entire clan, some basic camping gear and a desire to leave the electronics behind. If you are not sure what kind of tent or gear you need, you can find all the answers you need on the My Family Tent website. If you are looking for a cost-effective vacation, this is your best bet.
3. A Trip to the Beach
Although booking a room on the beach might be a bit costly, especially during high seasons, most kids absolutely adore the beach. Whether they can swim or not, kids love to play in the sand, search for shells and sand dollars and wade in water that laps at their feet. Just remember to bring a high number SPF sunscreen along if you are not accustomed to being out in those blinding rays of the sun.
Taking a summer vacation with the kids needn’t cost an arm and a leg. From camping to spending a few days at a theme park, you can often find something that everyone enjoys well enough so that you have time (and money!) left over for mom and dad. It’s all about how you plan your next trip away, so start now and next year you’ll actually be able to say you had an enjoyable and restful vacation – maybe for the first time ever.
