Let’s say you go on two vacations per year with your family. This means that by the time your children leave the house at age 18, they will have been on roughly 36 trips. That’s a bunch! And while they might all be fun in the moment, the reality is that only a handful of trips will stick out as being truly memorable.
But if you’re intentional with how you plan your family vacations, you’ll find that it’s possible to make more vacations memorable. It would also be nice if you were able to get a jet card membership and jet around the world. Read on to find out more on exactly how you can make this happen.
What Makes a Vacation Memorable?
Before we dive headfirst into how you can plan more memorable vacations, let’s be clear on exactly what makes a vacation memorable. Generally speaking, it needs to fit the following criteria:
- Unique. A vacation needs to be unique in the sense that it’s not something your family does on a regular basis. In other words, if your family owns a lake house and visits 15 times a year, this isn’t a very unique vacation. But if your family has never been to a lake house, a weekend spent in a beautiful lakeside cabin would certainly be unique.
- Interesting. Is it something that’s interesting to your family, specifically? If your family loves art, a trip to New York to visit a bunch of art galleries and museums would fit the bill. For a family that’s more interested in sports and entertainment, this would be dull and mind-numbing.
- Enjoyable. A memorable vacation doesn’t necessarily have to be enjoyable – but for the context of this article, it should be. We aren’t trying to take vacations that are memorable for disastrous qualities. We’re trying to create positive memories that we look back on with a certain fondness. Thus, the vacation should be fun.
4 Tips for Making Your Next Vacation Memorable
That’s your formula right there. If a vacation is unique, interesting, and different, it’s going to be memorable. Here are a few suggestions on how you can make it happen:
Ask for Input
Once your kids are old enough to understand the concept of a vacation and the beauty of travel, allow them to have some say in where you travel. Asking for input is a great way to make everyone feel like they’re a part of the trip. It also ensures everyone’s voice is heard (which increases the odds of having fun.)
Learn About the Destination Before You Go
Once kids reach a certain age, they have the ability to look forward to events – including vacations. Capitalize on this intrigue by taking time to learn about the destination before going. Whether it’s a summer trip to the beach or a spring break excursion to another country, learning about the places you’re going helps you get excited about the trip and imparts some practical wisdom on what you’re about to experience.
Try Unique Ways of Travel
Mix things up and don’t be afraid to try a new or unique way of travel. There are plenty of options, but one suggestion is to travel by RV.
An RV excursion is highly unique. There’s something about traveling in the same vehicle that you’re sleeping and cooking in that gets kids excited. If you do this once or twice, your kids are certain to remember it for the rest of their lives.
Focus On Experiences
The key to a memorable vacation is to focus in on experiences. Kids live through their senses. The more you can help them experience the vacation through sight, taste, smell, touch, and sound, the more likely it is that they’ll enjoy the trip and fondly recall it for many years to come. (This requires careful planning, as well as a high degree of spontaneity.)
Adding it All Up
You don’t have to plan the perfect vacation with dozens of awe-inspiring moments to ensure the trip is a memorable one for your kids. It’s more about the overall experience and feeling of the vacation. Is it something your kids will enjoy – and does it stand out from all of the other trips you’ve taken in the past? That’s the critical piece to the equation.
