MatTam Photography
Our Little Family Ages
Parenthood and wanderlust do not have to be mutually exclusive. Just because you have young children, does not mean you are relegated to Disneyworld, Sea World, or gigantic amusement parks for every vacation.
Young children often are portable and flexible enough to go just about anywhere if you take into account their various needs, and if you involve older children in the decision-making they will be excited about where you are going. With a little extra planning and accommodations for children's needs, you can have an interesting and unexpected vacation.
Potential Vacations
Off-season travel to Europe is a wonderful way to see a variety of places when there are fewer crowds. Though it's best to avoid especially in temperate climates (such as Warsaw in January), by traveling outside of the peak summer period, families can more easily partake in cultural traditions such as the Christkindelmarkt (Christmas Market) in Germany, marvel at the frozen Baltic Sea on a ferry boat crossing from Helsinki to Stockholm, or enjoy beach lounging and board walking on the Cinque Terre in Italy.
Pick a city you've always wanted to visit. Washington, D.C. has a range of interesting and historical sites that will appeal to both adults and children. The National Zoo has more than 400 animal species, the exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum will fascinate children, and the monuments should be on everyone's to-do list. Best of all, entrance to many sites in Washington, D.C. is completely free. Chicago is an amazing place to visit with children. Children and adults alike will marvel at their reflections in the gigantic Millenium Park "Bean", watching the butterfly at The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is beautiful and calming, and the architecture boat tour is an educational and interesting way to see the city.
The National Parks are the number one family vacation spot for good reason. But though it is beautiful, you don't have to stand with the masses waiting for Old Faithful as there are quieter corners in Yellowstone you can explore. Yosemite National Park in California is spectacular and has hiking, fishing and camping options. The Acadia National Park in Maine has kayaking, hiking, and breath-taking scenic drives along the ocean. Nearby Bar Harbor has myriad lodging and dining options, or you can stay in the park. An annual "America the Beautiful-National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass" is $80/car and provides access to lands held by the Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation. If you plan to visit multiple parks, this is an economical investment instead of paying individual entrance fees. Look at www.nps.gov for detailed descriptions about the parks.
Tips to Make the Trip to Our Little Family Ages Smoother
Older children have definite opinions about what they like to do. Have our little family ages brain-storming session about possibilities. Try to include elements for everyone and talk about where you can go in the future. Warning: if you have a definite destination in mind, do not give children a choice.
Look for accommodations with free breakfast and a pool as it will save you time, money and aggravation. The free breakfast alone can save you more than $20/day depending on the size of your family, whereas the pool will guarantee that your children will enjoy part of their day. A suite that includes a kitchenette is an economical and efficient way to ensure you have food for your children when you need it. The extra space is an added bonus for parents who stay up later than their children. Foregoing hotels altogether and instead staying in an apartment is another way to go. Check Web sites such as www.vrbo.com (Vacation Rental By Owner) to get an idea of availability. Additionally, it may be worth paying a little extra to stay in a more central location as it saves travel time and the additional costs of parking or public transportation.
Research family-friendly restaurants before you leave home. Word of mouth and Web sites such as www.chowhound.com can make recommendations for unique and worthwhile places to eat so that you are not limited to Friendly's or other chains. Try the local cuisines and take advantage of take out options that you can eat either back in the hotel or at park benches or picnic tables.
Stay with regular routines as much as possible. Be flexible, but before leaving, establish a basic idea of activities and daily schedules. If your child takes a nap from 1-3 p.m., try to find an activity where she can nap in her stroller or plan to go back to the hotel so she can nap and the rest of the family can hang out by the pool. When this is impossible, account for the inevitable crankiness and get her to bed early. Even older children need a little downtime so build in frequent stops and rest time. Unstructured time at a park or 20 minutes on a museum bench talking about a painting or eating a snack is an easy way to re-charge the entire our little family ages's batteries.
Pack a variety of (non-messy) healthy snacks. Dole them out at regular snack times, during long car, airplane or train rides, or whenever you sense the natives getting restless. Pretzels, raisins, Cheerios, granola bars, grapes, apples, juice boxes, and berries are all good foods that will help sustain your child's energy level. Never underestimate the power of familiar food, especially in an unfamiliar place, a favorite snack may be all that's needed to calm an upset child.
Buy each child a few new things to do in the car or airplane, or hide a few favorite games or toys in your luggage before you leave. Give out these items throughout your trip. On the way home, look at mementos from your trip and talk about what you each liked best. This reminds your children how much fun they had and sets the stage for vacations in the future.
With proper pacing, a good amount of patience, and a sense of adventure, families can have marvelous vacations together. Traveling with children is a different, but rewarding, experience that is worth the extra planning.
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