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When the holiday season is coming, we are usually starting to think about our traveling plans more intensely. This can be exciting on the one hand, but also stressful on the other. As pleasant and entertaining as traveling is, it also demands thorough planning and making all the necessary preparations. You have to select the right clothes, prepare snacks for the journey, make a schedule of the trip, etc. What is more, choosing the best hotel may be a tough decision because it should not be too expensive, but also not too far away from the tourist site. Some people prefer to look for left-hand drive motorhomes instead so that they would not have to worry about a place to stay.
Things usually get more complicated when you are traveling with a big family. The more people to take care of, the more things you may have to do. To make this mission a bit easier, we have prepared a list of useful tips on making trips with a large family.
Balance the Price against the Fun
The memories of the vacation will be based on the fun things you did with your family, so the trip should be full of attractions. However, the problem is if there are many participants on it, the cost of the tickets can get very high. Therefore, you should choose attractions that are not too expensive, have beneficial discounts for children and youngsters, or even are available for free. Such activities as visiting a beach, hiking in local parks, and walking around a city do not cost anything and can entertain the whole family for at least several hours.
Try to Walk Everywhere
The best way to explore a new place is to walk everywhere without using any transportation. Even if you cover less ground on food, you will see a place precisely and notice every interesting detail. Bikes could also be another great option, but they are not really manageable in the case of a big family. When you are walking around the city, you can feel the authentic atmosphere of it, grab some waffles or ice-cream on the way, observe the locals walking around, stop for souvenir shopping, take a lot of pictures, as well as see nature up close. It is an excellent workout that will help you to reduce the costs of transportation and fill the time of the trip with enjoyable exploration.
Ask Locals for Useful Tips and Recommendations
As great as guide books and online sources are, it is still the most beneficial to get recommendations and useful tips from the locals. They can tell you which places are worth visiting and how you can save up some money by choosing the best bargains in the city. You can even do it before going on the trip, by using websites designed for meeting foreigners. You can select the city where you want to go and message some people to get amazingly useful information. It can also happen that they will be so kind as to be your free guide when you come!
Get Snacks in Local Grocery Stores
Instead of packing many snacks before the trip, it is better to get them in local grocery stores. It can be a fun activity for the whole family! It is especially exciting when you are visiting another country because in this way you can explore the taste of a particular nation. You can check which flavors are the most popular and try out snacks that are not available in your area. Also, do not forget about the opportunity to eat local fruit and vegetables, which will be not only tasty but also healthy for your family. For example, get some fresh tangerines in Spain or dates in Morocco!
Pack as Light as Possible
It is understandable that a big family may need more things than just a married couple traveling together but try to reduce your luggage as much as you can. It is particularly significant when you are going to explore the city – do not pack too many supplies that can be replenished while sightseeing, such as snacks, water, or wipes. If you decide to visit local stores once in a while rather than packing everything for the whole day in the morning, you will have much less to carry.
Do Not Be Stressed Out
Most importantly, keep in mind that the trip should be joyful, not stressful. If you are too nervous, your mood will influence the atmosphere that all the family members experience. Moreover, remember that no matter how perfect the plan prepared is, usually, some things do not work out, and there is nothing to worry about. Traveling with a large family means having a big team that can discuss the possibilities together and come up with new ideas spontaneously.