How to Plan Your First Family Holiday

Stressful, exciting, or somewhere in-between? That’s pretty much the way to summarize that first family holiday. Granted, there will be tears and tantrums, but there will also be plenty of memories that are created for a lifetime.

Your First Family Holiday

Of course, planning such a getaway is easier said than done. It starts with the paperwork, whether that’s the recent Covid-19 documentation requirements, or even arranging travel insurance from Staysure, as an example. Then, it goes into the practical aspects: is it really possible to please everybody? Are you doing too much, or too little? Through today’s guide, we’ll go through all of these important points and show exactly how to make your first family holiday one to remember for all of the right reasons.

Packed itineraries are a thing of the past

Sure, having that TripAdvisor-like itinerary packed with the best things to do with kids in your chosen area may look great on paper. Unfortunately, that’s where things stop.

While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making sure you visit some key family attractions, make sure you don’t overdo it. Quite often, just one trip per day (or sometimes less), is enough to satisfy young children.

If you start to cram too many activities into your getaway, tiredness will creep in, and we all know what happens then!

Slow down

On a related note, one of the best pieces of advice for first-time family holidaymakers is to slow down. Just because you’re on holiday, it doesn’t mean that you have to be on the go all of the time.

Part of the appeal of a family getaway is that you can spend more quality time together. If you’re constantly on the go, you’re not going to get that! Simply lounging around by the pool might feel like quite a “static” experience for some families but quite often, that’s all you need.

You don’t have to overpack!

Next, let’s talk about overpacking. Over the years this has become a little more difficult to do, for the simple reason that airlines don’t really allow it.

However, try and resist the urge to pack every toy, snack and accessory that the kids will turn to. Sure, you do need go-to items for when moments of boredom creep in at the airport, but you don’t need to pack a room full of items.

Just remember, somebody (i.e., you) has to cart all of these items around. And, as we’ve already spoken about, tiredness is one of the biggest killers on breaks like these!

Choose your accommodation wisely

This is a biggie. Where you stay can often make or break a family holiday. After all, this is where you’ll be spending the majority of your time when you’re not out and about exploring your destination.

There are a few key things you need to look for when booking accommodation for your first family holiday:

• Location: How close is the accommodation to the beach/town centre/attractions?
• Size: How big is the room/apartment/villa? Is there enough space for everyone? Are sofa beds going to suffice?
• Facilities: Does the accommodation have a pool? Is there a kids’ club?
• Price: Need we say anymore?

The final price point is always going to be significant, but make sure the other three points are always considered as part of your decision.