Pack Up And Go: Planning A Holiday Honeymoon Or Getaway

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

From getting away for the holidays to planning a winter wedding and jet setting to the exotic (and temperate) destination of your desires, a retreat from the “mayhem” and “madness” and dropping temperatures is a great way to give yourself (or someone your love) a great gift for the holidays.

But, according to experts, planning the “perfect” vacation takes a lot more thought and effort than buying a ticket and packing your bags, especially if your planning a “retreat” for the whole family.

1. Head For The Bookstore Before Booking Your Trip: Start your vacation by making it a fun-filled activity for everyone. Make if a (family) project to research the various locations you are interested in and learning as much about each as you can. Invest in some travel guides that can also give you a heads up on the best times of year for your visit, the best resorts or locations to visit, where to purchase the best attraction tickets, and how to get discounts and how to avoid scams and red tape.

2. Make It An “All-Inclusive” Vacation: While you may be the final deciding factor, experts suggest including children (even young ones) in the review and decision making process. Allow all those involved browse through books, take a peek at pictures, activities, etc. and have a say in where you are going and what you are doing or would like to do. Professionals point out that taking a family vacation with younger children may mean packing a bit heavier, and may require taking your own, rather than public transportation. Older children need to feel like they are part of the decision making process in order to feel valued, included and to be able to look forward to and enjoy the trip.

3. Lighten Your Load: Seasoned travelers suggest traveling and packing light. Especially if you are traveling sans offspring, try to limit your luggage to one carry-on a piece per person.

4. Stand Out By Refusing To Stand In Lines: Consider making attraction purchases beforehand and save yourself lots of potential aggravation and time. Browse through (travel) brochures and decide on the attractions you want to see, and make reservations prior to leaving for your destination.

5. Avoid Tourist Traps: Experts say that “fitting in” is key to not getting taken advantage of. Consider asking hotel managers, staff or locals about some less publicized places you can take advantage of but won’t take advantage of you.