International travel probably seems worlds away right now. But the earlier you start thinking about where you’re going next, the easier it will be to get out there when the time finally comes.
Here are five ways we’re getting our families ready for our next vacation.
1. Get Your Loved Ones Involved
When family members have a say in the vacation planning process, they’re going to be more invested in the trip. That means everyone is going to have more fun!
Discuss what each family members wants – do you want natural excursions, historic sites, time on the water or museums? Do you want to learn to surf and snorkel, or would you rather spend your time hiking? Even if you have an idea of your family’s interests, getting them to say it aloud gives everyone a clearer idea of what to expect. And who doesn’t love talking about travel?
In a conversation with travel bloggers Our Family Passport, Shani Smith had some good advice on why planning as a team is important.
“Everybody can feel that they have skin in the game. It makes you be more patient with things you may not really want to do. It makes for a well-balanced trip.”
[Read More of Our Family Passport’s Family Travel Tips Here]
2. Choose a Place
Answering “where” is half the fun of travel planning! But it can be daunting if you’re new to international travel or unsure where to go.
Talking about travel interests with your family is a good way to narrow down your choices, but you don’t have to choose a destination right then and there. Here are some questions you might ask each person to help lead to a decision:
- When do you want to go? The time of year you travel can help determine where it is you want to go. For example, if you’re considering going to Egypt, you may want to travel in the wintertime to avoid the heat. In the summer, it can get over 100° Fahrenheit during the daytime!
- What do you want to see, do and experience? Every destination is the only one of its kind in the world, with its own sites, history, landscapes and wildlife. If your family is interested in classical Western history, you might be interested in Greece, or Italy. If you want amazing outdoors adventure, the world is full of it – the Costa Rican rainforests, South African fynbos and mountainous regions of Thailand are but some of the virtually limitless amount of places you could go.
- Why do you want to travel? We all want to make memories with our family, broaden our cultural horizons and see new parts of the world. But do you also want the chance to meet international kids, or eat a meal with local residents, during your travels? If so, it’s worth turning to a travel operator who has experience in setting up these kinds of cultural connections.
3. Study Your Destination – And Get Everyone Else to Study, Too
Knowledge about a destination always adds a layer of appreciation and enjoyment to any vacation. What’s the fun of eating Cozido das Furnas in the Azores if you don’t know it’s cooked underground with volcanic heat? And how can you get the most out of a Tanzanian safari without knowing what kinds of wildlife you might see? You’ll still have a great time, but you might miss out on so much!
Studying up doesn’t require sitting down with dense history books, either: simply split up the studying responsibilities beforehand. Encourage everyone in your family to share articles, videos, movies and other fun content to help everyone else learn about the places you’re going.
Traveling with a guide when you’re in your destination is a great way to continue learning when you’re in-country. Family traveler Kurt Rosentreter took his wife and two children to Egypt in December of 2019. His guide, Nader, was with the family from day one to the end of the trip, providing cultural background for all of the ancient sites they visited. Nader could even read hieroglyphics!
“By your third or fourth pyramid, you’re picking up the pictures on the wall,” Kurt said. “[Nader] is patching it all together in ways that really add value to the whole vacation.”
[Read about Kurt’s family vacation in Egypt here.]
4. Try the Food
When we travel, the things we remember most are the people we travel with and the food we eat. That’s because food has a strong connection to our memory of people, places and emotions, according to this Harvard University blog post.
Part of the fun of preparing for a trip is trying (or even cooking!) the destination’s popular dishes beforehand. Try your hand at South African Malva pudding, or some classic Thai dishes. International cuisine is a fantastic way to experience the world from the comfort of your dining room table – and don’t forget delicious!
If you’re working with picky eaters, that’s okay. Lots of international food can have a surprising resemblance to standard Western dishes, such as the fried chicken and fries in Peru.
5. Look Back at Past Trips
What better way to know where you’re going than to know where you’ve been? Looking at old photos, videos and memorabilia from past trips can help you refresh your adventure spirit and narrow down where you want to go next.
It’s also a good way to decide on some of the finer logistical points. How were the hotels on your last trip? Did you like the restaurants you ate at, or do you want to be a little more adventurous this time around? Did your family like sleeping in, or do you want to get an earlier start on your days? Considering these kinds of questions can help you find what you love when you travel, and maybe what you don’t love as well.
International family travel can be challenging to plan for. That’s why we’ve been helping families do it for more than 20 years. If you have questions, or want to bounce some ideas around our seasoned Travel Consultants, we are more than happy to lend an ear.
