Planning your winter vacation may be one of the best experiences of your entire year. If you pick the location with care, you will have plenty of things to do on your trip and you will most likely enjoy a stunning holiday atmosphere. Ideally, you would pick a snow-dusted destination to get into that spirit as you should. But planning a vacation with your whole family has never been easy, especially in the winter, when the luggage volume is quite generous. Below is our vacation planning guide that will help you remain sane during the process.
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DO Choose Your Destination Wisely
If you want to have a perfect vacation, think carefully about the destination. If you’re not a cold and snow lover, then you might want to pick one of those exotic destinations. Luckily, if you plan in advance, you may be able to find with several months before your departure date an affordable vacation package. When thinking of the perfect destination, consider the following. Think if you want a sunny, beachy destination or if you would rather prefer to spend your winter holidays skiing. Some may even prefer visiting a bustling city and get direct contact with different cultures and customs. Also, think if you want a location nearby or very far away.
When picking a location, your budget plays a huge role. You want to minimize your expenses as much as possible. Google Maps or several other tools are a great solution when it comes to finding the right location.
You could choose your destination depending on what cheap flights you can find in the desired interval if you are flexible enough location-wise.
DON’T Forget About Your Travel Companions
Who you’ll be travelling with is a major determinant on how much you will enjoy your time spent on vacation. Also, it plays a great role in the entire planning process. If you travel with small children, you should pay increased attention about their needs. Travelling with children is significantly more difficult than travelling with adults exclusively, so plan for the unexpected.
For a smooth and stress-free vacation, everybody’s needs and expectations from this experience have to be carefully assessed.  If necessary, vote when it comes to important matters such as the destination or accommodation.
DO Remain Flexible When booking Your Flights
Usually, your airfare makes up for up to 40% of your travel budget. However, if you book in advance, you may find some great bargains. The greatest tip when it comes to finding some great deals is remaining flexible with your dates. If you aren’t and you have to travel during a certain interval, finding the perfect ticket is becoming increasingly difficult. The more flexible you are, better deals you can find. Google Flights, if you’re from the US is a great tool that will help you find the best deals on flights.
DON’T Overlook Your Accommodation
You have to be careful when booking your accommodation. To be sure that you find a reliable host, you have to operate a people search by using all the possible means. This will help you establish their reliability. Having the certainty that you will be hosted in the same rooms or Airbnb as shown on the website is always a great thing to leave within your mind. There are some legal aspects that you should consider when renting an Airbnb, so a thorough search on the owner will certainly advantage your entire group.
Once again, your budget plays a great role in picking the perfect accommodation facility. You don’t want to overlook your group’s comfort, either. For larger families, the best option that you have is a short-term rental apartment. If you only travel with your partner, a hotel room might be just as good and will most probably have a lower price.
DO Make Sure to Pack Appropriately
If you travel with your family, packing for your winter vacation might be a real burden. Winter clothing is voluminous and if you travel with your cabin luggage, you may be in real trouble. However, packing smart and carefully will help you squeeze all your bits and pieces to your backpacks quite successfully. Compression bags may be your best friends here. Make sure to proceed this way in all your sweater’s case. This will save you plenty of space and will allow you to fit more in small spaces. Also, make sure to fit bits and pieces in all empty areas and corners of your backpack.
Another great packing tip would be to avoid bringing bulky sweaters. Instead, try to add multiple thermal layers. Those take up insignificant space and are perfect to keep you warm and cosy in freezing weather.
Make sure to never overpack, as this is an incredibly common mistake many of us make when packing for their vacations.
DON’T Forget to Plan for the Perfect Activities
If your budget allows, visiting some attractions would be ideal. Of course, you can always find some cheap or even free activities that everybody will enjoy.
However, while walking around the city that you visit will be fun and entertaining during the first days, it can easily become boring in your last days of vacation. See what museums or operas are open during the holiday season, and make sure to visit those. This will be highly educational for your child and you will also learn some new things as well. An organized tour of your destination of choice would be ideal and you don’t need to worry about planning the whole deal.
On the other hand, if you don’t want to follow the herd, plan your own tour and enjoy specifically the sights and experiences that you will most likely love.
This is our small guide that will help you make the most out of your winter vacation. Remember that you don’t have to follow the herd for a great experience. Instead, try to tailor your vacation in such a fashion to fit your family’s expectations and relaxation needs.
