Flying To Warmer Shores With Family - 3 Top Tips

In the world we live in, taking time for a family getaway is not always easy. This is why some parents opt for theme parks as destinations. There are great things to be said about that type of trip, but going somewhere you have never been or going somewhere that has something for everyone, (adults and children) is often more fun and the memories created are treasured for life.

Here are 3 top tips for taking the family getaway vacation of your dreams.

Step out of tradition

Maybe your child is having a birthday, or maybe you want to celebrate an anniversary, graduation, or wedding. While a cake and gifts are traditional, there is a better way. Plan a bon voyage party before leaving on a celebration trip. Instead of traditional cake and gifts, set up a colorful and delicious candy buffet. The decorations are easy to gather and you can order candy from online suppliers like Sweet Services and have it delivered to your door. 

Family Travel Essentials - The Countdown To Half Term

As the summer comes to an end our thoughts move to half term and family getaways throughout autumn and winter. It's lovely to enjoy breaks in quaint cottages with roaring open fires, intimate woodland lodges or countryside retreats with loved ones while the golden leaves fall outside. 

If you're planning an escape over the next few weeks then our list of baby travel essentials will certainly come in handy.

Blackout blinds

Even though the days will be getting darker soon, there is still plenty of summer sunshine lingering so to ensure a peaceful nights sleep while away a blind is a must. It's really easy to adjust the size of the Gro blind using the suction cups provided and it is compact enough, complete with storage bag, to pop in your luggage wherever you may be heading. Even if you're miles from home the darkness will allow little ones to fall asleep and stay asleep with ease.

How To Have A Low Cost Family Holiday

One of the benefits of working hard is playing harder and escaping for a family break is a great way to have fun while spending those well earned pennies. Holidays can however be a little costly, with everything from your transportation to your entertainment to cover, so if you're looking to save a few pounds on your booking these tips from the pay weekly store PerfectHome may be the answer!

Tips For Sleeping While Travelling

 
Whether you’re travelling by plane, train or automobile this summer, getting the kids to sleep can make the journey a lot less stressful. So, here are some useful tips to help get your little ones off to the land of nod.

An Early Start

If you’re driving to your holiday destination it’s always a good start to leave in the early morning; sometime just before before dusk is great as the roads are quieter and it’s still not too bright for the kids to get some shut eye. But don’t forget, when they wake up they are going to be hungry, so take a packed lunch!

Plan your journey

I know this sounds obvious, but having a rough idea of the route just isn’t enough. Remember, your youngsters are a dab-hand at picking up any tension or stress, so try to remain calm if you take a wrong turn and invest in a Sat-Nav if your map reading skills are a bit rusty. Also, designating regular bathroom breaks, as well as one or two stops just for stretching your legs, will help to break up lengthy journeys.

Grabbing a Last-Minute Holiday before the Summer Crowds

So many people experience wanderlust, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed as every new trip yields more and more ideas for places you still want to see. It’s especially hard when your work gets in the way, leaving less and less time to fit in all your explorations - when you find yourself trying to travel over major holidays and long weekends, you can find yourself paying more than anticipated.

 

If you find yourself trying to travel over the upcoming summer holidays, here are some of the best ways to snag a deal without a lot of forward planning:

 

 

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1. Choose your destination wisely.

If you’re looking for sunshine and cocktails rather than pools full of inflatables and an overload of families, you need to choose your destination with care. The crowds will generally be heading to popular resorts for beach breaks, so why not look for somewhere a little different? You won’t really know the best deals until you start looking, so it’s worthwhile to remain flexible and open-minded about your destination.

2. Consider all-inclusives.

Most of the cost of a holiday comes in the airfare and lodgings, and that’s part of the growing appeal of package getaways. That’s why there are massive savings to be found by considering all-inclusive options, which can often still be found close to your departure date (those hotels don’t want their rooms to sit empty!). Flights and accommodation all in one neat little package? Panic over.

 

3. Prepare (what you can) in advance.

Since you’re booking last-minute, you’ll want to be ready to dash on a moment’s notice. You can shop for holiday toiletries and essentials at any time, and learn a few key phrases before you go away. Sites like Duolingo (which also has a handy app) are fantastic if you’re heading to Europe.

 

4. Shop around.

Don’t get distracted by sales and lowered prices—ultimately, the final price you pay is the price that matters. Stay calm while you compare your options, and consider looking beyond the big websites. Sometimes an airline operating out of the country you’re visiting will have better deals than your local airline, and if you’re waiting until the very last second, it’s always possible that hotels and airlines will be desperate to unload unsold inventory, landing you a solid deal.

 

 

It’s completely possible to bag a reasonably-priced holiday without planning months in advance, though it can take a little creativity.

 

What are your top tips for saving on travel? Are you going anywhere fun over the summer?

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(Sanity Saving) Travel Tips

"Are we there yet?" on repeat, whinging about boredom in the backseats or needing the toilet for the umpteenth time does not make the perfect journey, but there are a few ways you can make the experience slightly more tolerable.

Hopefully these sanity savers for travelling with kids will help you as they do me...

Peace at last

• Snacks. And plenty of them. Not only will it save your ears from constant moaning about starvation but it will save you a small fortune on extortionate service station costs and time consuming pit stops. Make them as low in sugar as possible to avoid hyperactivity so sandwiches, fruits and savoury products are best. If they have their mouths filled they can't talk. You will however need to hoover up the crumbs later - damn!

• Magazines. I'm generally not keen on them as they always seem ridiculously priced with cheap tat securely attached to the front, that usually rips the cover to shreds in the process of removal, but when travelling they are quite handy. They contain a variety of puzzles, quizzes and colouring pages that will keep little ones occupied for a few minutes at least. Just don't forget the pencils.

• Travel really early or late. Hopefully they will be tired and sleep for most of the journey. You could even attempt to transfer them to the car while in pj's and snoring, them not you, but it's likely they will wake up in a mad panic having no idea what's going on. If it's dark outside they will be more inclined to rest their eyes... and voices. Bonus.

• Sun blinds and glasses. Keep the light and heat out and prevent children complaining about glare/warmth/reflection/anything they can think of to be irritating. Take a blanket too so they can't say they are chilly either.

• Play games. Ideally I Spy and the usage of words they don't know to keep them guessing until you arrive at your destination so you can gradually block the droning sound out. Alternatively a list of impossible things to find like space rockets and sunshine (well this is England) should keep them looking outside at the sky and hopefully quiet for some time. Counting those 1,000 green bottles on the wall may be useful or taking along a handheld console or music player, with headphones for them too.

What (tongue-in-cheek) travel tips do you have?