This post is all about How Me And My Family Get The Most Out Of Our Vacations! I and my family do not travel very often, just don’t have the funds to do so. So, when we do travel, we make the very most of it. I search like crazy online (and off) for great deals and rates on hotel accommodations. I look for hotels that provide continental breakfast, and offer fun things for the kids like an indoor pool and maybe video games in the room, for late-at-night fun!
I also like a spacious room and a room off to the side (WITH A DOOR) for me and hubs 😉 A hot tub in the hotel is nice too! Oh, and cannot forget about a kitchenette for storing your snacks! That definitely saves you money, being able to have your own food instead of having to go out and buy prepared meals, that is SO expensive!! There are many things I look for in a hotel. It also MUST be super clean (duh!) and Comfortable. It all comes down to being comfortable away from your home.
I and my family are definitely vacation dabblers. This means we take mini-vacations here and there throughout the year, instead of just one big one. Except for last year, we FINALLY made it to Disneyland and that was our huge vacation for last year. This year, it will definitely be mini-vacations here and there. The first one is coming up soon, yay!!! Next year we want to visit Texas, so that will be a bigger trip for us! I will be checking out the best hotels in El Paso for that upcoming trip!
Embassy Suites recently partnered with Parents magazine to survey the vacation-taking habits of 1,800+ American families. The survey revealed that between busy family schedules, work demands, and other family commitments, families have increasingly become “vacation dabblers” like our family.
A majority of families (56 percent) classify themselves as “vacation dabblers,” who take vacations
days here and there throughout the year
More than one-quarter (27 percent) consider themselves to be “vacation extenders,” tacking
vacation days onto holidays when they already get time off from work/school
Families who take big, extended trips are in the minority; just thirteen percent are “vacation
maximizers” who bank up vacation days for one long trip
When it comes to vacations, families don’t wait until the last minute. Only four percent classify
themselves as “vacation accumulators,” holding onto vacation days until the very end of the
year, when they have to “use ’em” or “lose ’em”
Those are just a few of the survey results and I found them pretty interesting!
So my tips to make the most out of your next family vacation:
*Get up EARLY and get on the road EARLY so you can enjoy your days to their fullest
*Find a hotel that provides continental breakfast each morning (they are a lifesaver on your wallet!!)
*Search online (and off) for the best rates available and try to travel on “off days” or days that are not too popular, like during the week
*On the day of checkout, ask the front desk if you can check out a bit later and enjoy the indoor pool and hot tub before you leave!! We always do this and find that usually, the front desk is more than willing to let you stay a couple of hours past check out.
*On your way home, take your time. Stop by different places, take pictures and make memories. Get home LATE and make sure you took the next day off of work to just relax and soak up the last hours of vacation before you actually have to go back to work.
Those are a few of my tips. What are your tips, to make the most out of your vacations???
Sherry Conrad says
I am a wing it and enjoy what comes along person. Then again we were more likely to be moving as vacationing when the girls were young (on purpose).
Jenny Sims says
Great tip on the pool – a dip usually makes my kid sleepy, and a trip to the pool before leaving means he’d likely sleep on the ride home!
Eileen says
we are dabblers too. But we did finally get a bigger vacation in this year…only two in our whole LIFETIME so we were so happy (until we got the BILLs…ouch). We will def be dabbling from now on. I would add to grab some games and cards just in case the weather is bad for doing outings and the pool can only supply so much time. We do pack snacks for hotel nights and make sure they have a fridge and microwave. A few adult beverages too. Look ahead online to see what the area offers, such as movies and movie times, shopping, etc. nearby. Yes, we always would take our “recoup” day off for the day after we got back from vacation. Vacation is HARD work sometimes, especially if you have a planned and packed full itinerary. You NEED that extra day at home to unpack and do laundry, catch up on calls and emails, grocery shop, etc.
shelly Donahoe says
Plan ahead. I like to make a binder with plans for each day so things go smoother.
Carrie says
One of the things I always do is try to stay in a hotel that has an inroom fridge and bring my own bottled water. It saves on money as hotel vending is expensive!
Sherry Compton says
I agree with getting on the road early. Beat later traffic plus it gives you some time to check in and explore. I hate arriving late at night when everyone is tired…cranky. I hadn’t thought about asking for a later check out time. That is a good idea. I always bring snacks and quick microwave items for the hotel so we won’t have to buy a lot out.
Yona says
Great post. The bed in your photos looks so pretty.
Jill H. says
Love the tips and follow all of them! Always look for free breakfasts and always request a late check out!
Christina says
I love your tips! We follow a lot of them… we hit the road early, often a few hours before breakfast time and the kids usually sleep a few more hours in the car. If we are staying in hotel we always try to find one that has the free breakfast. And we love taking our time getting home and enjoy the sights along the way.
carol roberts says
wow i miss going on a tip nice pics
ellen says
We do mostly road trips or day trips- I think the last time we stayed in a hotel was 1992! I think the kitchenette and breakfast tip is the best one- meals are sky high!
Veronica L says
Definitely have to agree about getting up early, We have 4 kids and this is a MUST for us 🙂
Sandra Beeman says
So many of us just have ti economize to take even the shortest vacation. However, by doing what you do, searching for best deals, heavy planning, etc., vacations can still be lots of fun for all. Enjoy your “mini”!
Amanda Alvarado says
Love the tips! Sounds like we are doing good when we take vacation because we follow almost all of them! 🙂 We fall into the vacation maximizers! LOL We usually take a long vacation once a year. For me, I get my vacation during the summer and don’t have vacation days during the rest of the year (only sick and personal leave days) so dh will usually request his vacation days to coincide with mine. This year we are having a stay-cation! We’ll go to the beach a day or two but that’s only an hour away so not really a vacation!
Marcie W. says
When we travel as a family we usually stay with family instead of in hotels. In the rare case we do select a hotel, I’m just as picky as you when selecting one. My one must besides cleanliness is having at least a small fridge to store our own drinks, snacks, sandwiches, and leftovers from meals out!
Vickie Couturier says
good tips,Im always looking for places that are clean an decent priced an has some meals attached
Sandy VanHoey says
We always look for the ones with the continental breakfast, such a great way to get the day started and open our eyes before the day ahead. Great tips, thanks
Rebecca Shockley says
I always ask to check out late either to sleep in or for the pool!
Claudia Smigel says
Always have to have a Kitchen to cook, way to expensive to eat out everyday
Whitney says
We get up early, stay at places with a huge breakfast and a pool. Oh and bring snacks for picky eaters! Loved your tips!
Natalie S says
Great tips! With 2 young kids, we usually get a condo that has a full kitchen or at least a hotel room with a kitchenette. Leaving early is a must for us though!