Making Family Vacations Memorable

Think back to a time in your childhood when your family had a holiday together. What do you remember the most? You might not remember seeing the Great Wall or visiting the Louvre museum, but it’s likely you remember laughing together with your siblings in the car or splashing in the waves with your parents. Whether your next family vacation is oceans away or across the Causeway, how can you make it special for your loved ones?

By Sharlene Tan

“Travel is the greatest learning tool we have — teaching kids independence and growth. Parents can really get together with their kids and create new levels of communication and learning. It’s a great way to get to know each other,” Keith Bellows, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Traveler and Melina Bellows, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Kids, told MSNBC. A family vacation is about being together, as a family. And that is something that is too easily forgotten in the midst of making reservations and packing – and repacking. Make your next family vacation an unforgettable one, with the help of these tips from Nanzinc.Com.

Get Everyone Involved
Involve your family in the planning process. Give each member of your family a task related to the planning of the trip. Pick up some brochures from your travel agent or request them online. Show your children these brochures or have them look at the destination websites to pique their interest and have them pick some of the attractions to visit – they’ll be excited when they get to see the actual sites they’ve selected. If there is a movie or a book associated with your destination, watch or read it with your children before you go (check out The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations at or BiblioTravel. Have your husband check out the best hotel deals or, if he is a foodie, look up some great restaurants and cafes. And if you’re travelling with grandparents, don’t forget about their interests.

Be Flexible
Make your reservations ahead of time, but don’t schedule your itinerary too tightly. Give your family ample time to finish the activities of the day and enjoy the food and the sights. Don’t rush them to cover all the attractions. A memorable family vacation is not about seeing everything a destination can offer. It’s about spending time together.

Nothing’s Picture Perfect
Leave the pictures of the gorgeous scenery to the experts (or buy a postcard). Your photos should tell the story of your family’s vacation. But if your children don’t want to sit up and smile at the camera, don’t make them – it adds stress to what should be a fun time and will never be a good photo. Take some candid photos instead, or, if your children are old enough, have them take some of the photos, and award a prize for the best photo of the trip.

Don’t Forget the Photos
With digital cameras, there is the tendency to load the photos online and forget about them a few weeks later. Instead, look over the photos with your family, and pick out some of them to print out. As a family, put together a collage or scrapbook of your travels – use the photos, souvenirs and other bits and pieces that your children might have collected, such as ticket stubs, shells and flowers.

Have a tip on how to make holidays meaningful for you and your kids? Share with us! Leave a comment.