'Tis the season of family gatherings and travelling with the whole family (whether we like it or not) is unavoidable, what we can avoid though is the stress that comes with the travelling. Whether it's a road trip or a cross country trip, it is tricky to provide the needs of everyone in the family while travelling so planning is very important to keep everyone happy and the trip enjoyable. Here are some tips to make travelling for the whole family easier.

Keep the itinerary in handy

Whether you're going somewhere you've been every year or going somewhere new, it's important that your itinerary is always within your reach. It should have details of your trip as well as flight number, arrival times, hotel addresses, emergency numbers, etc. Make sure each family member has one copy each so that they know where to meet you in case they get lost.

Travel Light

Don't make your life difficult by travelling with your whole house. Travel with stuff that you can reuse and repurpose. Example a scarf can be protection from the heat, from the cold, and can also be a blanket. Even when travel light also make sure that you have extra clean clothes especially for the kids as you don't know what you are up to.

Pack Snacks

An empty stomach is a recipe for bad mood during the trip. Make sure you pack some snacks for everyone to consume during unexpected circumstances like when your flight is delayed or when you are stuck in traffic.

Research

Thank the heavens for the internet, we can now all check comments from people on hotels, restaurants, destinations, etc. Visit travel websites like Expedia or Travelocity for ratings and comments.

Choose Family-Friendly Destinations

When considering travel destinations make sure that is has something for everyone. When visiting a resort check out if it has a playground for kids, maybe some surfing for the boys, and shopping destinations for the girls.