- If there’s any doubt about your child’s walking abilities, bring a travel stroller.
- Bring your own snacks and entertainment for the flights.
- Try to break up your flights to make the travel a bit easier on your child.
- Fly during the day- while it may be tempting to take a red eye, daytime flights can help you get over jet lag faster.
- Pack what you need- plain and simple.
- Leave delicate items, special clothing, and anything that you don’t want ruined at home.
- Choose locations wisely for accessibility to public transit or other methods of travel.
- Weigh the pros and cons of hotels versus apartment rentals.
- Try to have an included breakfast at your hotels to get a jump on the day.
- Plan realistically to account for your child’s jet lag and new stimulation levels.
- Allocate some down time for your family to rest and keep energy levels repleted.
- Try to plan fun activities for everyone to enjoy. If you do some of the traditional, more adult-oriented historical sites, include a few family friendly and kid-oriented spots as well.
- Stay longer in fewer places. Sprinting from place to place will give you little time to see everything and makes for a tired family.
- Order children’s meals for in-flight ahead of time.
- Break your routines by doing new things, trying new activities, eating new foods, and enjoying time as a family.
Click here to read the full article by Christine Knight for Huffington Post.