TRAVELING WITH FAMILY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON: 5 WAYS TO SURVIVE THE MADNESS

The countdown is on! Only a few weeks until your annual family holiday trip! Maybe you are looking forward to a winter wonderland ski vacation or already visualizing a tropical cocktail waiting for you on the beach in the Caribbean? In your mind, you can already feel yourself stepping into that perfect Hallmark Movie scene…until the day comes to leave for your trip and reality sets in!

Long lines at airports, flight delays, kids or family members getting sick abroad, juggling activities for different generations and interests. Before you know it that Hallmark Movie scene you envisioned has turned into a scene from a 1980s National Lampoons Family Vacation Movie.

HERE ARE 5 TIPS TO HELP YOU SURVIVE THE FAMILY TRAVEL MADNESS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

AIRPORT TIPS

If you haven’t already, make sure you have enrolled in TSA PRE-CHECK so that you can skip the long security lines at the airports. If you are traveling internationally - and you have time - you might want to look into getting GLOBAL ENTRY which allows you to skip the long lines coming back into the USA at the international customs security check points. And if you travel from a large airport in the USA and you travel more than a few times a year, it might make sense to invest in CLEAR which is a program that even bypasses TSA pre-check security lines!

For those who want the exclusive secrets of the celebrities, for a few hundred-dollar investment, you can pre-arrange a “MEET AND GREET” at your local airport where an airport representative will meet you when you arrive and personally escort you (often times in a private area) thru security and in some cases escort you to a private lounge where you can wait in comfort for your flight. The representative will escort you to the gate when it is time to board so that you can board first. They will even personally help facilitate if you have flight delays or changes.

No matter what your budget is, airport logistics can be the most stressful part of the trip. Make sure to prepare ahead and set yourself up for the most streamlined process at the airport.

GROUND TRANSPORTATION

Parking and traffic can be busy during the holidays. It might make sense to pre-arrange private car transportation going to/from the airport so that you do not have to worry about parking or worry about transportation when you arrive.

With a private driver, you can listen to the music you want, bring along Fido, and you will be greeted with water, and a clean temperature-controlled car when you arrive. You won’t have to worry about GPS navigating while kids are yelling in the back seat or crazy drivers cutting you off on the roadways. You can focus 100% on being whisked off to your fantasy vacation! All major cities have private drivers, many that cost the same, or 5-10% more, than Uber black/SUV cars and most hotels or Airbnb hosts can recommend a driver for your arrival.

SCHEDULE

One mistake most people make, me included, is to over schedule your vacation. It is important to remember that this is your time to relax and recharge. Be careful not to schedule more than one daytime activity and one nighttime activity if you want to truly come back refreshed from your trip. Schedule “down time” - and lots of it - if you want to return refreshed and not more exhausted than when you started.

FAMILY DYNAMICS

Different ages, personalities, and interests can be a big challenge on family getaways. It is important to discuss the trip ahead of time and make sure that there is at least one activity scheduled that will be interesting to each person. Create a tentative schedule, which you can change once you arrive if you want. By establishing and communicating a schedule to all parties in the trip, everyone can be on the same page for the expectations of the trip schedule and everyone can have a chance to speak up prior to the trip if there is something they want to fit into the schedule.

HEALTH

Nobody wants to get sick on vacation but sometimes it’s unavoidable. I always travel with a small “health kit” (download my travel packing checklist to see what is in it - link is down below!). If you feel under the weather while traveling overseas, give it 24 hours treating yourself and if symptoms progress or you are very ill, then seek a local health care professional. If you are not staying at a resort or hotel, you can use services like American Express concierge (for platinum card holders) to help you find health care in your area or you can call a local 4-5 star resort and ask if there is a traveling medical provider that they recommend for their guests and call the one that they recommend.

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Holiday travel is a fantastic way for families to bond and to create lifelong memories. The experiences that you have while traveling can be much more memorable than memories created at home. The stories will live on in some instances for generations to come. Prepare ahead this holiday season and cherish the quality time together as a family!