How To Not Go Crazy When You Travel With Family

Do you travel with family?

I do. Sometimes with my Amma and her friends, other times with my cousins. Every time we are planning a future trip, I know there will be a lot of fun and memories in the making, but it also got me thinking about the family we choose to travel with and the travel tips for travel with family.

Tips To Keep Your Sanity When You Travel With Family:

Be clear on what type of family vacation will it be!

This might be the hardest thing to come to an agreement with when you travel with family.

Not everyone has similar interests, including the idea of a vacation. For example, my vacation equals having as many travel-culture experiences as possible, while others may prefer a more relaxed time, like a beach holiday. You can choose to hike, backpack, or even do something gastronomic. Whatever it is, make sure that everyone is on the same page.

The solution? Take some alone time to do whatever each of you wants to do and find common things to enjoy together on the trip.

Prepare the itinerary together when you travel with family

Include everyone’s must-do, eat and see. At the same time allow some flexibility in your itinerary. And fit everything else in between. This way everyone has a rough idea of what to expect while travelling. I do this all the time with my family. When we went to Europe, we fit in both Sacher Torte for me (culture and local food combined into one single cake) and Barcelona football stadium for my soccer-loving cousin.

Get down with the budget

Be honest about how much are you willing to spend and in which areas are you willing to splurge and save.

For example, I never care much about accommodation while travelling, as long as the bathroom is clean and I am more than happy with Airbnb. I also am not bothered by shopping, nor about food, I can survive with bread and olive oil if I need to, but there is no way I am willing to skip the sightseeing tours. But other members of my family have other priorities.

Also, start saving together if need to.

Bring some family fun props

Be it the bright red pants, fake eyelashes, or a #selfie stick to upload family pictures on Instagram, pack that silly stuff to make travel with family time more fun. On our last day in Hong Kong, my cousin and I wore bunny ears while coffee shops hopping. It was ridiculous and a little embarrassing at that time, but the fun we had that day and the pictures we have now are so worth it.

Be nice and take care of yourself and them physically and mentally

Take vitamins, get enough rest and empathize with your family’s needs and feelings.

I must admit that I am usually the culprit here; I sometimes feel sick and end up staying in the hotel room for the day. These days, I hike up my vitamin C intake, clock in enough rest, and keep repeating happy travel thoughts a few days before.

Carve out some me-time while travelling with family

Believe me when I say you will need some alone time after spending days with the same group of people. No matter whether they are your mom, BFF, or partner. We all need some alone time and we need it regularly, even if it’s just for a half-hour at a time.

Take the “time off” by stopping for a coffee, visiting a nearby shop, or even simply sitting on the bench while your family does other stuff in the same area.

Make and record happy memories with them

Being able to travel with family is pretty awesome!

We grow even closer to each other each time we travel together. I have had the best days of my life travelling with mine, filled with treasured moments. There are times, especially when I am far from them, I go through the photos, reminiscing about our times together.

Even though I still believe one of the best parts about travelling is to return to your own home, travelling with family always makes me feel better and more grateful for them.

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