Travelling with a family can be a nightmare. Most family travel meets some sort of major emergency or crisis during the planning phase, and it usually occurs right before they are due to go to the airport for departure. No matter how well the parents have planned, something never ever fits in and this can cause extreme panic when there are several children to deal with as well as making sure that everyone arrives at their vacation destination in one piece.
It is no wonder that family travel can cause major stress when you consider all of the things that have to be considered and then remembered. With insurance, packing, documentation, hotel arrangements, flights and other similar elements of family travel to deal with, what you really need is a checklist to use to ensure that all elements are dealt with in the correct timescales to ensure that the dash to the airport is not an ordeal!
To help you cope with this, here is a checklist that you can use for any given trip, whether going abroad or remaining in a domestic setting. All of the information is relevant and can certainly help you to relax and enjoy your vacation!
Six Months To Go
1. Assess your financial situation and estimate spending money
2. Collect information on the places that you would like to go. The Internet is a great resource, but you can also use travel guides and brochures to get an idea of the type of hotel to stay in.
Five Months To Go
1. This is the absolute latest that you should book your vacation accommodation to make sure that you have plenty of time to plan the family travel from start to finish. Remember to compare prices and check out deals and discounts.
2. Book family air travel and confirm the departure times and dates.
3. If you do not already have one, apply for a passport and look into the family travel destination to see whether you need further documentation, such as a visa.
4. Apply for a visa or permit if necessary, making sure that you comply with all of the requirements.
Three Months To Go
1. Begin to plan out activities for the whole family. Research the activities in the local area that are suitable for family travel, as well as the prices and availability because it may be necessary to book some activities in advance.
2. Check and compare travel insurance policies and purchase the family travel policy that best suits your needs.
3. Make an appointment with the family doctor for the necessary vaccinations. This can be found on the embassy website, in the same place as the visa requirements that you researched previously.
4. Organise your finances so that you know how much you have to spend and how much of your credit limits you have left. This will enable you to decide which cards you will take.
Two Months To Go
1. Purchase all of the necessary clothes and equipment for family travel.
2. Make sure that all of the accommodation and flights are fully paid and ready for you when you get there!
One Month To Go
1. Gather all of your documents together and photocopy them all twice, leaving one copy with your family and take another copy with you just in case there are any problems.
2. Organise any medication that you and your family will need.
3. Copy the itinerary that you have booked and planned so that your family knows exactly where you are going and when you will be going there.
A Week To Go
1. Purchase all travellers checks and money required for family travel.
2. Cancel any regular deliveries that you may have and pay up any bills, making sure that there is enough money in your account to cover any remaining bills
3. Pack for family travel!
After this checklist is complete, you should be good to go so you can just relax and enjoy yourself!
Sam Serio is a Marketing Consultant and a Producer of Special Events on Chincoteague Island, Va. A passionate advocate for Chincoteague Tourism he helped develop two websites that spotlight Chincoteague Island as a fabulous choice for families looking for a vacation destination that will please everybody in the house. Please visit http://www.chincoteagueislandvacations.com and http://www.chincoteagueoutlook.com for a revealing look at Chincoteague Island through videos, interviews and informative articles.
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