11 Genius Tips for Planning a Perfect Day Trip with Kids

Want to plan the perfect family day trips with your children? No matter how short they may be, family vacations are always a memory you will not forget, whether good or bad. Unfortunately, too often, our family trips don’t go as planned. Use these 11 tips to plan your next family day trip with kids so that it will be perfect! If you need ideas, here are some great day trips from Baltimore and also Maryland road trips you can take with family.

Tips for Planning the Perfect Family Day Trips with Kids

How do you plan a perfect trip with your family? Here are 11 tips to help you plan ahead to have the best family day trip with your children!

Find Something Everyone Wants to Do

Have a family council where you can sit down and get ideas for every member of your family. While it might be difficult when your kids are mixed ages, you can still find things that your entire family will enjoy!

It might seem easier to figure everything out yourself but try to include your children as much as possible. Not only will this get them excited for your family trip, but it will also ensure you are actually doing something they enjoy!

Plan Ahead

The more prepared you are, the better the chance of everything going according to your plan. Plan as much in advance as you possibly can. Have your family discussion early enough and trip to prepare a little bit every single day. This will also help you stick with your budget as you can start putting aside money in advance!

Research thoroughly

Once you’ve figured out where you want to go and what sounds enjoyable, you must research thoroughly. This helps you be prepared, and it helps you figure out if it will actually be fun in the end. Some things seem like a great idea, but after research, you might change your mind. Better to change your mind before you are actually there!

Doing adequate research will also help you find the best times to go to the places you want to go. Some sites are more fun during a particular season, while others are great all year round. You can even learn the best times to go so there won’t be any crowds during your research!

Don’t overschedule

With a family day trip, you might want to pack it as full as possible so you can get everything on your list done. However, that will almost always lead to burnout. Plan times to rest and relax during the day, to give your bodies and minds a break. This will make it more enjoyable, especially for little children!

Prepare early

Instead of scrambling to get everything done the morning of your trip, prepare the night or day before. This helps you to not forget things as you have all day to pack and remember things instead of just an hour or two. This will also help you not be so stressed during your day trip either.

Check the weather

Check frequently the week before to see what the weather will be like during your day trip so that you can plan accordingly. You might think it will be sunny and perfect and then it only rains all day long. Check daily, so you know exactly what to pack for the perfect family day trip; you won’t be sorry! If its rainy or unfavorable outdoor weather, you can try some indoor kids play places.

Have realistic expectations

While you may want to think of it as the “perfect” family vacation, things are bound to go wrong. Don’t set high expectations! This may seem pessimistic, but it will actually help you to enjoy your trip so much more.

This is because when things go wrong, you won’t be too upset since you planned for these events to happen. You already knew ahead that things won’t always be perfect, so what’s a little bump in the road? Make realistic expectations for your day trip to ensure a happy trip.

Map out everything

Map everything out once you figure out where you want to go and the activities you want to do. Doing this will help you to see the best routes to take for the best time. You might initially think of going one way, but when you map it out, you see two activities are actually closer than you realize! This will also help you not get as lost, especially if you aren’t used to driving in a new area. 

Budget your trip

Always try to set a realistic budget and stick with it during your trip. Nothing spoils a fun day more than being stressed about spending money on things you didn’t plan for. Learn about the gift shops at the places you plan to visit and see everything you might have to buy.

This is especially important if you have young children in your family. No one likes a toddler tantrum because you couldn’t afford a fun toy from the amusement park you went to. Budget and plan for things you learn about during your research.

Keep it simple

The simpler your family day trip, the more perfect it will be. Maybe that means you only do one activity for the entire trip, or maybe that means you don’t go very far. When things are too complicated, there is more room for things not to go as planned. It will also make everyone tired when you have too much stuff to go to all day long.

Remember the point of the trip

The point of the trip is not to be “Instagram famous” or to look good for everyone. It is not to make a Pinterest-worthy family vacation either. The point of the trip is to spend quality time with your family. The point of the trip is to have fun.

Remembering the true reason for the trip will help you with the steps above, including planning the trip, keeping it simple, budgeting, having expectations, and many others. This might be the most important step of all too!

There you have it! Next time you are planning a family day trip, use these 11 tips to have a perfect family vacation! These tips will help reduce your stress and help your entire family to have fun and remember this precious time spent together!

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