Family Vacation Rules

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

There are three words that never belong in the same sentence… perfect, family and vacation. But to enjoy a fun, sane family vacation by following these five simple rules:By Brenda Buchanan

1. 50 MILE RADIUS When choosing your destination, you need to check out everything that’s happening in a 50 mile radius of your final destination. What if your main attraction turns out to be a dud or your day of fun gets rained out? And what will you do in the evenings? You’ll need suitable activities that everyone in the family can enjoy. Things to look for: museums, amusement parks, major or minor league sports, state parks or quirky tourist attractions. And don’t forget to print out/cut out the coupons you’ll discover while doing your research.
2. FILE IT! Keep a file folder or two pocket folder with all of your travel info in it… hotel reservations, printouts about fun places to visit, coupons, tourist magazines, Mapquest directions to all of your stops and yes, a real old-fashioned map of the area you’re traveling in. In our family, it’s not a vacation unless we get lost at least once. Keeping a map in the car is not only helpful, but fun for the kids, who can help you navigate back to a main road or find something interesting off the beaten path.
3. A PAIR AND A SPARE Ideally, it should be sunny and warm every day of summer vacation. But it never is. So pack one cool weather outfit for every two days of vacation.
   And don’t forget one jacket and rain poncho for everyone. Also, you need to pack one extra pair of socks, shoes, underwear, shirt, and shorts for every two days. And if you take prescription medication, bring along extra doses also.
4. BE A BOY SCOUT Be prepared for anything without packing up your entire home. Turn a plastic lunch meat container into a first aid kit by filling it with a little bit of everything from your medicine cabinet. Fill a large Ziplock bag with Travel Games, puzzle books, and pens for each child to keep them amused during any down time. Then fill one with sunscreen, bug spray and an extra pair or two of sunglasses. Pack a small cooler or insulated lunch bag with drinks and snacks to eat along the way.
5. BE FLEXIBLE The beauty of following the previous four tips is that when your plans don’t unfold as expected, you’re ready to face the unexpected with minimum stress. During a visit to Lancaster, PA, the main attraction turned out to be interesting for only half a day, rather than the two days we’d planned to spend there. During the drive, my youngest son had been saying he wanted to see the Liberty Bell. After checking the info in my folder, we realized that we were only an hour away from Philadelphia, so off we went. It turned out to be one of the best days of the whole vacation.