Planning a Weekend Away with Kids

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When you’re a traveler, you focus on doing the things you’re passionate about and experiencing new things at every turn.

But when you have kids, a lot of that travel enthusiasm can seem to go by the wayside. If that rings true to you, then there are steps you can take to get back in the travel groove, even with kids by your side (or hanging off your arms).

That’s not to say that traveling with kids is easy — no one who has done it would claim that. But traveling with kids can still be fun, it just takes a hefty amount of preparation and a healthy reevaluating of expectations.

Here are a couple tips when you’re thinking about getting your feet wet with a weekend getaway — with kids.

Plan events ahead of time

Just because you’re towing a couple of kids along doesn’t mean that you should hole up in a hotel room and watch cartoons all weekend.

Plan a couple of kid-friendly events and activities in your destination area, so that you and the kids have things to look forward to.

The ideal activity for any kid (and any person, really) is an event that combines something they’re passionate about with something they’ve never experienced before. For instance, a kid who loves crafting and building things could be taken to a pottery class. They’ll get to try something new, while staying rooted in a passion you already know they have.

Bring your own entertainment

Especially with children who are young enough to be unpredictable in public, travel with an army of games, puzzles, coloring books, and whatever else your children like to spend their time with.

Even short car and plane rides can quickly become tedious for active children, so entertainment is absolutely key. For maximum impact, pack all the entertainment into one large tote bag that you can keep within easy reach at all times.

Also bring your own snacks

Kids, like everyone else, get hangry, and that should be avoided at all costs. Encourage the kids to try new foods, but also come stocked with some basic snacks to hold them through long lines and long restaurant waits.

For plane travel, this is extra important, as eating food can help to “pop” the ears of young children when the plane changes altitude. This can prevent tantrums and scream-crying, which everyone on the plane will thank you for.

Be flexible.

Let me say that again — be flexible, be very flexible. A seasoned traveler already knows that travel rarely goes as planned. With kids, those stakes are raised even higher: travel never goes as planned.

This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, but it does mean that you’ll have to be willing to change plans on the fly to accommodate a tired child, or a hungry child, or a child who really hates ferris wheels a lot more than you expected.

But, with some flexibility and a whole lot of preparation, you can still plan a fun weekend away with kids — and as you go, you’ll become even more confident in your ability to plan longer and riskier trips together.