As a parent, you know that bringing your children along on a trip has the potential to enrich your experience. But as wonderful as making family memories in a new place can be, travelling with children often complicates transportation, lodgings and sightseeing.
Whether you plan to introduce your family to Queensland from abroad or simply from out of state, some simple planning can ensure that every member of your family enjoys the trip-including you!
In this blog, we list four guidelines to help you get the most out of your family trip.
1. Choose Comfortable Transportation
For many families, the worst part of any trip consists of the flights, drives or walks that get you where you want to go. You can alleviate some of this discomfort by choosing transportation that you and your kids find comfortable.
Avoid busy public transit stations, which can overstimulate young children. Instead, rent a family vehicle. If possible, look for a car or van similar to what you have at home, and put your kids in the same seats they usually ride in.
Not only will your kids feel safer in a familiar setting, but you will have an easier time navigating and driving in a vehicle that's like your personal car.
2. Explore Natural Sights
It's tempting to go to the biggest amusement parks and see the best-known sights. However, many of these sights can become expensive and too busy for young families. In addition to any tourist traps you visit, prioritise natural landmarks.
Queensland offers numerous outdoor opportunities that may differ vastly from what your kids experience in their daily lives. Go croc spotting, take a zip-line or just visit the beach.
Some outdoor sights require more preparation than man-made ones, but the experience and savings more than make up for the extra planning. As you plan your trip, keep the seasons in mind so you can pack the right clothing for the climate and avoid weather extremes.
3. Give Yourself Plenty of Travel Time
In addition to choosing the right vehicle, reduce the stress of travel by giving yourself plenty of time to get from one place to another. Whenever possible, don't plan your itinerary down to the minute.
Instead, allow plenty of time for bathroom breaks, scenic stops and local traffic. The less pressured you feel, the less you'll convey stress and frustration to your children. When you stop, let your kids determine the pace of the break. Playing adventurer at your campground before you head out in the morning could end up being the highlight of your child's day.
To ensure that long trips don't get boring, plan road trip games, pack your child's favourite toys or bring a book to read out loud from the passenger's seat.
4. Maintain a Routine
Kids thrive on familiarity and routine. So as much as your family may enjoy seeing new places, maintain elements of your usual routine.
Whenever possible, plan to put your kids to bed at the same time each night and wake them up at the same time each morning. Similarly, schedule meals, or at least snacks, around the same time every day.
Not only will routine help your children feel safe, but it can also help alleviate jet lag for international travellers.
As you travel, remember that your experiences and memories hold more importance than any one destination. Place your priority on family enjoyment and bonding to ensure that your trip is full of smiles, once-in-a- lifetime photo ops and love.
Use these tips to make each step of your trip a little less stressful.
Looking for fun, food or fantastic views to complete your visit to Queensland? Check out our list of '5 Restaurants You Must Visit During Your Trip to Queensland' and '5 Stunning Road Trips in Queensland' for ideas.
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