Vacationing with Kids

If you travel with kids, you’ll know it’s a little, um, different than traveling solo or with a few friends your own age. For example, you may have been a spontaneous traveller pre-child, booking off work when the charter companies published last minute seat sales. That can be very difficult to do when you have children who attend school, or who don’t enjoy abrupt changes to their schedules.

Or perhaps you used your vacation time to relax and chill out on the beach. You may have spent the day lounging and the nights out finding a great little bar with a band. Traveling with children is less relaxing and more active (with a much higher spf on your sunscreen bottle).

But traveling with children can be a memorable, rewarding family experience. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Come Prepared

Kids come with more gear, so leave yourself time to get through security with your stroller and bottles. Also, always bring snacks. Snacks are essential when traveling with young children. You can distract an impatient toddler with his favorite goldfish crackers (rainbow ones are more delicious). Even grumpy teenagers are transformed with the power of a favorite piece of chocolate or a package of spicy Doritos. You can keep it organized with one f Erica Maree’s many oilcloth pouches, bags and totes!

Prepare Your Kids

This is important. Some families enjoy surprising their children with a trip to Disney. Depending on the child, this can turn out wonderfully. But with many children, a diversion from their expected routine can be unsettling. Explain where you are going, develop a fun, reasonable itinerary, and give them advance notice before changing plans. Happy kids are prepared kids. Happy parents have prepared kids.

Stay Positive

Chances are, you will lose an important item. It could be a passport, a phone or a camera. You could be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat (oh so flat) tire and no one to call. Your child will spend a night throwing up in the hotel bathroom. Things. Will. Go. Wrong. Roll with it and make up a new game called Jump Up and Down on the Tire Iron Til the Lug Nut Loosens. These stories will be family legends some day. And you will be so glad you traveled with your kids.

When you do go on that vacation, don’t forget to cover up with a fashion-friendly embroidered trucker hat from Erica Maree! If your next adventure brings you and your family to Erica’s puebla, be sure to reach out to Puerto Vallarta’s favorite tour guide, Sylvie with Tours du Jour Mexico!