A Calm Way to Plan Family Trips

We really look forward to planning our family trips each year. Typically, we take our bigger trip in April, after a long northern winter. By then, we’re craving sun, warm temperatures, and a healthy dose of Vitamin D. There’s not much I enjoy more than researching vacation options.

Here are the steps we take to plan our vacations with calm and ease—so we can truly enjoy our time away.

1. Create a vacation fund

If you can, set aside a fixed amount of money each pay period for a vacation fund and keep it in a separate account. This gives you a clear annual budget to work with and makes planning much easier.

When building our vacation budget, we typically account for the following major expenses:

• Travel and transportation
• Accommodations
• Food
• Activities (tickets, excursions)
• Pet sitting (if we can’t bring our dog along)

2. Do some early planning

Once you have a budget in place, it’s time to think through the big-picture details. Key questions to consider include:

• What time of year are you hoping to travel?
• Do you have strict travel dates, or can you be flexible?
• Do you have specific transportation requirements, or can you be open to different airports or travel modes?   For example, flying from a slightly farther—but larger—airport can sometimes mean better prices or direct flights.
• Where are you hoping to go, and what type of accommodation are you looking for?
• What does your family enjoy doing together?

3. Start researching your options

With your early planning done, it’s time to start searching.

If you’re flying, Google Flights is your friend. It’s flexible and easy to use—you can even search by departure airport and dates without locking in a destination, which is great for exploring options. For flights that fit your criteria, toggle the “track prices” feature to receive email alerts when prices change.

For accommodations, I like browsing Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb or VRBO. These sites give a good sense of availability and price ranges.

If you’re a Costco member, be sure to check their vacation packages as well. We’ve found some excellent deals—and great perks—through Costco Travel.

Researching activities and tours is also important. We’ve recently used Viator and have been very happy with the excursions we booked. Always check ratings and reviews before booking.

4. Narrow it down

At this point, you’ve saved, planned, and researched—now it’s time to make some decisions.

I like to rank my top destinations (usually around five) and compare price and quality for both transportation and accommodations. If a few options are similar, I look at other factors such as food options, pools or beaches, local activities, and overall convenience. Proximity to the airport can also make a big difference for an easy, low-stress trip.

5. Trust your gut

By now, you should be down to one or two strong options. You’ve considered cost, quality, and convenience—now ask yourself (and your family): what feels right? Which trip excites you most? Where do you picture yourselves making great memories?

A little extra planning before the trip goes a long way. But no matter what you choose, time spent together as a family is what makes for the most special memories. 💙