Travel Tips For Families

I have travelled to over seven countries, including Canada, the United States and Europe, with my kids on family trips. I have become an expert in making family travel easier, from how to entertain kids on long car rides to travelling with a baby on a plane. This is the post where I share my Travel Tips For Families…

FAMILY TRAVEL TIP: A Packing List is a huge sanity saver and will help keep your family organized. Research weather for your destination to ensure you pack correctly for the weather. 

Travel Tips For Families

An up-to-date passport is the most important thing to have when travelling. Be sure to check expiry dates on passports (during one trip I realized my daughter’s passport was set to expire the day before we came back…eek!). Passport Canada has many in-person locations or your can simply mail it in. (I always choose to mail – it makes life easier).

Snacks are a must for travelling with kids. It keeps them energized and becomes a boredom buster. I pack dry cereal in resealable bags because it’s easy to eat on the go, whether you are en route, in a line up or at your destination, and it’s somewhat healthy.

I always take cash in Canadian or U.S. dollars when we travel. Not a huge sum but enough to pay for border crossings, buy a bottle of water, or pay for taxis. Years ago we didn’t have exact change to cross the border at Windsor/Detroit and I had to walk across six lanes of traffic to go to the duty free shop to get change. I learned my lesson and now carry a small amount of cash, be it a weekend trip to the States or a few weeks in the Caribbean.

When you travel as a family, your smartphone becomes an essential item. From GPS to phone book, to camera to social media connector, to an entertainment device for the kids. I always pack a smartphone when we travel.

Obviously, you want to take a suitcase filled with enough clothes for your trip. However, consider what you don’t have to pack. Going to Europe I never pack diapers, shampoos, or soaps because they are bulky and take up a lot of room. Instead, I pack enough for the travel day plus an extra day (just in case) and then go to a store and buy my essentials there. Saves suitcase room and is usually about the same price I pay for those items at home.

Whether you’re planning a car ride, train trip or plane ride, an activity bag is a must-have for family travel! From Kids Activity Bags (for bigger kids, which would include music devices and paper and pen) to my suggestions for Activity Bag For Toddler Boys, an activity bag is essential.

We share a huge border with the United States and, now you can plan your family’s vacation without worry and on-the-go with real Unlimited Data, Talk & Text across the USA from WIND Mobile. Just another way WIND delivers true mobile freedom.

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by WIND Mobile via Glam Media Canada.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of WIND Mobile.