Guest Post: Preparing for Vacation (Kendra Thornton)

Here we are smack in the middle of summer – and you may have a vacation coming up.  Hear these words of advice in planning so you can have an easier time getting away!
Proper Preparation for this Year’s Family Vacation

If you are on the verge of traveling with your children this summer, don’t let the excitement derail you from properly planning for your trip! Sometimes, we forget the small things and don’t realize we have little ones with us who have special needs while on the road. Although the summer is almost coming to a close, it’s never too late to go on a vacation to spend some great quality time with your family. Careful planning can erase easily avoidable problems while away from home. Here are some quick tips to keep in mind when traveling with your loved ones.

1. Baby Food

Don’t throw away the baby food yet! Just because you are traveling on an airplane doesn’t mean you can’t bring baby food with you. TSA allows parents to bring baby food on the plane so long as the food is still within its original containers. Also, the last thing you want to is to potentially expose your baby to food allergies. They can take anywhere between three to four days to appear. Sticking with what you have been feeding your baby is recommended.

2. Make a Packing List

In the weeks leading up to your vacation, make an extensive list of all of the items you need to bring with you. Procrastination is the worst thing to do right before a vacation, as it will lead to forgotten items and incomplete agendas. The last thing you want to do is have to go out of your way and spend extra money on clothes or other accessories simply because you forgot it at home. If a list is likely to get lost in your purse or underneath a car seat, try downloading an app like Packing Pro, where you can have a list on your mobile device.

3. Find A Family-Oriented Hotel

When you’re traveling with your family this summer, you’ll want to make sure you find a hotel that is family oriented and has amenities that cater to children of all ages. Consulting the hotel management is a good start, but be sure to read reviews from fellow travelers about the true treatment the hotel provides. I used Gogobot to research through a great list of Orlando hotels, and found an affordable, family friendly destination. Some hotels come equipped with cribs, highchairs and other baby necessities. However, some hotels might charge an extra fee for this. Checking beforehand can help you avoid having to spend extra dollars that could have been saved or spent elsewhere.

4. Document your experience

For the parents and older children, make sure you bring your cameras/smartphones and plenty of chargers and extra batteries! These memories should be able to last you a lifetime, so document them. For the younger children, provide them with their own disposable cameras. When you return home, you can have further bonding with your children by scrapbooking the photos you all took.

5. Make Boarding Easy!

Don’t wait until you get to the airport to print your boarding passes. Have them already printed out and ready to hand over to TSA. Prepare your children for security ahead of time by making them wear sandals or slip on shoes. This will make getting through security much quicker and hassle free.

Make sure you do a little extra planning and stay away from easily avoidable problems. And remember, plan on having lots of fun and good times with your family!

Written by: Kendra Thornton at www.thorntonpr.com

Bio:

Kendra Thornton: Travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. I am a long time travel expert who has been packing my bags and traveling the world since I was 3 months old! I’ve found my utmost desire in life is right here in my own home. I have taken my excitement for travel and brought it to you with some of my favorite travel tips and tricks. Enjoy!

Reference 1: If a list is likely to get lost in your purse or underneath a car seat, try downloading an app like Packing Pro, where you can have a list on your mobile device.