Getting family travel tips and itineraries from those who have been there can be very helpful. There are many tips that can help families have the best possible travel experience and minimize any inconveniences or frustrations. Traveling with children can be challenging if advance planning is not handled properly, and the following tips can help you enjoy every family trip or vacation:

When reviewing the itineraries that we post from fellow families on the site be sure that the itinerary is one that is well suited to your family interests and personalities.
Even if the itinerary seems just right you should spend the extra time browsing the itineraries of other families. This allows you to mix and match to suit your specific family tastes and preferences.
Even with the itineraries and advice included on this site, it may still be worth investing in a good guidebook for your destination. A good guidebook will give you a sense of the history of sense and attractions in the places you are visiting. The itineraries that we post here are tested by fellow travelers, but a good guide book will give you some detailed info about your destination that is worth reading. You will get a lot more out of a city, and certainly your children will, if you do some research about your destination and talk about it with your children before the trip plans are finalized.
If you aren’t a “let’s pack it all in” kind of family, don’t force yourself to follow the itinerary of a family that is. This is likely to backfire. Always allow some time for wandering, and you may just discover the unexpected. One day we had planned on going on a second hike, and we got lost and could not find the trail. As we were about to give up and head back to our cruise ship we rounded the corner and found ourselves by a beautiful glacier fed lake. Our kids decided to jump into the freezing cold water, clothes and all. We had a blast although I could not get myself to brave the water with my children. This was one of the most memorable and fun parts of the vacation, and it was spontaneous and unplanned. Let those moments happen, and don’t stress if something goes amiss with your plans.
Leave some time to think about and absorb what you saw and experienced, without trying to rush the entire trip.
Push your boundaries and explore things that might be out of your normal character. Immerse yourself in the location. Experience all that the destination has to offer, not just the “main” or “top” tourist sites of the location. Feel what it means to belong there and enjoy the cultures and local populations.
Don’t follow another family’s itinerary if what they saw simply doesn’t interest you. What the other family thinks is awesome may be boring to you. No matter how incredible they say the view might be from the top of the mountain, if you hate hiking then don’t do it. Read the itineraries available and choose what you are interested in seeing. Mix and match itinerary components as needed to suit your own family. Read about the family that posted the itinerary to see if your family is similar to theirs.
Try to take out books for kids about your destination, or rent a movie that may have been shot at your destination to give your kids a sense of what they will see and experience.
Assign projects for the kids. Our kids have to research where we are going. They have been really creative in the past, including drawing a map of our location and identifying the closest Starbucks to our hotel and each stop we were taking. The Starbucks was to ensure I was caffeinated adequately during the trip. They had fun doing it and presenting it to us, and we had fun listening or seeing what they did.
Remember the basic things while traveling. Not getting enough sleep or not eating regular meals and snacks can damage even the most well planned trip, especially when children are involved.
Make sure that you allow extra time, and expect that you will run into some delays. Use these as an opportunity to explore your surroundings and take in the local culture instead of viewing it as a negative.