The Perfect Family Vacation? What Does It Mean To You and You and You?

What is your idea of the perfect family vacation?

If you posed that question to 100 different people you would probably get 100 different answers. There would be similarities in the answers, but no two stories would be exactly the same.

And therein lies the problem. I assume since you are planning a "family" vacation that you will be traveling with your family, which means that there will be more than one person with expectations about what their "perfect family vacation" is supposed to be like.

So how do you please everyone? The simple answer is you don't-at least not all of the time.

These tips will help you to plan at least part of your vacation that each person in your family will enjoy.

    Remember that part of what makes a family successful is compromise. Everyone will not get everything they are hoping for on any one trip. But, if each person is willing to give a little then the trip will be more enjoyable for all.
    Early in your planning spend some time brainstorming with the entire family. Ask the question, "What would you like to do on our vacation this year?" Take notes on all of the suggestions and then have someone compile the list into similar categories.
    If you will be traveling with a child under the age of 3 they should be easy to please-they don't yet know what a theme park is or that you can actually meet Mickey Mouse. But their needs still need to be met. Be sure to allow some downtime in each day's schedule or you will be trying to enjoy yourselves while dealing with a tired, cranky baby.
    A huge factor in what you do on your vacation will be your vacation budget. You can automatically rule out some suggestions just based on their cost. Try to find substitutes if possible. For example, if someone wants to go on a gondola ride in Venice, but tickets to Italy are definitely not in your price range perhaps you could choose to go to Las Vegas and stay at the Venetian instead.
    If one person wants to ride roller coasters and another person wants to go surfing choose a theme park near the ocean. Many vacation choices, while being very different from each other, can be consolidated into the same location.
    If you cannot agree on how to spend some of the time on your vacation then perhaps you could separate for a day. Dad could take the older children to the beach and Mom could take the younger children to the zoo. Don't plan your entire vacation this way, though, or you will not be enjoying having the whole family together.
    If Mom and Dad would like to spend some of the vacation time alone there are many options to allow this to happen. You could stay at a resort that has planned activities for various age ranges of children, you could take a cruise that offers programs for children, you could bring along a nanny to help with the children and also to stay with them while you enjoy some alone time, or you could employ your older children to babysit for an evening or an afternoon.

Pleasing everyone during your family vacation is possible. It requires planning, patience, and compromise, but the memories you create and the bonds you form within your family are so worth it.