Travel Tips – Traveling
View all the tips that will improve your trip, while traveling
Ask For A Child Discount
Asking for child discounts can really save you a lot of money during your trip. Most people are not aware of these, or they don’t feel comfortable asking, but give it a try, and you’ll be surprised when you see how many places will give you a child discount when you’re traveling.
Some restaurants and other locations may publish their prices and kids’ policies online on their website, but there is usually no mention of a discount. You have nothing to lose by simply asking.
Either send a quick email ahead of time or ask when you’re buying tickets at the location.
Ask for discounts on:
- Attraction entrance fees
- Transportation including buses and trains
- Restaurants
- Private tours and guides
Final Thoughts
The more popular locations and cities will offer a large variety of coupons you can find online. Give it a try.
Athens City Pass
Buy the Athens City Pass! With varying price options, the city pass gives you discounted access to multiple locations with or without transport included.
Final Thoughts
There are other companies offering city passes. Check with your hotel if they have any offers.
Bring A Car Seat
Kids’ car seat regulations change between different countries. Check the law in the place you’re going to. Regardless of the law requirements, we recommend that if you use a car seat at home, you’ll probably need one when traveling to keep your loved ones safe.
Make sure to bring a seat with you. We always recommend packing light but not at the expense of safety. To make things easier, if you plan to rent a car, most car rental companies have car seats available with your rental, but you should confirm before your trip that there will be a car seat there and available for your use.
Final Thoughts
Make sure the car rental agency has a seat for your kids’ age/weight.
Bring A Stroller Or Sling
- Are you traveling to a warm destination? Do you really want your baby pressed to your chest the entire trip?
- Would you travel mostly on sidewalks and stroller-friendly trails or the wild nature?
- Do you like to pack light or even lighter?
Final Thoughts
If you’re bringing a sling, make sure you know how to use it before the trip.
Diet
On your business trip, you have to be at your best. This is not the time to go wild and eat comfort food all day. Keep your health routine, avoid unhealthy restaurant foods, go for salads, keep the dressing on the side, don’t go wild on events, just keep things as if you were home.
Final Thoughts
It’s the case for any time and any trip, but more important if you have many business trips.
Don't Jump Between Hotels
There’s no point trying to cover everything. Take your time, focus on close areas, and cover all the things that interest you in that area. This will also help you avoid the need to just from one hotel to another every night. Try to pick a place to stay the whole time you are in that area. Jump to the next one when you move to another place or a different part of the city.
It’s especially important when traveling with your children since they get used to the place and develop some comfort level, helping them enjoy it more and sleep better.
Final Thoughts
Less moving means less packing and unpacking. This means less trouble and fewer things being lost.
Go social media
Social media is exceptionally popular these days. It has become one of the fastest ways to grab the attention of customer service representatives regardless of the industry. If you have missed a connection or got bumped, you can use Twitter to catch the respective airline company’s attention. This is a much easier way compared to sending emails or calling them. Also, a tweet can grab attention quickly, and you are likely to get an answer quickly with this method.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for places to travel or eat, try more visual social networks, such as Instagram.
Journal Is A Great Addition To Any Trip
As mentioned on the “Bring A Car Seat” tip, a journal is a great opportunity to get your older kids involved, learn more, and have more fun.
It’s their choice if they want to buy a physical notebook, write an online document, or blog about it. Some might like to record a short video each day. Give them some time at the end of each day to reflect on the day and talkwrite about their experiences. What they did, what they enjoyed, what did they learned, and maybe where they’re going next.
This journal will also help you if you plan to print a photo book for the trip, which is always fun to have on the shelf and look at once in a while.
Final Thoughts
You’ll appreciate it when you’re home and want to reflect back on your trip, even years later.
Kids Are Great Photographers
Kids can bring a whole new perspective to photography and your trip album. It’s not just due to their height, which brings a new perspective; it’s about the way they look at things.
No matter their age, give them a camera, and you’ll be surprised with the results. Give them their own kids’ camera as it will save your battery (which is precious when traveling) and reduce the risk of someone stilling it. Sure, your phone camera is good enough if you don’t have a camera or don’t want to carry one.
Your kids don’t need a fancy DSLR, and they’ll be just as happy with a simple camera or even durable kids’ point-and-shoot camera.
Not only will you get nice pictures for your album, but you’ll also find that kids enjoy taking pictures and learn more about the environment since they focus better on things around them as they search for the perfect picture.
Final Thoughts
If they are too young, hold the camera and let them press the shutter or use a tripod.
Make Them Partners
If your kids are large enough, let them help with the planning of the trip. If they’re too small, keep them engaged and explain the journey ahead of time.
Making them partners can help in many ways:
- It helps them grow and learn responsibility.
- Read, research, and choose.
- Learn teamwork.
- Learn about where they’re going ahead of time, and let them study its history, things to do, and what to expect.
If your kids are not used to travel, trips have a lot of new things going on. The preparation and the trip can make them feel uncomfortable, which will ruin the trip for everyone.
If they’re too young, go over the trip plan with them. Show them pictures, a map with the trip plan and places you’ll go, and explain the agenda at a high level. All these steps will help them know what to expect.
You can even let them prepare their own trip plan based on the places you discussed. Use it during the trip to let them know where they are according to the plan.
Remember that the airport and the flights, staying in a new “house”, riding a new car, and eating new types of food are all part of the plan.
If they’re older, let them pick the activities they want to do, at least for part of the trip. Take this opportunity to go over your expectations for their behavior during the trip.
Final Thoughts
Make your kids part of the trip right from the start. It will result in a happier trip for everyone. Give them options of activities to choose from.
Overcome the jet lag while adapting to the new environment
You can use the local meal time so you will be able to overcome jet lag during that time. If there is a possibility, it is better to have your meals according to the local time before reaching the destination. This approach is specifically handy when traveling a long way and doing your work in a couple of days.
Final Thoughts
There are many other tips for overcoming jet lag. Click here to read more.
Pay Extra Attention To Safety And Security
I’m not referring to the security process at the airport. I’m talking about making sure your kids, no matter their age, are safe during every step of the trip.
Never lose sight of your loved ones – when you lose your child and don’t know where he is even for a second, it’s the worst feeling anyone can imagine. So make sure you always know where your kids are, whether it’s at the airport, museums, parks, streets, and any other place you travel. Yes, you should explain to them, as part of the trip ground rules, that they should always pay attention and stay with one of the adults. But they are kids, and kids might easily lose attention looking at a shiny new toy and get lost.
When busy with logistics, even buying tickets to the amusement park, you can easily lose track and get distracted. When traveling with another adult, always make sure one is busy with logistics, while the other keeps an eye on the kids. If you travel alone with kids, make sure that they stay within your view at all times. If possible, hold their hands.
Another tip that can help to keep things safe, especially in crowded places, make sure your kids have your contact information. Even if they can’t call you, other adults might help when needed.
The contact information should include:
- Full name
- Phone number/s
- Email address
- Local address (hotel, family)
The easiest way would be to put the not in their pocket. No pockets, be creative. Tie the note to their belt loop, give them a necklace, put it in their shoes or you can order bands designed especially for these, such as those found on Amazon. Just make sure they know where it is.
Final Thoughts
Public Transportation Brings Different Perspective
Depending on where you go, public transportation could be the perfect way to move around. It’s cheaper, it’s easier than driving a car in the big cities or counties driving on the other side of the road, and it can be faster. Most important, it can bring a whole new perspective to your trip, especially to young kids.
There are many types of transportation on air, water, and land. Try them all. It’s fun!
Going on a fairy, riding a tuk-tuk, taking the subway are all-new ways to get around, experience the local atmosphere, and get around easily. You will also find out that since you’re not driving, you got time to look out the window and see the views yourself.
Final Thoughts
Remember that most cities or countries offer public transportation tickets that offer different transportation types, and you can buy bundles for few days to make transportation even cheaper.
Read a book
It is not that good to stare at your mobile phone whenever you have free time. Instead, try to read a book and give yourself relief. If you spend the majority of your free time on social media, things can be so boring, and you will realize that after returning.
Final Thoughts
I personally love audiobooks. Yes, we recommended not to stare at your phone screen, with audiobooks you don’t stare.
Remember Your Here To Enjoy
One of my first tips for traveling with kids was about “Take it Slow and Leave Plenty of Time“.
This tip is here to remind you of that. Each trip has its ups and downs. Not everything will go as you planned. Places will be closed, things take longer than planned and people will get cranky. This will sometimes go wrong, so remember to take things easy and stay flexible.
Don’t try to make and see everything. If you like a place you can always visit again. The important thing is that you and your family have a great time and enjoy your trip.
Final Thoughts
If you’re going on a long trip, you would appreciate the option to have some time off from each other.