It’s March, and while it almost doesn’t seem possible, we are coming up on the one-year anniversary of *that week* – when the pandemic became a reality, and our lives changed.
A lot could be written about what a horrible year this past year has been – but you already know all that. You know that you and your family dealt with at-home school in all its stressful variations throughout the year. You’ve had to work from home and help your kids learn – often all at the same time.
And you probably cancelled, or at least changed, your family vacation plans from last year.
I mention all of this, not to dwell on all that we went through over the past year, but to point out one very important thing that I bet you will agree with: Your family has earned a vacation “reward” this summer. As things continue to (hopefully) improve, and vaccinations increase, studies show that optimism about travel this summer is skyrocketing, with many folks realizing that it’s time to make up for last year by making some vacation memories this year.
And not only vacation memories but “bucket list” vacation memories.
So let’s take a few minutes today to look at some of the things you’ll want to consider as you start to make plans to make up for 2020.
Where Do You Want to Go?
This is the fun part, isn’t it? Choosing where – of ALL the places you’ve always dreamed about visiting – is the perfect place for your family to visit this year. While your dreams may take you around the world, this year, as travel continues to recover from the pandemic, it would probably be best to postpone some kinds of travel, such as cruising, until later this year or next year.
But there are still MANY wonderful bucket list vacations to consider this year! You can plan a visit to theme parks like Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando Resort. You can check off some of those U.S. bucket list vacations by planning a visit to some amazing National Parks. And if a tropical island paradise is calling your name, Hawaii and the Caribbean islands are ready to welcome you for a relaxing vacation.
But Wait! Before You Decide…
Choosing where to vacation involves more than just looking at pictures online. You’ll want to consider several things that are super important when deciding where your family will vacation. Things that you definitely want to think about include:
Choose the right destination for what YOUR family likes to do – It may seem odd to say this, but just because a friend had a perfect vacation somewhere doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for you. Every family is different and enjoys different things. So it’s important to consider the ages of the kids in your family, what they (and you) actually like to do, and look at what there is for all ages in your family at your destination. For example:
- Will everyone enjoy a theme park and all that it entails? If not, don’t plan a visit to Walt Disney World (no matter how much you’ve always dreamed of going).
- If you’re going to a Caribbean resort, are there activities that will be fun for all ages in your family? While you may want to spend the week lounging by the pool with a fruity drink (not that there’s anything wrong with that!!), it’s always a good idea to see what the resort offers for kids when they inform you that they’re “bored”.
- Always dreamed of visiting Hawaii? Then consider what interests you about the 50th state – because there are a number of Hawaiian islands and they all offer a different “vibe” and different activities. Match the right island to what YOUR family will love.
- Remember that you don’t have to figure this all out by yourself. Your travel professional specializes in helping families find the perfect vacation destination, so rely on her/his expertise here!
Look at the Change/Cancellation policies – If there’s one thing this year has taught us, it’s that flexibility when it comes to making plans is super important. Fortunately, most destinations now offer additional flexibility when it comes to changes or cancellations. Still, not all destinations are equal here, so look at this carefully. Of course, you can depend on your travel professional to be the ultimate guide here to make sure you are protected with your vacation investment.
Consider the Covid policies and procedures – As destinations have reopened, they have generally put a great deal of thought and research into providing multiple layers of cleanliness to help Guests feel comfortable visiting. You’ll want to know what those policies are, so that you can know what to expect, whether it’s a masking policy, or whether you’ll have your temperature checked. Likewise, it’s super important to know what is required by the destination itself as many islands (and states in the U.S.) have guidelines that visitors must adhere to. Your travel agent will help you with this as well.
Being able to look forward to time spent together as a family this year is something that we all need. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out the best place for YOUR family – and getting it planned!
Learn how the FREE services of a travel agent can make planning your vacation simple and STRESS FREE!
Planning a vacation this year? Get your questions answered in my FREE guide: What You Need to Know About Traveling in 2021
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