Although family vacations can be a little frustrating at times, they’re the source of many comical and pleasant memories. Whether you plan to go to the beach, the mountains, or even the big city, you can take a memorable family vacation that’s low-stress and fun for everyone.

Keep these tips in mind to reduce stress on your next family vacation:

Plan ahead. Planning is a particularly important part of any vacation. Consider the individual needs of your kids and arm yourself with whatever is necessary to take care of them while on vacation.

• For example, if your four-year-old takes naps, bring along the stuffed animal they sleep with at home as their “comfort” item. For your teen, ensure they have their favorite hand-held electronic device to pass the travel time. Charging cords are a must!

Set up a flexible schedule for each vacation day. When you have a day-to-day plan, kids can look forward to things they want to do. Plan a special kid activity for each day.

• Work in an hour or so of swimming in the hotel’s pool each day or going to play miniature golf. Exercise keeps stress levels low and expends excess energy, especially for kids. Think of play time as de-compression time for kids. 
• To see some sights, consider taking a bus tour. Everyone sits down, which relieves aching feet from walking, while still exploring the new surroundings. Big Bus is a great company to use and has convenient stops.  Not applicable everywhere.
• With kids, visiting just one museum per day may be your best bet. If it rains on a day you planned to do an outside activity, switch to another day’s plans, to see a movie or do another indoor activity.  
• Simply, Plan a low stress day.  Sleep late, walk around the immediate area. See what the hotel offers.

Expect the unexpected. It’s a positive experience for kids to learn that, sometimes, even the best planning is affected by weather, mistakes made by the hotel, and other events out of your control. Talk to your kids in advance about these unplanned possibilities. Unfortunately, canceled flights are part of the new norm.  Get used to it but demand better.

Delegate responsibilities to each child. Assigning the twelve-year-old  to keep the eight-year-old occupied while at the airport. Or your teen can be luggage watcher for the family when they go to the restroom or magazine shop before take-off. They may take pride in the special responsibility they usually see you do.  

Before travelling, brainstorm with your kids about how to solve potential challenges. Both inside and outside the family.  Ask the ten-year-old what he can do to ensure his fourteen-year-old sister gets along well with him. And Vice Versa. Ask what they should do if one of them should get lost.  Afterall this is not your normal neck of the woods.

Change seating arrangements during travel. Except when you are flying (don't want the Marshals after anyone), but by train, or traveling by car, switch up the seating every half-day or so. Sit in the back seat with your five-year-old daughter while your eleven-year-old son sits in the front with your spouse until lunch. Seat-changing can freshen up conversations and ease tensions between the kids.

Take surprise items. For each child, pack new, unseen items to thrill and distract them from the monotony of travel. Sticker or Puzzle books for younger kids, word puzzles for eight- to twelve-year-olds, or download a family game app for your phones like Monopoly, Uno, or Trivia Crack.

Apply these strategies on your next family vacation. Everyone will be happier and your trip will be virtually stress-free. Start planning a family get-away now.