How to Include Family in Planning from Start to Finish
Travel tips from Dr. Jen Hartstein
There are many ways to include your family in the travel planning process — whether it's before, during or after the trip. Here's a list of ways your family can come together, learn, bond and prepare for all phases of your trip.
View bio
Trip Wish List
Create a family wish list or collage for the upcoming getaway! Use inspirational photos of the location, activities and food to make the process more creative.
Take a Vote
Have each family member write down five destinations, activities or landmarks they want to visit. Feel free to set parameters, depending on your budget and length of the trip. You can narrow the choices down and then have a family vote!
Learn Together
Once the trip is planned, set aside quality time to research the destination, its history and culture. Taking time to learn about the destination together will build excitement, keep you and your family informed and educate everyone on what the world can offer us when we venture outside of our comfort zone.
The Pre-Trip Jitters Chat
Discuss overall feelings about the trip: What is everyone excited or nervous about? This can help ease and diffuse anything that may pop up during the vacation.
Pack Together
Invite your family members to participate in packing for the trip. They can oversee choosing, organizing or folding clothes into a suitcase or manage the packing checklist.
Review the Itinerary
Talk through the trip itinerary together as a family to help build excitement.
Plan a Day
Depending on the age of the children traveling, let them take charge in planning one full day for the family. Provide them with a budget and let them run with it.
Daily Check-Ins
Keep a checklist of activities you want to do each day and cross it off once it's done for a fun sense of accomplishment — and to keep track of memories.
Daily Debriefs
Discuss the day's activities each morning, laying out where you're going, what you're doing, and what you'll need. This can help keep the family organized and keep everyone excited for the day ahead.
Daily Reflections
During dinner, discuss the highs and lows of the day. Talk through what made the day so fun, or what could be changed. This can also be a good time to switch things up that aren't working for the family.
Hold a Post-Trip Talk
Have the family debrief to share your favorite parts of the trip, or what the family could have done differently. Reflect on your favorite and not-so favorite days to learn about what you loved and what could have gone better.
Make a Memory Book
Encourage everyone to pull pictures from the trip to create a memory book. Take inspiration from the wish list or collage your family made and put together a book of memories that your family will be able to cherish forever.
Continue to Learn
Take what you've learned from the trip and extend it into your every day, post-vacation life. It can be a piece of culture, the native language (if applicable) or anything from your travels!
Go further with The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Card
Whether you're looking for adventure or a relaxing paradise, The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Card can help you say yes to creating unforgettable travel memories and experiences with your family.
travel with bold