How To Make Incredible Family Memories Traveling Abroad (2024) – A Perfect Guide

Are you planning a family trip abroad and want to make it memorable? If that’s the case, you’ve landed in the right blog post! I wrote a “How To Make Incredible Family Memories Traveling Abroad” – guide so that you can make sure your family trip is going to go smoothly and you will make incredible memories!

I value traveling with my children and making memories with them – after all, the memories is something that we can cherish the rest of our lives!

In this post I’ll go through all the things you need to know if you want to make incredible family memories when you are traveling abroad!

I’ll go through the trip planning, involving the whole family, embracing new experiences, and documenting adventures. I’ll also cover disconnecting to connect (and talk about screen time during trips!) and reflecting on cherished memories.

How To Make Incredible Family Memories Traveling Abroad

So, how do you make incredible family memories when traveling abroad or even in domestic travels as well? I’ll go through all of the most important things you need to know!

Planning Your Trip

Planning Your Trip involves several crucial steps to ensure a smooth and enjoyable family vacation. When it comes to our family travel, I’m usually the one who does all the planning.

But what I’ve learnt, is that it’s important to involve the whole family to the planning process. Ask them about what they are expecting from our trip and what they would like to experience.

Selecting the destination is a really important decision to make. Selecting the destination sets the tone for the entire trip, considering factors like the interests of all family members, the time of year, and accessibility.

I’ll give you an example: our boys love to be able to swim during our trips, so it’s important to choose a destination that is warm and make sure that the pools there are heated (in case going to south of Europe for example, where all of the pools are not heated).

Next, researching family-friendly activities and accommodations ensures that there are plenty of options tailored to everyone’s preferences and needs. We usually choose a hotel that has some activities for the kids so we will all enjoy it: kids have some activities for them and while the parents relax at the pool!

An important thing about planning your trip is also packing! You need to consider what kind of clothes do you need (is it warm or cold), do you need a travel stroller and many other things! If you have a toddler, check out the toddler travel essentials – this will help you know what to bring along!

Also, setting a budget is essential to avoid overspending and financial stress during the trip. Determining expenses for transportation, accommodation, meals, and activities allows families to plan accordingly and make the most of their vacation without breaking the bank.

Involving The Whole Family

When you wonder how to make incredible family memories traveling abroad, involving the whole family is key to creating memorable and inclusive travel experiences.

Firstly, encouraging input from all family members fosters a sense of ownership and excitement about the trip. Everyone can share their preferences, interests, and must-see destinations, ensuring that the itinerary reflects the collective desires of the group.

Secondly, planning activities suitable for all ages ensures that everyone has something to look forward to and enjoy during the journey. Whether it’s visiting theme parks, exploring nature trails, or discovering cultural landmarks, selecting diverse activities ensures that each family member feels engaged and included.

Lastly, assigning age-appropriate tasks or responsibilities empowers children and teenagers to contribute to the planning process and take ownership of certain aspects of the trip. From packing their own bags to researching local attractions, giving kids a role in the planning process instills a sense of responsibility and independence while fostering teamwork and collaboration within the family unit.

Our kids are at that age (they are 6 and 9 years old) that the most important things for them in our trips are: swimming and ice cream! But when they get older, I’m sure they’ll have a lot more preferences. And of course they are old enough now to pack their own backpacks so that’s an easy way to get them involved.

Embracing New Experiences

Discovering new experiences is a one of the ways of how to make incredible family memories traveling abroad.

Start by trying local foods (other things than ice cream!) and joining cultural activities, like cooking classes or traditional dances.

Guided tours are also great for exploring new places together, where you can learn fascinating facts and stories.

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone – trying new things, like snorkeling or hiking, can create lasting memories for everyone.

Our family loves to explore grocery stores in our trips (that’s not very exotic thing to do though!). We find it fascinating to know all the different foods they sell. And our boys always find the shelves that has all the chocolate and other treats!

Documenting Your Adventures

Documenting your adventures is an exciting part of traveling with your family.

Take lots of photos and videos (at least I do!) to capture all the fun moments – like when we saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time or tried churros in Spain!

You can also keep a travel journal or start a blog (that’s what I did – you are reading it right now) to write down your thoughts and feelings about the places you visit. It’s like writing a story about our adventures together!

Lastly, when you get back home, you can create scrapbooks or photo albums to organize all the photos and mementos from your trip. It’s a great way to remember all the amazing places we’ve been and the memories we’ve made as a family.

Disconnecting To Connect

Our boys love to have a lot of screen time. We have made boundaries to that at home, but we’ll make more strict ones when we are traveling together.

Disconnecting to connect is all about spending quality time together as a family without distractions. So I suggest you set some rules for screen time, like limiting how much time we spend on our phones or tablets during the trip. That way, you can focus on each other and the experiences around you.

Instead of staring at screens, you can have meaningful conversations and do fun activities together, like playing board games or going for a hike.

By disconnecting from technology, you can foster deeper connections and create lasting memories that we’ll cherish forever. It’s all about being present in the moment and enjoying each other’s company!

Reflecting and Cherishing Memories

Reflecting and cherishing memories is like looking back on a treasure chest full of adventures!

Take some quiet time to think about all the fun things you did and the lessons you learned while traveling.

Share those memories with our family and friends – like when we tell Grandma and Grandpa about our wonderful time in Spain last winter.

Lastly, find ways to keep those memories alive in your everyday lives, like cooking the pasta dish you learned to make in Italy for your Sunday family dinners.

Reflecting on your travels and incorporating those memories into your family traditions makes them even more special and meaningful.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I hope that this guide “How To Make Incredible Family Memories Traveling Abroad” has shown you that planning, involving everyone, and trying new things can make our trips extra special.

I’ve learned to take lots of pictures, enjoy each other’s company, and treasure our adventures together.

Let’s keep making family travel a priority and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

So, pack your bags, grab your loved ones, and get ready for more amazing adventures ahead! I’m sure you know now how to make incredible family memories traveling abroad!

Remember, the best souvenirs are the memories we make together.