Disclosure: As a member of the #RIFamily Ambassador program for Marriott Residence Inn, I have been compensated for reviewing and sharing my travel stay on my blog.
With a New Year upon us, you may be writing down your resolutions for the next 12 months. As a busy working parent, one of those goals may be to spend more time with your family. An awesome way to do this is with family travel, and encountering a new city or tourist attraction while getting some much needed quality time in. There’s something very special about traveling with your loved ones and seeing new sights together. As a Residence Inn Family Ambassador, I am charged with spreading helpful news and tips that can inspire and encourage more family travel. So I am sharing my 5 New Year Resolutions for Family Travel with Residence Inn that you can add to your list of must-do’s for 2016 and beyond.
Get Family Input
We as parents think we know what’s best for our kids and family, and we often do. But it’s important that we also listen to our kids and get their feedback about how and where they want to spend their vacations and off time from school, especially when travel is involved. Before planning your next trip or excursion, consult your kids and other family members to determine where they would like to do and what sights they would like to see. You may not be able to do this if they are quite young, but for those of you with kids 5 years of age or older, they will appreciate the fact that you consulted them—and it’ll make it better for the entire family travel experience.
Go Someplace New
Your brood probably has a favorite place that they like to visit—-for me and my daughter, that would be Walt Disney World, and we make sure to take a trip there once or twice a year. But it’s just as exciting to go to a new place they your family has never been. Perhaps trek to the Grand Canyon, or see Big Ben in London. This year, go to a family travel destination that is new to all of you, and create new and lasting memories in the process.
Get the Right Accommodations
When my daughter and I travel, we like to have space. She often wants to watch her favorite Disney shows during her downtime and I like to watch the news. Staying at a Marriott Residence Inn gives your family not only space, but accommodations much like you have at home. You can have separate bedroom, living room, a kitchen, a full bath, and other niceties that you enjoy in your house. There are plenty of Residence Inn properties across the globe, and staying there makes downtime during your trip relaxing and stress-free.
Turn off the Tech
In order to truly enjoy your family vacation, have pockets of time where snapping photos, texting, and making status updates. This allows all of you to truly enjoy the moment and be in-tuned to one another, not to technology. Carry a traditional camera that will allow you to take pictures that you can later share and get prints, and bask in your experience as a family unit.
Find Value
Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, you can save quite a pretty penny with careful planning. Make sure that the hotel you are staying in offers you points for your stays and will allow those points to earn free stays. Each time that you stay at Marriott Residence Inn and are enrolled in Marriott Rewards, you earn credits that can be used for future stays at other Residence Inn locations. In 2015, I earned enough rewards through Residence Inn for two free nights that I plan on using next year for family travel. Enroll and earn money while you are on the road.
I hope that you do more, see more, and enjoy more family travel in the New Year. I know I plan on going on three family trips during the upcoming year, and I cannot wait.
Read more of my Marriott Residence Inn Family Ambassador posts here.
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