Taking your own car to travel for the holidays is a great way to avoid the hassles at the airport. It can also be less expensive as many flights are more expensive during holiday travel times due the demand passengers have. Traveling with children though can be difficult if you aren’t prepared.

It is important to be realistic about the expectations you have for children during holiday travel. You can’t expect them to sit quickly for 10 or 20 hours or drive time without activities. Make sure you plan your trip so you can stop every three or four hours at a rest area or even a park along the way to allow them to run around for a while.

There are plenty of age appropriate games that can be played in the car during travel for the holidays. Car Bingo features game cards that have different pictures on them including railroad tracks, cows, and different road signs. Even children that aren’t old enough to read are able to take part in this type of car game.

Since there will likely be people from other states traveling as well over the holidays, make a game to identify cars from as many states as possible. Have a list with you and then mark them off as you identify them. Try to take along small toys or treats you can give your children as s surprise throughout the trip.

There are plenty of CD’s out there these days with fun songs for children to listen to and to sing along with. For extremely long road trips over the holidays you might want to purchase a system with monitors so the children can watch movies as they travel. This can be a lifesaver, especially when there is only one adult traveling in the vehicle.

Traveling with your children during the holidays offers the perfect chance for everyone to visit and get to know each other better. Play a game where one person asks a question and then each person in the car gets the chance to answer. The questions can be simple such as what is your favorite color or more in depth such as what is your best memory. In addition to helping to pass the time you will learn a great deal about your children and they will learn more about you as a person instead of just as their parent.

Nothing is going to create problems in the car faster than not having enough room for the children and for all the times you need to take with you. Consider buying a container that will ride on the top of the vehicle so you don’t need to place luggage inside of the vehicle with them. It may be a good idea to consider renting a larger car or a mini van when you travel for the holidays to ensure everyone will have sufficient room to ride comfortably. Never have more people in the vehicle than you have seat belts for, even if you are traveling in states that don’t require them.

Children will likely sleep during the road trip so make sure you bring along pillows and blankets. Their favorite stuffed animals along with cups for drinks and delicious snacks will help ensure the ride is fun for everyone as you travel for the holidays. It is a good idea to have extra supplies in case you get caught up in a road closure or traffic jam. You should carry a cell phone will you as well in case you need to assist someone.

You need to plan for delays and expect the trip to take you longer than normal when you travel during the holidays. The additional traffic on the roads as well as people at the restaurants where you stop for food along the way are going to result in more time being spent that usual. Don’t attempt to speed while traveling with children in the car during the holidays. You want to get there safely and if it takes longer to ensure that happens then spend that time bonding with your children along the way.

Nothing in the world beats a family beach vacation, whether it’s at a deluxe resort, or a simple campground on the beach.

Below, are some ways you might do your vacation:

Caribbean Beach Vacation

1. Families flock to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic for their all inclusives with watersports and kids clubs.

2. At some resorts the kids programs are outstanding, with separate leaders and activities for many different age groups.

3. Pool complexes - some resorts have waterparks.

4. The prices can be high, although they will drop from May to December. Hurricane season is in those months as well, although most resorts offer weather guarantees.

Mexico Beach Vacation Even though tourists zip down to Mexico and do what they want at a condo or small hotel, beach
vacations at all inclusive resorts are still the best way to go for families.

The Riviera Maya, an hour south of Cancun, has the second largest barrier reef in the world. It also has many activities for families to explore outside of the resort. You can rent a car, hire a taxi, or even take a public bus.

Hawaii Beach Vacation

When you go to Hawaii, you shouldn’t expect to find all inclusive resorts in the Aloha state. Hawaii is known for lush luxury resorts, such as the Grand Wailea on Maui, or the properties on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast.

To find more affordable options in Hawaii, the Waikiki Beach area is breathtaking, fun for the entire family, and offers several different lodging options.

With plenty of options available to you and your family, vacation ideas on the beach are always something to look forward to. There are many beaches out there, all you have to do is find the one that fits your needs - and your budget.

More and more people are turning to Amtrak as a reliable way to travel for the holidays. After the terrorist attacks of 09/11/01, airport security has become increasingly difficult to get through. As a result most airports have long lines and delays taking place around the holidays because they don’t want to become lax even when it is busy.

Traveling with children for the holidays can be stressful, especially if you are traveling with them alone. Keeping them entertained in a car for the trip is often a two person job so one can drive and one can play games or offer snacks to keep everyone in the vehicle happy for the duration of the trip.

Airplanes are very cramped and most people don’t do well with children roaming the isles or crying during the flight. For younger children, the amount of pressure that can build in their ears on an airplane is very painful. Being stuck on a runway for hours will definitely make children uncomfortable and these delays often happen around the holidays. If you have ever tried to change diapers in the small airplane bathrooms you will know that it isn’t an easy feat to accomplish.

Amtrak is very family oriented so this may be the best mode of transportation for your holiday travel. The cars are roomy and you are able to get up and walk around freely. There is plenty of scenery along the railway routes too for you to enjoy.

If you are be going on a long trip for the holidays, Amtrak offers sleeping cars of various sizes. This is a great way for your children to have the room they need to take a nap and to play. Most of the family sleeping cars offer enough space for two adults and two children comfortably.

You will find great holiday travel deals on Amtrak when you reserve a sleep car as well. Many times you will get coupons for free meals offered in the dining car. This is an expense you will have to cover on your own otherwise so it helps offset the cost of the sleep car.

Make sure you make reservations for Amtrak early though. They tickets often sell out quickly for holiday travel and they have a limited number of sleeping cars. You don’t want to be stuck without one or have to accept one that is too small for comfort because you waited too long to make your reservation.

Most train stations are very well set up and you can even leave your car there when you board the Amtrak for free. Most airports charge you by the day to leave your vehicle behind and that is an expense that quickly adds up. You can either have your family or friends pick you up at the train station for your destination or choose alternate modes of transportation. There will likely be rental cars at the terminal or you can take a taxi cab.

You can go online to find out the various destinations that Amtrak travels to. If they don’t go to your exact location but within 100 miles you may want to consider having someone pick you up there or to rent a car to go the rest of the way. Amtrak is affordable and much more comfortable than taking an airplane or traveling all that way in a car.