How We're Planning Our Next Family Trip

Have you ever taken a family trip so poorly planned it started or ended miserably? We took a spur of the moment vacation over Labor Day weekend last year. After being turned away from two state parks and one private campground, we found a resort about three hours away with one site left for our pop-up tent trailer. We set up in the dark. Some beginning to a short vacation!

The family trips which were the most fun were ones in which we made decisions and saved money ahead of time.

Where Do You Go?

Sometimes the decision of where to go is very easy. When my husband and I celebrated our anniversary in 2005, there was no question we would revisit Michigan's Upper Peninsula where we honeymooned a quarter century earlier.

When our family vacation includes one or all three daughters, we first have to know when and how long each person can take off from their workplaces. That information enables me to find interesting events during that time period. It also ensures we pick a vacation location close enough so our trip is not entirely spent in driving.

Each family member has input based upon personal interests. Ultimately, my husband and I decide the destination for our family vacations but make sure our daughters are comfortable with our selection.

This year, our family trip focused on the Japanese culture event at Como Park in Minnesota's Twin Cities and a one day visit to the Minnesota State Fair. The Como Park event thrilled our youngest daughter and the State Fair was something all of us wanted to see.

How Do You Save?

We begin to budget by estimating what we will pay for gas, camping and food for the entire trip. We figure in costs like the kenneling fee for our dog and pre-trip maintenance for the vehicle which tows our pop-up trailer. Some estimates are based on the prices we paid for similar trips in the past. I keep all receipts in a special folder for this purpose. When we come home, I tally up the costs to refer to when next year's trip planning begins.

Our federal and state tax refunds and Earned Income Credit goes into a designated account which is not used as often as our checking account. We transfer the amount we have estimated we need to our checking account a few days prior to leaving on our vacation.

What Will You Do?

We plan details in earnest about two or three months before our first day of vacation based largely on what we can afford to spend. That includes making camping reservations for the first few nights and over any busy weekends.

Once we know where we are going and what each person would like to do, I consult Yahoo maps or Google maps. By entering the name of our destination (for instance, Eau Claire, Wisconsin) and keywords like campgrounds or mini golf, I find places to camp and things to do. These sites have reviews and website addresses for more research.

I also scan online state, county and city tourism guides. For our family vacation in the Dakotas, I traced our approximate route and looked at guides for cities we would pass through. I found free attractions like Frontier Village in Jamestown, North Dakota, and Wylie Park and Storybook Land in Aberdeen, South Dakota, which proved to be memorable experiences for our family.

I read the opinions of those who have been there on the Trip Advisor website. Attractions and campgrounds are listed in the order of their popularity with Trip Advisor members, but not all attractions on that site have reviews.

A month before our trip, I get travel books about our destination from our library. The three guides I read the most are from Frommer's, Fodor's and Lonely Planet. These three also have online sites.

Sometimes our vacation budget prevents us from visiting an attraction we would have enjoyed. Whenever possible, I try to find attractions which are free or inexpensive but big enough for an entertaining three or four hours. The St. Louis Zoo is a good example.

I have learned from experience that stress-free family trips begin with careful pre-planning.