Large Family Group Travel Tips, Tricks, and Strategies

Traveling with family is always a uniquely fulfilling experience. Spending time with your special loved ones on-the-road offers the chance to bond with scattered relatives, catch up on all the latest life news, and strengthen relationships that may be stressed by time and distance. 

However, negotiating large family group travel trips aren’t easy. That’s especially true with family groups that feature multiple families and age groups. Use these group travel tips to ensure your next large family group travel trip is comfortable, safe, and enjoyable for everyone.

Choose the Right Rental Bus

Renting a charter bus for your extended family’s vacation is the single best way to enhance the journey for everyone. How does a charter bus make your large group trip better?

• In mixed age groups, bathroom stops are always an issue. Choose a bus with a bathroom to keep seniors, children, expectant mothers, and other passengers comfortable without compromising your schedule.
• Keep understimulated little ones distracted on longer trips with built-in sound systems, DVD players, and televisions. Play a group game of Charades, lead a sing-a-long, or just put on a movie and let the youngsters relax as the miles fly by.
• Get a bus with more seats than you think you might actually need. The extra space ensures there’s always a spot for quick naps, diaper changes, and time-outs.

The right bus makes the travel portion of your trip one of your biggest highlights.

Share the Childcare

Give everyone on your trip the chance to enjoy themselves by coordinating childcare duties.

• Entice the teenagers and bigger kids to keep watch over their smaller siblings and brothers. Organize one or two hour shifts for them to take turns watching over the little ones while the adults attend to other matters.
• Rent strollers that accommodate multiple children. That way, one or two adults can care for several toddlers at one time. If you’re headed for an amusement park or other popular family destination, call ahead and ask if they have those available for rent in the area.
• Make overnight trips feel like a family slumber party. At the hotel, designate one room as the kids’ room. Pile up blankets, games, and all their favorite snacks so they can enjoy extended-family fun all night. As a bonus, most of the guardians get to sneak off for a little nightlife.

Focus on making the family’s time together work for everyone by sharing the responsibilities.

Quick Group Travel Tips to Increase Family Fun

• Invest in walkie-talkies. Give one to each group to ensure the lines of communication are never broken.
• Make brightly colored family t-shirts. They are cute and make it easier to identify the members of your group in a crowd.
• Provide travelers with a list of expected out-of-pocket expenses well before the trip begins to ensure everyone has enough cash to enjoy the experience.
• Ask those with medical sensitivities to wear bracelets or carry cards that announce their conditions. Alternatively, coordinators can keep a list of medications and conditions for emergency purposes.

Spending time with family is a special gift. Make it even more beautiful by using these group travel tips to plan the perfect large group family travel trip.