For the last 23 years, Lisa Andrews has been traveling with her family, advocating for the importance of travel for families, and sharing practical advice through her travel podcast. In a recent interview, Lisa provided some fascinating insights about traveling with teenagers, the benefits of family vacations, and tips on planning stress-free trips.
The Joy of Traveling with Teens
Lisa believes that after the demanding years of traveling with young children, traveling with teenagers feels like a well-earned travel time. One of the significant advantages of traveling with teenagers, according to Lisa, is the opportunity to involve them in trip planning. This not only imparts trip planning skills and encourages independence, but it also gives them a sense of ownership.
Lisa suggests letting teenagers plan a day of the trip. Whether you’re staying at a beach house or visiting a big city like London, letting your kids take the lead can be a fun and enriching experience for them.
Another upside of traveling with teens? They can carry their luggage! This means less stuff for parents to manage, which is certainly a welcome change from the days of lugging around strollers, playpens, and backpacks.
The Importance of Family Vacations
Lisa is passionate about encouraging families to travel together. She believes that traveling allows families to step away from their daily routines and create lasting memories together. Traveling together strengthens family bonds, providing a valuable reservoir of happy memories to fall back on during less enjoyable times at home.
Moreover, Lisa points out that vacations often provide opportunities for families to step outside of their comfort zones. Traveling can throw up unexpected challenges, requiring patience, grace, kindness, and problem-solving skills. It’s an excellent way to model such behavior for children and teach them invaluable life skills.
Tips for Stress-Free Travel Planning
Lisa acknowledges that travel planning can feel overwhelming, especially for big trips or first-time visits to a place. However, she suggests some strategies to make the process more manageable:
- Use Spreadsheets: Lisa recommends using Google Sheets or other spreadsheets to organize information about flights, accommodations, and activities. Having everything in one place can help avoid last-minute stress.
- Book Flights First: Booking flights should be the first step, as it gives a solid framework for the rest of your travel plans.
- Consider Vacation Rentals: Vacation rentals, like Airbnb or VRBO, can offer a more comfortable and spacious stay for families compared to hotel rooms. Having a kitchen can reduce the stress (and cost) of eating out for every meal, and separate bedrooms can provide much-needed private space for both parents and kids.
- Check Reviews Before Booking: Before booking a vacation rental, make sure to check the reviews. If a place only has a few reviews, don’t hesitate to message the owner with any questions.
Planning for family vacations can indeed be daunting, but with Lisa’s expert advice, it can become an enjoyable process. Remember that the goal of every trip is not only to explore new places but to make memories that your family will cherish for a lifetime.
This interview was part of an exclusive 1-1 interview with Lisa Andrews that
will be featured on Stress Free Family Vacations, to attend for free https://relaxationplanner.com/stress-free-family-vacations/.
