Traveling with a large family: our top 8 tips

Back in January, my husband, our son (20), my cousin, her husband, their two children (15 and 13), and I – we were seven – went to the US together for a pleasant trip to travel with a large family. Now, if you have ever been traveling with a bigger group, you will know that there is always a possibility that it can turn into a logistics nightmare. Or at most, a mixture of good moments and not so good!

But fortunately for us, it was not both. We have the best time and only clicked. The whole trip feels easy, and that’s what you expect when you are on vacation together, right? It would be very disappointing to spend all the planning time, daydreaming, and counting backwards, just to make it turn into a awkward experience.

That is clearly not our story. We will do everything more in an instant – and if the stars are in harmony, we hope for the second round. Yay!

Why our big family journey works so well

So what makes everything run so smoothly, and how can we have fun as a group?

Good vibration from the start

In short, I will say we are already really enjoying the company with each other before the trip, so it’s a bonus. Our children may also be at the perfect age for that. One of them is an adult, and the younger one has a very good relationship with him, full of friendly and tempting fun in the best way.

Group Dynamics

We also have a great mixture of personality. Some of us are very relaxed, others like to lead, and there is always a lot of open and easy communication. Things like “Do you want to do this?” Or “Should we eat here?” Or “What do you think?” often asked. No one feels never heard, and no one tries to control the schedule or insist we do this or that. It feels very easy and respectful – everyone plays, but no one likes to rule.

Fast and clear decision making

Oh yes-and we also have a great decision maker, which you need one hundred percent when you travel in groups. Everyone was heard, and then the decision was made quickly … 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – Decision! We all liked it. Nothing is more tense than trying to please everyone and end up traffic jam because no one can decide.

Be flexible: how we handle unexpected things

Even when you plan everything with care, you must leave the room for the unexpected. For us, it was La Fires – they started our day landed. Obviously not something we see coming! Universal Studios, which we have planned for the first day, suddenly closed for two days.

On our first night, we found ourselves in our pajamas, sitting in the hotel lobby, finding out what to do. My cousin came with a good plan, and we shifted things. In the end, we are still doing everything, it’s just not in the order we planned. That’s the thing about traveling with groups – Flexible is the key.

Communicate openly: Making space for everyone’s wishes

Communication is the key when traveling with a group. I have a large bucket list item: eating at Birou Blue in Disneyland. I dreamed of it forever!

I shared this during our trip planning, and everyone knew in the face that I needed a moment that was truly full of my desires. So we ordered our table and spent a few hours apart. While my husband, son, and I enjoyed Bayou Biru, my cousin was driving an incredicoaster and some of their favorite rides. Sometimes it’s okay to separate, especially when there is something that you really want to do. Open about it means there is no regret later.

Respect different energy levels

Traveling with a large family means we have a mixture of extensive-some younger, some of them, and Ahem … Some of us are a little older. My husband has a knee replacement for only eight months before we departed, so throughout the trip, he pacing and resting and resting at any time needed. He also (very reasonable) lives in the hotel instead of climbing narrows and some paths that prefer adventure.

I was horrified to think about what might happen if he pushed beyond his limits. The climb through Narrow is one of the most extraordinary experiences I have ever had – but also one of the most challenging. We navigate a stronger current than expected on slippery rocks, all in temperatures below 0ºC!

Plan logistics earlier to save stress and money

Both of my cousins ​​are the main strength behind all the planning – and I have said it before, and I will continue to say it: they are total rockstars! And when it was time to order flights, accommodation, and tickets to the park and entertainment experience, they came to my place and we did everything together.

They ordered for their families, I ordered for me, and that made the whole process much easier. There was no confusion, no cross cable – only a clear plan, and peace of mind knew that we were locked as a team.

We ordered long before getting the best offer and avoiding the inevitable price increase that appeared closer you got. There is real money that must be saved by future planning – Prices for some of our accommodations have jumped more than a thousand dollars when we check again. Aman to say, we are very happy we are doing an order early!

Pack smart and light for easier trips

Lack of luggage means less complexity. With seven of us on the way, it means seven suitcases to be transported through the airport and entering the Van for our trip. We all use the same size suitcase and make conscious efforts not to bind – and wow, the difference is what it is.

Because we are traveling every few days, packing lights made and disassemble much easier. We don’t waste time playing tetris with our goods, which means more time to enjoy the trip!

Unite everything

And those are my top eight tips for traveling with a large family – or really, any group! Geez, we have fun on our journey, and I can be confidently say we are doing all these tips.

Last mind: don’t sweat things -small and celebrate small moments

To wrap all of them, here are two quick tips: Don’t sweat small things, and celebrate small moments. Of course, we have an epic experience, but it is a daily moment that is woven throughout the journey that makes memories for life-such as one funny sentence and cliché jokes on the road, a large playlist that now immediately transports me back every time I hear the songs, and a calm pause when words cannot be fair to amazing views around us. When I was really a small small, we made our journey unforgettable.

Ready to adventure your own extended family?

Traveling with a big family is one of the most valuable experiences in my life. I hope our stories and tips inspire you to make your own unforgettable adventure. So, what are you waiting for? Life is too short – Take your favorite people and go!