053 10 Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy and Happy on Vacation

With a few simple, proactive actions, you can set your family up for a healthy and happy vacation.

Lisa shares five easy things she does for her family’s health while traveling plus five of her favorite ways to keep everyone happy and making positive memories while on their family vacations. It’s quick & practical advice that you can put into action on your next family adventure!

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Of course, you can never guarantee that everyone in your family will stay healthy when you travel but you can be proactive in things to do to help keep everyone as healthy and happy as possible.

10 Ways To create a healthy family travel environment

Water! Bring water bottles and drink up. If you have a car, stop and pick up a case of water. If you are staying in a big city hotel, stop at a drug store and pick up a case of water to keep in your room.
Walk. Adding movement to your day will add many benefits. Not only is it good for your physical health, it’s also great for your mental health. Being outside & enjoy fresh air is always a good idea.
Sleep. Stick to bedtime and nap time as much as possible. As parents, go to bed even earlier than usual. If you are sharing a hotel room with your kids, don’t be tempted to spend hours late at night on your phones. Turn out the lights and get a good night’s sleep. You’ll be grateful in the morning!
Pack a first aid kit. It doesn’t need to be big. Just add in a few things you normally use at home. Bandaids, Ibuprofen , and whatever else you think your family will need. Keep it minimal so that it’s not too heavy and bulky.
Check your health insurance coverage. Make sure your health plan will cover you out of state or out of the country and plan accordingly.
Schedule downtime. Don’t be tempted to overfill your day. Allow some time to rest and chill.
Plan one main activity per day. This will give everyone something to get excited about and will leave time open to explore new places that are discovered throughout the day.
Snacks & Treats. Pack a few of your family’s favorite snacks. A few of our favorites are granola bars, applesauce pouches, crackers, and beef jerky. Plan to pick up a few treats through the vacation at fun local places.
Be flexible. I know this is overstated, but it really is true. Things won’t always go as planned. But things will work out.
Let the kids do some of the planning. Depending on your kid’s ages, they can help decide what activities the family does. Smaller kids could choose between park time or running biking around town. Bigger kids could give feedback about whether they would like to zipline or snorkel. Giving them a say in what the family does will help them have buy in and will likely help them feel more satisfied and excited about the things you get to do together.

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