Countdown to Departure: 9 days.

The excitement is growing, and my to-do list is not – thanks to all of my preplanning! I am  just dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s over here! I’m making eating reservations and paying off water park tickets… But I felt like it was the perfect time to share with you how to pull off a family trip instead of a birthday party for your child this year.

5 Things To Do When Planning a Trip For a Child’s ‘Experience’ Birthday

#1 Plan Everything Ahead – including reservations to restaurants and ice-cream stops.

A daily itinerary may seem like an impossible task ahead of time, but it will make the entire trip more fun. You may think that your kids can go with the flow, but kids do much better when they know what is coming next. The less waiting time, the less meltdowns. You will also enjoy everything more if you put in the time prior to your departure. The last thing you want to do is spend a few hours each day researching where to eat or where to go. Print out your itinerary with reservation times (and phone numbers) highlighted. Keep your schedule on track, but don’t stress out if it all gets shifted around. You’ll have the ability to call and make changes, fit other things in, or skip over things that aren’t worth the time.

This is the most stressful part of planning an experience birthday trip. It can take weeks or months of late night googling to make sure that you find everything your family will want to do. Start with a master list of activities:
Sporting Events
Horseback Riding
Hiking
Swimming
Beach Play
Theme Park
Festival
Concert
Local-Can’t-Miss-Activities
Breweries/Wineries
Restaurants/Cafes/Ice-Cream Stops
Landmarks/Photo Opportunities

#2 Research, Budget, and Pay Before Your Leave

Shop around for the best hotel deal, make phone calls requesting discounts, and join social media groups for advice on ‘not to miss’ activities. While you’d love to include everything on your master list, it isn’t worth going into debt over. The earlier you begin your planning, the more you can fit in because you will have time to pay for it all. Depending on your family size, you may need two hotel rooms – that doubles the expenses right out of the gate. Consider planning separate activities for different ages – Let your oldest kids do a major waterpark, but save money by keeping the younger kids at the hotel pool (or spend a day exploring with them).

The key is to have everything paid off – or close to it before you pack your bags. The only money you want to spend is on gas and food, and you can even purchase VISA gift cards to make sure you don’t go over budget. You will feel more relaxed and be able to remain present throughout the trip if you are not frantically checking your bank account.

#3 Prepare Your Child

If your child is used to having a birthday party and receiving a large amount of (useless) gifts, you will want to help transition the expectations. Create a countdown for the trip that you can get excited together about. Consider keeping some aspects of the trip a surprise. You can give clues or leave pictures laying around to build the suspense! If your child isn’t big on surprises, you can let them help you plan the entire thing.

#4 Remember Why You Are Traveling

Yes, you are traveling to see and experience new things, but the trip should have multiple activities that celebrate the birthday child. While lounging poolside may seem like heaven for you, your child may love parasailing, horseback riding, or seeing the local zoo. You can mix activities so that everyone is happy, but don’t skimp on the birthday fun – I promise that you will have fun, too. Also – make sure you stop at a local bakery for a birthday cupcake.

#5 You Still Need a Gift

Yes, the trip is your child’s true gift, but there is something to be said about unwrapping something. It goes hand in hand with blowing out candles, right? Choose one item for your child. It can be something small to remember the trip by. It can be a snow globe or sweatshirt, even. Of course, it can be a piece of jewelry or a nicer item for an older child, too. A gift card is the easiest and sometimes most fun present! However, it is important that the gift does not overshadow the trip – and that it is simply a (one) gift.