My family and I are planning a trip to the West Coast for next month. With only 6 weeks to plan, where do we start? Here are 5 pro-tips.
Think about what you want to accomplish on this vacation. Are you looking for full relaxation at a resort or a sleepy coastal town? Are you planning a road trip to explore fun attractions around a major city. If you are planning the latter, think about a hotel that is centrally located. We are absolute foodies, but sometimes cannot stay out all day until dinner. Finding a hotel where we can take a mid-day break to recharge is so important. Don't book a flight without lodging in mind. Do not book lodging until you book your flight. A little confusing, but makes sense! Trust me. I often use kayak.com to watch flights. This time we were lucky enough to catch the Alaska Airlines deals.
Is your flight booked? Now book that hotel! Once you find that hotel and check out the rates, join their rewards program. You will absolutely save $$ by doing this. I am a member of several hotel rewards programs. I totally understand that this is not the best way to earn points. But the member discounts and perks for your stay are worth it. For our trip we are staying at a Hyatt centrally located in LA. Very close to a coffee shop (for me) and close to family and restaurants.
Is your car booked? Pre-pay for your rental car and make it hybrid! That is all I am going to say about that. Our flight is arriving at 11:30pm PST. That is very late for the kiddos. The faster we can get through the airport and to the hotel, the better.
How many bags are you bringing? After a London and English countryside adventure last summer, we have mastered packing for a 5 day trip with carry on only. Now usually this only happens with laundry at our destination. So in this case we will use laundry at a relative's house. Not checking luggage and only bringing necessities is key. We can always pop into a pharmacy or supermarket for missing essentials.
Start a google map. Save everything you research on a google map. Share the map with the kids and your partner. Getting the kids involved will get them excited about the trip. They may even start packing right away.
