Planning family vacations with older kids, it can be a little more difficult then when they were younger. This is because older kids just generally are more difficult. Young kids are easy to please but they become more challenging as they grow. These small dictators in our lives typically have an opinion on everything. The best way to win that battle is to not. Meaning, involve the kids in the decision making process. Find out where they want to go and what they want to do. Of course, kids have no concept of the cost of things so you may have to give them multiple choice options or they could go crazy. For example, let them choose between cabin camping, a beach vacation or Disneyland; depending on what you can afford. Family camping vacations could actually incorporate all three of those options if you really think about it. Here’s how to do it cost effectively.
So, everyone has agreed family camping vacations can be fun and are willing to try it out. Now, you should look into camping sites around Disneyland. The nice thing is, the location of Disneyland is so near the coast that if you find a camping spot near Disneyland, you will also be near the beach.
You’ll want to set aside a good few days for this type of vacation. At least four or five days to make it really worth it. From that point you’ll want to decide, before you go, how many days you’ll spend where. Of course, the night times will be spent in the cabin but the day times will need to be split between the beach, Disneyland and the camping amenities. If you spend two days at Disneyland, two at the beach and one mountain biking or exploring the camping site, it will be one of the best family camping vacations you’ve ever heard of.
It may sound like it would be really busy and hectic but those two days at the beach will be full of relaxing and reading or doing whatever you like to do when you have zero obligations in life. Also, splitting Disney into two days will help it not to be so crazy. Technically, it can be done in one day but it would make it a busy and stressful day. If you want to save a little money you could get a one day pass and make it a whirlwind trip, it is doable.
Another option is to double up on days. If you spend three of the mornings at Disneyland and then use the afternoons to relax at the beach, you’d still have one or two days to enjoy the family cabin vacations area. That might make it a little easier to enjoy. Of course, no doubt the kids will want a say in how the days are spent so don’t forget to take them into consideration. You may have one kid that wants to spend the whole time at the beach and another who wants to do nothing but explore Disneyland. While you will want everyone to have fun there will need to compromises. Generally speaking, the kids will be willing to budge a little for their siblings so splitting the days shouldn’t be too difficult.
One piece of advice, however, don’t let everyone go off and do their own thing. There’s no point in family camping vacations if you aren’t even going to be spending time together. The whole point of getting out of town as a family is to spend some time bonding and getting to know what’s going on in each other’s lives while making unforgettable memories. The kids may not see the need to all stay together but as the parent, it’s your job to make sure that you all do. They will realize later in life why that was important even if they don’t see it now. Later on down the line, these vacations will be some of the best memories they have with each other and it will be what bonds them when their lives start taking different paths. Careers and college may draw you all apart geographically but you will always have these memories to keep you in each other’s hearts constantly.
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