• Plan surprises along the way, such as the Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour in Vermont for a family member who loves ice cream. Pearl recommends a “triangulation” approach where several family members conspire to plan a small vacation surprise for another. “It’s very bonding when you plan for someone else,” she says. “You get outside yourself, and that’s what vacations are all about.”
• Bring board games and leave computer games at home
• For car trips, eschew DVDs—instead, bring games the family can play together
• Convince kids to leave their iPods at home, too. Instead, make CDs that include a few favorite songs from each family member.
• Turn cell phones off. Yes, Mom and Dad, that means you! Set aside time to check messages and return calls if you must, but vacations are a chance to escape from cell phones and other distractions.
• Plan to break some family rules. For example, let children indulge in junk food if they normally aren’t allowed. “Have an eat-dessert-first lunch,” Pearl suggests. Or let kids stay up a little beyond their usual bedtime. “Plan in advance things that don’t violate important values or rob the wallet.”
• Let kids choose among three or four reasonable activities at a destination.
• Rent a house at the beach or by a lake and let each child bring a friend. With simple vacations, it doesn’t cost a lot more to add a couple more people.
Sure, vacation packages sponsored by theme parks, resorts, and cruise lines require less planning. But with a little advance legwork, a family road trip or a week at a cabin in the mountains can be more rewarding—and more fun. And, it will teach your kids that the best vacations aren’t necessarily the most expensive.
“The idea,” says Pearl, “is to surprise and delight.”
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