Planning a Family Vacation - Tips for Getting Out and About on Your Trip

A vacation is grand, but there is more to it than just arriving and lounging around in your hotel. When planning a family vacation, these tips will help you enjoy your daily excursions.

When you leave your hotel for the day to go out sightseeing, be sure to write down your hotel name and address on a slip of paper.  This is especially important if you are traveling out of the country and are in a city you are unfamiliar with.  My friend and I were vacationing in Quebec City one time and we forgot the name of the hotel we were staying at.  Luckily, she found a business card from the hotel in her purse, so we were able to tell the cab driver where to take us.

Don't forget to bring your cell phone with you.  Even if you don't plan to use it, keep it with you just in case of emergency.

If you are traveling out of the country be sure to carry some of the local currency with you.  Don't rely on your credit card all the time as you may have an unexpected costs such as a parking fee, admission to a park, or other such unexpected expenses.

Call ahead to the places you plan to visit to make sure you know what their hours are and also cost of admission.  Some places open early or close late or vice versa on a whim.

Try not to over schedule your day.  If you try to pack in too many activities each day you'll be too tired to fully enjoy your vacation.  It's better to see less sights and enjoy yourself more.  You can always come back and visit again another time.

No matter what you are doing it's a great idea to bring along some bottled water.  It's a lot cheaper to just bring your water with you and refill it at water fountains rather than paying full price each time you get thirsty.

Many large museums offer free admission on certain days of the week.  Go online and see if any of the museums in the city you plan to visit have these special price days.

I think the best place to carry your money is in a waist pack as it is out of the way, hard for someone to steal, and easy for you to access. Also great if you are going on rides at a theme park. The worst idea is a big bulky purse or backpack.

If you're going shopping, shop where the locals go.  Ask for advice from people who live in the area and try to avoid the tourist traps.

If you plan to make any large purchases when you're out shopping, try to pay with a credit card.  That will make it easier to dispute any charges if need be.  It is not a good idea to carry around a large amount of cash.