Have you ever planned a travel itinerary with a group of people and found it to be a bit daunting? This thought came to me recently when the hubby and I worked on one for a family trip to Florida.
I’m typically a go-with-the-flow traveler. Once I’m on the road, I’m on vacation. But my husband? He’s the planner. I’m talking down to the very last minute of a trip. He’s the King of how you can make a travel itinerary that is packed full of fun, while still sparing room for downtime, but keeping a budget in mind.
It creates the perfect balance! And I’m going to tell you exactly how to do it!
Some may disagree with making such a detailed travel itinerary but it really is a great way to ensure you get to experience the most from your trip.
We’ve taken vacations in the past where we, sort of, knew what we wanted to see and do but didn’t lay it out in an organized way. And if you’re anything like us you don’t get the chance to travel nearly as often as you’d like. Busy schedules, work, time and money all get in the way, so when you actually have a vacation you’ll want to experience as much as you can.
Creating a travel itinerary that fits your family is crucial to getting the most from your getaway. And let’s face it, if you’re traveling with kids of any age (or husbands) you know that keeping them busy is ideal. They won’t even think about picking up that smartphone…at least not as often 😉
Top 5 travel itinerary tips
For the the purpose of this post I’ll give examples from our neck of the woods, Upper Michigan 🙂
#1 Budget
Some attractions are more expensive than others so you may decide to skip them this time around, or you may have a few must-do’s that you have to cross off your list.
Mackinac Island tends to be a destination that’s more expensive for larger families. From the ferry ride to food/drinks and carriage tours, this spot could eat up your budget in one day, so you may decide skip it this time around but there are plenty of other ways to explore on a tight budget.
Michigan, for example, has a recreation passport that you can purchase for your vehicle and allows passage to all state parks. Everything from Straits Area State Park with it’s beautiful views of the Mackinac Bridge to Tahquamenon Falls State Park with magnificent trails and thundering waterfalls. For only $11, if purchased with your license renewal, or $16 if purchased separately, you could have an entire year of passage to more than 100 parks statewide.
Or you may decide to go for a splurge and want to experience the Pictured Rocks shoreline up close and personal with a Kayak tour. Balance is key, you must decide what higher dollar items are worth it to you.
#2 Age Appropriate
When you start your list of things you want to see and do on your trip, be sure you find out if there are any age limits. For example, if you’re visiting The Mystery Spot you might find that your 3 year old can’t do the zip-line but they’d still likely enjoy the Maze in the Woods and the Mystery guided tour.
Or maybe you’re really hoping to see those Pictured Rocks but determine that your 90 year old grandpa might not be able to handle the tandem kayak ride but the Glass Bottom Boat tour would be much easier to access.
An age appropriate travel itinerary isn’t too hard to accomplish if you line up items with options. Perhaps you can’t live without going parasailing over the Straits of Mackinac but those who are less adventurous can explore the sweet Village of Mackinaw City near the sailing site.
#3 Local Food
You may not have the budget to eat out everyday of your trip but you should definitely determine what the local chow is. You can learn so much about the culture of an area just by trying some of the food so find 2 or 3 places that feature local specials. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is well known for pasties (read short ‘a’ sound) and if you want to eat it the way true yoopers do, you’ll have it with ketchup…ummmm I’m not a true yooper, folks, so I’m with the gravy crowd.
Whitefish is a huge staple in this area all 4 seasons, not too surprising when you’re surrounded by the Great Lakes. Just about every restaurant has their own take on this U.P. staple. Sorta like Bubba Gump…there’s fried whitefish, broiled whitefish, planked whitefish, whitefish nuggets, whitefish dip, whitefish tacos….you get the idea.
#4 Don’t ignore tourist traps
Consider a place like Castle Rock just off the express way as you head past St. Ignace. A total tourist trap but it’s super cheap to climb that rock (like $1 people), it’s a really quick stop and you’ll have memories you won’t forget. Just don’t get caught up in the souvenir shop…or don’t even let your kids go in there…
#5 Don’t squeeze in every last thing
Be in the mindset that you won’t be able to do every last possible thing. Let yourself relax and know that you can, and should, return. It takes more than a few days, or week, to see it all.
I hear so many people talk able how they need a vacation from their vacation but that seems so counter-intuitive to me. We spend our lives working hard and running around, give yourself a break, take a breath and enjoy the moment!
Related posts:
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Bucket List, 50 things to do
Morel Mushroom Hunting, 10 tips you may not know
7 Most Scenic Hiking Trails in MI’s Eastern U.P.
7 Rules to live by when visiting Mackinac Island, being a fudgie
