Better U

Have Family, Will Travel - Pack Snacks and Hit the Road!

Kristin Graham Kristin Graham works at travel company Expedia in Bellevue and relies heavily on tips, tricks and an occasional glass of wine. Visit the Expedia travel blog at expediatriptips.com. It is written by Expedia employees.

“Excuse me, ma’am. Please put the monkey on the conveyer belt.” So began my latest adventure in traveling with two young kids. The monkey in question is an innocent soon-to-be-cleared-by-security stuffed Curious George that my son insists on bringing along on all our travels. Like a plush traveling companion, a few kid-travel details help make a family trip smooth sailing (or driving, flying, well, you get the idea). A new study by Expedia.com found that most Americans (94 percent) agree, that even in tough economic times, family vacations are worth the money because they help build memories that last a lifetime. Below are a few extra planning steps to help make those memories as sweet as a juice box:

5 Kid Travel Tips
• Add the Extras — Many hotels and cruise ships offer extra conveniences, and will waive items such as rollway beds, mini-refrigerators, microwaves and cribs. Call ahead and make the request. This also applies when renting a car. Call the direct location before making your reservation and ask if they will waive or reduce the fee for car seats and booster seats.

• Seek Wiggle Room — Space is key, not just for all the stuff you’ll be schlepping but also to accommodate different bedtimes between bigs and littles. Hotel chains like Embassy Suites and Marriott’s Residence Inn are laid out with a door between the bedroom and the sitting area. Traveling with a large group or for an extended stay? Look into vacation rentals by owners at VRBO.com and Flipkey.com.

• See New (Nearby) Places — If you’re thinking about taking a road trip, check out Expedia.com’s Drive Getaway tool (expedia.com/drivegetaway). It gives you ideas for quick getaways from your home on a single tank of gas or less.

• Embrace Technology — A few tech items will help your kiddos make it through the long patches of travel. A portable DVD player is great regardless of your child’s age. The key is to get one with a swivel screen to accommodate different angles and a battery life of more than two hours.

• Know Before You Go — Thanks to the expansion of social media, you can find user reviews in lots of places. TripAdvisor (tripadvisor.com) is a site written for and by travelers on millions of places around the world. In the quick links section, go to option to “Sort by trip type” and select “Family” for general ideas.

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