Planning a Family Vacation as the Kids Grow Up

19 June 2018

There’s no doubt family vacation is one of the most precious memories that we have. In fact, a survey conducted by the Family Holiday Association found that 49% of British community said that vacation time with their family is their happiest memory.

Prioritizing vacation with the family does not only rejuvenates your spirit and relieves stress but it also helps foster stronger family ties. Spending quality time with the whole family on a trip gives your kids a happy childhood.

How about when the kids grow up? Is it still necessary to take a family vacation? Yes, it is. In fact, family vacations can be more fun and adventurous when kids are already older. Unlike spending vacations with toddlers where they don’t really have much say on your location or activities scheduled, planning a family vacation with older kids could be more challenging. They have their own lives and preferences so it’s important to communicate and plan for something that’s appealing to everyone.

Below are some of the tips that you can use when planning a vacation with your older kids:

Select a Location that Offers Wide Selections of Activities :

When your kids were little, choosing a destination for your family vacation was relatively easy. You can just bring your brood to any amusement park and they’d be on cloud nine. Choosing a destination for your older kids is a different story. To make your vacation memorable, you have to choose a location that would interest your kids who are not kids anymore.

Generally, older kids want adventure and excitement. Spending the whole day on a museum could be dragging and boring for them.

These family getaway destinations will be appealing to your older kids:

Yosemite National Park :

If you want an affordable yet interesting vacation, visiting a national park is your alternative. Yosemite National Park in Mariposa Country is a must-see for any trip to California. It’s beaming with majestic views, hiking trails, and family vacation opportunities.

Bahamas :

f you’re looking for a dream vacation getaway, the island of Bahamas offers a family vacation that you can never forget. Aside from the magnificent beaches and water activities, treat your family with sumptuous meals and have fun getting to know with the locals. Booking at a family welcomed or 21 and the older resort is a wise idea to save money.

Cruises :

Going on a cruise is the best option if you want to get the most of everything in a small window of time. Aside from covering a lot of ground in a short period of time, the cruise company caters to vast interests, both onboard and on land. You and your husband can enjoy sunbathing on the sundeck of the ship while your kids can head ashore and go shopping. After all, alone time with just your husband is a necessity in your marriage.

South Africa :

Choosing a destination that has plenty of options is a must when traveling with grown-up kids. South Africa offers diverse family bonding opportunities with their majestic mountains, beaches, fascinating museums, renowned vineyards and cuisine and even a colony of a penguin on Boulders Beach.

Choose a Homestay Rental over a Hotel

Though going on a vacation with your family could be a luxury, it does not mean that you have to spend your entire savings account and be broke for the next 10 years. Prioritizing practicality and functionality will go a long way.

Though staying in a hotel room can be convenient and could really make you feel that you are on a vacation, it could be pricey especially if you’re staying for a few nights. Renting someone else’s house or apartment instead of staying at a hotel is an excellent idea to save money.

What are the advantages of homestay rental over a hotel?

First, they are unique and special. Variety of accommodation is limitless, from city apartments to a villa to treehouses. Space is all yours and you will get the privacy that you need. You don’t have to deal with hotel staff or personnel knocking on your door. It also offers comfort and convenience just like your own home, plus you can cook your own meal since the majority of rentals have kitchens.

Be Flexible and Spontaneous :

Though creating an itinerary for your trip is important, you don’t really have to stick to it 100%. Sometimes, we’re too concerned about ticking everything off of our to-go or a to-do list that we forget to have fun and enjoy the moment.

Since your grown-up kids have minds of their own, they may feel to explore the shopping area instead of checking out the museum as you planned. Be open with the unexpected turn out of events and embrace the fact that your kids also need time to do things that they like.

Having older kids may mean less time together as they get busy with school, work, and even their own family. Make up for these lost time and create a family vacation that you and your whole family will never forget. Don’t wait until it’s too late – book a trip that everyone can enjoy.

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Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

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10 Reasons to Splurge on a Limousine for Celebrations

The longest limo in the world measured over 100 feet long and was called the "American Dream." It had a diving board, jacuzzi, and a helicopter landing pad. Maybe you don't need all those amenities in a limo. However, if you're looking to celebrate in style, a limo is exactly what you need. Not sure if you should splurge for a limousine or not? Keep reading for: 10 Reasons To Splurge On A Limousine 1. It's Your Birthday: Have you reached a major birthday milestone, such as turning the big 30 or 40? Or maybe your son or daughter is turning 21 and you want to make their birthday special? Whatever the reason, celebrate this special event by renting a limo. Life is too short for you to sit around doing nothing on your birthday. Spend your birthday in style with your closest friends or family members! 2. It's Your Wedding Or Anniversary: What better day to splurge on a limo than on your wedding day? 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Must Have Appliances for a Healthier Life

A healthy lifestyle starts in the kitchen. Obviously enough, it is also very important to be active, but without proper nutrition, you cannot expect your body to look and feel good. Unfortunately, nowadays we are surrounded by unhealthy food, and most of us have come to depend on processed food. But things don’t have to be this way. There are simple ways in which you can develop some healthy eating habits, and with the right appliances, you can do this with minimum effort and without spending too much time in the kitchen. Here are a few basic appliances and tools that will help you eat better: 1. The bread maker : Whether it is normal, gluten-free or whole-wheat, most of us eat bread on a daily basis. The problem is that store-bought bread is full of preservatives and synthetic ingredients that most of us haven’t even heard of. Even the bread that comes from your local bakery can contain unhealthy ingredients. So, if you want to have full control over the ingredients that are used in your bread, consider investing in a quality bread maker. There are several models on the market, so do some research in order to find one that can handle your bread preferences. Go to breadmachinemom.com to compare the best bread makers of the moment, and see which one is better suited for you. 2. The Juicer : If you don’t know how to include more fruits and veggies in your diet, consider buying a quality juicer. This appliance will give you the opportunity to diversify your diet with countless fruits and vegetables, that might otherwise be difficult to include in your diet. However, be careful, as fruits contain a lot of fructose and you don’t want to exaggerate with them, so use more veggies in your juices and only use fruits for flavor. 3. The blender : A blender is an ideal solution for those busy mornings when you don’t have the time to prepare a healthy breakfast. With the blender, you can use any types of fruits and veggies, but unlike the juicer, the blender also gives you the opportunity to throw in other healthy ingredients like milk, yogurt and all sorts of spices. 4. The steamer : Steaming is the healthiest way of cooking vegetables, aside from grilling, but you can’t always grill everything. However, unlike boiling, steaming allows the vegetables to cook properly, without losing most of their nutrients. Moreover, it is also a fast and convenient way to prepare a healthy meal. You can use it with vegetables, but also with grains, meat or seafood. Make sure to invest in a steamer with several shelves, so that you can’t prepare more dishes at the same time. 5. A kitchen scale : Whether or not you plan on losing weight, it is important to always be mindful of the size of your portions, and you can easily do this with a good kitchen scale. Moreover, with a scale, you can also experiment with sophisticated recipes that require fixed ingredient quantities. 6. A spiralizer : As delicious as pasta may be, it is not the healthiest food in the world, so if you are looking for a way to cut down on carbs, a spiralizer is just what you need. From cucumbers to zucchini and potatoes, you can spiralize mostly any vegetable, and use it as a substitute for pasta or noodles, or simply as a way to make your salads look more appetizing. 7. An electric grill : As we already mentioned, grilling is one of the healthiest ways to prepare food. Not only is it healthy, but grilling also retains most of the food’s flavor. The problem with traditional grills is that you depend on good weather to use them, and you also need an outdoor space. However, with an electric grill, you can grill indoors whenever you want to enjoy a healthy, flavorful meal. Read Also : Best Super Nutritious Foods To Include In Your Diet When You’re Buying Furs, Get The Best 4 Tips For Choosing A Good Kitchen Tap

Best Ways to Maintain a Shower Cabin

If you own a modern shower cabin, as opposed to a traditionally tiled shower enclosure, then the bad news is that you will still have to keep it clean. The good news is that this is a whole lot easier than it is with old-fashioned shower enclosures, mainly due to the absence of tiling, which is just a time-consuming pain to clean. What's more, if you go about it the right way, maintaining your shower cabin can take very little effort. These tips can help. Wipe your feet (or put a towel down): Wandering around in bare feet can be very comfortable but it means your feet can get very dirty, very quickly, so you might want to think about cleaning off the surface grime before you step into the shower. Alternatively, put a towel down on the shower floor and then just stick this in the wash after you've finished. Either of these approaches will go a long way to keeping the floor of your shower cabin white and gleaming. Little and often is the way to go: Ideally, all shower users should end their shower by going around the enclosure with the showerhead in one hand and a brush in the other to get rid of surface dirt. They should then use a microfiber cloth to remove the water. Back in the real world, at least give the shower enclosure a quick once over to remove any residue from the products used or, as an absolute minimum, run the water over any visible deposits. Aim to give your shower a proper clean twice a week: Before you gasp in horror, this approach will actually save you time and effort over the long term. We'll explain why as we go along. As a minimum, clean your shower enclosure once a week for hygiene and practicality (plus it can help to extend the life of your shower). Here are some tips on how to keep your shower enclosure sparkling. Start with the showerhead: Fill a container with white vinegar and leave your shower head to soak in it while you clean your shower. If you do this at least every other time you clean your shower (assuming you clean it twice a week), then a short soak will be just fine. Remove suds promptly: It may seem like foam disappears all by itself if you just leave it but actually what happens is that the liquid content evaporates but the chemicals generally stay put, along with the dead skin cells and hair carried off your body in the foam. The advantage of rinsing your shower after each use is that this will catch everything when it's at its easiest to remove. After this, a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water will probably do the trick, especially if you use it a couple of times a week as we suggest. If you do let the dirt in your shower cabin build-up to the point where you have to resort to a commercial cleaner, then make sure to use a non-abrasive one. Vinegar and water is the perfect cleaner for reflective surfaces: That same mixture of vinegar and water will also do a great job on the glass in your shower enclosure (and if you have mirrored tiles it works on them too). The key here is to get all the liquid off afterward to avoid streaks so a microfiber cloth is a good investment. Again, if you opt for commercial cleaners, make sure they're non-abrasive. Give your shower cabin doors plenty of love: Doors aren't just glass panels, they have handles, hinges/rollers, and seals as well, plus they open and close. Handles are easily dealt with; your vinegar/water mix will keep them looking shiny. Hinges/rollers don't typically need to be cleaned, but you could take the opportunity to give them a touch of lubricant to keep them moving freely. The seals on the door, however, are places where dirt can easily accumulate, especially the one at the bottom of the door. Use a stiff brush to get it off. Keep an eye out for mildew: One of the huge benefits of shower cabins and compared to traditional shower enclosures is that they are practically immune to mildew and mold due to the absence of both tiling and shower curtains, which are the main places it usually takes hold. The only place mildew and mold could potentially attack a shower cabin is in the seams and you can avoid this by using proper sanitary silicone when you assemble the shower. If, however, you have used ordinary silicone to assemble the shower, there is a small possibility that you may get some slight mildew or mold. Ideally, you should take this as a sign that you should rebuild your shower using the right silicone, but realistically a simpler approach would be to apply that vinegar and water mixture using an old toothbrush and if that isn’t enough change to bleach and water and do the job again, very carefully and preferably wear gloves. Pamper your plumbing: If you live in a hard-water area then fitting a water softener to your shower can be a very good idea. Even if you don’t (or you have fitted a water softener), taking care of your shower plumbing is still a good idea and it’s so easy, there’s really no reason not to. As your first line of defense, put a protector over your drainage hole to trap hairs and such like. Then pour some baking soda down the hole every time you clean your shower if you like add some vinegar or lemon juice. If you start to notice a blockage (the water draining away slowly), then an old trick is to grind up some eggshells and put them down. They are gentle scourers and will often do the trick cheaply and naturally. If all else fails, then look for a good chemical cleaner. Read More: 1. Mirror Decorating Ideas To Style Your Bathroom. 2. Home Hacks: Stuff You Can Clean in One Hour or Less.

Planning a Family Vacation as the Kids Grow Up