The afternoon sun cast it’s golden warmth through a field of wildflowers to my right. Ahead of me, I counted 14 horses, my youngest, age 6, in lead along with our trail guide. I smiled from atop my own mount on this, the last day of our vacation with my own family of six, and our close friends, a family of 8. Yes, we traveled to Tennessee for 9 days with 4 adults and 10 children and had a wonderful, refreshing time!
Traveling with a large family, or two large families in our case, takes planning but it can be done without losing your sanity or breaking the bank. These 12 tips helped us to relax and enjoy our time together.
Lodging
1. Plan for Space. Allowing for personal space goes a long way toward maintaining good relationships. A rental cabin offered enough room for us all and was more economical than a moderately priced hotel. A basement game room and spacious deck made sure we weren’t tripping over one another and ensured a quiet retreat for the introverts in our group.
2. Large Family Necessities. Laundry is a big part of large family life! An on-site washer and dryer were a must for this trip. If you are traveling for longer than a weekend, plan to pack light and do laundry while away. Running a load of laundry at least every other day made packing easier while keeping everyone in clean undies! We also arrived back home with minimal dirty laundry.
A good kitchen and enough seating for meals is another priority when traveling large. Look for rentals that advertise a well-equipped kitchen and enough chairs for your family at mealtime. Our cabin had seating for 10 in the dining area with additional seating on the deck.
3. Don’t Take a Vacation From Essential Chores! Vacations are for relaxing, but make sure mom and dad don’t get burdened with the kids’ usual chores. We divvied up chores among everyone with the teens helping with meal prep and clean up and the youngest travelers straightening common areas each evening. A clean space is so much more relaxing than clutter!
4. Defending Your Damage Deposit. Most vacation rentals require a damage deposit which may be refundable after your trip. Accidental damage sometimes does occur. However, you can protect yourself from paying for a previous renter’s mistakes by photographing any damage present upon your arrival and letting the owner or management company know right away. When we arrived at our cabin, the screen door was damaged. A quick photo and email ensured we wouldn’t be held accountable for it.
Meals
5. Freeze Ahead Meals. Making and freezing meals ahead of time is my favorite time and money-saving tip for traveling large. We planned to dine out at least one evening but knew it would be easier and more cost effective to feast on homemade meals most nights. In the weeks before vacation, we prepared plenty of freezer meals. Once frozen solid, they kept easily in a cooler during our 12-hour drive.
Favorite freezer meals included:
- Chicken Pot Pie (Freeze the filling in disposable pans. Instead of traditional pie crust, top with refrigerated biscuits 15 minutes before it finishes reheating.)
- Chili (Serve over rice to make this stretch. Bring dry rice to prepare at your destination, along with cheese to top it off! Consider bringing a large pot from home unless you are sure your rental kitchen is well-equipped.)
- Shepherd’s Pie (Two disposable casserole pans of this hearty dish will fill even the hungry teens!)
- Spiral Cut Ham (Serve with frozen vegetables for dinner and use leftovers for sandwiches.)
6. Making the Most of Pit Stops. Planning your meals and snacks for the road also saves time and money. We scooted pajama-clad kids into the van for a pre-dawn departure and handed out hot instant oatmeal in disposable cups for breakfast on the go. When lunchtime rolled around, Dad escorted kids to the restrooms while I assembled sandwiches to eat once we were rolling again. Water bottles and granola bars tucked into the kids’ backpacks tided them over between meals.
7. Fuel for Your Fun. Constantly purchasing treats aimed at the tourist crowd can break your budget pretty quickly. We kept our hungry masses satisfied with healthy snacks like Cliff Bars, baby carrots, peanuts, and raisins. Costco is a great source for these snacks. They traveled easily in a backpack on daily excursions and provided plenty of energy for adventures. Keep a cooler with bread and deli meats for picnic lunches while out about. Our one snacking splurge was fudge, because who can resist fudge?!
8. Don’t Dehydrate! Avoid constantly buying bottled water by giving each person their own reusable water bottle. We kept a cooler with several extra gallons in the van to fill up on long days out. Flat silicone cups easily fit in a pocket and work well for kids too small to tote a water bottle. Dad carried extra water and poured it up into color-coded cups as needed.
Activities
9. Budgeting for Fun. Plan for a few splurges and fill your other days with free activities. We chose horseback riding as one of our big expenses. Our other days were spent hiking to waterfalls, leaping from rock to rock in the rivers, and exploring the treasures the of Great Smoky Mountains National Park which offers free admission. Nature is much more economical to enjoy than the tourist traps nearby, and rocks and streams win kids over every time!
10. Baby Gear. The youngest in our party—Little Bit—was six months old and fortunately, he was an excellent traveler. Two pieces of equipment, though, made getting around with Little Bit especially easy. His mom brought a collapsible wagon instead of a stroller. All but the tiniest shops were easily navigable with the wagon. While we strolled the Village Shops in Gatlinburg or down the sidewalk to picnic in Cherokee, Little Bit played, rolled, wiggled, and napped in his playpen on wheels.
Also essential for travel with Little Bit was a high-quality backpack carrier. Perfect for hiking, it offered support and comfort for both baby and parent. With a zippered pouch for supplies and a removable sunshade, Little Bit traveled in style along the mountain trails.
11. Early Evenings. Though it’s tempting to eek excitement out of every hour, we found that returning to our cabin between four and five in the evening allowed for much needed time to refresh at the end of each day. Being “home” before dark gave us time to heat our pre-frozen meals, wash dishes, run a load of laundry, and cycle all ten kids through showers! Unstructured play for the kids and some unwinding time for parents helped us get the rest we needed to enjoy the next day.
12. Consider a Down Day. If your trip lasts a week or more, and especially if you have very young children, consider staying in one day. Have a movie marathon or game day. Enjoy the amenities of your rental or hotel instead of pushing through the exhaustion. A down day isn’t a wasted day if it rejuvenates you for the rest of your trip!
So go ahead and book that vacation for six, ten, twelve, or fourteen! Take advantage of these tips and enjoy exploring the world with your family!
