We have not been traveling with toddler too long. Last year was actually our first year of full on travel adventures with Dos toddlers in tote. We are still learning. This year though we feel we have learned the best lessons and years to come our travel with children will only get better.
Today I will share 3 mistakes that we feel we made when we traveled to the valley this year:
1. We did not create a good Budget- We knew we were going to spend money. And, we did. We didn't figure out how much spending money we actually needed, we just spent. We purchased small things that in the long run added up. Items like, a new booster/car seat for Camila and a small cooler for drinks and perishable items.
I also ended up spending money on laundry; detergent and washing/drying-explaining- our hotel at South Padre { The Inn at South Padre} had great amenities, and I found it easy and convenient to start doing laundry while on our trip.
Our next trip needs the following- a well planned budget, a budget for kids to spend on souvenirs, and no need to spend on extras.
2. Better Meal Planning- We started off well and brought picnic snacks and drinks, for one of our rest stops. We do usually stop at Buc-ee's { Oh, you have never been to one? You should!} it's a must in Texas. But, the rest of the trip is a blur. Next time we want to create an actual meal plan, as if at home. Eating out a couple of times during the trip of course but we could have also brought dishes and groceries since the hotels had half kitchens available.
It's just better with Dos very active and sometimes fussy children to stay-in even while on vacation. One night we bought burgers and came back and ate in our hotel room and the second night we bought chicken. The days had been long and busy so staying in at the hotel after our trips to the beach was a nice way to rest.
3. Better itinerary - While we were able to do a lot and explore many places during our trip. We feel that we could have planned our days better and known ahead of time what we were going to do. We tend to be kind of "spur of the moment" people but with children a plan is always better. Last year when we visited San Antonio we went to all the obvious places- the River Walk & Wildlife Ranch. This year in the Valley we visited several museums and places we never thought the kids would like, and they loved them!
Obviously the lesson here is that in order to better explore, we will definitely do better research about the surrounding activities and local fun! We will also not be afraid to go somewhere new since we now know what our kids like. And, if we visit a place like San Antonio we will try to visit new places.
We have lived and learned...
Below is a checklist of things I would have done different and will do different next time!
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