Travel Tips and Tricks for Healthy Families

I am flying with my 5 month old today, so this guest post by Kendra Thornton is very timely! Be sure to follow her on twitter and check out her website for more helpful travel tips. Thanks Kendra! Hope you enjoy!

It takes some extra planning to keep your family healthy when traveling. There are all kinds of distractions and temptations that can make this a challenge. If you are sufficiently prepared, however, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy vacations that are not only fun but healthy too.

* Tip 1: Make sure your family eats a nutritious breakfast before visiting a theme park. We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and there’s a lot of truth to this. This way kids and adults alike will not arrive at your destination hungry and ready to gorge on junk foods. You will want to eat at the theme park at some point, but it’s best to arrive with a full stomach.

* Tip 2: If you’re trip includes any visits to the beach or other bodies of water, be sure to watch your kids at all times. You should not leave them unsupervised for even short periods of time. It’s also a good idea to bring safety devices such as goggles and life vests from home, as they may not always be available at your destination. On a former trip to Florida I used Gogobot to sift through reviews about which Orlando hotels had lifeguards and kid friendly pools. It was a great tool in helping me narrow down my decision!

* Tip 3: Keep in mind that airplanes can be full of germs. This can be from the surfaces such as seats and bathroom door handles, as well as other passengers. That’s why you should be careful what you consume, especially when it comes to water. It’s safest to stick to bottled water. You should also avoid hot drinks made with water such as coffee and tea, as well as ice cubes.

* Tip 4: When driving, you should make regular stops to give everyone a chance to walk around, stretch and get some exercise. Make use of rest stops when you’re on the highway. Stop at scenic parks where you can take a break and the kids can run around a little. This will keep everyone in a better mood and in better shape for the trip.

* Tip 5: Bring some healthy yet tasty snacks along when you travel. This can include trail mix, nuts, coconut flakes, dried and fresh fruit and other nutritious and filling items. You can add some treats such as chocolate to the mix to satisfy sugar cravings. There are many possibilities for healthy snacks your kids will enjoy.

Naturally, you don’t want to plan every moment of your trip. It’s fun to leave some room for spontaneity. However, you can balance this with some sensible preparations that will ensure that your family stays as healthy as possible whenever you travel.

Kendra Thornton: Travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. I am a long time travel expert who has been packing my bags and traveling the world since I was 3 months old! I’ve found my utmost desire in life is right here in my own home. I have mixed my excitement for travel by bringing the taste of authentic cuisine to my own home with some of my unique recipes and sharing some of my personal traveling tips.