Summer Family Vacation - Trip Preparation Tips

With summer around the corner, everyone starts thinking about their summer family vacation and everyone loves the beach, right?

The children can dig in the sand and splash in the ocean waves. The teens and adults can swim, get a tan, or just relax under an umbrella and read a book.

The adventurous types can explore tide pools and driftwood or grab some snorkeling gear and get up close and personal with some sea life. The breezes coming from the ocean and the natural beauty are invigorating and restorative.

Any trip, however, can cause discomfort if you do not plan well. Here are things you can do to make your summer family vacation at the beach easier, safer, and stress-free.

Many families head for their summer family vacation in the family car. When planning a trip, it's always a good idea to give the car a good cleaning out first. This will give you more room for your luggage and if you've been carrying a load of weight in the trunk, it will improve your gas mileage if you move all that extra stuff into the garage.

Make sure you car is ready for the trip because nothing ruins a vacation like having to call a tow truck or waiting around for your car to be repaired instead of spending your day at the beach. Be sure to get your oil changed, have all the hoses and filters checked and replaced if necessary, check your tire pressure and replace any tires that are too worn. You'll aso definitely want to make sure the radiator is flushed and ready for summer heat.

Stock your glovebox with a few first aid and comfort items, such as sunblock, aspirin or Tylenol for headaches, sunburn lotion and antihistimine sprays or lotions for soothing bug bites, a roll of antacids, some Pepto-Bismal for tummy troubles, a few cough drops, and a package of Bandaids. There are lots of different travel-sized first aid kits that you an always stow in the glove box or in the trunk and sometimes that's just the easier way to go. Don't forget a couple of scrunchies or pony-tail holders for long, wet hair. A small sewing kit often makes sense too for any broken swimsuit straps and a pair of tweezers come in handy for dealing with splinters.

Also, make sure you have a map or atlas and a place to keep it handy. I usually plan my trip routes with online maps, but I always have an atlas in the car in case I want to do any exploring (or happen to get lost) once I arrive. If you're travelling the interstate, stop into the tourist information center on your way and pick up some brochures for fun things to do near your destination. Sometimes you just want to take a break from the sand and surf! And you never know, it could rain!

Speaking of weather, you can check the forecast for your destination at Weather.com. Just plug in the zip code for where you're heading and you can get the 10 day forecast. Just keep in mind, the weatherman isn't always right ;)

Travelling with kids is always a challenge. They may be particularly excited and impatient when they know they are going to the beach. Make sure they have cool water bottles and healthy snacks to munch. Try a simple car game to make the time pass. Many kids like looking for letters of the alphabet on signs. If several people get involved it can be lots of fun. Just make sure your driver doesn't get too distracted.

If the drive is going to be a long one, build some time into the road trip for getting everyone out of the car to stretch their legs. You might even want to consider a picnic lunch at a rest area. Some interstate rest areas even have barbecues on site which will probably be a lot more fun than heading to the nearest McDonald's.

During your days at the beach, don't forget about skin safety, even on overcast days. Be particularly careful about being in the sun for long stretches of time between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Use a sunblock with a high SPF rating and replace it after getting wet or drying off with your towel. The towel you choose can make a difference too. Thick towels get heavy and tend to trap a lot of sand. You may find you like thin towels at the beach. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and and if you're going to spending most of the day in teh sun, it pays to wear a brimmed hat as well. It keeps the sun off your face and protects the sensitive skin of your face and scalp. Some sort of foot protection such as flip-flops, sandels or those new Crocs everyone loves so much to keep your feet from being burned on the hot sand is a great idea too. If the beach is rocky or has a lot of seaweed, you can even wear flip-flops and Crocs right into the water.

With a little preparation your summer family vacation can be fun and stress-free. When you arrive home you will be relaxed, refreshed, and ready for work. Take a few minutes to unpack and get your laundry going. And try and give yourself an extra day at home to wind down after a long drive before heading back to the office. It won't be long until the kids start asking, "When can we go to the beach again?"