Travel like a European

If you are an American, you probably don't spend much time thinking about how you approach vacation is very different than Europeans. But there are definite differences.

Americans on average start out with 2 weeks of paid vacation a year, or 10 days.  Some companies add to that based on your length of service other factors, but think about your 10 days.  Maybe you chip away at  them during the year for family activities like a child's dance recital out of state, or a wedding that requires you to leave on a Thursday or a Friday.

People who live in the European Union get at least 20 paid vacation days each year - twice what Americans receive. 

So when American's finally are able to take vacation time and experience their vacation, they are often trying to jam as many activities into that 5 or 10 day trip as possible.

 You've heard people say they want to "Make the most" of their trip, or "we want to do everything because we probably won't go here again".  So the typical American family plans their vacation, fills their day with tours and activities, and goes non-stop for the entire time. They come home full of stories but exhausted from their trip.

Europeans have more time, so they can chip away at their 20 days a little here and there, and still have time to relax and enjoy.  They plan a trip to a new location, and then they live there.  What do I mean?  They wake up and enjoy a relaxing breakfast, with a few cups of coffee in the garden. Maybe walk to the market and explore shops, take a little time in the afternoon to nap or read a book and recover some energy.  Spend the day exploring a little town without rushing to the next activity.  The pace is a little slower, more relaxing. 

 They tend to savor the experience and enjoy the time they have without completely filling every moment of every day.  Find the local playgrounds and plan to just take a picnic and let the kids play.

Before you take your next vacation, ask your travel professional to plan one that highlights a few key areas and then gives you suggestions to relax and explore. Take a book....or a deck of cards!  Live your vacation destination and truly experience it.

Setting the Pace

Setting the pace for a family vacation can be difficult, especially when your family is a mix of go-go-go, chill-by-pool, and I-can't-people-today.    That's my family.  We all enjoy trips, and of course, we all compromise, but ultimately each person needs to have time to do their thing.  

As a mom, I have learned over the years to identify the signs of who needs downtime, who needs alone time, and when everyone is ready to jump all into a day full of activities.

As a travel agent, I talk with my clients before anything else happens. Its important to get the feel for the people going on their trip, and sometimes they don't even know themselves.  A conversation helps bring things to light - like is your family on the go all the time, heavy into sports and dance? Or do you tend to spend weekends on a hike? Or geocaching in a new city?  

Plan your vacation days to give downtime to the people who need it, but maybe plan some alternate activities for the "go-go" members who will be frustrated at sitting around.  The trick is to balance this with making sure that the people needing down time are not feeling left out. As an example, on a recent trip, our daughter needed some downtime, so she enjoyed some alone time in our suite, while my husband and I headed out to the pool for a little while.  We all felt like we were enjoying our time, and no one felt left out. 

Having an amusement park day adds an extra level of complication to this process.  Families tend to push the energy level to the max, feeling like they want the most park time for their dollar. But if you're paying for a resort while you're at the park, make the most of your hotel dollar as well and take a mid day break. If you're only at a park for the day, enjoy a shady seat, ice cream, and a show, or  if your kids are little, find a parents room where you can cool off with your little ones and even let them nap.

Setting the right pace for your group can make or break a vacation.  Talk to your travel agent about your family's energy level and vacation style at the start of your planning and be confident that your next trip will be great!