Modern Homemakers

Holiday Travel Tips for Families 2024

by Kevyn Gohu
December 5, 2024

If you’re going out of the country this Christmas, here are some practical tips to make the holiday travel plan fun!

Some of us are not the party type so, we instead travel the world during the holidays. It’s a bonding and learning experience for the whole family, observing how other countries and the families living there celebrate Christmas. Besides, traveling also challenges us to go beyond our comfort zones. Letting go of certain privileges and prior knowledge to venture out is a Christmas gift worth getting the whole family! But to make sure the holiday travel this 2024 is successful, here are some tips:

1. Give the family five hours worth of travel time.

We know all the running jokes with Manila’s travel time and traffic but, this one is exceptionally real this year. Unfortunately, we’re not the only family that has the same idea of having Christmas beyond the metro. The population, along with the multiple roadworks, has made traffic almost unbearably slow. Plus, we need some allowance to check in unless the airline we’ve booked allows us to do it online.

What others do, so they don’t have to fight with the rest of the traffic is, they book a room in a nearby hotel so they don’t have to rush.

2. Bring a lot of probiotics.

Nothing is worse than a stomach ache during a holiday trip. Some studies have revealed that countries and their natives house different probiotics that allow them to digest their food. As foreigners, our stomachs may not be used to the heightened acidity or the increase in oil. So, always bring some probiotics to make sure we don’t spend the rest of the holidays on the toilet.

3. Bring suitcases with TSA-approved locks.

Although the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is known more for overseeing inbound flights in the United States, it also looks at outbound flights. Now, most suitcases come with TSA-approved locks but should the luggage we bring come with its own kind of lock, they’re obligated to cut it or break it to inspect what’s inside. To prevent any losses, best to just get a suitcase with a TSA-approved lock.

Or, if we’re not ready to invest in a luggage bag, we can use a duffel bag and a padlock with a “red diamond” on it. That’s the TSA symbol of approval.

4. Make sure you exchange your cash when the rate is still low.

Exchange rates are always fluctuating but the moment we find it at its lowest, we also get to save money. Once the money’s exchanged though, keep it in a place where it won’t get crumpled. Some countries are a bit strict about how the money should always stay clean, pristine, and uncrumpled.

5. If it’s a new country, go on tour. If you’re familiar, going on your own might be better.

For those who are not fond of organizing activities, it might be better to get a tour. Unfortunately, this would mean that waking schedules and other things may be out of our control. Some resorts have events where people can swim with whale sharks and dolphins that start as early as 6 AM. However, they often come with a driver which makes it easier to go around.

But if the places the family wants to go to are not the usual then, maybe going by ourselves might be a better choice.

Hope everyone has a happy holiday trip!

The thing about having a trip with the family during the holidays is that it’s always crazy. With many families having the same idea, a lot of things that are beyond our control might happen. However, the most important part is that we focus on making memories with the family. Both good and bad, the holiday trip is still something worth cherishing.