Short family holidays can be JUST as relaxing and memorable as a long, expensive trip. Less planning, less debt and just as much fun!
Short family holidays are AWESOME
I’ve always been a massive fan of weekends away – just enough time to soak in a spa bath among the trees or go for long walks along a different beach, but not too much that a whole lot of planning or cost is involved! Now that I’ve got kids, I love short family holidays even more. Just a few days away from home is a fabulous way to escape from the daily grind, get some fresh air and learn new things, all without breaking the bank.
Taking the kids on a long holiday can be really hard work, especially with small children. Changes in routine, making sure you have enough of the exact type of orange food they’re currently living on to survive an entire fortnight, wondering whether you’ve packed enough nappies – just in case you can’t find that particular brand that doesn’t cause them nappy rash. Plus, trying to get all the kid-related equipment jammed into an airline luggage allowance is a challenge in itself!
But none of that means you have to stay put in your home town. With a little bit of research and dash of good planning, a family weekender needn’t cost you much more than a day out.
Here are 7 advantages I’ve found of taking the kids on shorter family holidays.
1. Short holidays are cheaper
This one’s pretty obvious – fewer nights away means lower accommodation costs.
2. You’ll spend less time in the car
Less time umpiring fights over who’s looking out whose window and who hit who first.
And more time actually having fun at your chosen destination.
3. Packing for a short family holiday is easier
One night away means you only need to pack a single change of clothes (or two for the kids – just in case). Plus you can skip a lot of the usual essentials, like shampoo and conditioner (they’ll live for just one night). If you forget your 3-year-old’s favourite soft toy or blanky they’ll live for just one night!
4. Pets can fend for themselves
Dogs and cats are fabulous for kids’ development of empathy and responsibility. But they’re a pain when you’re wanting to go away on a holiday and you can’t take them with you!
But just for one night? Load up the food bowl and they’ll be fine for just one night. And if your pet needs to be looked after even for short periods of time, it’s much easier to find someone to look after Scruffy for ‘just one night’.
5. Your boss doesn’t even have to know
No need to apply for annual leave, no handover to someone else to cover your work while you’re gone.
6. Short family holidays can be taken outside of school holidays
By travelling during the school term, you’ll avoid the crowds, the hefty surcharges and the relentless pull of organised activities. Find out more about taking holidays during school terms here.
7. You’ll be able to take MORE breaks, more often!
Don’t pay for 14 nights away in January – peak season! – for the family holiday. Instead, take a 7 night summer holiday plus 3-4 shorter holidays during the year. You’ll feel like your next short family break is always just around the corner.
Where will your family’s next short break be?
Rebecca Bowyer is a mum, writer and voracious reader. Visit her blog to find reviews of the best new releases in historical, contemporary, literary and science fiction for adults PLUS picture books and younger fiction.
