Last Updated on February 12, 2022 by Natalie
Do you suffer from decision fatigue while family trip planning? I certainly do. In fact, I have a full on case of it right now! A lot of it is caused by having to plan a great trip for four different people, with different personalities. That’s right, it’s time to plan a family trip! Spring break, to be specific. During one of the most expensive times of the year, I need to plan a family friendly vacation. I can’t decide where to go on vacation!
Where should I go on vacation?
Sometimes, trying to decide here to go on vacation can be harder than the work of planning it. Every member of the family is likely to have an opinion and no one wants to feel unheard. Add in trying to plan your perfect vacation during high seasons and vacation planning just turned stressful. Don’t let that happen!
Check out a video about all the places I want to visit in Mexico and some of the challenges associated with traveling off the beaten path in Mexico.
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➜ Your kids can’t swim yet? We use and love these puddle jumpers (like the ones in the image above) and arm floats which are even easier for traveling (I use the latter when we are traveling carry on only)!
Decision Fatigue meets Spring Break Travel
Spring break is a busy and expensive time to travel. I actually have to plan farther in advance than I normally do, because we can’t decide a mere week or two prior that we want to take a big trip somewhere. I convinced my husband first to go to Mérida in the Yucatan. However, flying into Mérida from our home base is more expensive than flying into Cancún. So, we decided to fly into the Cancún airport, rent a car, and drive to Mérida. It’s not a big deal, since we also want to spend time on the beach either in Cancún or Riviera Maya and see some Mayan Ruins.
The fun resorts in Cancún are expensive during Spring Break. We have two weeks off school and the second week is thankfully less expensive than the first. Which is great, because we can still afford to go and stick to our budget. Whew!
We can still afford to go if I can book soon.
Update
After the travesty of the years 2020-2021, it’s even more difficult to make affordable, last minute travel plans. If you are planning to book flights and a resort, it’s best to book everything as early as you possibly can during the busy times of spring break and other school holidays.
Focus on the rewards of family trip planning!
And now, the excursions
Then comes the excursion planning. I looked up spending a few days on Holbox Island. Getting there by ferry and then finding accommodations looks a lot easier than I expected. Wonderful! BUT WAIT – the excursion I want to do is $120 per person. I can possibly go by myself, but that leaves my husband in charge of two kids. It’s a situation he’s fully capable of doing, but being away from home and not on a resort property might make him feel anxious (at least before scoping out the island).
And you can forget about seeing Chichén Itzá while staying on Holbox Island – it’s a small fortune to take four people.
I also started researching going to Tulum, which also boasts great beaches, Mayan Ruins, and cenotes (sinkholes filled with water). Perfection!
Hold the phone! More vacation ideas
Then, I discover that there are hotels around Chichén Itzá and they are ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE (my surprise is because while researching going to Machu Picchu, I learned there is one hotel at the site and it is very, very expensive). Two of the hotels have their own private entrance to Chichen Itza, too, making the cheaper of the two a front-runner, even with mixed reviews from travelers.
BUT WAIT! Have you heard of the Ek Balam Mayan Ruins? They aren’t too far from Chichén Itzá, only about an hour drive. The site is a lot less busy because it’s not so famous yet, plus you can still climb the ruins. This sounds amazing…
This is why I have travel decision fatigue
It’s the paradox of choice, isn’t it? Decision fatigue is real, especially with so many wonderful choices of family friendly destinations.
Now, do I try to squeeze in a trip to Chichén Itzá and Ek Balam, before heading to either Tulum or Riviera Maya? What other Mayan ruins can we visit? I also need input from my husband. I need to know his preferences and the amount he’s willing to spend. It’s his vacation, too!
With so many options, how do I decide which vacation is the best?
How to decide where to go on vacation
There are several ways to tackle this dilemma. First and most important, what is your budget? If you can only spend $25000 USD for a family of four and you’re living in the middle of the US, a family trip to Australia is unlikely to be an option. However, depending on your location, an all-inclusive resort in Mexico could work out though a road trip is far more likely to be the best budget option. This is when research is important. From Ohio, a trip for four to an all-inclusive in Mexico is usually priced well over $2500 due to the airfare prices. However, from central Mexico almost any beach destination within Mexico does work out to be around the $2500 USD mark.
After the budget is decided, the research can start! I love using Skyscanner to see what are currently the best priced options from my closest airport. Maybe Turks and Caicos can suddenly be on my list of vacation options. When I can’t decide, I weigh the hotel and airfare costs to see what will work best.
Think about your travel style and the personalities of your family members. Do you like warm weather destinations or cold weather? Would you rather visit a beach or a big city? Do you want lots of adventurous activities or none? Do you love hiking and camping or a luxurious resort?
My family’s perfect vacation is usually a beach destination. My husband and I love to be at the beach, my kids like having a pool, and we’ve discovered that all inclusive resorts with a Kids Club works for everyone. I also prefer to try to do one off resort activity. This will change and evolve as our kids grow. While we live in Mexico, we feel that we aren’t missing out on anything by hanging around the resort during most of our vacation. Once we check out different countries, I’ll really want to explore more.
When I can’t decide where to go on vacation
When I can’t decide, I use the tips above to narrow the choices.
- Figure out the budget
- Research which destinations fall within the budget
- Consider the desires of the family members
- Make a decision
- Book the tickets
- Buy travel insurance
Sometimes, just making the decision is all you can do. Whether you decide for yourself or toss a coin, it’s going to be a great family vacation!
Do you struggle from vacation planning decision paralysis or travel anxiety? How do you overcome it? Do you have any additional feedback for deciding where to go on vacation? The best suggestions come from readers! Please leave a comment.
