Tips for planning a successful multi-destination family holiday

Some want to travel with nothing but their backpack and the clothes they are wearing; some prefer to have their days planned, their accommodation booked, and their activities decided, whilst others are somewhere in between, floating on the currents of the universe.

Length of trip also plays a massive role in how we go about planning and experiencing adventures, and for many of us it can be overwhelming to plan a trip that encompasses different locations. 

If you’re thinking about a multi-destination trip, but not feeling all too confident about planning it, then follow the guide below to get the best possible start for your adventure of a lifetime. 

Types of Trips

As you may well expect, in this modern age we have many modes of transport available to us. 

That being said, there are the key methods that allow us to cover great distances without spending too much time and money so let’s take a look at the most useful ones. 

Cruises

Cruising is a much more flexible way to travel than many imagine. The classic idea of a cruise is bobbing about the Caribbean, or crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

In actuality, long duration world cruises are an excellent way to see lots of different places in one go. 

You can enjoy trips from Auckland that last more than 50 days and take you all the way back to the UK across the high seas, or you can hop onto a luxury river cruise and enjoy some of Europe’s finest cities there is an incredible amount of variation!

Flights

Flying around the world is one of the reasons humanity has reached every corner of the glove- for better or for worse. 

Crossing oceans in mere hours, hopping between cities in comfort and ease, and getting to the earth’s most remote locations, is all achievable thanks to the aviation industry- and can be enjoyed by pretty much everyone. 

This is the quickest way to see the most sights, but it requires a fair bit more planning!

Trains

Trains are often the forgotten means of transport for those of us who live in the western world. 

Trains in the UK are expensive and often slow, in the US the situation is even worse and many of the world’s great train journeys have disappeared. 

But getting around mainland Europe by train is one of the best means of travel, and there are certainly once in a lifetime trips that you can take by train across Canada, or through the Orient. 

Why Book A Multi-Destination Trip? 

Multi-destination trips certainly offer a lot, but many people are overwhelmed by the planning element and forget about the positives- so here is a quick reminder of what the benefits are.

More Time To Explore

When heading out on a normal holiday with a duration of 7 days for example, it’s easy to feel rushed or even short changed. After all, we are normally taking 2 days to travel so you’re already down to five days of relaxing!

With a multi-destination trip you’re going to be looking at either a longer duration trip, or shorter and easier travel days otherwise, it would not be worth it. 

If you’re on an all inclusive cruise for example, your food and travel are taken care of. All you have to do is enjoy the destinations. Suddenly 7 days feels a lot less rushed!  

Eco-Friendly

Spending more time in one location, or even multiple is often kinder to the planet. 

Imagine visiting India, Cambodia and Australia over three separate trips, your carbon footprint would be huge as you would be flying there and back again three times. 

Now consider going from India to Cambodia, then finishing off in Australia, your emissions wouldn’t even be half!  

Cost Effective

Following on from the previous point, booking three separate return long-haul flights is a bit of a budget killer. 

Shorter flights, and jumping between points though is a much more achievable thing and you won’t have to suffer through 48 hours of travel there and back!   

You’ll Learn A Lot

Experiencing multiple cultures on one trip will teach you a lot about the world- and yourself. 

Trying food in different cities around Europe allows us to enjoy what the continent has to offer, meeting people of different cultures across Asia gives us a broader perspective, and the planning and execution of major trips can teach you a lot of things about yourself you may not have known. 

So let’s take a quick look at some of the key things it’s worth remembering when planning a multi-destination trip. 

Step 1: Activities

Now we reach the fun part. 

It’s all well and good arriving in a new city and having three days of free time, but you don’t want to waste it trying to find things to fill your time. 

Look for walking tours like adventure treasure hunts, museums, trips, natural attractions, landmarks - whatever it is you’re into. Sometimes contacting a local tour company can be a great way to go, and researching the area you’re going to be spending time in means you won’t miss out whilst you’re there. 

Step 2: Itineraries

Set some dates and book your transport first. The main connections are the most important, you can figure out the finer details when the key elements are in place. From here you can create a day-by-day itinerary and get as exact as you like. 

Some like to play it by ear and go with the flow. If you have a spare day you could add an extra trip, or have a rest day. Others like to plan for every eventuality, and ensure they are seeing as much as they possibly can in the time they have.   

A good itinerary will make your life much easier however you like to travel- but it is important to remember the golden rule of multi-destination trips; things can, and will, go wrong. 

Being adaptable is crucial. Trains get cancelled, ferries get missed, and flights get diverted- it’s not all going to be in your control. And that’s okay. Be prepared for change, and change won’t ruin your trip. 

Step 3: Travel & Connections

At this point, you’ll have most of the work done. Now it’s time to ensure you can make all the journeys between your destinations in good time, and for good prices. Booking things in advance is the best way to go, and knowing when and where your transportation leaves from is crucial for a good itinerary. 

Step 4: Preparation  

Now, obviously you have to do some sort of preparation in order to go on a multi-destination trip- but the trip you choose will decide what kind of preparation you have to do. 

Booking a cruise for example, means plenty of the stress and planning elements will be taken care of, but if you’re after a true adventure then booking everything yourself can be tricky. Do your research on where you want to visit. 

Having an idea of the places you want to go means you can get a price estimate, a rough idea of the time you’ll need to travel, and the things you will need to take with you. 

Making a rough plan of your route is a good idea too, and will allow you to prioritise the things you want to see. Starting with a region is a great way to go if you can’t decide on specifics- you can always add in extensions to your trip or take legs out that you may not need. 

Once you have a rough idea of where you’re going and how you’ll get there, you’ll have a great idea of the length of your trip and the clothes you’ll need to pack. Visiting the Himalayas for multi-day treks will need very different clothing options compared to a month in South East Asia! 

Rounding Off

In short, multi-destination trips are one of the very best ways to travel- but do require a little more thought. 

The world is so full of amazing places to see, and wonderful things to experience, it almost seems strange to just visit one place at a time. 

If you’re struggling to choose your next trip then consider combining multiple trips and exploring multiple locations. Whether it’s a week exploring the intricacies of Europe, or a year exploring the far east and Australasia; seeing as much of the world as possible is something that is ingrained in our very DNA- so get out there and explore.