The current state of the world has put a damper on the summer vacation plans of families everywhere.
So, before you decide to take a vacation despite the current pandemic and potentially risk the health and safety of yourself and others, you might want to consider moving your summer vacation to the winter.
Deciding To Go
Vacation in a warmer environment during a colder time of the year has benefits.
The biggest draw for most is that far fewer people generally travel during the winter months, so you will not have to deal with people who could potentially ruin your relaxing experience.
Depending on your viewpoint, you might see this as a drawback.
Some people enjoy meeting others on vacation. If you are one of those people, you might want to consider preceding your winter vacation in favor of a more social experience, provided you follow the public safety guidelines in your area.
Choosing a Time
Deciding when and how long to leave is a more straightforward task during the summer. Kids are out of school, you likely have an easier time getting time off from work, and the whole family generally has more free time.
In the winter, your options are far slimmer. You will likely be looked down upon for taking your kids out of school for a vacation, so the only real option is to leave during your child’s winter break.
Then, you have to work around when you need to be home for the holidays.
Choosing a Destination
The most significant appeal of vacation destinations worldwide is their pleasant, warm weather. Beaches and other tropical locations are often the most visited during the summer; however, many popular vacation destinations also experience the colder temperatures that come with winter.
If you are content with giving up the heat of your ideal vacation destination, this will be no problem, but if the blistering heat is necessary for you to enjoy your trip, research which places stay warm all year long.
Staying Healthy
It can be easy to let loose and relax about your health and diet while on vacation.
After all, you are there to relax, and you likely do not want to burden yourself with a strict workout routine or diet.
Feel free to stick to your health regimen as strictly or loosely as you like while you are away, but if you want to keep the relaxing nature of your vacation while also staying in shape, try checking out some reviews for dietary supplements.
Each kind of supplement and diet plan will have its own Thrive side effects, so check those out to figure out what will work best for your lifestyle and travel ideas.
Social Distancing
Some or all of the current social distancing guidelines will likely still be in effect this winter, so you may be discouraged from traveling in the first place.
However, if you decide to travel despite the warnings, you must adhere to whatever guidelines are in effect at your destination.
Bring plenty of masks along for each of your family members, bring sanitizing products and clean anything others may have touched, and look for the posted rules outside of any businesses you are planning to enter to keep yourself and those around you from getting sick.
Packing Clothes
Packing clothes for a summer vacation that is practically guaranteed to be warm and packing clothes for a winter vacation with much more unpredictable weather are two undeniably distinct tasks.
In contrast to the light clothing and single rain jacket you would typically take on a beach vacation, a winter beach vacation will be colder, especially at night. Consider bringing a few pairs of long pants, either jeans, sweatpants, or another type of your choice, as well as some long-sleeve shirts and jackets.
The number you should bring will heavily depend on the duration of your stay.
Layering
The combination of cold weather and limited packing space is not ideal. Large, bulky clothes do not fit in small, confined suitcases and carryons, so your pack needs to be innovative.
Packing multiple thin layers rather than a few items that take up tons of space is a better idea.
Layers not only allow you to adjust the clothing you are wearing based on the temperature at a given moment, but they also fit more snugly into your luggage to leave room for other necessities you need for your trip.
Caring For Your Skin
Most people find they can keep the same skincare routine at home when on a hot beach vacation, but cold weather requires different methods than a warmer, moist climate.
Cold, dry environments necessitate a lighter moisturizer to reduce the risk of clogging your pores, which have been constricted by the cold.
Even if there is less sun, cold weather does not decrease the risk of sunburns. You should bring plenty of sunscreens to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, even if the sun’s danger seems minimal.
Tanning Beforehand
If you are especially fair-skinned, you might find yourself constantly worried about sunburns, and even if you are not overly pale, you might still have concerns about burns.
Getting a tan before you leave for the beach can protect your skin from burning.
To get a fake tan, you would be better served to use a tanning bed rather than a spray tan from a bottle, or you can get a natural tan from the sun.
If you would rather not tan, the most effective method you can take to protect yourself from the sun is to cover as much skin as possible.
Preparing For Travel
Depending on your travel method, the weather could be a huge problem or no problem at all.
If you are traveling by car and live in an area that is not as warm and sunny as the potentially tropical location you are traveling to, then you need to be prepared to deal with snow and ice before you get to the warmer area.
On the other hand, if you are flying, the weather will not affect you directly, but you should be prepared to experience delays depending on how unfavorable the weather is.
Watching the Forecast
Watch the weather forecast for the area you plan to vacation in the weeks leading up to the trip. Even before the weather stations start predicting the weather for the time when you will be there, you can still expect what kind of weather you will experience while you are on your trip.
This tip holds accurate any time you go on vacation, but it is essential in the winter. Prepare for the weather extremes you will most likely experience while there, and you will thank yourself later.
Planning For Bad Weather
Weather can always change at the last minute, so even if you believe you have planned your vacation around the best weather possible, you could still find yourself stuck inside at the most inopportune moments.
Make sure you have plenty of indoor activities to keep the whole family occupied in bad weather.
Books, card games, and portable video games are all solid options that are generally easy to pack, and games can create a sense of unity when you play them together.
Checking Facilities
Many tourist destinations are best equipped to entertain tourists solely during the summer, so that some locations could be closed to the public in the winter.
Before you decide where to travel during the winter, research the facilities surrounding the place you plan on visiting, and learn which ones will be open for business during your stay.
Looking for grocery stores, emergency facilities, recreational centers, and anything else that might serve your family’s unique needs would be best.
Many destinations will have everything open year-round, but it is always safer to check.
Planning Activities
Once you have researched the facilities near your destination and which ones will be open during your stay, it is time to start planning your activities.
Look for activities that naturally remove you from the presence of others because those are the businesses that will most likely be open during the pandemic. Looking for activities that appeal to your family’s interests would be best.
If your family is more active, maybe look for a big mini-golf course, but if you are a more educationally-minded family, look for a museum instead.
Winter vacations are generally similar to summer vacations, with a few noticeable, marked differences.
If you are used to planning summer vacations, winter vacations will be a breeze with a few simple modifications.
Keeping your family safe and healthy on your next trip will bring your family closer than you have ever been before.
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