• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • TravelingDad

Traveling Mom

Traveling tips, deals, info from moms and families

  • COVID-19
  • Road Trips
    • ROAD TRIPS ACROSS THE USA
    • ROAD TRIP PLANNER
    • ILLINOIS ROAD TRIPS
    • TEXAS ROAD TRIPS
    • GEORGIA ROAD TRIPS
    • CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIPS
    • NORTHEAST ROAD TRIPS
    • MIDWEST ROAD TRIPS
  • Destinations
    • Northeast
    • Southeast
    • East Coast
    • Midwest
    • South
    • Southwest
    • Northwest
    • West
    • US Cities
      • New York City
      • Chicago
      • Los Angeles
      • Orlando
      • San Diego
      • San Francisco
  • Disney
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney Worldwide
    • Disney Cruise
    • Discount Disney World Tickets
  • Outdoors
    • Skiing
    • National Parks
    • RV/Camping
    • Beaches
  • Travel Resources
    • Babies and Toddlers
    • Free Things to Do
    • Packing
    • Discount Attractions Tickets
    • Discount Disney World Ticket
    • Discount Universal Tickets
    • Grandparents
    • Cruising
    • TravelingDad
  • Search
  • COVID-19
  • Road Trips
    • Road Trips Across the USA
    • Road Trip Planner
    • Illinois Road Trips
    • Texas Road Trips
    • Georgia Road Trips
    • California Road Trips
    • Northeast Road Trips
    • Midwest Road Trips
  • US National Parks
  • RV and Camping
  • Beaches
  • Disney
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney Worldwide
    • Disney Cruise
    • Discount Disney World Tickets
  • Cruises
  • Skiing
  • Free Things to Do
  • Traveling with Babies and Toddlers
  • Traveling Grandparents
  • TravelingDad
  • US Destinations
    • Northeast
    • Southeast
    • East Coast
    • Midwest
    • South
    • Southwest
    • Northwest
    • West
  • US Cities
    • NYC
    • Chicago
    • Los Angeles
    • Orlando
    • San Diego
    • San Francisco
  • International
  • Travel Resources
    • Book A Trip
    • Discount Attractions Tickets
    • Discount Disney World Tickets
    • Discount Universal Tickets
    • Packing
  • Contact Us
  • About Us

Mobile Menu

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
You are here: Home / Travel Tips / 5 Tips for a Successful Stepfamily Vacation This Summer
A picnic on a stepfamily vacation.
Photo credit: Stock Unlimited

5 Tips for a Successful Stepfamily Vacation This Summer

June 25, 2019 //  by Guest Author//  Leave a Comment

FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • 1. Keep it simple
  • 2. Keep it Fair
  • 3. Keep It Short: Weekend Getaways
  • 4. Keep It Equal
  • 5. Keep the Memory
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and buy, TravelingMom may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Summer is likely the time when you and your new spouse are wondering what to do about a family holiday with your stepfamilies. Do you take your newly blended family on a three-week road trip around the United States? Opt for separate vacations, each parent with his or her own children? Nope. Neither is the right answer. These 5 tips will help you have a fun stepfamily vacation this summer.

Here are five tips for saving your family holiday, getting to know your step children and maybe even encouraging a little stepfamily bonding along the way.

1. Keep it simple

It is really wrong to take a three-week road trip across the United States with your newly blended family?  No, not really.  If your stepfamily has been together for more than a year, the kids are small, or you have a large recreational vehicle then it could be a wonderful adventure.  But, if you’re just starting out as a blended family, I don’t recommend it. That would be too much togetherness in very close quarters and require a lot of patience on the part of both the adults and the children for a very long time.

2. Keep it Fair

Stepfamily vacation
Photo credit: Stock Unlimited

Taking vacations separately is not completely wrong either, just a little difficult.  When families blend in a new marriage, the kids are watching to see if everyone is going to be treated the same.  The kids may expect to receive special treatment from their biological parent, but this sort of behavior just leads to parental conflicts and a sense of instability, insecurity and uncertainty in your household.

I don’t recommend separate vacations except under these circumstances:

  • The school breaks are different, such as spring break weeks, and the kids are out at different times.  Take each group of kids on similar vacations, but at different times.
  • You want to take one child on a vacation, alone, to celebrate an accomplishment (i.e. graduation from high school or college.)  This is fine, but realize that the other kids are already anticipating their trip!

Read More: Tips for a Better Stepfamily Spring Break

3. Keep It Short: Weekend Getaways

The best vacations for a newly blended family are weekend getaways of four nights or less.  These are trial adventures, for your family to get to know each other. Examples of these types of trips:

  • Weekend in the mountains
  • Weekend at the beach
  • Weekend at a historical city/location
  • A three- or four-night cruise

4. Keep It Equal

You don’t need to the entire weekend as a blended family. Mix it up a bit.

Let older teenagers take younger children on a short outing, while the adults have some time alone. Split up with your biological children for a couple of hours, but make sure you do similar/equal activities. Or, husband takes the boys and wife takes the girls on separate outings.

5. Keep the Memory

Take informal, candid photos of your group.  Every now and then, when things are going well, take some group shots.  When you get home, put these photos in a family album or scrapbook, and frame your favorite photo of the group to hang on the wall or sit on the counter- for all to see and remember.

Read More: 5 Things to Do Now for a Less Stressful Stepfamily Holiday Later

This excerpt was taken from Shirley Cress Dudley’s book, Blended Family Advice.  

TravelingMom Tip: Protect yourself while traveling with Medjet. 2020 Medjet Members hospitalized with active COVID-19 infections are now eligible for Air Medical Transport within the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Learn more about how to become a Member here.
FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn

Category: Travel Tips

You May Also Like

  • Visiting beautiful Bermuda? Learn all you need to know about its attractions, what to expect, and how to navigate the island.
    Budget Travel Tips for an Affordable Family Trip
  • TravelingMom Editor Cindy Richards offers family travel tips on "The List."
    Get Family Travel Tips on 'The List'
  • Planning to dip your toes in the surf? TravelingMom has travel tips for family vacations at the beach.
    The Ultimate List of Travel Tips for Family Vacations
  • Packing tips for long term travel
    8 Essential Packing Tips for Long Term Travel
  • Whether it's sand or snow your seeking for your family's holiday vacation, these tips will help you stay stress free.
    The Best Stress-Free Holiday Travel Tips
  • family in car looking at a map
    Tips for a Fun Stepfamily Spring Break
Previous Post: «whisky-alcohol-glass-air-travel-flying Smuggling Whiskey on an Airplane
Next Post: 5 Things to Do Now for a Better Blended Family Holiday Later Gift ideas»

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Ask Us!
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Manage Push Notifications
  • Site Admin

Site Footer

Copyright © 2021 Traveling Mom ยท All Rights Reserved