As a mom of three teens, I recognize the challenges of travel long before we start. Long gone are the days of me packing their suitcases, or getting them to smile the whole time. Rather, travel has become a tad challenging because you all know that teens can be smiling one minutes and totally miserable the next.
Without wanting my vacations invaded with attitudes that defy explanation I put a little thought into where to stay so that our accommodations make it possible to give them what they most need and want: food and WiFi at all hours, while it gives me what I most need: a space to sprawl out in.
Today I want to share with you what I believe to be the best lodging options for travel with family and teens so that as you plan your next adventure you might use my experience to generate a better travel situation for you and your family! Lavishly live travel out loud and check out the best lodging options for travel with family and teens, pack those bags!
Best Lodging Options for Travel With Family and Teens
Having 3 teens and traveling a lot, allows me to be a self-proclaimed traveling pro. I want to share tips so you too can have successful travels with your family so while today’s discussion is sponsored by Coupons.com. All opinions are 100% my own as experience combined with a good brand help me navigate my travel with the family.
Finding The Right Space
Traveling with my teens requires planning, patience, and amenities beyond the average hotel. Planning executed ahead of travel is simply finding out as much as I can about what rooms offer before we get to a destination. In fact, Extended Stay America has amenities that will make any parent of teens (kids) smile. From the ability to spread out a bit to being able to prepare meals, it’s a gift of a lodging choice. Don’t forget to register for the Extended Perks Rewards Program, which gives you access to special national and local discounts from America’s top brands the moment you enroll. Plus, you can save up to $2,500 annually with no points required.
Traveling Space
Plain and simple space and the food is what travel becomes about. If you travel by airplane you have been packed in like sardines for a long trip and that makes kids miserable not to mention the adults. Lack of legroom, insane sneezing and germ passing all have taken place as you get to your destination and you just need to have some space, yet you want to be together.
Being able to sprawl out a bit with amenities like a desk or two, a comfy bed, and a kitchen area, allows everyone to have a little bit of what they crave, SPACE.
Bring Less
The need to overpack heads to an all-time low because there is an on-site guest laundry so you can wash as you need and pack a lot less. Packing less means hauling less and it also allows you to no worry about the kids getting messy during a meal and destroying ‘the shirt’ you loved, ha! Go back to your room and wash it, that’s how stress-free travel can be.
Eat
One thing I am certain of is that kids need to eat and as long as they are fueled up they are more pleasant beings. The task of feeding when traveling often gets to be cost offensive as kids and teens need to eat frequently and that means vending machines in hotels, and quick stops at the stores to pick up junk but that is not all good either.
Extended Stay America is perfect for these longer trips because every room includes a fully-equipped kitchen that includes a stove, microwave, and refrigerator. Pop popcorn, watch a movie (on your device because there is Free WiFi), order pizza, or bake one. Have teens that don’t get up in the morning and miss breakfast? No worries, just grab some groceries and stock up for the week they self-feed at this age quite well. The fact is that having the food there, let’s the kids/teens eat as they need and it keeps the cost of running out for burgers and garbage down.
If you have a child with severe food allergies, you know how tough lodging can be, so a fully-equipped kitchen is truly a life-saving find. Prepare what he/she can eat and do not worry about cross-contamination from other foods. Now everyone in your crew can be happy.
WiFi
Teens are WiFi hogs, no arguments, period. I love that Extended Stay America offers Free WiFi, not based on privileges earned, or top rooms only, based on any reservation. Thank YOU. The kids can surf the web, play their games, text, SnapChat whatever it is they do, while no destroying your data plan!
Travel Time
Get ready to travel. It’s easy to enjoy the best lodging options for travel with family and teens when you plan ahead. Lightly pack those bags and travel and lavishly live travel out loud!