Heading off on vacation with the kids this summer?
Tips and destinations from MyTravelDreams? Marie Faure-Ambroise
Fantasizing about hikes with a donkey, nights in tents, or hitting the road in a camper van? Problem is, it?s hard to know what to pack in the kids? suitcases without taking the whole kitchen sink with you, too. Marie from MyTravelDreams is crazy about big family vacations and knows how to pack a tight cabin bag: here are her best tips and destinations for the ultimate family summer.
Four tips for packing light
1 -
However long you?re heading off for, take enough for a week and do a load of laundry on the eighth day. If you don?t have access to a washing machine, head to a laundrette or get hand-washing. Okay, so you won?t exactly be catwalk-ready, but at least you?ll be traveling light and cutting back on mental load.
2 -
Definitely go for prints rather than pristine whites: it?s all too-easy to find yourself face-to-face with a spill or stain when you?re on the road.
3 -
For kids aged five and above, pack away all their stuff in a little bag they?re responsible for. It works every time, I promise!
4 -
Don?t forget to pack a little compression sack or tote for your dirty laundry.
2 -
Definitely go for prints rather than pristine whites: it?s all too-easy to find yourself face-to-face with a spill or stain when you?re on the road.
3 -
For kids aged five and above, pack away all their stuff in a little bag they?re responsible for. It works every time, I promise!
4 -
Don?t forget to pack a little compression sack or tote for your dirty laundry.
Your suitcase check-list
• 1 baseball cap
• 1 pair of foot-friendly sneakers. Stay away from fresh-out-the-box shoes: reach for your most loved, battered pair.
• 1 pair of sandals. My favorites ? The ones you can just pull on and hit the water in. Lightweight all-rounders you can wear with socks.
• 1 swimsuit (don?t bother packing options)
• 2 pairs of shorts and a dress for girls
• 1 pair of pants. For girls, focus on leggings: they fold up nice and small. For boys, opt for soft, snuggly sweatpants: they may not be elegant, but they?re handy.
• 1 pair of pyjama
• 7 tees
• 1 sweater and/or 1 fleece. Perfect for cooler mornings, nights spent camping and public transport (ever noticed how chilly it gets?!).
• 1 windbreaker. It depends where you?re headed obviously, but windbreakers don?t take up much space and are great for keeping warm.
• 1 anti-UV T-shirt if you?re planning on hitting the beach. This one?s a no-brainer.
• 1 small wash bag complete with toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush and sunscreen.
• 1 large scarf always handy. Slip it around your neck, or use it as an emergency towel or blanket. The ultimate travel buddy.
• 2 pairs of socks.
• 7 pairs of underwear.
• 1 pair of foot-friendly sneakers. Stay away from fresh-out-the-box shoes: reach for your most loved, battered pair.
• 1 pair of sandals. My favorites ? The ones you can just pull on and hit the water in. Lightweight all-rounders you can wear with socks.
• 1 swimsuit (don?t bother packing options)
• 2 pairs of shorts and a dress for girls
• 1 pair of pants. For girls, focus on leggings: they fold up nice and small. For boys, opt for soft, snuggly sweatpants: they may not be elegant, but they?re handy.
• 1 pair of pyjama
• 7 tees
• 1 sweater and/or 1 fleece. Perfect for cooler mornings, nights spent camping and public transport (ever noticed how chilly it gets?!).
• 1 windbreaker. It depends where you?re headed obviously, but windbreakers don?t take up much space and are great for keeping warm.
• 1 anti-UV T-shirt if you?re planning on hitting the beach. This one?s a no-brainer.
• 1 small wash bag complete with toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush and sunscreen.
• 1 large scarf always handy. Slip it around your neck, or use it as an emergency towel or blanket. The ultimate travel buddy.
• 2 pairs of socks.
• 7 pairs of underwear.
Where are you headed?
For vacations in the mountains:
we love ski resorts that do summer in style too, like Megève and Les Arcs. Book an Airbnb and head off for picnics in the pines. Far from the crowds, enjoy a vacation with a breeze: peak summer.
For hotel heaven:
if you?re in the mood to take it easy with an all-inclusive package complete with family-friendly activities, we recommend the Maisons de Campagne and their jam-packed summer-long stays. Perfect for parents who need a break.
For animal magic:
enjoy summer at the farm with a stay at Le Pré, where you can sleep in the middle of a field in fully-equipped tents. Great for getting up-close-and-personal with the animals and tapping into activities at the farm. A real breath of fresh air.
For road trip memories: :
why not explore the Drôme region by electric bike with Chemins, or get cycling around the Loire châteaux, stopping off in stunning riverside campsites.
For family fun:
book the breathtaking Maison Réveillon de Marie in the Vexin region a mere hour away from Paris. Expect a chilled vacation full of forest walks and barbecues with friends.
we love ski resorts that do summer in style too, like Megève and Les Arcs. Book an Airbnb and head off for picnics in the pines. Far from the crowds, enjoy a vacation with a breeze: peak summer.
For hotel heaven:
if you?re in the mood to take it easy with an all-inclusive package complete with family-friendly activities, we recommend the Maisons de Campagne and their jam-packed summer-long stays. Perfect for parents who need a break.
For animal magic:
enjoy summer at the farm with a stay at Le Pré, where you can sleep in the middle of a field in fully-equipped tents. Great for getting up-close-and-personal with the animals and tapping into activities at the farm. A real breath of fresh air.
For road trip memories: :
why not explore the Drôme region by electric bike with Chemins, or get cycling around the Loire châteaux, stopping off in stunning riverside campsites.
For family fun:
book the breathtaking Maison Réveillon de Marie in the Vexin region a mere hour away from Paris. Expect a chilled vacation full of forest walks and barbecues with friends.
