Family vacations provide a wonderful opportunity to unplug and connect with your children and partner. However, it’s important to recognize that taking a trip with young kids isn’t quite the same as a traditional vacation—it’s more akin to parenting in a different location. While the views may be stunning, the accommodations often lack childproofing. Your little ones will undoubtedly wake up early, and although you might try to delay their naptime, the outcome is often less than pleasant for everyone involved. Despite the potential exhaustion and effort involved, these family adventures can still be immensely rewarding and a great way to forge lasting memories.
Earlier this year, as my husband and I prepared for a vacation with our 3 ½ and 1 ½-year-olds, we were invited to join two other families in renting a beach house for a week. We enthusiastically accepted the offer, and teaming up with friends who also have young children turned out to be the best decision we could have made. With six adults and four kids under five, the environment was consistently bustling, yet it genuinely felt like a vacation (for the most part), and we have every intention of doing it again. Here’s why:
Everyone enjoyed a true break during the week
Before kids, vacations are usually relaxing and require minimal organization. Conversely, traveling with small children requires considerable effort. Our beach week revolved around water activities, and while resorts might provide perks like beach chairs or pool towels, in a rental home, we had to sort out logistics ourselves.
Taking kids to the beach or pool when you’re staying in a rental means packing an extensive amount of gear and figuring out how to transport it all. None of our children can swim yet, so supervising them is an ongoing requirement.
Fortunately, having six adults to look after “just” four kids meant there was always extra assistance available. This arrangement allowed everyone a chance to have some personal time away from the children. Finding that individual time is key to re-energizing and isn’t always achievable when it’s just you, your partner, and kids on a trip.
The dads went golfing, the moms enjoyed long walks, and I found the opportunity to read a book in peaceful solitude for an entire afternoon. On some mornings, a few adults would take the kids to the beach early on, giving the remaining adults a chance to savor a quiet cup of coffee. While my husband and I could have coordinated giving each other some alone time if we were on our own, it would have required considerable effort from the other partner. This trip, backed by additional support, left us feeling relaxed rather than exhausted.
More adults helped share the mental and physical load
Regrettably, I must inform you that the same mental demands present at home also exist during a vacation. Dinner must still be planned and prepared, laundry still needs handling, and routines still have to be managed. However, with six adults, no one had to shoulder responsibilities alone.
The real relief came from dividing grocery shopping and meal preparation. One couple might be in charge of cooking while others pitched in to clean up. If one individual was making dinner for their child, it became easy to whip up a few extra plates for the rest. If something was needed from the store, there were plenty of hands to help out.
Activities like cramming all the kids into the bathtub together or organizing a group storytime before bed helped spread the workload and provided great fun for the little ones.
Had my husband and I been on our own, we would have faced all these tasks alone. It would have resembled our everyday routine and could have slightly dampened the experience.
Entertainment was easily available for all
Our group included two older kids (4 ½ and 3 ½) and two younger ones (21 months and 18 months), which ensured the children always had playmates. Each family brought along some of their favorite toys and mess-free markers, so when the kids weren’t splashing in the water, they had plenty of other activities to keep them occupied at our rental.
The week felt like an extended playdate, which resulted in happier children than if it had just been our family, alleviating the parents of constant entertainment duties. Of course, there were moments when parental intervention was necessary to resolve conflicts or help out, but there was also plenty of independent play that required little to no adult involvement.
When the kids went to bed, the adults were able to unwind and socialize. We played cards, enjoyed crafted cocktails, and engaged in good conversation. In a typical vacation scenario with kids, it can be challenging to have fun once they’re asleep, as you often feel confined to your accommodations. However, this arrangement allowed the adults to enjoy themselves, too.
Our budget was stretched further
From an organizational perspective, having three couples share the costs of lodging, food, and supplies meant our budget extended significantly. My husband and I would not have been able to afford the house we rented just for our family, but joining forces allowed us to secure a better property.
If we had opted for a resort or hotel, it would have been unlikely for us to share rooms with friends, meaning we would have missed the financial benefits we gained from renting a house and would have likely eaten out more, increasing our food costs.
Your budget can stretch even further if you begin your search for rental properties well in advance of your travel date. The closer you get, the less availability there often is, resulting in higher prices and fewer options that suit everyone’s needs. Most platforms like Airbnb or VRBO enable you to book well ahead of time, so it’s wise to consider next summer’s getaway now.
Our grocery budget felt robust since three families contributed. If you’re driving to your destination, it’s a good idea to bring kitchen essentials such as aluminum foil, olive oil, and favorite spices, as most rentals lack proper cooking supplies. This way, you can avoid unnecessary spending on items you may already own.
Our group coordinated what everyone would bring, and thanks to our numbers, we maximized bulk-buying opportunities at places like Costco, leaving room in the budget for treats like fresh seafood and steaks for dinner.
We’re already planning our next trip
Staying at a resort or hotel could have provided some similar benefits to what we experienced in a house, such as additional supervision for the kids and opportunities for them to socialize. However, we wouldn’t have been able to share the mental load or pool grocery resources as effectively as we did.
I am truly grateful for our group vacation this year—it felt like less pressure on all the adults, the kids relished having friends to play with, and everyone had a chance to unwind. While I still look forward to taking a few trips just with our immediate family, the experience of traveling with other families is one I genuinely plan to repeat in the future.
