The 5 Travel Planning Rules That Changed How We Vacation (and Why We Came Home More Rested Than Ever) - Family-Friendly Travel

For years, we thought a great vacation meant seeing and doing as much as possible.

More restaurants, neighbourhoods, must-sees. More packed itineraries.

Ironically, we'd often come home feeling like we needed another vacation.

This summer, we tried something different on our two-week family trip through France and Switzerland. Instead of trying to maximize everything, we optimized for something else: How we wanted to feel when we got home.

It ended up being our favourite trip we've ever taken.

Here's exactly what we'd do again, organized into a framework that you can use too!

Rule #1: Split your trip into completely different environments

Instead of spending two weeks in one type of destination, we divided our trip into three chapters:

• A big city (Paris)

• A smaller city (Lausanne)

• A week in the Swiss Alps (1 hour outside Zurich)
  

Each destination gave us something different...

• The city brought energy, incredible food, and museums.

• The smaller town slowed our pace and helped us settle into local life.

• The mountains gave us what we didn't realize we needed most: space, fresh air, long hikes, and quiet.
  

By the end of the trip, it felt like we'd taken three vacations in one.

Try this: On trips longer than 10 days, combine an energetic destination with somewhere slower, then finish somewhere immersed in nature.

Rule #2: Build in childcare without guilt (this is probably our SECOND most important tip for family-friendly travel)

One of the best decisions we made wasn't a hotel or a restaurant.

It was arranging childcare for a few evenings.

While in Paris, a trusted local babysitter looked after the kids so we could enjoy dinner together.

It wasn't about escaping our children. It was about reconnecting as a couple, and getting to extend our time enjoying the city.

The next morning, everyone was happier, recharged, and ready to have another fun day!

Our take: Sometimes the best thing for the kids is giving the parents a chance to recharge, too.

Billie, a vinyl bar (with DJ) and restaurant in Paris, France.

Rule #3: Stop forcing "adult vacations" onto kids (arguably, our top tip for family-friendly travel)

Instead of trying to have our children constrained to a table for long restaurant dinners, we planned around what everyone would actually enjoy. Some of our favourite memories weren't Michelin-star meals.

They were:

• Picking up fresh food at local markets.

• Picnics in beautiful parks.

• Long playground stops.

• Getting to know neighborhoods without an agenda.
  

Ironically, slowing down helped us experience each destination more deeply.

The less we rushed, the more we remembered.

Square Louis XIII in Paris, France: The perfect park in Paris, France for picnics and for kids to play in the grass and fountains.

Rule #4: Make nature part of the trip—not just a day trip

Looking back, the mountains completely changed the rhythm of our vacation.

Every day looked different from life at home...

• We hiked.

• We watched the kids explore.

• We slowed down enough to notice the little things.

Nature has a way of resetting you that cities simply can't.

If your itinerary allows it, don't just visit nature for a day.

Stay and spend time there. Ideally, at the tail end of your trip.

Rule #5: Plan around memories, not lists.

This may have been the biggest mindset shift of all.

We stopped asking:

"What else can we fit in today?"

Instead, we asked:

"Will we remember this?"

Sometimes that meant skipping a meal.

Sometimes it meant lingering over coffee.

Sometimes it meant watching our kids play in a park for an extra hour.

Those slower moments became some of our favourite memories.

The takeaway

After this trip (and our other 12 trips with kids over the last 4 years), we've learned that

family-friendly travel isn't only about the destination. It's about the choices you make while you're there. Follow these 5 rules on your next trip, and we promise it will hit different - in the best way!

If you're planning a family trip—or even a trip as a couple—we hope these five rules help you create a vacation you'll still be talking about years from now.

Because the goal isn't simply to do or see more.

It's to travel in a way that leaves you feeling inspired, connected, and genuinely recharged.

Happy travels,

Audrey & the Le Bon Vivant team

Planning your next getaway?

While LE BON VIVANT (LBV) is all about helping people discover the best of Prince Edward County, we also love sharing the travel lessons that make every trip more memorable—whether you're heading to Europe, exploring Ontario, or planning your next weekend escape.

Consider LBV for your next truly family-friendly escape, and follow us on Instagram (@thatpecspot) for more family travel inspiration, destination guides (including intimate knowledge and insider tips for Prince Edward County, among elsewhere), and trip planning advice.