There’s a special kind of pain in watching someone plan a trip using only the most generic, tourist-trap-heavy resources. Case in point: we’re heading to Porto for a long weekend with my mother-in-law, and she has dutifully printed out a stack of recommendations from Get Your Guide. Sweet, well-intentioned… and utterly tragic. Meanwhile, we’ve spent months researching, hunting down the best places to eat, and curating an experience that goes beyond the well-worn tourist paths.
Planning a family trip isn’t just about filling an itinerary—it’s about finding the real gems, the places that make a destination unforgettable. We don’t just “show up and hope for the best.” We prepare, we strategize, and we stay flexible—because with a six-year-old in tow, plans are always subject to change.
Here’s exactly how we approach family travel planning to create the best experience possible.
How We Plan Our Family Trips (And Why We’ll Never Rely on a Basic Tourist Guide)
1. Start Planning Six Months in Advance
We usually start researching a trip half a year in advance. Why? Cheap flights, for one. But also because anticipation is half the fun—having a trip to look forward to makes the wait worthwhile. Early planning also helps us find family-friendly accommodation and kid-friendly activities.
2. Build a Collaborative Google Map
We create a shared Google Map for every city we visit, pinning down everything from restaurants to attractions. For me personally, I go a step further—I set up a separate map for craft beer spots and cafés. These are essential for my survival when traveling, and I need to know where the good stuff is before I land.
Using a custom Google Map for family travel planning allows us to organize activities, make last-minute changes, and find the best places nearby wherever we end up.
We’ve been using this Google Maps travel planning technique for years, making it easier to share our carefully curated recommendations with friends and fellow travelers. Below, you’ll find all the maps we’ve created over the years—perfect for planning your next family-friendly holiday with the best places to eat, explore, and experience like a local.
3. Guidebooks For Expert Travel Advice
While the internet is great for real-time updates, we swear by guidebooks for expert recommendations. Michelin and Lonely Planet are our go-tos, but we always try to find local, specialized guides—the ones that aren’t just regurgitating mainstream attractions. The difference? Guidebooks offer expert criticism, whereas too many online travel blogs feel like paid marketing.
For family-friendly travel planning, these books provide insights on kid-friendly destinations, hidden gems, and food experiences that might otherwise go unnoticed.
🔍 Pro tip: Don’t buy guide books, head to your local library where you can normally borrow a few different guidebooks on the location you are heading to, to help with your research.
4. Instagram as a Search Tool (But with a Caveat)
Instagram is gold for discovering visually compelling food and travel spots—if you know how to search properly. Instead of following influencers who hype up everything they eat, we search for professionals: chefs, food photographers, and locals who actually know what they’re talking about.
🔍 Pro tip: Use Google search with site:instagram.com [city] + food + chef to find real experts, not just influencers on the take. This method ensures we get high-quality, authentic recommendations for family-friendly dining.
5. Get Our Daughter Involved with Travel Videos
Our six-year-old loves watching travel videos, especially ones made by other traveling families. The best part? She gets excited about the trip and actually helps pick things to do. Even if her choices are sometimes…questionable, the involvement makes the whole experience better.
Why This Works for Family Travel Planning:
- It gets kids excited about the destination.
- They’re more engaged when they help choose activities.
- It makes them feel included in travel decisions.
6. Prioritize Accommodation Near Markets & Transport
We’re city people, so getting around isn’t an issue—but we always choose accommodation near a market. If we’re in a self-catering spot, we like to cook at least some of our meals with fresh local ingredients. Public transport is our next priority—being well-connected saves so much time and hassle.
For families, this makes a huge difference—markets offer fresh, affordable food, and public transport makes sightseeing easier with kids.
7. Use Reddit for Local Advice
Forget the stale TripAdvisor forums. If we have specific questions, we go straight to Reddit and look for the most active local subreddits. The more engagement a subreddit has, the better the advice tends to be. This is a great way to find lesser-known family-friendly activities and restaurants.
8. Meal Planning: A Flexible Approach
We never lock ourselves into rigid meal plans. Instead, we keep a running list of options and decide on the spot, based on where we are and what we feel like. That said, if there’s a restaurant or chef we’re dying to try, we’ll make a booking—or even go out of our way to get there. But with a kid in tow, flexibility is key.
Family Travel Meal Planning Tips:
✔️ Have backup restaurant options in case of last-minute changes.
✔️ Plan at least one special meal experience in advance.
✔️ Consider kid-friendly dining hours and menus.
9. Embracing Mistakes and Unexpected Discoveries
We’ve been ripped off more times than I care to admit. The worst? Probably in Turkey on our first trip as a couple, when I completely miscalculated the exchange rate and overpaid like an absolute fool.
But then there are the wins—like the time we were starving in Istanbul and wandered into the most unassuming, hole-in-the-wall restaurant out of sheer desperation. Turns out, it was one of the best meals we had in Turkey. You win some, you lose some.
10. One Activity a Day—No Overloading the Schedule
We never create strict, time-stamped itineraries. Instead, we plan for just one key activity per day—it gives structure without making us feel like we’re on a forced march. Because honestly, what kind of holiday has a checklist? We’re a French family. We take our time. We enjoy.
Final Thoughts: Smart Family Travel Planning = Less Stress
Good travel planning isn’t about over-scheduling every second—it’s about knowing what’s out there and giving yourself the freedom to explore.
We’d rather put in the work, find the hidden gems, and create a trip that feels uniquely ours.
And if that means suffering through a few rip-offs along the way? So be it.
From the bustling streets of Paris to the heat of a professional kitchen, my life has always revolved around food. A Brit who moved to France at 16, I trained as a chef in a Parisian palace kitchen at 18 and have spent decades cooking, eating, and living like the French.
By day, I run kitchens and events, but Eat Like The French is my side hustle—a way to share my passion for French food through writing and food tours. After a detour into tech recruitment, I returned to what I love most: cooking and storytelling—one dish, one tour, and one bite at a time.
Plan Your Next Family Adventure Like a Pro!
Whether you’re heading to Paris, Porto, or anywhere in between, smart planning makes all the difference! If you found these tips helpful, check out our other family-friendly travel guides:
📌 How to Eat Like a French Child – Raise adventurous eaters and avoid mealtime battles while traveling.
🍽 Eating Out with Kids – Stress-Free Tips for Family Dining – Whether in France or beyond, learn how to navigate restaurants with little ones.
🏡 Surviving Self-Catering Stays with Kids – From local markets to easy meals, make the most of a self-catering trip with your family.
💡 Have your own family travel hacks? Share them in the comments—we’d love to hear how you make traveling with kids fun and stress-free!