222. The Secret to Memorable Family Vacations

Hey Family Brand! It's Chris and Melissa here, and this week we're talking all about summer plans and how to create meaningful, memorable family vacations. If you're anything like us, summer can sneak up quickly, and planning can feel overwhelming. But what if the best family trips aren't the most expensive or extravagant ones? What if they're the simple, unstructured ones where everyone just gets to be together? Today, we're sharing one of our favorite family exercises for figuring out what really matters when it comes to travel—and how it might just change the way you vacation.

A few years ago, we sat our kids down with a whiteboard and asked a big question: "What are the most fun, memorable trips we've ever taken?" What surprised us? Disney World didn't make the top five. The most expensive trips weren't their favorites. Instead, what rose to the top were the road trips and spontaneous adventures—the ones with little structure, lots of connection, and no jam-packed itinerary.

In this episode, we break down how that simple family discussion helped us realize the kind of trips that work for us—and how every family can do the same. We also talk about creating themes for each vacation (like "Wander with Wonder" or "Adventure"), letting each kid share what they're hoping to experience, and why even short weekend getaways can be just as impactful as long, elaborate ones.

We also opened up about our current season as our oldest prepares to be gone for most of the summer. It's new territory, and it's reshaping how we think about this year's vacation plans. But instead of letting the logistics overwhelm us, we're choosing to be intentional, and to make the most of the time we do have together.

If you're planning a summer trip (or just trying to figure out what would make the season meaningful), this episode is full of ideas to simplify your planning, prioritize connection, and make your next vacation truly unforgettable.

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand!

• stan.store/familybrand

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 – Kicking off summer plans and Chris joins the show
• 2:00 – Asking our kids to name their favorite family trips
• 4:00 – Why big, expensive trips didn't make the top 5
• 6:00 – What our favorite RV trip taught us about family travel
• 9:00 – How to create a family vacation "style" that works for you
• 11:00 – Creating themes and letting your kids shape the trip
• 13:00 – Navigating summer with teens and limited availability
• 14:00 – The power of small, intentional getaways