Packing for Family Vacation

If you arrive at your vacation destination and realize that you left your favorite shirt at home or forgot to pack a toothbrush, it is a little annoying, but easily fixed. You can adjust and wear other items and a new toothbrush is a quick purchase. For your small child, if their favorite toy was left behind on the kitchen counter, the entire trip could suffer.

So before you hit the road for a family vacation, take a few minutes and check your packing list for essentials. And as you pack the car, remember that some items, like that favorite toy, may need to be within easy reach to make the drive more comfortable.

Here's a sample list to get you started:

Baby carrier
Bibs
Diaper ointment
Bottles or Sip cup
Car seat
Changing pad
Diapers/Pull-ups
Wipes
Extra clothes
Food and snacks
Formula
Juice
Stroller
Toys
Baby food
Blankets
Child's toilet seat
Portable highchair/booster
Pack-n-play
Nursing pads
Pacifiers
Waterproof sheets

Safety Tips for Vacation Trips

Vacations are a time to be happy and carefree. But sometimes problems arise on the trip that can threaten the fun.

While we strongly believe in the impulse trip where you throw a bag in the car and hit the road for adventure, we encourage you to take just a few minutes to make sure you have the supplies you need to handle common travel woes.

Make sure your car is in good travel conditions. It is a good idea to pack a travel kit with a flashlight, antifreeze, jumping cables, motor oil, windshield fluid and of course make sure you have a spare tire. In addition to these basics, your trip will benefit from maps, driving directions, a pillow/blanket for comfort and a plan for a spare set of keys.

A travel first-aid kit is a great way to be prepared on the road. You can purchase a ready-made kit at most discount stores or create your own using a medium plastic box with a secure lid. Include standard items like bandages, tweezers, alcohol swabs, anti-bacterial ointment and basic over-the-counter medicines for allergies, motion sickness and upset stomach.

Don't Forget the Charger

It can be such a feeling of disappointment to be on a beautiful beach with your family, the perfect sunset in the background, you are poised to take the perfect photo or video to remember this moment forever. Then...yikes! You have dead batteries on your camera.

When you pack for vacation, make sure to include extra batteries and all the chargers you need to keep your camera, video camera, cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, laptop and even those video games charged up and ready to use.

Also remember to pack an extra memory card and extra film. With so much fun and natural beauty to enjoy at Gulf Shores Plantation and in the Gulf Shores area, you'll find plenty to photograph and video on your vacation.