How to Enjoy Nightlife When You’re Traveling With Kids

Is it possible to enjoy nightlife on a family vacation? Absolutely! You just need to be strategic in your planning to find ways to sneak off by yourself or travel partner to check out the sights. Before you head off on your trip, do your research on your travel destination to see what there is to offer for family vacationers. Check out these tips for some things to look for and how to plan your vacation so you can get a taste of nightlife on your trip.

1. Bring your babysitter or nanny

If you have a family nanny, bring her along! She’ll get to see a new part of the world and you’ll get to enjoy the nightlife on a family vacation. Or, check into local babysitters near your travel destination. Search by location on Care.com for a trustworthy person to come to your hotel on the nights you want to go out on the town.

2. Plan a vacation with the grandparents

You can always invite your parents along on your vacation. They’ll probably love spending extra quality time with the grandkids. Have separate hotel rooms or opt for a family suite with separate rooms so you can all have your own space.

3. Find a hotel with babysitting services

Look for a hotel or resort with in-house babysitting services, or one that works closely with an outside provider. Just about every family-friendly destination has a vacation nanny/babysitting agency that can provide you with a professional caregiver with a complete background check and reference checks.

4. Check out nearby hotels

If your hotel doesn’t offer anything for babysitting services, or they’re out of your price range, that’s okay. Look for services at nearby hotels. They could even have better pricing options or a higher-rated service.

5. Travel with friends and take turns babysitting

Bring along your favorite couple and take turns as couples watching the kids on alternating nights. If you’re traveling alone with your kids, ask your best friend to join you and see if he or she would mind watching the kids for a night or two. Just make sure you’re offering your friend some alone time, too!

6. Book an all-inclusive vacation

All-inclusive vacations offer a bunch of benefits for one convenient price. Kid-friendly all-inclusive vacations often offer day camps, night clubs or babysitting services for kids for discounted prices.

7. Find a hotel with a kids club

Kids clubs are probably the best way to keep your kids entertained while you enjoy the nightlife on a family vacation. Cruises, especially, are known for their fun kids’ clubs that operate for a few hours into the night so you can get some alone time.

8. Reserve a room with a view… and a balcony!

If all other options fail, don’t get discouraged. You can still enjoy the nightlife on your family vacation! Find a room with an awesome view that overlooks the center of the city. Opt for one with lots of windows and, preferably, a beautiful balcony that you can enjoy after the kids go to sleep. Open a bottle of wine or champagne and take in the sights!

Enjoying nightlife on a family vacation takes some extra planning, but it’s well worth the effort. Try to take along your close friends, family, or a babysitter, so you can fully enjoy everything your vacation spot has to offer. Research the area for kids clubs, babysitters, or babysitting services in your hotel if bringing someone isn’t an option. And, at the very least, find a room with a view of the nightlife.

by STAFF CONTRIBUTOR