Planning a familymoon

Part 1

What is a familymoon?

A familymoon is a honeymoon that includes your children. It’s often chosen after a wedding that brought two families together, when the trip is as much about becoming a family as being newlyweds. It’s a celebration of all of you, with a little time set aside for the two of you.

Some couples take the whole trip as a family; others do a few days together and then hand the children to grandparents for a couple of nights alone. Both are a familymoon.

Part 2

Involve the children

• Let each child choose one thing: a beach day, an animal to see, a treat. Ownership makes a trip theirs too.
• Talk about the plan, including the evenings when the two of you will go out. Children cope better with what they expect.
• Mark the occasion together: a family photo, a small gift for each child, a meal where everyone says what they’re looking forward to.

Part 3

Choosing the destination

A good familymoon destination is safe and easy (short transfers, good healthcare, food children will eat), has things for every age, and still has romance after bedtime. These score highest in our data for family-friendliness and safety while keeping the romance:

• 

  Maldives

  Best: Jan–Apr, Jun

• 

  Amalfi Coast

  Best: May–Oct

• 

  Swiss Alps

  Best: Sep–Oct, Dec–Mar

• 

  Udaipur

  Best: Sep–Mar

Children’s costs vary too much to estimate fairly; many resorts let young children stay free in their parents’ room.

Part 4

Getting there with children

Journey time matters more with children than any other factor. Door-to-door estimates to the family picks above:

Estimates from distance, including airport time and a likely connection on long routes.

• Fly in the daytime with young children if you can, and book seats together when you book.
• Children under two usually fly on a parent’s lap for a fraction of the adult fare; from two they need their own seat.
• Long transfers after a long flight are the hardest part. Look at the last leg, not just the flight.

Part 5

Choosing the stay

• A suite or villa with a separate bedroom, so evenings aren’t spent whispering in the dark. Two connecting rooms can cost less than one big suite.
• A kids’ club or vetted babysitting service. Ask about ages, hours and how staff are checked.
• An adults-only pool or restaurant on site gives you a few hours of honeymoon without leaving.
• Half board with children can save both money and decisions.

Part 6

A rhythm that works

Plan the days around the youngest child’s energy, and the evenings around the two of you. A week might look like this:

Part 7

Ideas by age

Part 8

What changes in the budget

• Rooms: a family room or connecting rooms instead of a double. Many resorts let young children stay free in their parents’ room.
• Food: half board or a kids-eat-free offer can save a lot; so can apartments with a kitchen.
• Flights: usually the biggest extra; school holidays push fares up.
• Childcare: kids’ clubs are often included, babysitting is usually charged by the hour.

Part 9

Health and safety with children

• Vaccines: children may need different vaccines or doses from adults. Book the travel clinic for the whole family six to eight weeks ahead.
• Sun and heat: plan the outdoor time for mornings and late afternoons in hot places, with shade, hats and plenty of water.
• Water: check pool and beach supervision, and whether the sea has currents or stinger seasons.
• Insurance: name every child on the policy, and check the medical limit covers the whole family.
• A small first-aid kit with children’s pain relief, plasters and rehydration sachets saves a late-night search for a pharmacy.

Part 10

Paperwork for blended families

Families where parents and children have different surnames, or where a step-parent is travelling, sometimes get asked questions at borders. It’s routine, and the right papers make it quick:

• Children’s birth certificates, showing the parent relationship.
• Your marriage certificate, linking the step-parent.
• A signed consent letter from any parent who isn’t travelling, with their contact details, if they share parental responsibility. Some countries and airlines expect one.
• Each child’s own valid passport and any visa they need.

Part 11

Keeping the romance

Book two adults-only evenings before you go, so they happen. Plan one moment that’s just yours (a sunrise, a massage, a dinner), and let the rest of the week be about all of you.

The Matchmaker’s familymoon mode weights safety, easy transport and beaches while you both answer the romance cards. And the packing list below fits the destination and month.