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Taking the Kids: Ten wishes for happy travel in 2016

By Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Content Agency on

We're watching the mango man sculpt mangos into fruit flowers to sell on the beach, as we sit under a thatched talapas eating just-caught fish that had been grilled and served up on freshly made corn tortillas.

People come to San Blas in the Riviera Nayarit area of Mexico's Pacific Coast to see the amazing birds, surf and play on the beach alongside Mexican families. It may only be a couple of hours from the all-inclusive resort scene in Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit, but it feels like it's light years away.

Many families aren't comfortable visiting Mexico at all, much less leaving their all-inclusive resort. But that day proved one of the most memorable of the year for me for exactly that reason. It was so different. It was a chance to meet Mexican families having fun in the sun. And besides, the food was fantastic!

What kind of traveler are you? Maybe you are most comfortable returning to familiar climes where your gang has had fun in the past, each visit solidifying your memories. You count every penny or, once you're on vacation, you don't want to think about what anything costs.

Maybe you like nothing more than exploring new places and sharing new adventures with the kids and grandkids, well aware that things may not go as planned, though that can happen wherever you go, of course. Wherever you venture in 2016, give yourselves permission to get off the tourist track, at least for a little while. You'll be glad you did.

Here are my other nine hopes for your travel this year:

 

1. ALLOW THE KIDS to lead the way. Sure it can be scary -- where are they going to take you! But you are guaranteed to see places and have experiences you wouldn't have had otherwise, whether your college student leads you on their favorite hike and you struggle to keep up, your teen takes you to a flea market in a questionable neighborhood or your grade-schooler chooses to explore a bizarre museum exhibit. (How about the torture exhibit at the Tower of London?) Yes, that was me.

2. GIVE YOURSELVES PERMISSION TO RELAX -- even in Orlando. No matter how much you try, you won't be able to see and do everything, so don't make yourself miserable trying. Quit when you've all had enough. There will always be another visit and there's a lot to be said for kicking back at the wonderful hotel pools. In fact, at the new Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World, I met families whose kids begged for more pool time and less park attractions, to the adults' delight.

3. HAVE A SOUVENIR STRATEGY, and stick to it! Make sure the kids know how much they can spend and that no amount of whining will change that. Encourage the kids to start a collection (postcards, pins or key chains are always good) or to buy something unique to where you are visiting -- a cable car in San Francisco, for example, or a Statue of Liberty in New York.

4. MEET THE LOCALS. You can sign up in cities around the world for free tours offered by volunteers through the Global Greeter Network aimed at your family's interest. Jamaica has a terrific Meet the People Program where locals may take you to a local school, on a hike or give you a cooking lesson. Share a meal with people at their homes through websites like www.mealsharing.com or meet locals at a playground or park.

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