The average family vacation costs $1,000 per person. So if you have a family of five, you’re looking at spending at least $5,000! No wonder most families only go on one vacation a year.
Because of the high costs, you want to make sure your family remembers each vacation you take for years to come.
Keep reading to discover several great ideas for how to preserve travel memories.
1. Photobook
The days of taking your roll of film to be developed are long gone. Instead, most of our photographs live on our phones or social media accounts like Instagram where they garner hundreds of Instagram likes from our followers. When was the last time you actually had photos printed?
Instead of printing out individual photographs from your vacation and storing them in a shoebox, create a travel memory book. Many online photo retailers, such as Shutterfly or Snapfish allow you to upload your digital photos and create a photobook.
You can arrange your photos on the digital pages and even add text. Choose from a variety of photo page designs or let the site randomize your book for you.
Once you’ve designed your book, you’ll receive your hardcopy photo book in the mail. Create a separate book for each vacation to preserve memories!
2. Shadow Box
Shadow boxes are a step above a traditional family vacation photo. From straight on, these boxes look like a traditional photo frame, but they are thicker, providing more room for 3-dimensional items.
To create a vacation shadow box, start by printing out multiple photos from your trip. Layer these photos on the background of the box — it’s okay if they overlap.
Then, you can place souvenirs or memorabilia from your trip inside the box. Use tape, glue, or pushpins to keep them in place depending on how permanent you want the memories to stay in one spot.
Some great things to place in your shadow box include:
- Ticket stubs from activities
- Maps or brochures from the area
- Seashells or other souvenirs tokens you’ve collected
3. Souvenir Display
Another great way to show off your travel memories is through a souvenir display. This method involves a little forethought and a few vacations to bring the idea to life.
Often times, we gravitate towards bringing back a specific souvenir item from each vacation destination. In previous years, many people loved collecting souvenir shot glasses.
These days, look for something a little more attractive and unique. If you like beach areas, choose one seashell or a small bottle of sand to bring back. If you love exploring new cities, try to find a postcard or snowglobe.
Then, create a special shelf or area in your home to display your collection. Over the years, your collection will grow and you and your family can revisit each vacation with just a glance.
Some people even like to get a family travel map framed.
Start with a large blank map of the United States. Then, when you visit a state, you can print out a small photo from your vacation and cut it to match the state’s size. As you travel more places, you’ll create a unique decorative piece for your living area.
4. Woven Blanket
Woven Blankets are a great way to preserve your best vacation memories. Not only do they remind you of your vacation frequently, but they are also useful — not just sitting on display.
Start by choosing your favorite vacation photo. Opt for a posed photo with each family member in it or a unique candid photo that brings a smile to your face. You can pair the photo with some text or use it by itself for a simple look.
You can display the blanket on the back of your couch or use it on your bed. Grandparents and family members love receiving these as gifts, so keep that in mind as well.
5. Destination Boxes
Destination boxes are very similar to the shadow boxes discussed earlier.
The main difference is that instead of displaying the contents of the shadow box, these are boxes with a lid that can live on your shelf. After a few vacations, your walls will start to fill up and look cluttered. With destination boxes, you can stack them or store them and still have all your memories in one spot.
Place all your photos and keepsakes inside the box. We also suggest asking each family member to write a letter about their specific vacation memories to store inside.
Then, paint the box a special color and include the destination on the side. So you may have a light blue box with “Myrtle Beach” written on the side to preserve your beach vacation.
6. Holiday Cards
Every year when the holidays come around, mom’s around the world panic about one important thing — the holiday card photo. Many families opt for a posed family portrait but try using a vacation photo this year instead.
Choose your favorite photo of your whole family or make a collage of several photos. Inside the card, you can include a generic message about your vacation and all the great memories you created with your family. Make sure to leave room for a personalized note for each recipient.
The most important thing to remember is to make an extra holiday card for yourself. While you want to wish all your friends and family a great holiday, you also want a way to capture your vacation memories.
7. Wifi Photo Frames
Technology is evolving fast and the latest hype are digital photo frames. With a wifi photo frame you can stream and display your favorite memories directly from your smartphone via an app. There are quite a few models out there, but the best-sellers are from a company called Nixplay. They have a great resolutions, are very intuitive and look absolutely stunning. If you’re into gadgets, then we definitely recommend to check them out. Pro tip: They are great gifts for your grandparents.
Keep Making More Great Travel Memories
Now that you know how to preserve your previous travel memories, it’s time to start planning your next family vacation.
We have a large archive of family travel advice on our blog to get you ready for your next big trip. Bookmark the Travel section and check back often for all the best tips and tricks.