8 stress-free family travel tips for dads

(BPT) - Family travel is a great way for everyone to bond and create lifelong memories. However, before you can hit the road, you need to do a little planning.

Traditionally, moms took the lead in organizing vacations. Today, a new trend is emerging in which men are taking charge and planning family trips. Driven by the desire to share important life experiences with their kids and partner, fathers are handling every aspect of travel, from researching locations to booking hotels.

Beau Coffron is one of these dads. With a passion for travel, the Lunchbox Dad blogger has planned numerous family vacations. These experiences led him to become a Travel MANager for Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton.

Coffron knows family travel is a lot of fun, but it can also get stressful fast. To avoid those out-of-control moments and keep kids (and parents!) happy, he offers eight smart tips for stress-free family travel.

Plan early: Whether a quick weekend adventure or a grand week-long escape, plan as early as possible. Having extra time to research the right location, travel accommodations and activities cuts stress and ensures you plan a memorable vacation.

Use online planning tools: Save time by using the internet to research and book travel. An all-in-one website like Mencanplantravel.com is packed with inspirational insight from dad travelers, tips for planning a great family vacation and fast options for finding great hotel rates around the world.

Pack smart: Traveling with a family can mean bringing a lot of stuff for each person. Pack smarter by focusing on items that multitask. For example, kids' T-shirts take up little space and can be worn during the day or at night as pajamas. Accessories like scarves can also be used as small blankets for picnics.

Keep kids busy in transit: No matter what your mode of travel, kids can get bored while in-route to your destination. Keep kids busy by packing unique activities such as giving out a small metal tin from the kitchen and pack magnets for mess-free fun. Searching "free printable coloring sheets" online and printing out loads of activities kids can color with crayons is another great option.

Guarantee sound sleep: For little ones, always pack a crib sheet so you know you'll have fresh linens for your baby or toddler. For all kids, you can download a soothing sound machine app on your phone to block any sound to help everyone sleep better.

Simplify first-aid: Create a travel-friendly first-aid kit by filling a plastic pencil box with travel-size sunscreen, insect repellent, bandages, tweezers and more. It takes up little space and you won't have to spend time digging around your luggage to find items when needed most.

Bring a disposable camera for kids: Kids love to take pictures, but parents tire of having to share their smartphone constantly. Instead, give kids control by buying a disposable camera. They'll have fun documenting the vacation and you don't have to worry about them breaking your screen.

Document possessions: You're sure to use your phone to take photos and videos of the kids, but have you thought of doing so with your luggage? Lay out what you've brought and take a quick video before putting items away at the hotel. This helps should you have to make an insurance claim.

With these tips, dads can plan stress-free family trips with ease. Now you just count down the days until takeoff.