Are you planning a vacation? Ready for some relaxation? In need of a plan? Well lucky for you I have some insight! Having just come back from a vacation myself, I thought I'd share some of the guiding principles my family stuck to in order to make our trip the most memorable.

1. Good company

First and foremost, it is important to go on vacation with people you actually like. Fortunately for me, I went with my family and they're pretty cool people. Going with good company is essential to enjoying your vacation. Who wants to spend a week on the beach with people they can't stand?

2. It's about the journey.

While the destination of your trip is definitely the highlight, you can't forget that you're about to spend several hours in a vehicle of some kind with these people. You're all about to get to know each other on a much deeper, more personal level. Make sure your journey is comfortable and safe for all of the included parties (this includes screaming children and grumpy teenagers).

3. Planning is for losers.

Who needs a plan when you can just guess at things?! In my experience, trying to plan something with my family is a fruitless effort. It would be completely logical to have a plan that you stick to for the most part.

Unfortunately, nothing about my vacations are ever logical. The unknown factor along with the "it's anyone's guess" makes for a VERY memorable trip (mainly because everything goes wrong). I strongly recommend having at least half a plan.

4. Make questionable decisions.

When you're standing in line for a roller coaster and the fire alarm goes off, a fight breaks out, and right before you get on you hear someone yell, "DUDE NOOO!!!" and the ride temporarily shuts down; you should totally get on the ride anyways. Nothing could possibly go wrong. It's definitely safe. (Disclaimer: the ride was very safe and we all lived to tell the tale.)

5. Who needs food?

If your family is anything like mine, you will find yourself being asked this question at least fifteen times a day: "Where do you want to eat dinner?" A pretty common question. Except when you're in a place you're unfamiliar with, this can be a pretty difficult question to answer. And if you do manage to pick a place to eat, getting there will be hellacious.

You will make wrong turns, you will get there late, and when you do get there, you'll find out that there's drunk karaoke RIGHT NEXT to your table and your eight-month-old baby WAS sleeping. Now she's just screaming. Eventually, you'll be so stressed out you won't even want to eat anymore! It's gonna be great!

All of that aside, going on a vacation is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a family. Of course, you'll get on each other's nerves, but you'll learn things about each other and you'll grow closer. Having a plan in place will definitely minimize the amount of stress you'll have on your trip. But even if you don't have a plan, you'll never forget your family vacation.