For any kid who plays minor hockey, one of the most coveted and memorable experiences of their season is being able to play away-tournaments. They get to travel and experience new things, stay at a hotel, eat out at restaurants, and most importantly, play their favorite sport of hockey in a new and exciting place.
However, none of the players ever consider how much work needs to go into planning the trip to create that memorable experience. From planning travel routes, to finding hotels, to choosing the restaurants, preparing for a far-away hockey tournament can be a daunting task. And who are those hard-working individuals who work tirelessly to plan the trip for the kids? Their parents, of course! Below are some of the most important tips for how to have a happy, healthy, inexpensive, and safe trip for an on-the-road hockey tournament.
Pack Accordingly
Make sure you have everything on your trip checklist: A set of clothes for each day, for each member of the family, medication, toiletries, games and entertainment items, and a bit of spending money. But remember, this isn’t any regularl trip. Also make sure you have all the gear your child will need to play, and extras if possible, for example, Extra skate blades, back up sticks, etc. A few sets of extra clothes for the player will help as well, for game days.
Research Your Hotel
When it comes to choosing a hotel, a little research will go a long way. There are plenty of hotel options that are affordable, high-quality, and will be near the places you need to go. However, the difficult part is finding them.
Websites like Hotels.com, Trivago, and Travelocity will help you find all the information you need to choose the best hotel for you: the location, the cost, the features, and plenty of reviews from other people who have stayed at the hotel before. That way, your child will be happy with where they’re staying and so will you, since the hotel won’t break the bank.
Find Low Cost and Healthy Restaurants
If the room in the hotel you’re staying at has a kitchen, then perfect; groceries and hand-cooked meals is a great option to stay healthy and save money during the trip. Unfortunately, there is rarely a kitchen available in a hotel room, so most meals will be eaten at nearby restaurants.
In choosing the restaurants you eat at, try to consider both the cost and the menu options. Of course, you don’t want the restaurants draining you of your money, and you should also make sure that your kids will have healthy options when they go out to eat. Remember, the primary reason for the trip is the hockey tournament, so your child’s diet should allow them to have the energy they need to perform well in their hockey games.
You’ll be able to find plenty of moderate-cost, healthy restaurant options in the area that your kids will still enjoy using websites like TripAdvisor, Google Maps, and Zomato.
Plan Your Route
Putting some time and thought into planning your route can save you a lot of hassle. Not just on your way to the city and back, but for the entire trip. Knowing your way to the hotel, the arena, and the restaurants you want to go to can spare you the frustration of getting lost and wasting time. The most helpful tool for planning a route during a trip is Google Maps, which will tell you exactly how far two locations are in both minutes and kilometers.
Make a Schedule
Having a schedule for each day of the trip can also save you from potential disaster. On the trip, you’ll have to balance time for eating, sightseeing and local experiences, and your child’s hockey games. If you have your activities all planned out, there will be no chance of crazy-late nights or worse: accidentally being late for one of your child’s hockey games.
Have Fun
Ultimately, the most important thing to keep in mind when out of town for a hockey tournament is to have fun. Try to remember that no matter how stressful the experience may be to plan or to fund, your child is having an amazing time and will remember the experience for a long while. Having this mindset will allow you to focus more on spending quality time with your family and enjoying the trip yourself; and you’ll be able to cheer that much louder at their big game!
