It is that time of the year once again, and you are gearing up to plan your family vacation. The question is, where do you start? The goal is to find a destination that the entire family can enjoy, and plan it in such a way that everything runs smoothly. This guide will provide you with information on how to plan a family vacation.

• Are you knee deep in details, weighing all your options for this year's family vacation? Do you still need to decide on a destination, or are you lost in the travel arrangements, trying to decide whether to drive or to fly? Maybe you are still trying to choose where to stay on your vacation, or maybe you are just starting to plan it out. Whatever your situation, stop and take a deep breath. This guide will help provide you with information and tips on how to plan a family vacation.

Vacationing at Disney (Creative Commons photo by CalEvans)

• One of the most difficult aspects of vacationing with your family is agreeing on where to go, so start weighing your options early. Do some brainstorming and eliminating so that you have several options to choose from at the end. Then, take a family vote or draw the final destination out of a hat. Some ideas to consider:

1. Outdoor vacation. This would include going camping, hiking or exploring adventurous activities such as whitewater rafting.
2. The beach
3. The mountains
4. The lake
5. Amusement or theme parks
6. Tourist attractions and entertainment oriented places such as Hollywood, Las Vegas or New York City

• Once you have decided on your destination, start doing preliminary research. Find out what types of activities or entertainment are available and what times of the year they are offered. Have everyone in your family research the location and make lists of what they are interested in exploring.

• Using the lists your family has made, decide the best time of year to travel. Theme parks such as Disney World, for example, may be more enticing during the fall if your family does not like hot, humid weather. Taking a trip to the mountains will only work during the winter or spring if your family wants to snow ski.

• Next you will want to make travel arrangements. Depending on your destination and the time of year, you can travel by:

1. Car
2. Airplane
3. Boat
4. Train
5. Bus

• Car and airplane are usually the more popular choices, again depending on where you are traveling to. You will want to consider gasoline prices and how many miles you will be traveling, as well as airline prices at the time of the year you will be going. You may be able to find some great travel deals on airlines by going to websites such as Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity or Priceline.

• Now you need to decide where you want to stay each night. While hotels are a popular option, you may opt for renting out a condo or beach house if you are traveling to the beach or into the mountains. If you are going on a wilderness type vacation, you may want to rent out cabins. Check out the options available to you and plan accordingly, and don't forget to make reservations early in case things book up quickly. This includes any activities you may want to explore such as theme park tickets, shows or adventure activities that may require a guide.

Planning a family vacation takes a lot of time, but there is no reason to stress out. Vacations are meant to be fun and relaxing, and planning them should be an enjoyable experience. The above guide is a great place to start as you begin planning for your family vacation.