The yearly escape: making your annual holiday worthwhile

A vacation sounds good at any time of the year, but holidays encompass a great deal more than simply dashing off to a dreamy destination. You have to secure time off work; the kids need to be on break from school and the destination of your choice needs to be inviting in terms of weather - all at the same time! Moreover, you need to take the time to plan your vacation, not to mention save up for it. So what does it all boil down to? For countless families, this usually means taking one well-planned vacation each year.

While many people would prefer to get away more often, it's not always possible due to work and family demands. However, there are various advantages to taking one special vacation each year: for starters, you can truly splurge on your holiday activities in order to make the best use of your precious vacation time.

If you're only able to take one vacation per year, you'll undoubtedly want to come away with an experience that's well worth your time, money and effort - after all, you might not get another chance at a holiday until next year. So why not indulge a bit? Dine out for some truly exquisite meals, or go shopping and buy yourself something spectacular; pamper yourself with a spa treatment or treat yourself to a day-long golf retreat. And if the kids are with you, arrange for some truly unique experiences - such as a hot air balloon or helicopter ride. And because a vacation is meant to give you a change of scene from your day-to-day routine, a holiday is the perfect time to indulge in special activities such as these.

Taking all this into consideration, it's essential that you start planning your trip early: request time off work well in advance, find out when the kids are on break from school and start considering your options in terms of destinations. Moreover, begin to think about all the special activities in which you and your family might want to partake on your holiday, so that when the time comes, you'll be set to make reservations or arrangements.

If you're getting ready to plan your yearly family vacation, rest assured that there are plenty of hotels - such as Hilton Embassy Suites - which can cater specifically to your requirements. With spacious rooms, family packages and activity deals, your special trip is sure to keep you talking until next year.

Martin McAllister is an online freelance journalist. He lives in Scotland.