15 Weekend Ideas to Spend Time with Family

With the busy lives like we have today, it is pretty common to end up being busy with our work and lose the time for our loved ones. Focusing on the work alone is never going to make one into a complete person, as there is an immense need for people to have a balance between work and time for self. Doing so, helps a person to forget all the work pressure at the end of the day and wake up energized for the challenges next day.

A lot of working professionals and employees often mention their families complain about them not spending time together despite various attempts. The problem here is that life becomes monotonous and if you want it to be interesting, then you must try to change things up for you and your family.

To help you decide new ways to have quality time, here are top weekend ideas to spend time with family.

1. Go Hiking


Long walks with the family can help you stay close now and then. Hiking in the countryside at beautiful locations will allow you to forget all the work pressure and instead enjoy the scenery. It will also let you explore the new places which you have never been, and the kids in your family will always cherish these moments.

2. Hot Water Therapy


It will not be a bad idea to purchase and install inflatable hot tub for your home and enjoy the days of winters in it with your family. The warm water and body relaxing chemicals can help you have quality time with the loved ones. Kids especially love to spend time on the water, and it is a great way to be with them.

3. Try a sport


As it can be monotonous to work day in and out doing the same job, you can try playing a sport new to you. Playing with your kids will also give them the entertainment that they would love and leave them with no complaints. Check out different games until you find the best for you and carry on playing it if you like it.

4. Take time to teach


The time given to own children can never be much and spending the weekends teaching them will help you catch up with them. A lot of parents are often at fault for not giving attention to the academics of their children and not monitoring them might end up in declining of the grades. Take the time to teach your children and find new ways to enjoy what they otherwise might find annoying.

There are lots of activities and program to take up to enjoy your time with the family, but sometimes all that you need is a face-to-face talk. Sometimes your family requires nothing but your presence, give them that and listen to them. Let them know that you are listening to them and interested in knowing what's going on. There can be no better way.

5. Eat in a Michelin restaurant


Why are they so pricey, and why are the portions small? The ingredients are more expensive. Ever notice how restaurants rarely serve caviar, langoustines, foie gras, Kobe beef, venison backstrap, and lamb rack? These are all expensive commodities. At Michelin-level restaurants, one of the draws is that luxury ingredients are on offer. But it’s not just luxury ingredients.

A lot of the produce will be hand-picked. If they use chicken, if, mind you, it will be from a specific small farm, possibly even one they have visited. The chef knows the guy that raised the pig you’re eating. He sent a cook to spend a half an hour at the farm stand picking out the best of the tomatoes. A meal at this level can take 3 hours.

Think about what a cheap restaurant has on the walls. Beer posters, neon lights, knick-knacks, etc. A Michelin-starred restaurant usually has things like wainscoting that someone had to polish by hand, and carefully curated art collections. The dining rooms tend to be done in lighter colors, to feel brighter, as opposed to the darkness of a bar.

High end restaurants often have flowers around the dining room, even at tables. Once or twice a week, a professional florist shows up with a huge box of fresh flowers. Michelin starred restaurants have more people serving, and more people preparing. On a slower night at a three-star restaurant, the staff can outnumber the guests.

And then there are the progressive-cuisine places, commonly mislabeled ‘molecular gastronomy.’ These places are the Michelin-level places that don’t rely on too many luxury ingredients, but it doesn’t help the bottom line, because every ingredient is processed. Very rarely is something just seasoned, cooked, and put on the plate.

At these places, ingredients are made into vapors, gels, mousses, candies, foams, purees, and emulsions. A dish may mostly contain carrots, orange juice, and butter, and still have taken 2 people 3 hours to prep, so you are going to get charged like you’re eating a duck breast. But why are the portions so small? They aren’t. That is a popular misconception.

The image of a tiny bit of food on a big plate is a classic ‘rich people are stupid’ signifier, passed around between people who have never eaten that style of food. The culinary model of this law is that the first couple of bites of something are revelatory. New tastes and textures, all excitement. But after those first few bites, it’s less entertaining.

Rather than slog through the rest of a huge bowl of salad, or a 16 oz lamb rack, offer a tasting menu, also called a degustation, where the diner is bombarded with new flavors and textures almost constantly.

6. Select quick getaways


Don't go for a place way too far from your home that you end up spending the entire weekend going and coming back. Do a research, take some time and find a perfect place not too far from your home. Somewhere that you haven't yet visited has many mysteries to unfold than a detective novel.

7. Leave on Friday afternoon


Since you are going for a weekend trip leave as early as possible because you have two and a half days at maximum. If you can leave early in Friday you can spend most of the time exploring the place and doing many adventurous activities. The type of activities definitely varies from place to place. For example you can always go for surfing, fishing, swimming and other water sports if you are picking up a nice sea beach for the coming weekend.

8. Stay in a cabin


If you are going to some hilly areas or lake or may be beneath the woods you can make your own tent or choose to live in a woody cabin because that way it seems to be more adventurous and thrilling. And if you are visiting a city with amazing night life always pick a place in the heart of the city to enjoy at its best.

9. Plan your activities


Since you don't have much time in your hand to explore every corner of the destination like those long vacations, always make a list of all the activities you are planning to do. And if you are a first timer undoubtedly you cannot manage to do everything the way you planned. But hey don't be sad. There's always a next time once you set off your foot with a heart longing to discover new things and true passion for traveling.

10. Pack some snacks


Always pack some snacks with you so that you keep yourself active and energetic throughout the trip. Take dry fruits, energy drinks and bar, cookies and any healthy snacks you love to eat.

11. Don't carry way too many luggage


Don't carry way too many luggage for a three days trip as later on you will find it difficult to manage. Keep it light and only pack the essential items. I know it's easy to say but once you start packing you feel like every other item in your home is essential. Just make sure not to pack too many clothes and always pack according to the weather of the place you are traveling to.

Take extra blankets if it's cold out there, rain boots and trench coat if you are going to a region where it rains all the time and if you are going to a beach I'm pretty sure it won't be hectic for you then.

12. Try to dump the luxury


Since it is your weekend trip don't try to make it too much expensive by living in a posh resort or making the journey way too comfortable. Remember you are going to experience some real adventure and thrill so for once try to dump the luxury and sink in the urge of exploring everything around you.

13. Be prepared mentally


8. Always be prepared mentally for any kind of obstacles coming in your way like if the road to your destination is closed due to heavy snow or any other natural barrier don't let your enthusiasm die. Take it in a positive way, change your direction and who knows you can discover a better place.

14. Put your phone in airplane mode


Definitely the most important point always put your phone in airplane mode. You can try and avoid those business calls for a couple of days, can't you? Put your phone and laptop away so that you can really spend some quality time with your friends making memories and really connecting to your destination.

15. Don't forget your camera


Don't forget your camera. For all the people out there who loves to travel as well as has a passion for photography you will enjoy these small trips at its best. Capture every moment and share your amazing experiences with everyone.

So, these are the top weekend ideas to spend time with family. If you like this post, do check out our other interesting articles. Stay connected to our website for more interesting content.
Kalyan Panja