The perfect vacation can be summarized by the words happiness, relaxation, and enjoyment of your surroundings. However, those feelings can be ruined even before reaching the destination if the journey turns sour. Cramped transportation, long drives or flights, and poor meals on the go can transform a happy group of travelers into a pool of grumpiness. There is a way to turn the frowns upside down, and that's through first class travel. We're not talking about limos, private jets, and all meals at Michelin-star restaurants. Instead, we mean upgrading a bit to make the journey as comfortable as the destination. Here are three ways to do this.

Spend A Bit More

While it may seem like a luxury, paying a more to have a better experience while traveling can make a huge difference. This can be as simple as paying a bit more for extra legroom on your flight or seeing about an upgrade to a larger rental vehicle with more amenities for family members. If it’s a special occasion, you might even consider chartering a plane from a company like Silverhawk Aviation. Traveling in luxury, or even just with a little bit of extra leg room, can make an otherwise uncomfortable situation a fun and unique experience.

Take Your Time

Is your flight leaving at 1 p.m.? Then, get there at 10 a.m. in order to check bags, go through security, get something to eat, and simply relax before boarding. Also check-in ahead of time to get the better seats and space in the overhead compartment. If driving to your destination, don't make it a straight-through journey. Pick sites along the way for everyone to enjoy. That brings us to the third suggestion.

Choose Democratically

Nothing ruins car trip than going somewhere no one else, other than the driver, wants to go. Instead of going this route, sit down one evening and tell the others about the final destination and the route you'll travel. Pick out a few other attractions along the way and let them chose together what they want to see. The excitement of all of them will keep the energy up in your larger, more comfortable vehicle.

In the end, the travel needs to be as enjoyable as the destination. So, don't rush and penny pinch to make the destination the best. Spending a little extra time and money is going to go a long way to making the entire trip enjoyable as well as a memorable experience your children will tell their children about when they decide if they should go first class on their own holiday.

Author's Bio: 

Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan.