5 tips for planning a trip the whole family will enjoy

5 tips for planning a trip the whole family will enjoy

Does your next trip involve more than one or two generations of family members? If you, your children, and your parents or in-laws are all taking a holiday together, you have a great opportunity to build some family memories and expand everyone's horizons.

However, it's also difficult to craft a trip that will satisfy everyone's needs and leave each person feeling like they had an exciting, refreshing experience. Here are some tips for travelling with multiple generations.


Keep age and physical limitations in mind

Most importantly, make sure the trip you choose to take is one that is enjoyable for all ages. A hiking and camping trip at a national park may sound fun, but grandma and grandpa might not be able to enjoy it as much as you and your kids would. Similarly, a cruise ship that has many drinking, gambling and fine dining activities won't have a lot to offer the kids. Choose a trip theme that will appeal to everyone.


"If you, your children, and your parents or in-laws are all taking a holiday together, you have a great opportunity to build some family memories and expand everyone's horizons."



Take care when choosing your holiday accommodation

Make sure you find a place to stay that will accommodate every member of your family. An apartment-style hotel will include kitchen amenities that let you cook up home-style family meals even when you're on holiday. This is a must, because as everyone knows, some of the best family memories are made around the dinner table.

You should also take care to select lodging that is centrally located to all the amenities your family needs. Do grandma and grandpa want to be able to walk to a restaurant to grab an early breakfast while the teenagers are still asleep? Choose a hotel downtown. Does everyone want to be able to access the beach? Look for a coastal location.


Keep your itinerary flexible, but stay organised

When it comes to your trip itinerary, you're going to need to leave space for flexibility when travelling with multiple generations. The grandparents may tire out one day and need a day of R&R the next, while teens may become bored by museums and desire a trip to a local cafe or coffee house. Pick must-do activities prior to embarking on your holiday, but wait to plan the day-to-day specifics until the night before.

It's also important, however, to stay organized with your itinerary. Once you've decided upon a plan for the next day, agree upon a time at which everyone should be ready to go. This will help you avoid a fight with the kids if they want to sleep in when you're already set to hit the road.


Talk about money

You know the old adage that states it's rude to talk about money? On a trip with the whole family where there are multiple generations, this idea will need to be cast aside. If one party ends up paying for the majority of the food or lodging, that person (or couple) may feel unfairly put upon. All the adults in the group should discuss how they plan to pay for each meal, accommodation and activity prior to the trip.


Plan a few age-specific activities

Finally, don't be afraid of letting the various generations split up from time to time. The oldest among you may feel let down if they can't have a nice, adult dinner, while the kids will probably tire of all-ages activities such as going to museums. Sometimes the best family memories are made when sharing stories - give yourselves a chance to create some separate memories you can share with each other!



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