Vacation is a time for your whole family to rest, recharge, relax, and reconnect. However, if you’re planning a trip for multiple generations and age groups, it’s a little harder to plan the perfect trip that appeals to everyone. After all, you want to keep your kids entertained, but you also want to make sure the activities aren’t too strenuous, exhausting, or of little interest to other family members.
How do you plan a vacation that works for everyone in your group? The following tips can help you put together a travel plan that every member of your family will love.
Put One Person in Charge
You might think it’s best to make this a group planning situation, but it’s actually better if one person takes charge of the planning or deals directly with a travel advisor. Of course, everyone in the group should give their input, but having one person oversee the trip planning will keep the process organized and on track. As the itinerary is developed, the group leader should share the details with the rest of the family, and adjustments can then be made based on feedback from the other travellers.
Choose the Right Trip
Specific types of trips are a good fit for multi-generational families, as they provide settings where everyone in the group has the chance to connect, but they also offer a wide variety of activities which appeal to different family members. Cruises, beach resorts, villa getaways, dude ranches and safaris are all great for travellers of multiple ages and abilities. These vacations allow the whole family to spend time together at certain times, but they also provide many options for individual family members to participate in the specific activities that interest them.
Plan Some Downtime
You’re going to be in a new or exciting place, and you want to do it all and see it all. But this isn’t necessarily what’s going to lead to the family bonding time you want. Leave time in the schedule for the family just to hang out and enjoy each other’s company. In some cases, this “break in the action” will be the most memorable part of the trip.
Choose Universally Appealing Activities
At least some of the planned activities should appeal to everyone in your group. These activities don’t have to be complicated – a family meal, a museum visit, a group sleigh ride in winter, or a day lounging on the beach can all provide opportunities for the whole family to spend time together. Combine these types of activities with other unstructured time that allows for individuals to participate in the things that they are interested in (or just to relax), and you will be on your way to planning a getaway which is memorable and enjoyable for the whole family.
Need a little extra support planning your next family vacation? We’re here to help – contact us now for expert travel planning assistance.