Intergenerational trips are an emerging travel trend. Many people are choosing to book trips with family – grandparents are taking grandchildren on holidays, older parents are travelling with adult children. But what is it about this fast-emerging travel trend that ticks so many travellers’ boxes?
Expat Explore provides insight into the benefits of intergenerational trips. Learn from real travellers about their experiences on the road together and discover our top tips for planning legacy travel or group family holidays.
Related: Explore our range of guided group tours to Europe’s most memorable destinations!
Benefits of intergenerational trips
1. Strengthening Family Bonds
Spending quality time with family is always a great way to bond, especially while you’re enriching your lives around the world. When you experience new cultures, taste new foods, and see bucket-list sights together, you can connect with your family on a deeper level.
2. Legacy Travel: Preserving Family Heritage
Digging deeper into your family heritage can provide a way for families to share in their joint past together. Families often opt for destinations like Ireland, Greece and Italy to walk in their ancestors’ footsteps. Why not visit your grandparents’, or even great-grandparents’, hometown?
3. Enriching Experiences for All Ages
Whether you’re going on grandparent-grandchild trips or parent-child getaways, you’re guaranteed to make more memories together. Embark on accessible and enriching adventures such as a relaxed cruise, a cooking class or an insightful museum visit on your journey.
4. Ease and Value of Organised Group Travel
Booking a few seats for your family on a guided group tour is one of the easiest ways to approach multigenerational travel, as the tour provider takes care of most, if not all details. From transport and accommodation to experiences and most meals, guided group tours handle the stress of planning for you.
5. Safety and Convenience in Numbers
Group travel provides an opportunity to visit destinations where cultural knowledge and on-the-ground insights make trips that much more memorable. On a group tour, there’s always safety in numbers and peace of mind with a professional leading the way.
Related: There are even mental health benefits to travelling.
Take it from real-life inter-generational travellers
Tricia, 32, and Raffy Ignacio, 62, embarked on a father-daughter adventure in Southern Sicily and made memories that they’ll cherish for a lifetime!
Related: Discover more memorable stories from our past travellers.
Regarding the journey with someone from another generation, they said…
“It was a fun experience. We had travelled together before, but this was the first time we had just been two. Two weeks was the right amount of time!”
When it comes down to it, travelling with family is an opportunity to connect…
“Our highlight was spending quality time together and doing something we both love together (learning about a different culture and a country’s history).”
Even if there are small challenges along the way, you can better learn to deal with them together…
“The challenge was finding a middle ground with our different packing/shopping styles! Raffy loved buying multiple souvenirs from every place we visited and regretted bringing a backpack instead of luggage. Whereas Tricia did not want to buy many items, which would make it more difficult to pack/fit in our backpacks.”
Related: Read the rest of Tricia and Raffy’s inter-generational travel story.
Top tips for planning your inter-generational trip
- Choose appropriate destinations that offer a mix of culture, nature, and activities suitable for everyone’s interests. Remember to strike a balance between ticking off each other’s must-sees.
- Be sure to balance busy sightseeing days with downtime to rest and relax. You’re on a group family vacation, after all! Having a loved one around can be a great reminder to stay present.
- Consider lodging and transportation (e.g. coach tours cover it all). Are you comfortable sharing rooms? Does someone prefer an empty seat beside them on the plane?
- Opt for inclusive itineraries that feature walkable cities, accessible public transport and compact layouts. This will make exploration so much easier for travellers of any age.
Related: Take a look at the best times to book group tours.
After discovering the benefits and tips for planning group family trips, you’re ready to take on the world with your loved ones!
Guided group coach tours allow travellers to explore some of the world’s most popular travel destinations, including walkable cities and experiences for all ages, safely and confidently. Book your next group or solo travel experience with Expat Explore and start creating memories today!