How To Plan a Multi-Generational Trip For Your Family

Traveling with just yourself? Easy. with a partner? Manageable. But when you add kids, grandparents, etc, into the mix, suddenly that fun family trip is punctuated by stops for toilet breaks every 20 minutes, constant demands for snacks, and someone is crying because they're sitting in the wrong seat, or you forget their favorite toy/book/blanket.

Multigenerational trips aren't always the easiest to organize or execute, and with different energy levels, eating habits, and completely different ideas of what “fun” looks like, it's a recipe for disaster.

But at the same time, it can be one of those brilliant mixes that just works despite the complexities of meeting everyone's needs. With built-in babysitters, storytellers, and snack dispensers, multigenerational travel is something everyone needs to consider at least once. And this post is going to let you know exactly how to make things work.

Pick Stays The Work for Everyone

Squeezing three generations into one hotel room is asking for trouble. Kids waking up at dawn, adults staying up till the early hours, and that one person snoring nonstop is going to rub everyone up the wrong way.

Everyone needs space, and this means finding accommodation options that work for everyone. This might be a villa with more than one bedroom, allowing people to spread out and have their own rooms, to get a breather and some downtime. Or it could be pitching up at RV parks with the best facilities like playgrounds, picnic tables, laundry facilities, and walking trails, meaning there's something for everyone to get out and stretch their legs and get some space.

Don’t Plan One Size Fits All Days

Just because everyone is on vacation together, it doesn't mean you need to do everything together. Dragging grandparents around on kids-only activities and attractions might not go down so well, and the same goes for visiting museums that hold little to no interest for kids.

Plan activities that work for everyone, even if that means splitting up sometimes. It might be that grandparents take the kids to a soft play venue so parents can go sightseeing and grab a coffee, or parents head out with the kids so grandparents can get some downtime in peace, or head out on a day trip alone. Find the perfect mix between group activities and then take some time to give each breathing space, things will run a lot more smoothly if you do.

Expect Chaos

Even with all the best will in the world, things often don't go to plan 100% of the time. There will be sulkiness, snoring, and at least one family argument. Someone will have forgotten to pack their favorite shoes or their reading glasses, and there will most definitely be one meltdown over sharing. But letting these small issues ruin your trip will make sure this is probably the last multigenerational trip you take. Instead, lean into the chaos, run with the messy bits, and don't let them upend everything and ruin the experience. These are the things that will stick, the crazy moments, the ones you didn't plan, and the time when you went with the flow because there was literally nothing else you could do.

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