Considering an extended road trip? A global adventure? A train trip? Or an RV outing with the kids or grandkids? There is no time like the present to explore the world with your family!
Here are a few family travel trends to consider as you tinker with your plan:
Multigenerational travel continues to strengthen.
While technology may make it easier for modern and mobile families to stay in touch, there is no substitute for building sand castles on the beach, snuggling with the grandkids on the porch swing or giggling through game night around the table.
That’s why an increasing number of extended families choose to spend long weekends, holidays or “milestone moments” together in a vacation-style setting. Destinations, resorts, cruise ships and even theme parks continue to add programs and packages that make it easier to plan a grand getaway.
Short-term rental properties, complete with kitchens, multiple bedrooms and space for kids to play are also popular for large family groups.
Contact: Airbnb.com; www.NCL.com; www.Beaches.com; www.Vacatia.com .
There's an emphasis on experience.
From backcountry challenges and wild river runs to history-rich walking tours and cultural immersions, the trend toward outings that deliver a meaningful and memorable experience continues. Look for travel brands to offer more personalized, transformative experiences, intended to inspire even the youngest adventurer and his or her parents. Expect more opportunities to learn from, dine with and hear songs and stories from locals in your next destination.
Contact: https://www.broadmoor.com/the-wilderness-experiences; www.Oars.com; www. Intrepid.com; www.UrbanAdventures.com.
Digital Detox.
Whether you travel deep into a national park where the signal soon fades or simply close the lid on a technology box provided by the resort, families are voting to turn off the tech and tune in to each other. While the idea may cause short term consternation, reports from families who have gone cold turkey on tech are encouraging.
Once liberated from the lure of Insta stories and sports scores, the generations are free to converse about the adventures at hand. Whether you journey to Siberia, a nearby resort, or your favorite backcountry escape, connecting with nature and those you hold dear will provide a healthy does of energy for the year ahead.
Contact: http://travelvisionjourneys.com/tour/chile; http://www.mircorp.com/trip/siberian-winter-escapade; www.NPS.gov.
A family of foodies.
More families are making food part of the fun on family getaways. They are shopping at farmer’s markets, picking apples in the orchard, tasting local honey at the beekeeper’s shop and seeking fresh, palate-pleasing options for each meal of the day. They are introducing young explorers to distinctive local fare and encouraging the kids to sample new tastes and textures. Expect more cooking classes for every age group.
Young families will increasingly seek out cities like Tucson, recently designated North America’s first UNESCO World City of Gastronomy, where hometown resorts take pride in their on-site, organic gardens and serve up fresh and thoughtful fare at every meal.
Contact: www.HaciendadelSol.com ; www.VisitTucson.com ; www.LocalHarvest.org .
Going Solo.
More and more parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends are embarking on adventures with their favorite young people. Expect more cruise ships, tour operators, resorts and ranches to extend the welcome mat to adults traveling with kids on their own. Be on the look out for group family tables, "family cocktail parties", special departures and the waiving of single supplements.
Contact: www.Intrepid.com; www.DudeRanch.org
Now is a good time.
Family travel is no longer relegated to a few weeks in the summer or the official Spring Break. Expect more families with pre-school age children, homeschoolers, parents with flexible and location-independent work options and those who consider a family trip the best kind of education possible, taking to the road when the timing best suits them. Off peak travel provides the modern and mobile clan the option to find better deals, fewer crowds, more availability and that most satisfying, serendipitous experience that often manifests on the road less traveled.
