7 simple steps for planning a meaningful family adventure built around the luxury of shared experiences
The worst part about group travel planning is trying to accommodate everyone’s suggestions. People will have different ideas about what activities or places the trip should include, and the entire process is a headache waiting to happen. Apply these challenges to a multigenerational trip, and it turns into a logistical nightmare. From toddlers to grandparents, each person will have their own idea of what defines the “perfect” vacation, and planning a luxury adventure may feel even more daunting.
But for all its challenges, a group trip can become a shared family memory that continues to bring people together long after the trip is over, as they share stories at family dinners or reunions. Generational differences and feelings of disconnect can be replaced by quality time together during new and exciting experiences. Follow these seven simple multigenerational travel tips, and what seemed like a logistical nightmare can turn into the memorable luxury family vacation of your dreams.
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Tip 1: Build the trip around a shared reason, not just a destination
Instead of centering a group trip on the destination, focus on a compelling reason to take it. A milestone celebration, like a 50th birthday or a send-off into retirement, is a much more meaningful reason to prioritize the experience than a standard yearly beach vacation.
When planning, explicitly name the occasion or theme you intend to celebrate, and build at least one core experience or moment around it, such as a festive family dinner or a group toast at a scenic spot. You don’t have to make any expensive or elaborate plans; you just need to be intentional about spending time together.
Tip 2: Choose a format that keeps the group together, not just in the same place
Accommodation options like hotels are a natural pick when planning a multigenerational family vacation. It might seem like the easiest choice, after all, everyone will have their own space for privacy. But that’s the problem. When taking a family trip, the whole point is to spend time together, not stay in separate rooms.
A good multigenerational travel tip is to look for lodging that guarantees communal time, rather than making it an extra activity to plan. An Airbnb with shared common spaces, a cruise ship with group dining, or an all-inclusive resort with centralized evening programming are all good options that naturally ensure time is spent together.
Tip 3: Design for your least mobile traveler first
Don’t become so focused on what you’re planning for that you forget who you're planning the experiences for. If anyone in the group has limited mobility, such as young children or an older grandparent, their needs must be at the forefront of planning the itinerary. No one wants to feel like a burden, and splitting up the group to accommodate different energy levels is the opposite of spending intentional time together.
Before setting anything in stone, have an honest conversation about the group’s physical capabilities and limitations. Build the trip around the most limited traveler first, then add alternative options for the others. It’s important to plan activities where everyone can fully participate, rather than having someone feel like they’re holding the group back.
Tip 4: Give kids (and teenagers) their own role
The family trips that kids remember and enjoy are the ones where they are given something to do, discover, or be responsible for. They don’t want to be dragged along to adult activities that don't interest them.
A photography challenge or a scavenger hunt is an easy way to ensure they feel like participants rather than passengers. Try researching whether the destination offers structured programs for younger travelers. If not, you can build a loose challenge into each day, something that kids can “complete” and talk about at dinner.
Teenagers are a different challenge: they don’t want to feel babied, but they also want to be engaged with the group. Try to find activities that could be new experiences for the whole group, so they feel included. Snorkeling, hiking, or cooking classes are all ways to spend intentional time together that offer enough independence and a fun new experience.
Tip 5: Plan for shared downtime, not just shared activities
It’s always fun to experience new things and see exotic places on vacation. But scheduling activities all day, every day, can become exhausting, especially for the physically limited and younger travelers. Downtime can be just as fun if planned correctly.
The secret: don’t plan for anything, just let it happen naturally. Overscheduling a vacation turns the trip from an opportunity to enjoy new things into going through the motions. Plan at least one day with no agenda; that way, the group has time to wind down and relax. This is where the shared common spaces become important: watching a movie, playing board games, or even just talking about the day still accomplishes the same goal of spending intentional time together as a family.
Unscheduled bonding happens over conversations recapping the day’s events, coming together for a group dinner, and sharing individual experiences. No matter your age, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Tip 6: Look for experiences where age doesn’t determine what you get out of it
The best part of a family trip is the shared moments of the group, no matter your age. Activities like niche food tours or deep-dive museum visits are better left for solo trips. A good multigenerational travel tip is to create an itinerary with experiences that require no prior knowledge or interest to appreciate, such as a rare glacier calving or watching a pod of dolphins at sunset.
Tip 7: Let the unexpected be part of the plan
Even if you have the perfect plan, always be prepared for it to fall through. Over-structured trips with no room to pivot are fragile. It’s important to be open to plans changing or even falling through. Whether someone gets sick or an unexpected storm hits, embrace the opportunity to experience something different.
When planning the trip, leave at least half a day free of any set-in-stone plans, and see what the group decides to do with it. Sometimes the best moments are the ones that happen by accident.
Multigenerational trips are a great way to spend time together as a family while also experiencing something new. Creating memories as a group can strengthen relationships and even forge new ones. Planning a successful trip for people of different ages might seem overwhelming at first, but following these simple tips can help make the process easier.
Stay inspired with Together, your source for luxury family travel ideas, including private yacht charters, luxury train journeys, safari escapes, and elevated family adventures around the world.
Subscribe now: https://mailchi.mp/ptmgroups/together
By Molly Hill, Contributing Writer