What’s more fun than taking your kids on a vacation to meet the grandparents at your destination for some multi-generational fun?
In fact, travelling with Grandparents (or “Gramping” or “Grandtravel”) is a growing trend, especially among Millenials. A recent study by Visit Anaheim, shows that a massive 83% of Millenials want more muti-generational trips.
But let’s face it – travel can be tough.
Constant complaints about crowded airports, too much walking, constant bathroom breaks, never agreeing on meals or activities while there….and that’s just the grandparents.
My wife and I recently took our three kids on vacation for a week with my mom. We live on the west coast and my mom in the mid-west, so we met at our destination.
We’ve done this a number of times, and each time I promise myself I’m going to make changes on the next trip to make it more enjoyable for everyone. Not that we don’t all have a great time, and any time my mom is able to see her grandkids is a real treat for her. But, as the saying goes…it’s always something.
Family-specific drama aside (there’s nothing I can do about family issues going back decades), there are plenty of things you can do, some little and some more involved, that can get the trip off on the right foot, make sure things go smoothly while there, and ends with everyone looking forward to the next time.
When vacationing with grandparents, it’s all about removing the unknown, leveraging technology to help be organized, not over doing it physically, and splurging on the luxuries that can make a meaningful positive impact.
While Making Travel Arrangements
Being organized, doing a little research and splurging in the right places while making travel arrangements can go a long way to setting you up for a great trip before you even leave.
- Have one person act as travel secretary and book all flights and accommodations at the same time. This reduces issues with flights or hotels that fill up too quickly causing disconnects in arrival times, room availability, etc.
- Make sure grandparents’ passports are up-to-date if travelling internationally. You can avoid having to expedite a passport with just a little planning ahead.
- Get grandparents their own space (hotel room, bedroom, etc.). Grandparents love their grandkids, but everyone needs downtime. Having their own private space allows grandparents to recharge after a busy day of fun and grandkids.
- Book condos or suites if at all possible.
- Condos or houses are a great alternative for multi-generational vacations, and many house-sharing websites make it easy. More space, kitchens (key for those with younger kids or allergy concerns), and maybe even in-room washers and dryers. In some cases, suites at some resorts are actually cheaper than booking two separate rooms and you may get amenities similar to a condo.
- Lean into technology. Most people (even grandparents) these days have smartphones, tablets, or other devices that can help coordinating itineraries, communicating changes, etc.
- When booking flights, include email addresses and phone numbers for text updates for both, grandparents and yourself. This way everyone knows if a flight status changes, and you can call grandma to make sure she is aware.
- If possible, have itineraries and boarding passes emailed and/or texted to grandparents and yourself: it’s all about redundancies, and if grandma can’t find the email or text, you can easily resend to her so it’s at the top of her inbox or text thread
- Book airport transfers through the hotel. This is especially important if:
1) going to a new, unfamiliar destination
2) grandparent arrival times are not close to yours
3) grandparents require special assistance
4) you won’t be renting a car while there. This might be a little more expensive than grabbing a cab, but will be well worth it to reduce everyone’s anxiety upon arrival. Nothing better than having it all pre-arranged when you’re schlepping strollers, car seats and suitcases while corralling kids and grandparents.
- Pre-arrange for some excursions, day trips and other activities.
- Spontaneity is great, but trying to get kids, parents and grandparents on the same spur-of-the-moment page while on vacation can be daunting. Pre-arranging at least some it removes some of the stress of figuring out what you’re doing each day while leaving plenty of space for spontaneous adjustments.
Leading up to Departure
This is all about communication and can get the trip off on the right foot. Again, organization and planning will rule the day.
- Research new airports and map out key items. Knowing where you are going makes things easier for everyone and cuts down on stress.
- Highlight the path from arrivals to baggage claim, through customs (International travel) and to ground transportation.
- Email copies to grandparents and make sure they take copies with them to the airport.
- Sanail-mail a copy for those less tech-savvy.
- Make sure grandparents have passports, medical cards, IDs, and photocopies packed.
- Originals in one bag, copies in another – just in case one bag gets lost.
- Depending on your parents, you may want to check in multiple times on this leading up to departure. Nothing worse than getting to the airport and leaving a passport behind.
- Check all flight status update emails and/or texts and make sure everyone knows of any changes.
- Find the nearest emergency medical or hospital facilities and print out a map with directions from your hotel.
- Most critical for those with grandparents or children that may require medical attention while travelling
- This is particularly important for International travel where you don’t speak the language and/or they may not know where the nearest facilities are.
- Back up your phone – because you never know
During the Vacation
You want your vacation to go smoothly, right? Of course you do – so follow these tips to cut down on fatigue, eliminate time wasted waiting in lines or arguing about where to go. Grandparents worried they missed juniors’ first time swimming? We’ve got you covered.
- Try to get a room closest to the main attraction (pools, beach, slopes, town center, etc.). This cuts down on back and forth when you forget something in the room, or when naps are needed.
- Don’t over do it and minimize unnecessary walking. Take advantage of any on-site transportation like shuttle buses, golf carts, etc., especially at very large resorts.
- Make dinner reservations for each night right away: critical at huge resorts and during high season. Knowing you have a table waiting cuts down on stress, eliminates wandering around and long waits with tired, hungry kids and grandparents.
- Use photo-sharing tech. Use one of the many photo or document-sharing apps and upload everyone’s pictures at the end of each day. Set up the apps on grandparents’ phones and show them how to access so they can view, post or print.
Nearing The End And Going Home
Nobody likes the approaching end of a vacation, especially Grandparents who may not know exactly when they are going to get to see their kids and grandkids next. Use this time to squeeze in last minute activities
- Take a poll on each person’s one thing they really wanted to do, but haven’t yet done. Do this a day or two before you leave and see how many you can still fit in. This helps minimize lingering regrets, particularly if you are visiting a place you may not be able to revisit.
- Start talking about your next vacation. This shifts everyone’s focus to the next adventure, and away from the fact that this vacation is ending.
- Print out physical boarding passes and make sure everyone has electronic copies (and knows how to access them).
- Pre-book transportation to the airport. Use hotel transfers if possible or book through a ride -share, especially if leaving at different times for the airport.
- Splurge and book transportation from the airport to home for grandparents. They will be tired and will appreciate this last bit luxury.
Yes, vacations with extended family can be fun, exciting and a great way for kids to make memories with grandparents. They can also be tiring, stressful and full of whining and arguments. A little planning and organization before and during the trip can do wonders for everyone’s enjoyment.
Vacations should be all about fun. Leave the fatigue, stress and squabbles for family holidays.