Have Grandkids, Will Travel

by Beth Erickson

Let’s face it, when we were younger, we couldn’t imagine vacationing with our parents let alone our grandparents. But times have changed, and one of the fastest growing travel markets is “grand travel” or “multigenerational group travel” - grandparents traveling with grandchildren and/or their families.

In fact, four out of 10 active travelers are grandparents vacationing with grandchildren or extended family members, according to the Travel Industry Association of America’s 2006 trend report.

Marking milestones
Some grandparents organize a trip to mark a particular milestone—perhaps a retirement or an anniversary—and they take the whole family. For Jeanne and Germain Davison of Hokah, Minn., it was to mark their 60th wedding anniversary with a 13-day combination cruise and land tour of Alaska in 2004.

Whether it was seeing the wildlife, getting to see Denali twice, or panning for gold, memories were created among the 27 children, spouses, and grandchildren accompanying the Davisons.

“Trying to think of a best memory from that trip would be so tough. I guess just knowing that we were all there,” says Jeanne Davison. “Whenever we’re together, we always talk about it and wish we could do it again.”

Destination: Fun
To set up their trip, the Davisons worked with JoAnn Buening, leisure groups and sales agent with Carlson Wagonlit Travel of La Crosse. Buening worked out all of the details for the family trip and coordinated the flights of family members in Maryland, Utah, California, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

“I see the most number of groups with grandchildren going to Alaska,” says Buening. “Grandparents look at it as the trip of a lifetime, and they want to share it with their family.”

Popular destinations for multigenerational group travel are often cruises or all-inclusive resorts since you can pay for meals, lodging, taxes, and the like up front. “There are no hidden costs,” she adds. And, if the group is large enough, there may even be group discounts.

The “Big City”
For those who prefer a more one-on-one approach, try traveling with grandchildren only, suggests Leslie Linsley, author of “Totally Cool Grandparenting.” She recommends exposing the child to what he or she does not usually experience.

For Linsley and her husband, Jon Aron, that meant taking their grandchild, who grew up in Nantucket, Mass., to the big city of London. Although the Linsley-Arons are familiar with London, traveling with their grandchild allowed them to see it in a whole new light.

“It’s sort of fun to introduce them to things they may not experience in everyday life. For us, it’s ethnic foods,” she says.

Linsley also suggests experiencing the city as the locals do. If you normally rent a car or take taxis on vacation, try the mass transit system. Go to the supermarket. “The same things you do at home, if you do them in the big city, are a whole new experience,” she says.

And be sure to talk with your grandchild’s parents before traveling. Talk with them about what you can and can’t do, and really listen. “Don’t assume you know more,” Linsley says. “We’re not tuned in on a daily basis anymore…The rules have changed.”

Time for each other
In a society that is increasingly active and mobile, people don’t always have time to share the togetherness of the past, nor do they often have the convenience of living close.

“Everyone’s lives get busy, but a trip like this is a time where you have the time and days to devote to each other, and not just a few hours at Thanksgiving,” says Buening.

And that time spent together is priceless in the memories it creates. Says Jeanne Davison, “I think it’s the best money we’ve ever spent, and would we do it again? Oh, in a heartbeat.”

Beth Erickson is a freelance writer and editor from La Crosse who misses her grandparents and wishes she’d been able to share the trip of a lifetime with them.