Traveling is a respite from the tough schedules of work and routines of life. For most travel lovers, the thing that matters the most is being able to travel smoothly. Traveling alone has its perks, but if you take a look at family travel, you realize it can be a good experience.

If you value family, you probably plan a lot of family vacations. But traveling with family can be tricky, especially if there’s a large gap in the ages of each member. Perhaps you get a vacation that you like, but your parents and grandparents don’t. Perhaps you get a vacation that your grandparents like, but you don’t.

You can’t just book a hotel and call it a day; enjoying a family vacation requires that you plan things that everyone loves. This, of course, can be difficult. But it’s not impossible. If you’re thinking of traveling with your extended family and want the trip to be all-inclusive, there are several ways to make your relatives feel at ease. 

Read on to learn about the benefits of traveling with extended family and how you can plan a vacation that everyone loves.

Why Family Travel is Good

Even if you prefer going solo, there are some perks to traveling with extended family. These include:

Safety

The biggest concern when traveling is safety. With family, you have a lot of reliable people nearby who you can contact in case of emergencies.

Comfort

You never know what’s coming, and if you ever feel uneasy, you can look toward your family for comfort and solace.

Bonding

Traveling is a good way to soothe out all the rifts in your relationships. If you haven’t had the chance to sit it out, or if you missed out on a lot, you could always rely on travel to bring you closer.

Bonding also helps you cover up for the years you miss when you move out. People who love their family but don’t get to meet them often can use the trip to reconnect.

A little upsetting but helpful benefit to traveling with your grandparents is that you can make memories with them. If your grandparent(s) is sick and/or in lifelong care, you can use the trip to spend as much time with them as possible.

Economical Travel

This may sound materialistic, but a benefit of traveling with your extended family is that it doesn’t cost too much. Sure, you have hotel bills to take care of, but if you split costs, everything is much easier to handle.

Plus, you can always rely on your beloved grandparents to step in for you. We all know how much they love caring for their grandchildren, so if you’re a college student or can’t afford much, you can always rely on a little family support.

Treats and Snacks

Call yourself a child for this one, but everyone loves grandma’s cooking. Ride along on a trip that gets you homemade cookies and candies pushed softly in your palm.

Planning an Inclusive Trip

Traveling with extended family can be difficult, but it isn’t impossible. Some ways you can make all members inclusive is by:

Combining Interests

Find out what each family member likes and try to come up with a plan that has all interests. If you like museums but your grandparents prefer a scenic walk, plan your vacation to a destination that caters to both tourist activities. 

Ensuring Comfort

If you’re in charge of the travel plans, don’t be too selfish. You might go with a hotel or deal that you like but realize it wasn’t the most suitable for the ‘rents.

If you feel uncomfortable with a certain offer (hotel rooms and privileges), your parents and grandparents might be too. 

Ask everyone about their preferences before you solidify a decision, so you know that every family member is at their best.

Traveling with extended family can be very comfortable and fulfilling if you plan it carefully. Traveling with extended family and sitting in a vehicle with your grandparents give you uninterrupted hours to interact and catch up. If you’ve wanted to get closer to your grandparents but haven’t had the chance in a while, this is the time to do so. 

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