Travel with grandparents has been even more top of mind than usual. When the CDC updated its guidance—saying that it is reasonably safe for fully vaccinated adults to see their grandchildren—the Baby Boomer generation threw a party. (At least my mom did.)

The CDC also says that fully vaccinated adults, including grandparents, can travel domestically.

Pre-pandemic, we often traveled with my parents as well as Hubs’ parents. We have been to some of the best places to travel with grandparents in the US and even went abroad together.

If you want to give multigenerational travel a try—or are curious about so-called skip gen travel (when grandparents and grandchildren go on vacation without the parents!)—this post is for you.

I’ll cover the best tips for travel with grandparents, why you should consider a three-generation vacation, as well as multigenerational travel statistics (so you know you’re in good company). By the time you finish reading these tips, you’ll be ready to call up Grandma and Grandpa to start planning your trip!

Why you should travel with grandparents

1. Grandparents bond with grandkids

My #1 reason for loving multigenerational travel: There are so many opportunities to bond and make memories together!

When grandparents visit you at home, you’re still in your usual routine. Your kids might have scheduled plans or school. But when you’re on vacation together, all those other commitments fall away. That means grandparents and grandkids have a ton of time to bond.

2. Parents get 1:1 time

Not every multigenerational vacation builds in time for parents to get away—but I sure do recommend it.

The pandemic has made date nights even more rare for many couples. So when you take a vacation with grandparents, you have someone to watch the kids. (Of course, never assume your parents or in-laws are ready to be babysitters; always ask.)

This is also an opportunity for parents to explore the vacation destination without kids. Parents might want to go to a rooftop bar to watch the sunset, take in a show, hit up the casino or go dancing. Those aren’t exactly family-friendly activities—but are perfect for a date night on vacation!

3. Everyone gets some downtime

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You go on a family vacation and come back exhausted because you spent every waking minute taking care of the kids.

When you travel with grandparents, you can ask them to watch the kids for a short time. Once when we vacationed with my in-laws, they watched Baby Maxine and toddler Edie while I drove to Starbucks by myself. I sat on the beach and drank tea and I swear it felt like a week-long getaway.

The same goes for the grandparents. They probably want downtime, too. With multigenerational vacations, everyone gets a little R&R!

4. See a new side of your parents

I took family vacations when I was a kid, but it’s a totally different experience to travel with them now that I’m a parent.

One of the reasons I love travel with grandparents is I see a different side of my parents or in-laws. There’s nothing like spending time with kids to bring out their playful side!

My kids’ grandparents have also told me that exploring a new place with Maxine and Edie helps them travel in a fresh way. It’s good for everyone!

5. Learn family history

Going on a family history vacation is a popular way to travel with grandparents. You might revisit ancestors’ homeland or another important spot in your genealogy.

But you don’t have to go somewhere specific to learn family history. While on vacation with their grandparents, my kids have heard stories about the time Gramps had to sleep in the desert by himself during Navy Seals training—and woke up with a snoozing snake on top of him.

Travel sparks all kinds of memories because it jolts us out of routine. You may be surprised by the family lore you learn too!

6. Create new family memories

There’s a reason you—and your kids—vividly remember a vacation but can’t recall what you ate for dinner two nights ago. Novelty—doing something different—makes your brain pay extra-close attention. That helps solidify memories you’ll draw from for years.

Vacations are particularly great for doing things all together. It’s not very often that three generations get together for an activity in day-to-day life. But on a multigenerational vacation, you have plenty of chances to make memories together.

7. Make up for lost time

The last year was really, really hard on a lot of families. I wasn’t able to see my parents from August until April, and my kids went nearly that long without seeing them. My kids constantly ask when they can see Grams, Gramps, Nana and Grandpa Shempy.

It’s been equally tough on grandparents, if not harder.

Travel with grandparents is a way to make up for lost time. Kids change so much, so fast that I want my parents and in-laws to get to know Maxine and Edie at this stage—before they change again.

Tips to travel with grandparents and extended family

Are you hoping to travel with your kids and parents? Do you want your kids and their grandparents to vacation together?

You’ve come to the right place.

Here, I’m sharing 13 tips to travel with grandparents. I cover booking lodging, planning activities, budgeting, and the dos and don’ts of traveling with grandchildren and grandparents.

1. Talk about what you envision

Before you’ve booked anything, make sure you’re all on the same page. Do you envision an activity-packed trip or a laid-back getaway?

Agreeing on this point and any others (luxury vs budget, outdoors vs indoors, etc.) will help avoid disappointment and conflict.

If you have differing hopes for the vacation, can you compromise? Maybe spend the first two days sightseeing, then the last three days with nothing planned? When you start with clear communication, everyone feels heard.

2. Plan the vacation together

Once you’ve agreed on the overall vision for your vacation, plan together. This doesn’t have to mean sitting down with your parents or in-laws to hash out every single detail. But you’ll want to pick a place to travel with grandparents together. That way, everyone is set up to have a great time!

Involve your kids, too. If they’re old enough to research, encourage them to look into activities in your destination. Remind them of needs and limitations of their grandparents. When they pick a few activities, kids are invested up-front!

Enabling everyone to give input tees you up for a fun multigenerational trip.

3. Consider everyone’s needs when booking lodging

My family travels often enough that I have the AirBnB and hotel filters down-pat. (Dog-friendly, 2+ bedrooms, nonsmoking, etc.) I’m not as used to considering grandparents’ needs, though. That’s why it’s so crucial to have an open, honest conversation with them about what they need.

My mom, for example, needs a specific kind of bed because of long-term injuries she deals with. So when we travel together, I call ahead to ask about the beds. It may be a small detail to me—I can sleep on any bed—but it makes a world of difference to my mom.

Do your parents need separate bedrooms (snoring—it’s a real problem)? A bedroom on the first floor? An en suite bathroom? An accessible ramp?

Grandparents might also prefer to have their own lodging. No matter what setup you choose, keep everyone’s needs in mind.

4. Agree that it’s ok to do things separately

The biggest obstacle to having an awesome multigenerational vacation: disagreement over how much time to spend together. Are you stressing because you want to be together 100% of the time? Or stressing because you need some serious breaks from your parents/in-laws?

An up-front agreement that you don’t have to spend the entire vacation together solves this problem.

Again, talk this through up-front to manage expectations. Chances are, everyone will be happier without the pressure to do everything together.

For example, when we took a multigenerational trip to Tulum, my dad’s knee was acting up. Because we didn’t have the expectation that we’d stick together no matter what, he was able to lounge by the pool while the rest of us explored the Tulum ruins—guilt-free.

5. Do activities that interest everyone

That said, you’ll want to do some activities together! Choose at least a few that appeal to everyone, no matter their age. You might plan to go to the beach, scope out a short hike, or taste test all the ice cream shops in town.

6. Be clear with plans

I’m a huge fan of clearly communicating your plans—then giving others the chance to join or not.

I learned this the hard way. On one multigenerational vacation, I had wanted to take Maxine and Edie out for an adventure. I waited for others to get ready to join… and waited… and waited… By the time others were ready, two hours had passed, my kids were crying because they couldn’t understand why they weren’t going in the swimming pool, and it had reached the hottest part of the day.

Lesson learned.

Now I say something like this:

“I’m taking the kids to the market at 10. Does anyone want to join or meet us later?”

This approach is also a total miracle when vacationing with folks who aren’t on your routine/laid-back vibe. If you’re a go-getter and planner, but grandparents are more into leisurely sipping coffee and seeing where the wind blows them, this strategy will save you.

7. Respect everyone’s pace

Adding more people to a vacation generally means adding a wider variety of styles, abilities and preferences. Everyone will be happier if you make accomodations.

If your toddler wants to inspect every fallen leaf on a hike, that means slowing for them. If your in-laws have mobility limitations, don’t try to hurry them.

It’s no fun feeling like you’re holding up everyone else. So do your best to embrace their pace.

If, on the other hand, you need to split up and meet up later, that’s a good solution too.

8. Build in R&R

I love to go and do. I like to see all the things and explore all the places. I’m also a big advocate of chilling out.

Building in time to relax is even more important when planning travel with grandparents. Everyone will have more fun if they’re rested. That goes equally for kids and grandparents alike!

9. Communicate about costs

Who is paying for the vacation with extended family? Who will cover what? Are you splitting up the house rental by the number of bedrooms each group is using, or splitting the expense down the middle?

There’s no right or wrong way to pay for a vacation with grandparents. Just make sure everyone is clear ahead of time.

You’ll also want to figure out a way to keep track of costs, if you’re sharing the expense. Will one of you pay for everything and split it later? Will you pay your share as you go through an app like Venmo? Deciding ahead of time will avoid awkward money conversations in the moment.

10. Consider a parent date night (or day)

You don’t want to treat the grandparents like glorified babysitters and ditch them all vacation long. That said, it’s awesome to have a chance to spend some 1:1 time with your partner.

For example, when we traveled to Las Vegas with Hubs’ parents a while back, my in-laws suggested we do a belated anniversary data night. Hubs and I made dinner reservations and left the kiddos in the hotel with Grams and Gramps.

Maxine and Edie had an amazing time. They swam in the pool, ate mac n cheese and watched a movie. Hubs and I got a rare chance to go out, just the two of us. I absolutely recommend planning a parent date night.

The key to making this work: clear communication. If you’re hoping to get away for a few hours, bring it up with the grandparents before you leave on vacation. Discuss what time of day would be best for them to watch your kids. (They may not feel comfortable doing nap time or bed time, for example.)

When you get on the same page about a date night, everyone will feel good about the plans.

11. Give grandparents and grandkids space to bond

Bonding with their grandkids is the top reason why grandparents want to do multigenerational travel. Give them the space to do just that.

Of course you’ll want to do things all together. But take a hands-off approach sometimes, too.

When my dad joined us on a trip to Tulum, Mexico, for example, I sometimes faded into the background when he hung out with my kids. They developed a special “routine” of tossing bites of food to an iguana that eventually scuttled right up to them.

Yes, I know that we shouldn’t feed wildlife. But more than two years later Maxine and Edie still debate what was the iguana’s favorite food. (Strawberry or macaroni??)

So when grandparents and grandkids are bonding, take a step back. Let them develop a relationship on their own. And try not to sweat it if Grams and Gramps don’t parent exactly as you would. (For example, when Maxine and Edie spend time with my in-laws, they get pancakes with whipped cream every morning for breakfast. )

12. Be prepared to be the sandwich generation

Have you ever heard of the term “sandwich generation”? It refers to the time when you are caring for both your children and your parents.

I’m not suggesting that you cut your parents’ grapes in half to prevent choking. But don’t be surprised if you end up caring for your parents at least a little bit.

As our parents age, they might not be as comfortable in unfamiliar situations or new places. Ask your parents what they might need help with. (This is generally the thing that is causing them the most anxiety.) Should you make them a packing list? Would very explicit driving directions help? (We once made the mistake of assuming my dad could find a home rental via a maps app. That did not go well.)

You may find yourself considering them when you pack up. For example, do they have snacks and water for the day’s excursion? Are they wearing sunscreen and a hat? Of course you’ll want to be sensitive in how you look out for them—no one wants to be babied—but they’ll probably appreciate your looking out for them.

13. Take all the photos!

As the saying goes, your kids are this age only once. The same can be said for your parents.

I take plenty of photos whenever we do multigenerational vacations. It’s so, so, so special to look back on those pictures! The images always spark memories of what we did together.

When you go on a multigenerational trip, you’ll never be able to recreate those moments together. So don’t be shy about taking lots of pictures.

On one trip with the grandparents, we had professional photos taken. I booked a photographer in Las Vegas through Flytographer, who captured some of my favorite-ever family photos.

Want $25 off a Flytographer shoot? Use my referral code. I loved our experience with Flytographer! (not sponsored)

Multigenerational travel statistics

Multigenerational travel has never been more popular. Many grandparents went months—or even a year—without seeing their grandkids during the pandemic. Now that more and more people are fully vaccinated (YAY!), families are making up for lost time.

So when you travel with grandparents, you’re far from alone. But don’t take my word from it. Here are recent multigenerational travel statistics.

• More than half of families have taken a vacation with grandparents. (source)
• 65% of families plan to take a vacation with grandparents in the future. (source)
• 6 in 10 kids say they feel closer to their grandparents after taking a trip together. (source)
• 65% of kids say they like to reminisce about taking vacations with grandparents. (source)
• More than half of parents say they plan multigenerational trips to create family traditions. (source)

What is skip-generational travel?

Skip-generational vacations are becoming more and more popular. This type of travel is when kids and grandparents travel together—and leave parents at home!

One in five parents say their kids have taken a skip-gen trip—that is, traveled with grandparents without the parents. More than a third of grandparents said they’re planning a skip-gen vacation in the next three years.

The best part about skip-generational travel: Spending uninterrupted time together. Parents, kids and grandparents all say that bonding time is the main highlight of parents-free travel.

I never traveled with just my grandparents when I was a kid. Maxine and Edie go on trips with both sets of grandparents several times a year. They haven’t done big, long, epic trips yet; for the most part, these skip-gen vacations are for a weekend in a nearby destination.

Hubs and I value the few days without kids even more since the pandemic began. But honestly, I care much more about the opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to bond.

The post Travel with Grandparents: 13 Must-Know Tips for Multigenerational Vacations appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

I’ve learned a lot about what to do—and what not to do—when planning a trip and heading out of town. 2020 taught me plenty. I’m passing on those lessons in this post with the most important travel tips for future travel.

Don’t get stuck making the same 2020 travel mistakes. Consider this post a quick upgrade to your vacation planning habits!

In this post, I’ll cover travel advice for the dos and don’ts of

• refunds for canceled plans
• flexible bookings
• discounts and deals for cheaper travel
• COVID-friendly destinations
• and more!

Use these tips to make your 2021 travel goals a reality this year.

2021 travel must be refundable

2020 problem: Losing money from canceled plans

2021 fix: Book only fully refundable travel plans—and document them!

If I had a dollar for every dollar I lost in non-refundable travel plans last year…. well, I’d break even.

Point is, I know I’m not alone in that I ended up having to cancel a lot of trips, flights, lodging and other travel plans. And I’m betting you’re like me in that you didn’t get all that money back.

So going forward, read all the fine print regarding travel companies’ cancellation policies. Are there exceptions to the rules? (Last year, a lot of people couldn’t get refunds because the pandemic was deemed an unforeseeable act of God. I guess there’s a clause for that.)

Then document all the cancellation guarantees throughout each step of your planning. Take screenshots, save-as-PDF your confirmation emails, everything: You want to have irrefutable proof if you ever have to dispute a company’s handling of your refund.

2021 travel must be flexible

2020 problem: Expensive fees for changing flights and other bookings

2021 fix: Ensure your travel dates can be moved without penalty.

Remember when we were oh-so-cute and thought COVID would blow over after a few weeks of lockdown and flattening the curve?

Some folks tallied up big bills from fees when they pushed their flights and other bookings farther into the future, figuring it’d just be a short time til they could travel freely again. All those fees add up!

So before you reserve anything, make sure you can change the dates of a flight, AirBnB stay or other reservation—free of charge. You want to remain flexible so you can safely adapt to changing conditions.

Open Groupons right before you use them

2020 problem: Unused Groupons and other online deals

2021 fix: Wait until the last minute to redeem deals.

Businesses that rely on travelers have been eager to attract visitors. That can be good news for your travel budget, as many are offering discounts and deals.

Many of these deals are too good to pass up. You’ll still want to be flexible with your travel in 2021. That’s why I recommend not opening or redeeming your coupon or deal until right before you use it.

Last year, we’d planned on going to Wildlife Safari in Oregon at the end of the summer. I had the discounted tickets I got from Groupon all printed and ready to go. But a day or two before our family trip, wildfires broke out all over the West.

I know that fires don’t have anything to do with COVID cancelations, but the principle is the same (since once you open and download a Groupon, it’s considered redeemed and you can’t “return” it).

Now I know to wait to use discounts until the last minute.

I’m about to share more travel planning tips, but I also want to make sure you know about my super-quick training on minimizing risk while you travel. Click the image below to find out more!

Watch the infection rates where you travel

2020 problem: A spike in cases throws a wrench in your plans

2021 fix: Keep an eye on infection rates.

Last year, I couldn’t wait to travel to the Southwest US: The thought of sun and desert got me through the first grey, cold, dark months of the winter.

But Hubs and I paid attention to infection rates where we’d planned to go. When they got too high for our comfort, we researched other locations that still had sun and desert.

Unfortunately, those places followed suit (as did much of the US this winter). We ended up not taking our Southwest trip (sob!)—yet. But the moral of this story is to pay close attention to the communities you plan to visit as well as the places you travel through.

Pick less popular destinations in 2021

2020 problem: Travel plans that involve crowds

2021 fix: Choose vacation destinations with fewer people around

Last spring, when the pandemic was just beginning, we had to cancel a lot of plans. (I 100% recognize how fortunate we are to be in a position that we could have traveled in the first place, and every day I’m grateful for everything we still have—a home, our health, each other. Still, not traveling makes me sad.)

So I let my mind wander. I started to dream up all the trips we’d take once we could travel far. And for some reason, I fixated on one place: Disneyland!

I wanted to make up for all our disappointment with an over the top trip. We tentatively planned to drive down to Anaheim in November for a family trip.

Of course that didn’t happen.

By now I’ve learned to plan travel in places that aren’t crowded (as much as I love the flying Dumbo ride). I’ll be making future plans with that 2021 travel tip in mind. Fewer crowds = less exposure = less risk of contracting or spreading germs.

Focus on outdoors activities

2020 problem: Not understanding how COVID-19 is spread

2021 fix: Spend time outdoors during 2021 vacations

Back when we knew very little about the coronavirus, I had a conversation that went something like this.

Friend: “Thank goodness my kids don’t eat gluten and eat a ton of veggies. At least their immune systems will be able to fight off this virus.”

Me, thinking about how Max eats approximately 5 foods, none of which is a fruit or vegetable: “….”

Point is, now we know to avoid the conditions where the virus is more likely to spread: i.e. indoors. So to minimize your risk while traveling in 2021, experts recommend spending time outside.

That’s why we now plan our travel around outdoor activities. Hiking, sightseeing, SUPing, camping, playing on the beach—these open-air activities will be our 2021 travel focus!

Choose quality over quantity for vacations

2020 mistake: Trying to go to all the places

2021 fix: Focus on making the trips you do take as awesome as possible

I love travel. Like, a lot. (I know—you’re shocked.) So I pretty much want to go somewhere new all the time.

COVID has made travel more complicated, though. Just following all these 2021 travel tips makes planning a trip take longer.

That’s why it makes sense to focus on fewer trips—but to make those vacations awesome.

Pinterest is seeing a 7x increase in searches for dream vacations so lots of folks agree with me here. (And if you’re looking for a bucket list trip to take with your besties, check out my post on the best girls trip destinations for 2021!)

A trip doesn’t have to be faraway or expensive to be epic, though. Just think of a road trip through two national parks. One of my dream trips is to stay on Orcas Island and kayak with whales. (Yes, that’s a thing!!!)

Stay local for travel in 2021

2020 problem: Trips to far-flung places were canceled

2021 fix: Go on vacations closer to home.

Last spring, I canceled trips to China, Taiwan, Ethiopia and Japan. I also canceled shorter, less ambitious trips, but those epic travels stung the most.

I’ve learned since then. My family and I are taking local and regional trips instead.

First of all, road trips are the future for travel in 2021 in part because they’re cheaper, more flexible, and more easily rerouted if the need arises. Driving someplace nearby is more reliable than booking a flight and hoping for the best!

Plus, many countries have instituted travel bans—a definite problem for international travel, even if you did feel comfortable traveling by plane.

So to pandemic-proof your vacations this year, opt for nearby destinations. Just because someplace is close doesn’t mean it’s uninteresting! Explore your region, state or even city. Pretend to be a tourist who’s never been there. You’ll experience even well trodden territory in a new way!

Talk about trips as hopeful, not written in stone

2020 problem: Telling your kids about canceled vacations

2021 fix: Make vacation hopes, not vacation plans

In 2020, I had plans to take Edie to China and Taiwan over an extended spring break. Clearly, that trip got canceled.

My mistake was to tell her that we’d go camping in Washington instead. Those ended up being more plans we had to cancel to abide by lockdown orders in our state.

Piling disappointment onto disappointment is no fun for everyone. That’s why I’m now talking about travel as something we hope we can do.

Nothing is written in stone. We remind the kids that all upcoming plans depend on safety.

My 2021 travel tip is to follow suit. Try these phrases to talk about upcoming travel:

• “If everything stays safe, we’ll go to the coast this weekend.”
• “I hope we can go on our trip next month. We’re keeping an eye on everything so we can stay healthy and protect others.”
• “I want to go on our vacation too! Fingers crossed we can go!”

Nurture a flexible mindset

Not long ago, my kids and I took a day trip to Central Oregon. They’re obsessed with dinosaurs, so I researched a place to dig for fossils and thunder eggs. I meticulously copied the directions to one such place—and I couldn’t find it. Like, at all.

Were Max and Edie heartbroken? No! (I had wisely not mentioned the fossils part—see my 2021 travel tip above.) Instead, we treated it as an unexpected adventure. A detour. A thing that sometimes happens when you travel.

If 2020 taught me anything, it’s that I really don’t have control over a whole lot. (You too?) We had soooo many opportunities to practice not being attached to outcomes that we became more flexible. My kids definitely picked up on that!

And honestly, a flexible mindset is useful beyond travel. I’m generally anti-silver linings regarding COVID, but I have to admit that this is a positive change for my whole family.

Another thing that has totally helped us all is to figure out what we can control. I get asked what we can do to travel more safely so often, which is why I created a mini-training online. Safe + Healthy Travel Today shares science-backed tips to minimize your risk while you hit the road—and it takes only 20 minutes to go through! Just click the image below to learn more.

I’m curious: What lessons did you learn from disappointments last year? Please share your own 2021 travel tips in the comments!

The post 2021 Travel Tips: How to pandemic-proof your next vacation appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

I’m betting you’ve fallen down the google or Pinterest rabbit hole before, spiraling deeper into articles on the top family vacation destinations in your area. (You’re so not alone!)

If you don’t know where to start, simply read this article (and pin it for later, or share with a friend who might feel similarly overwhelmed). Here, I’m teaching you multiple strategies to help you pick where to go on a family vacation, no matter your location or your budget.

(If you just want straight-up recommendations for specific places, check out my guide, Top 10 U.S. Family Vacation Destinations, which is a part of my family travel checklist bundle.)

Ready to find an amazing spot for a family getaway? Let’s do this.

1. Fill in the blank: I’ve always wanted to go ____

If you’re interested in travel, you probably have a few bucket list destinations you’d love to visit. Not all of them will be terribly family friendly or affordable, but you’d be surprised at the kid-friendly activities and attractions you’d find in many places.

For example, maybe you always wanted to go to Las Vegas. At first glance, Sin City wouldn’t likely be your top family vacation destination. But as we recently experienced, Vegas has days’ worth of fun, kid-friendly things to do.

So don’t write off the places you want to go just because they’ve been on your bucket list since before you had kids. With a little research, you might discover these spots are the perfect place for a family vacation.

2. Ask nearby friends for recommendations

This tip is especially relevant if you’re on a tight budget or don’t have a ton of vacation time. Simply start a text thread or go on social media asking local friends where they’ve vacationed recently.

To help them point you in the right direction, give some parameters. Try, “I’m looking for a top family vacation destination within a 2-hour drive.” Or, “Local friends: Can you recommend an awesome hotel at less than $125 a night with cool things to do nearby?” Giving your friends a little information to work with will spark their ideas and make their recommendations more relevant to you.

3. Follow family travel bloggers

Yes, I’m a family travel blogger, and I hope you follow me on social media! But don’t stop with just me. Find other family travel bloggers and influencers who fit your values, travel style or preferred travel type.

There are so many different ways to travel as a family. Some family travel bloggers focus on a region; others do luxury travel or camping; some focus on traveling with big families or with the grandparents, too.

No matter what you’re looking for, you can find great bloggers and influencers. When you follow them on social media, you’ll get ideas of where you might want to go on your next family vacation.

4. Find cheap destinations for the time you can travel

Technology is making it easier to find deals these days. So if you know when you can travel but aren’t sure where to go for a family vacation, check out sites that recommend destinations by price.

Google Flights, Skyscanner and Escape can all be used to plug in your home airport and your timing. Then with a single click, these sites will show destinations, starting with the cheapest.

Not every one of them will be a slam dunk, but you might be surprised at the deals you can get when you’re flexible!

With restrictions around the coronavirus, you might not want to fly these days—but this strategy can work with other kinds of family travel, too.

Check the usual travel aggregators (like Expedia) for deals they are promoting. You can get huge discounts—like up to 80% off—if you’re not committed to one particular place.

Poke around and you might surprise yourself!

5. Look at direct flights of about 2 hours

I’m all about making family travel easier. And I know you’ll agree that taking a short, direct flight with kids is a lot easier than lugging them clear across the country with multiple layovers.

So do a quick search of direct flights from your airport. Look at ones that last only a few hours. The 2-hour window is perfect for young kids—just long enough for them to watch a movie or go through all the new toys you packed in your carry on, but not so long that they’ll go crazy from being cooped up.

You’ll get some fresh ideas of family vacation destinations! (Even if you might need to hold off on air travel for the time being, keep this tip in your pocket for when COVID is more under control.)

6. Look at destinations within a 2-hour drive

The same thing can be said of road trips. A 2-hour drive is typically manageable for young kids. They’ll likely only need one potty break or diaper change, and it’s short enough that you’ll arrive before the entire family questions why you left home at all.

(If the idea of road trips feels overwhelming, I have two great resources for you: #1 is my post on road trip supplies so your trip is easier and more organized; #2 is my new course Rock Your Road Trip, which teaches parents the three strategies to make road trips way less stressful and way more fun.)

You’d be surprised at how many undiscovered destinations are near where you live. We travel a ton, and still there are towns and other attractions we’ve never explored.

That sounds like a perfect recipe for a family road trip!

Thinking of where to go on a family vacation through this lens can uncover fantastic ideas that are also cheaper to travel to, since your transportation just requires gas money.

And you’d be in good company if you opted to take a road trip. Nearly 50% of Americans said they’re going on more road trips than usual. It’s understandable why: It’s much easier to be socially distant when you’re road tripping.

7. Visit friends for a cheap vacation destination

If you’re not sure where to go on family vacation, why not visit out of town friends? Chances are, you haven’t seen them in a while. Plus, they’ll have the inside scoop on the best kid-friendly activities, restaurants and tips in their town.

You may even be able to stay with them, saving money on lodging! (If, of course, you’ve been similarly careful about minimizing your risk and share comfort levels with how much contact you’ll have.)

One caveat: I recommend being really clear and up-front on the time you’ll spend with your out of town friends. If you go during the week, don’t expect them to play tour guide: They likely have jobs, schedules and other commitments. So assure them that you’ll show yourself around, though you’d appreciate recommendations.

Then you can spend the weekend all together, catching up and making up for lost time!

8. Draw inspiration from a children’s book on travel

I’m always reading with my kids (I admit we usually read to them through most meals). It makes sense, then, that we sometimes get inspired to travel by the books we read!

Maxine and Edie are often asking if we can visit different places that are settings in the books on our shelves and at our library. So if you’re looking for a place to travel together, see what destinations most intrigue your kids.

Not sure where to start? Order a handful of our favorite children’s books about travel and see where your imagination takes you!

9. Follow your kids’ passions

When you’re looking for family vacation destinations, dive deep into something your kids are learning or what they’re most interested in. Is there something they’ve been studying at school or in lessons you could build a trip around? Are they currently obsessed with a hobby? Use their interests as clues for a family vacation that’s guaranteed to keep them engaged and excited.

(Not sure? Ask them! They’ll have plenty of ideas.)

For example, Maxine has been obsessed with cheetahs for ages. So we’re planning on visiting Wildlife Sarari in Southern Oregon, which is home to the country’s most successful cheetah breeding program!

If your child is into science or engineering, plan a road trip with stops in each city’s science and hands-on museums. There’s truly no limit!

Finding the best family vacation destination for your family

I know you have way more ideas on where to go on a family vacation after reading this article. Is your mind already buzzing with possibilities? Do you have a direction for your research? I bet you do—and I know that’s better than spending hours aimlessly wandering Pinterest and Google!

If you’re still feeling stuck, I designed a mini-guide to 10 top family vacation destinations in the US. It’s part of my Complete Family Travel Checklist Bundle, which includes PDFs that outline exactly what to pack for all sorts of family vacation scenarios, from road trips to carry-on packing guidelines. The bundle also includes a pre-trip checklist so you never forget to find a pet sitter in time or turn down the heat before you leave.

No matter how you pick the spot for your next family vacation, I’m so glad you’re going. We both know that making time to be with your family is one of the best ways to bond and make memories together.

Happy travels!

Where are your favorite places to vacation as a family? Your recommendation just might inspire another To & Fro Fam reader!

The post How to decide where to go for family vacation: 9 ways to find kid-friendly spots appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Yes, it’s a bummer to forego local delicacies, and figuring out how to eat gluten-free when you travel takes extra work. But if you’re celiac, you have no choice, and if you’re just sensitive to gluten, you’ll feel much better if you stick to your regular diet.

Here’s the good news: Figuring out how to eat gluten-free when you travel isn’t as hard as you think. I’ve managed quite well in my travels, and I’m here to share my best tips on keeping your diet clean and keeping you healthy. Bon voyage, and bon appetit!

Top 11 ways to eat gluten-free when you travel

1. Research gluten-free restaurants

This sounds like a “duh” tip, but it should be your first step. Before you travel abroad, google “gluten-free restaurant” and whatever place you’re visiting. Don’t stop there, though.

Next, add those locations to a google map. Unless your itinerary is set in stone, your plans will probably change, so having these good-to-go restaurants on a map you can access will help you find a place to eat, no matter where your travels take you that day.

2. Go for gluten-friendly cuisines

Some types of food are more gluten-friendly than others. Italian cuisine, for example, is a lot tougher to eat GF than, say, Mexican. So when you’re traveling and can’t find a specifically gluten-free restaurant, look for Mexican (or other Latin American), Japanese, Thai and the like. You’ll be able to eat gluten-free when you travel with these cuisine choices.

3. Find vegetarian restaurants

Vegetarian restaurants tend to cater to more health-conscious eaters, so gluten-free choices are often marked on these menus.

4. Memorize how to say “gluten” and “wheat” in the local language

Look up—and write down—how to ask if the food has gluten in it. “Contiene trigo?” means “Does this have wheat in it?” in Spanish—a phrase I sometimes used when traveling in South America recently.

This delicious bowl from Verde Te Quiero Verde in Rosario, Argentina was so healthy and satisfying!

5. Look up local dishes

If you’re traveling in Italy, you’ll find pasta on most every menu—not exactly gluten-free friendly. But when you’re working out how to eat gluten-free when you travel, think of other signature foods in your destination—like caprese salad in Italy.

When I was in Peru, for example, I always knew I could ask for ceviche or tacu tacu, a fried rice dish, at pretty much any Peruvian restaurant. Knowing there will always be something you can eat will take out a lot of the stress of being a gluten-free traveler.

6. Ask in advance

If the group you’re traveling with has plans to go to a specific restaurant, call ahead. That way you can ask if there are gluten-free dishes and even ask for modifications. They’re much more likely to be able to work around your dietary restrictions if you ask in advance.

Chia in Cusco, Peru was an all-vegan restaurant with a ton of delicious gluten-free food.

7. Get help from the front desk

It can be hard to figure out how to eat gluten-free when you travel if you do it on your own, so ask for help! If you don’t speak the local language, enlist the help of your hotel’s concierge (or your AirBnB host). They’ll be able to communicate your needs on your behalf.

8. Seek recommendations from travel boards

Search travel message boards for location-specific tips on how to eat gluten-free when you travel. If nothing pops up that’s relevant to your destination, ask on a travel message board: Other travelers are likely to weigh in.

Isolina Taberna in Lima, Peru had a wealth of gluten-free foods. The beans were out of this world!

9. Bring snacks from home

Raise your hand if this has happened to you, too: You’re traveling abroad and you haven’t eaten anything for a while, and all of a sudden you’re hangry—and the only food around is delicious-smelling donuts some nice old lady is selling on the street. Not a good combination when you’re traveling internationally (or anywhere, for that matter).

To avoid those hangry moments, bring a supply of GF snacks from home: ones you know you like and are shelf-stable. For example, on a recent long trip to South America, I brought an entire box of Paleo Cave Man bars as well as a bunch of Lara Bars (my fave flavors are cherry and peanut butter chocolate chip). Yes, they weighed a lot, and yes, I felt semi-ridiculous importing so many snacks, but I was absolutely glad to have them. I made sure I always had a bar (or two) in my bag or purse before I left the hotel each morning. And I can’t tell you how many times those snacks saved me! (affiliate links)

10. Eat a hearty breakfast

Most hotels offer breakfast as a complementary part of your stay. Take advantage and load up on gluten-free foods. My go-to breakfast choices: eggs, fruit and oatmeal.

Depending on where you’re traveling, you might have additional options that seem unconventional to Americans but will still give you a good base for a full day of traveling. In England and much of Europe, for example, you’ll find baked beans at breakfast; in South America, I was often offered slices of ham or turkey and cheese; in Japan, you might eat salad, fish and soup first-thing.

11. Visit a local grocery store

There may be days when you simply didn’t have good luck finding gluten-free food when you travel. On those days, make sure you have GF choices back at your hotel room that are heartier than trail mix or granola bars.

One of the first things I do when I arrive at my travel destination is go to a grocery store. While I’m there, I pick out one or two gluten-free staples (on a recent trip, I bought GF granola and almond milk). Other ideas: cold cuts, peanut butter and bananas, fruit and yogurt, or veggies and avocado. Most lodging has at least a small mini-bar fridge where you can store perishable foods.

Bottom line: It’s far from impossible to eat gluten free when you travel. You can absolutely stay healthy even while exploring the world—and eating your way around the globe.

You might not be able to eat baguettes in France or alfajores in Argentina (womp-womp), but when you eat gluten-free when you travel abroad, you’ll keep your tummy happy—so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Do you have any trips on how to eat gluten-free when you travel?

The post 11 super-helpful tips to eat gluten-free when you travel abroad appeared first on To & Fro Fam.