Over the years, multi-generational holidays have been getting more and more popular and for good reason. What better way to enjoy a family holiday than including the grandparents on your trip? But it’s no easy feat, with more people to please and having to find something that caters to all ages - it can make planning your holidays slightly more difficult.
So what exactly do you need to consider when planning multi-generational holidays?
Set a budget
First things first, figure out how much everyone is willing to spend. You’ll be able to spend your research time more wisely and effectively once you know everyone’s committed budgets.
Once that’s sorted, you might want to think about how paying for certain things on holiday is going to work out. Things like flights and accommodation are easy to split, however, when you’re actually on holiday, you might want to consider how to split meals, drinks, activities, excursions and tips.
Get everyone involved and find out their needs
This might seem like a lot, but once you find out everyone’s requirements it’ll make your job of holiday planning so much easier.
Are you looking for a holiday that will include a kid’s club, swimming pool or nearby waterpark? Basically anything that could possibly keep the kids occupied whilst on holiday! Aside from that, what do the parents want out of their holiday? Perhaps you want to sample the local cuisine and make sure you’re in a prime hotspot for street food. Maybe it’s the history and culture you’re after, and are hoping for great transport links to explore the local towns and museums.
Then, it’s time to think about granny and grandpa. What exactly do the grandparents want to get out of their holiday? Do they want to be involved in all the activities? Or would they rather relax? Maybe they want to go their own way for certain parts of the holiday, and so it would be helpful to factor that in.
Once you’ve deciphered what it is exactly everyone wants and needs out of their holiday, then you can start narrowing your search down.
Choose the right accommodation
Everyone wants to be comfortable on holiday, so it’s best to arrange how the accommodation situation is going to work out. If a hotel is best for everyone, how many rooms and beds will you need? You might need to consider adjoining rooms in order to keep everyone together.
On the other hand, a villa might be the best option depending on where you’re going, as you’ll all be able to stay in the same place but still have your own sleeping arrangements.
Accessibility
Another important thing to consider is accessible travel. It could be that yourself or your children have a disability and it’s something you always need to consider when planning a trip abroad. But if that’s not the case and you’re planning your first holiday with the grandparents, it might be that they need assistance.
If the grandparents have any kind of disability, then there are some things you’ll need to consider:
If anybody on your multi-generational holiday has a disability or accessibility issue, we’ve got plenty of tips and advice to help you out.
Schedule in some downtime
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to make the most of your holiday with constant plans and excursions. However, on a holiday with the grandparents you’ll want to consider scheduling in some downtime and have a bit of a break.
It’s important to slow things down at times, instead of constant non-stop action. It could be a family beach day, or perhaps the grandparents would like the day to sort out their own plans. You can always meet back up in the evening for a lovely dinner and share what you all got up to.
Types of holidays
Next, it’s time to think about what type of multi-generational holiday you’d all like to go on. From convenient staycations to sunny holidays abroad, there’s plenty of choice.
Perhaps one of the easiest holidays for multi-generational trips. An all-inclusive resort is straight-forward, you pay your money for flights, accommodation and meals and then you don’t need to worry about the rest.
Some all-inclusive packages also include a range of activities. But if not, you can think about activities and excursions once you’re out at your destination.
Aside from that, most things are already taken care of once you book an all inclusive resort. It’s an even better option if all parties agreed on having a laid back holiday with not too much going on, as you can stay in resort for the duration of your holiday, without having to worry about getting around outside of it.
Need another easy option for a holiday with the grandparents? Then try a cruise holiday. It’s perhaps one of the most popular options for a multi-generational holiday as it’s very similar to going on a luxury all inclusive trip.
In some cases, you might not even need to fly abroad to catch the cruise, as some cruises set sail from UK ports like Southampton.
Whilst on board, you’ll have everything you need from meals and drinks, to activities and live entertainment. Once you dock at various destinations, you’ll have the chance to get off and book excursions or stay local for a quick and easy experience. However, some families find that those days are the best days to stay on board as you just might get the cruise and all its facilities to yourself!
Staycations were all the rage during the pandemic, and they’re here to stay! According to our Holiday Habits 2023/2024 study, travellers aged 55+ are about as likely to head overseas as take a holiday in the UK.
So it could be that the grandparents would much rather prefer a local break in the UK as opposed to making the journey abroad. And who can blame them? It’s less hassle and very convenient.
Depending on where you go and how many of you there are, you might be able to take a car to your destination, a coach, or even an easy-going train ride.
The UK has loads of pleasant gems to explore, so there’s plenty of choice when it comes to picking a destination for your multi-generational holiday.
Unsure of where to start? How about Shropshire? This stunning county made it on our Destinations to Watch 2024 list and has so much to offer for all ages!
Of course, you can go long haul for a multi-generational holiday, however, you might want to consider making the trip a bit shorter. For some grandparents, a long flight or journey in general might not be comfortable, or for some it just might not be possible.
So, it could be best to narrow down your search to a European city break or beach break. Europe has plenty to offer. Spain, Italy and France are great all-rounders for beach and city. Or you might prefer the likes of Portugal, Greece, Germany or Turkey.
Multi-generational holidays are great for getting the whole family together. No matter where you go or what type of holiday you book, you’ll be sure to have a wonderful time. But hopefully these tips and considerations will make planning for your holiday with grandparents quicker and easier. If the thought of planning a multi-generational trip seems too exhausting, you can always let an ABTA member take care of it for you. Travel agents are great at tailor-making trips and providing advice.
