The Sweet Spot - Multigenerational Travel

Our first international trip together was our honeymoon to Mexico in 2006. Since then we've tried to cross as many destinations off our travel wish list as possible, averaging about 1-2 "big" trips per year. Then Caden was born and our travel habits changed. A week riding the trains through Europe or sipping rum cocktails on a beach was replaced with a day trip to the zoo or maybe a weekend away in a neighboring state. He turned out to be a fantastic little traveler but schlepping diaper bags and checking the stroller at the gate is a phase I'm happy to leave in the past. It wasn't impossible, it just required a lot more planning and patience.

We're kind of in that sweet spot right now. Our son is 11, so no more diaper bags. He likes to help plan and contribute to where we go and what we do. He'll also hopefully remember the trips we take now, as opposed to just remembering through pictures from trips taken when he was a toddler. Most of the time, he still actually likes to be around us. There is something indescribably magical about seeing new places through his perspective.

We are also very fortunate that both our moms enjoy traveling too. Adding a grandma to our party of 3 changes the dynamics to make incredible memories for Caden, a spa buddy for mom, or a babysitter for a date night. Exploring Disney with Grandma Mary (Mickey's #1 fan) or the Louvre with Grandma Jack (an art major) makes experiences even more special for all of us.

Remember to mix it up. You don't all have to be together all the time. We like to incorporate a mix of activities with the members of our group. It might look like: Breakfast all together, then grandma relaxes with a magazine and the three of us go to the arcade, meet up for lunch, kid goes to kid's club and the adults do a wine tasting, then grandma and the kid do room service and a movie while mom and dad have a dinner date. The larger the group, the more important this rule becomes.