Multigenerational Travel Is Having a Major Moment: Here's The What, Why, Where, and How

Imagine a trip with your kids and parents — Nanna booking her own excursions, teenagers actually putting their phones down at dinner, three generations laughing over the same terrible joke PopPop still tells to get a laugh out of strangers.

If this sounds like the trip you didn't know you need, you're not alone. Multigenerational trips are the fastest-growing trend in travel right now, according to AARP's 2026 travel research — and once you understand why, you'll wonder what you've been waiting for.

As a travel advisor who specializes in exactly these trips, I've put together this guide to break down everything you need to know: what multigenerational travel actually looks like, why it's surging in popularity, where to go, and how to plan a trip that makes every generation feel like it was designed just for them.

A Trip I'll Never Forget — And One I'll Never Get Back

I still think about a multigenerational trip I took with my grandparents when I was younger. It's one of my favorite memories — the kind you don't fully appreciate until years later. My grandparents are gone now. That trip can never happen again.

I always figured I'd get my turn. My parents, my kids, all of us together someday. Then my dad passed away before that trip ever happened. Someday never came, and now it never will.

I share this because it's exactly one of the reasons I do what I do. Time with the people we love is not guaranteed. "Someday" is not a plan. If there's a trip you've been meaning to take with your parents, your grandparents, your kids — please don't wait. Don't miss the opportunity I didn't take.

As I always tell my 7- and 9-year-old girls, borrowing a line often attributed to Christopher McCandless: "Happiness is only real when shared." Though it's not always a reality, there has always been a truth to it for me, and it resonates even more now that I'm raising a family of my own.

What Is Multigenerational Travel?

At its core, it's simple: grandparents, parents, and kids — sometimes aunts, uncles, and cousins too — traveling together as one group, sharing one itinerary, one home base, and a whole lot of memories.

This is not a family reunion in a relative's backyard. This is a real trip built around experiences everyone can enjoy together. Think of it as the intersection of intentional togetherness and genuine adventure: a villa in the Italian countryside where the grandparents sip wine on the terrace while the kids explore the garden, a safari vehicle where a five-year-old and a seventy-five-year-old spot the same elephant at the same time, a river cruise where three generations gather on the sundeck as a medieval village drifts past.

The beauty of multigenerational travel is that it doesn't require everyone to do everything together every minute. It requires a shared home base, a few anchor experiences, and the willingness to be in the same place at the same time — something that becomes more precious with every passing year.

Why Everyone's Booking These Trips Right Now

This isn't just a feel-good trend. The numbers back it up — and they point to a genuine shift in how families think about time, money, and what travel is actually for.

Families are prioritizing connection over convenience.

The Family Travel Association reported that 48% of respondents are planning an extended family vacation this year — a seven-point increase from 2023. That's not a blip; that's a movement.

Grandparents are the driving force.

AARP's 2026 travel research found that nearly two-thirds of adults 50 and older are planning to travel this year, with family trips ranking among their most meaningful experiences. Many grandparents are not only eager to join — they're the ones initiating the conversation and, in many cases, footing the bill.

Families are going bigger instead of going often.

Fewer weekend getaways, one real trip. Save the time off, save the budget, put it into the trip that actually matters. Deloitte's research backs this up — spending on families' longest trip of the year is up sharply, suggesting that households are consolidating their travel dollars into a single, significant experience rather than spreading them across several smaller ones.

Gen X is leading a quiet revolution.

Born between 1965 and 1980, Gen Xers are increasingly traveling with adult children and extended family, trading solo vacations for richer group experiences. They're the sandwich generation — caring for aging parents while raising kids — and they understand, perhaps more acutely than anyone, that the window for these trips isn't infinite.

Why It's Worth The Effort

It closes the distance.

Between busy schedules and living apart, quality time with family can be rare. A shared trip doesn't just create a window for connection — it guarantees it. There's something about being away from the routines of daily life that invites the kind of conversation and closeness that a Sunday phone call simply can't replicate.

Everyone gets a say.

The best multigenerational trips blend a little of everything: culture, spa days, adventure, downtime. When the itinerary is thoughtfully designed, every member of the group finds moments that feel like they were made for them — because they were.

Kids remember these trips forever.

A hike with PopPop. A dare from a cousin. The time Nanna tried zip-lining and screamed the whole way down. These become the stories retold every holiday, the shared references that bind generations together long after the suitcases are unpacked.

It's often more efficient than you'd think.

Splitting villas, private guides, and tours across a larger group makes a bucket-list trip more attainable per person. A luxury villa in Tuscany that feels extravagant for four suddenly becomes remarkably reasonable when twelve people share it — and the experience is immeasurably richer.

Where to Go: The Destinations I'm Booking Most Right Now

Italy

Few destinations reward slow travel the way Italy does, and few are as naturally suited to multiple generations. Visit during May–June or September–October, when crowds thin and temperatures stay comfortable for older travelers and young children alike. Grandparents can linger over a long lunch in a piazza while parents and kids explore a nearby village on foot — no steep hikes required.

Costa Rica

Adventure paired with relaxed resorts makes Costa Rica a multigenerational sweet spot. The Guanacaste coast and the Arenal volcano region are the two most family-friendly areas — all-inclusive resorts in Guanacaste start around $300–$600 per person per night, while jungle lodges near Arenal run $250–$500. The best time to visit is December through April (dry season), which minimizes disruption for grandparents and young children who don't do well in heat and mud.

Caribbean and Mexico All-Inclusives

Built-in kids' clubs, multiple dining options, and resort infrastructure mean everyone can scatter during the day and reconvene for dinner — no logistics required. All-inclusive rates typically run $400–$900 per person per night at luxury-tier properties, and connecting suite configurations are widely available. The travel window is flexible year-round, though hurricane season (June–November) warrants travel insurance — which I always recommend regardless.

U.S. national parks and Alaskan cruises

No passport required, no jet lag to manage, and a sense of shared wonder that transcends age. Whether it's the Alaskan glaciers, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, or Acadia, national parks level the playing field: a four-year-old and a seventy-year-old are equally awed by a canyon rim at sunset. The South Rim is one of the most accessible national park experiences in the country, with paved rim trails, shuttle buses, and viewpoints that require no hiking whatsoever.

European river cruises

A floating home base that moves from city to city eliminates the hassle of packing and unpacking. Everyone has their own cabin, their own space, and a shared itinerary that unfolds effortlessly. For multigenerational groups, it's one of the most logistically elegant options available.

African safaris

This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that brings families together precisely because it's so significant. There's nothing quite like watching a grandchild and a grandparent lock eyes across a Land Cruiser as a herd of elephants crosses the road ten feet away. These are the moments that become family legend.

Quick Tips for Planning a Multigenerational Trip

• Choose accommodations with space: Villas, multi-bedroom suites, and connected rooms beat one cramped hotel room every time. Everyone needs a place to retreat to — especially the grandparents after a long day with the little ones.
• Build in flexibility: Not every activity needs full-group participation. The best itineraries include two or three anchor experiences that everyone shares, with plenty of room for individuals or smaller groups to go off and do their own thing.
• Loop the kids into planning: When children help choose activities, restaurants, or excursions, they become more invested travelers. Even a simple vote on which beach to visit or which gelato shop to try gives them ownership of the experience.
• Don't overpack the itinerary: Downtime is often when the best conversations happen. The card game on the villa terrace after dinner, the slow morning when everyone drifts to the kitchen at different times — those unscripted moments are where the magic lives.
• Work with someone who can coordinate it all: Managing flights, accommodations, dietary needs, mobility considerations, kids' nap schedules, and grown-up wish lists across three generations is a complex undertaking. This is the part where I, as your travel advisor, keep everything moving.

Planning Your Multigenerational Family Trip

Multigenerational travel isn't just a trend — it's a meaningful way to reconnect, creating memories with the people who matter most. Whether it's an Alaskan cruise, a villa in Tuscany, an African safari, or a multi-family beach week, the goal is the same: a trip where every generation feels like it was planned just for them.

These trips don't wait for us. Don't let this be the trip you meant to take.

Connect with me below, and let's talk about where your family wants to go next.