With school, work, sports, and other obligations taking us in every direction at once, vacations have never been more important. They let us decompress, get away from daily stresses, and help us reconnect with our loved ones. This is especially true for many families that have spent a year or longer apart due to COVID-19.
There’s something to be said about taking a vacation with your spouse or a close friend. But what about the rest of your family that you don’t get to spend nearly as much time with as you’d like to?
Between 33 and 40 percent of leisure travel spending is on multigenerational vacations. Whether you’re looking to create some incredible memories with your children or want to spend some quality time with the grandparents, planning a vacation that includes every generation is a great way to do so. However, planning a trip that includes a variety of age groups isn’t without its challenges. Keep reading to learn a few tips for planning a multigenerational family vacation.
1. All-Inclusive Makes Planning Easier
If you’ve ever tried dining out with more than 4 or 5 people at a time, you know that the entire process can be a challenge. First, you’ll need transportation for everyone, and have to coordinate arrivals. At the restaurant, you’ll face a longer-than-usual wait to get a table large enough for your group.
Going on vacation with more than 4 or 5 people? You’ll be faced with that challenge two or three times a day. And that’s just for meals. Add in young children or grandparents who struggle to drive themselves, and trying to get from one place to the next or feed your group will quickly overtake fun-time on your family vacation.
An all-inclusive vacation package takes care of these and other problems when traveling with a group. At Sointula Lodge, you won’t need to worry about driving from one experience to the next or coordinating meals. Everything is planned and arranged for you, from meals to activities to transportation. All you have to do is relax and enjoy some quality time with your family.
2. Choose Activities that Everyone Can Enjoy Together
Traveling with multiple generations of family members is a wonderful chance to spend quality time together and create lasting memories. But if your group immediately goes their separate ways to enjoy a variety of different activities, those memories may come few and far between.
To keep this from happening and maximize your time together, look for activities that everyone can enjoy together. With Sointula Lodge’s fishing package, anglers of any experience level can try their hand at the sport and cast a line. Or, if your group prefers something a bit more relaxed, our wilderness tours are ideal for any age group and ability level. Either way, your group can spend their evenings together relaxing, taking a hike, or soaking in the hot tub.
3. Split Into Groups
Traveling in a large family group on vacation can sometimes be a challenge. Too many people can make it difficult to enjoy every activity. To ease this struggle, it’s best to break into groups, keeping in mind balancing these groups to ensure that older and younger generations have the support that they need.
At Sointula Lodge, we fish 3 to 4 anglers in each boat. If you’re traveling with more than 4 people, break your group into several ahead of time. Whether you’re going fishing or enjoying other activities, having these groups in mind ahead of time will allow you to think through which members might need a little extra support.
4. Get Some Space
After a long day of making memories, we hope you’ll be excited to spend even more time with your family the next day. But we also know that everyone needs a little space.
When you’re planning a larger family vacation, make sure that at the end of the day, everyone has their own space to retreat to. Too much “together” can lead to short tempers and little arguments that can derail a trip.
With 12 guest rooms, everyone has room to relax and unwind in peace at Sointula Lodge. That way you can start the next day happy and well-rested, and ready for more quality family time.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Forget Your Camera
Life is too short to not spend time with the people you love. Planning a multigenerational family vacation is a great way to bring your family closer together and create memories that you’ll treasure for a lifetime. Don’t forget the camera; these are moments that you’re going to want to capture.
With a little careful planning and consideration, and the right destination, any family can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime vacation together. Sointula Lodge allows just 18 guests at a time, ensuring your family enjoys an intimate experience together. But spots fill fast, so book your dream vacation early to make sure there’s room for everyone in your group!
