Multigen travel -- TTMA

[librarychica]

I want to take my parents, H and the kids and maybe my little brother on a trip in the spring to celebrate my dad's retirement. My kids will be 3 and 6, brother is single in his early 30s and my parents are in their mid-50s and mid-60s and in generally good health. My parents don't drink and aren't very adventurous, but they're not complete stick in the muds either. I may or may not be pregnant during the trip. We live in Florida. My inclination is to get a localish beach house for a week but, idk, I would like to do something more special. My budget is flexible and on the pretty high side (I will do this once!) but I'll be footing most of the bill (my brother will pay any airfare for himself and probably cover a few meals).

What do you look for when planning a multigenerational trip? Any tips? Ideas? Places you've been and loved?

[librarychica]

2chatter, don't you love Rosemary beach?

[saraml13]

Obviously I am coming from a different geography so some of these probably aren't convenient for you, but here are some examples to maybe inspire you. We're in the Chicago area and have boys who are nearly 1 and 3, for reference.

In a couple weeks, we are going to Door County, WI and renting a house for a week with my parents, pregnant sister, and her husband. I don't think my sister and BIL are staying the whole week. There are a lot of different activities in the area, and we picture breaking up into smaller groups a lot. The house is associated with a nearby resort that has a pool, lawn games, and bikes. The men will golf once or twice. The women plan on doing a crafts afternoon. There are beaches and hiking trails. For us, getting a house was key. We thought about renting different units at a resort, but that wouldn't give us much common room to all gather. My kids are at the age where they are a pain to take out to dinner, so we plan on mostly cooking dinners at the house. They also go to bed early, and the adults wanted to be able to hang out after bedtime.

DH's family does a ski trip to Aspen every year. They have a large family of four generations of about 50 people total, but it's a rotating cast each year. We took DS1 when he was a baby and it was just us, MIL and FIL, and 2 BILs in one big condo. Last year we didn't go, but it was probably a crowd of about 25 people (mostly with high school / college kids), spread out among different condos. There's child care / ski school for littles that can't ski yet. But definitely on the $$$ side.

DH's family also did a big grandparents 50th anniversary trip before we were married. They went to Hilton Head, I believe, and rented a gigantic house with a pool that fit all of them (probably close to 40 people, although the kids were younger then).


In general, with young kids I would say the keys are: Get a house or big condo so that you have common space and aren't stuck sitting in a hotel room by yourselves after the kids go to bed. Pick someplace where there are a bunch of different activities and people can go their own ways. A week is a long time to all be together if you don't split up at all.

[covergirl82]

librarychica , your parents sound similar to mine (don't drink, not very adventurous, but not total sticks in the mud). We did a multigen WDW trip with my parents (69 at the time), who are in good health. Kids were 5 and 7 during the trip. I did most of the planning, but I checked with my parents on all of the table service restaurants to make sure they had food my parents like, and what rides/experiences they would want to do.

My parents had their own room, which worked well, but it was adjacent to ours, which was convenient.  (ETA:  Wanted to add that I agree with PPs that if you can rent a house or condo, that might be a nice way for you to have adult time after the kids go to bed.)

The one major thing I would do differently is to plan a bit slower pace. We got up early most days, and then didn't get back to our rooms until sometime in the evening, and only planned one rest/pool day. I would probably plan at least one more relaxed day for a week-long vacation.

Obviously, there is no shortage of things to do at WDW, but if we went somewhere else, I would look for museums, aquariums, local places of interest, mini-golfing, and other activities that everyone could enjoy. (We are thinking of going to Gettysburg with my parents next summer, so that's partly what inspired that list.)

[waverly]

We've done the beach house with my mom who is 60. We did the beach 2-3 days in the morning, swim in the pool in the afternoon. The other days she went birding or we all did a kid activity together.

We've also done multi gen visits with mom, plus sister and kids and 90 year old Grandma and ILs. That was harder because 90 year old Grandma couldn't do a lot. We did things like the pool, lego land, outdoor pumpkin patch, shooting up rockets, trampoline place (my mom still has it)- Grandma didn't go. I think since they are in good health you can do a lot. We like Sarasota/ Siesta Key for local, a little farther away we like Hilton Head and Savannah.

We've also done the MI and WI trips, and one year we did New Mexico- Santa Fe and Taos.

I agree on the house so you can cook meals and don't have to go out all the time with kids.

[2chatter]

We love 30A! It might test the limits of your budget, depending - a house for all of you would probably be 10K for the week. We stayed in Seaside proper this time and loved it - more happening than in Rosemary. Our favorite spot is in Alys - Fonville Press - they have an amazing playground built into hills and great tea. But it's a great spot, I think, for a multi gen beach trip.

We booked a house in Galveston for Thanksgiving and are taking my mom. She doesn't do much and is a slow walker, so I tried to find a house with amenities near (restaurant, fishing pier, games, playground, beach in walking distance).

What do your parents like to do? A family resort could also be really awesome depending on their activity level. We loved Big Cedar Lodge for example.

The only place we have done multi gen trips is Chicago - and it's amazing too. Lots to do but can also be laid back.

[mustardseed2007]

We've done multi gen trips to WDW also. My mom uses a scooter there and normally watches the kids for us one night. We don't have too much trouble going to bed early with that kind of trip, I must say, although we did get a room with a patio at the contemporary last time and I loved that b/c we could sit out there while the kids slept. We have had lots of fun traveling with her and our kids there.

[librarychica]

I live 20 minutes from Disney and it would be so easy but, wait for it, dad would 100% phoning it in for the rest of us with a side of "I remember when this was an orange grove and I had all the swamps and mosquitoes to myself."

My parents like to eat, look at pretty scenery, swim, maybe see a play.

[librarychica]

I am thinking probably beach house or maybe a cabin in TN or Vermont and going this fall instead. Hrmm.

[akafred]

Jul 27, 2017 9:44:52 GMT -5 librarychica said:

I live 20 minutes from Disney and it would be so easy but, wait for it, dad would 100% phoning it in for the rest of us with a side of "I remember when this was an orange grove and I had all the swamps and mosquitoes to myself."

My parents like to eat, look at pretty scenery, swim, maybe see a play.

The trip is for your dad, right? Probably not Disney then.

Amelia Island (NE FL) is super nice. It is a couple hours from St. Augustine and has a nice quaint downtown also with shops and restaurants, and a couple of historical sites and state parks nearby. Highly recommend.

[mommyatty]

We saw a lot of multigen families in Hilton Head. It's pretty, walkable, comparatively affordable (our really nice 2 bdrm condo was $225 per night about 100 yards from the beach with beach views), and there are lots of fun activities. We can't wait to take MIL.

[erinshelley21]

MIL took us all on an Alaskan cruise 2 years ago. We has 9 people: an 18 month old, a 5 year old, an 8 year old, 2 mid-20's, 2 in their early 60's and a 90 year old. Everyone had a great time. I honestly feel like cruises are great vacations. They can be as jam packed or as relaxed as you want them to be.

[ilovelucyvv]

+1 cruise. So many cruises leaving out of Florida

[sandandsea]

I would do a cruise. You can do as much or as little as you want together. There is a doctor on board. You see multiple places but don't have to switch hotels. You can meet for dinner but have your own spaces too. And kids clubs are good at that age. We did an all inclusive for a week in Mexico with my family and it was great!

[sunbutter]

We went rent a private home in the Turks and Caicos. Own pool, walk to the beach, quick and easy drive to food stores and restaurants. We have taken ages from 2 to 68. All have a good time. Babies can nap when they need. Kids go to bed when they need. Adults stay up and drink rum punch or not, play cards, we put a 1000 piece puzzle together with my mom last time. Tours and activities are available nearby if desired. I went paddle boarding for the first time last spring in the mangroves while my mom watched the kids.

I look for flexibility, ease and potential for relaxation but enough to keep kids occupied. Beach, pool, meals, movie each night in their own bedroom. They are set.

Pricey but if you can swing it, worth it. About the same cost for us as a stay onsite Disney trip at a moderate priced hotel.

[akafred]

Jul 27, 2017 20:44:02 GMT -5 sunbutter said:

We went rent a private home in the Turks and Caicos. Own pool, walk to the beach, quick and easy drive to food stores and restaurants. We have taken ages from 2 to 68. All have a good time. Babies can nap when they need. Kids go to bed when they need. Adults stay up and drink rum punch or not, play cards, we put a 1000 piece puzzle together with my mom last time. Tours and activities are available nearby if desired. I went paddle boarding for the first time last spring in the mangroves while my mom watched the kids.

I look for flexibility, ease and potential for relaxation but enough to keep kids occupied. Beach, pool, meals, movie each night in their own bedroom. They are set.

Pricey but if you can swing it, worth it. About the same cost for us as a stay onsite Disney trip at a moderate priced hotel.

RIGHT?!? WDW really is outrageous when you compare it to the Caribbean.

[mommyatty]

WDW is outrageous compared to just about anything! I know we will take the kids, but I know I'm going to resent the prices the entire time.

[sunbutter]

Jul 28, 2017 6:45:32 GMT -5 akafred said:

Jul 27, 2017 20:44:02 GMT -5 sunbutter said:

We went rent a private home in the Turks and Caicos. Own pool, walk to the beach, quick and easy drive to food stores and restaurants. We have taken ages from 2 to 68. All have a good time. Babies can nap when they need. Kids go to bed when they need. Adults stay up and drink rum punch or not, play cards, we put a 1000 piece puzzle together with my mom last time. Tours and activities are available nearby if desired. I went paddle boarding for the first time last spring in the mangroves while my mom watched the kids.

I look for flexibility, ease and potential for relaxation but enough to keep kids occupied. Beach, pool, meals, movie each night in their own bedroom. They are set.

Pricey but if you can swing it, worth it. About the same cost for us as a stay onsite Disney trip at a moderate priced hotel.

RIGHT?!? WDW really is outrageous when you compare it to the Caribbean.

In the past, we could rationalize WDW as our cheaper option because the airfare was low from Philly to Orlando. But I looked recently for our spring break week and it was over 600/ticket!!!!!

[sdlaura]

We've done these trips to a few destinations and found we're happier with separate houses/condos, but that's mainly because my sister and I each had two kids under 5 at the time, and we have different schedules/discipline styles. Plus my DH needs his space when around my parents.

Our last trip like this was to go snowboarding in Park City last year, and I was able to find a VRBO rental that was two houses like 10 feet apart. So my sister's family took one house and we took the other with my parents. But if your kids are the only kids, and everyone gets along well, then one house is a lot more economical.