In the 2014 Virtuoso Luxe Report, multigenerational family travel is the top travel trend. Families are clearly recognizing the multiple merits of a vacation together. Multigenerational families are able to connect in ways that aren't possible at home. Children benefit from the new experiences it brings and adults gain a greater appreciation for what's around them. Travel liberates us beyond the sedentary home life.
Your family vacation can range from the extravagant such as cruising to the islands, exploring Europe or flying to Hawaii or simply a weekend in Philadelphia, a week in Disney or a road trip to visit your sister in Louisiana.
Here are the advantages of taking a family trip:
1. You will learn something new
Familiarity breeds contempt. You could learn a new sport, explore a new hobby, strap on skis for the first time, climb into the saddle or make your way to the pickle ball court. While learning, intermittently, you may learn about new apps, some up to date lingo or the latest fashion trends from your young traveling companions.
Famiy trips can be educational. Children's brains are like sponges: they readily absorb new information. They are exposed to new places, cultures, people and things.
2. You will get a great return on investment
Parents believe that family vacations are worth the time and money spent because they give their children experiences that they will remember years down the road. Money and time spent on family vacations is justified because the memories are priceless. Simple things such as sharing a meal together can become cherished moments.
Travel enriches each person's life. You will focus on accumulating memories and experiences, rather than possessions. Curiosity, a sense of adventure, and ideas grow from the beginning of a journey to long after arriving home.
3. You will learn to appreciate the world
Travel also encompasses an understanding of humanity and the world in general. The new environment and interesting people you meet will offer you a fresh perspective. Seeing children's reactions to the world's most extraordinary sights and scenery can remind an adult to feel that appreciation too. Children are naturally more inquisitive than adults, so adults are inclined to find the answers to the world's questions with them.
The new environment and interesting people you meet will give you a new perspective. People of all sorts will stop you in the street and will want to know what you are doing, where you are going, what you bought, and whether or not you want to come over for coffee.
4. You will bond together
There's work, school, sports and other activities. There's little or no time to have conversations among family members. It is not surprising that sometimes we still feel like we don't know what is going on with our brother, sister, parents or children. Family vacations help rediscover one another because sometimes, we might feel like some of our family members are turning into another person and we cannot figure out what happened along the way.
