It should not surprise you in the least to know that travel is a common topic in my household. Questions at the dinner table often include, “Where are we going next,” “When are we going next?” and, more recently, “What do you mean we aren’t going?”
Travel Has Always Been Part Of Our Family Story As our kids have grown, gone off to college and started developing independent lives, it has been a complete joy to travel with them, and Jason and I are also excited to travel again as a couple.
Adjusting To A New Season Of Family Travel
We often structure our yearly vacation schedule to include a family vacation, usually with our two kids (adults, 22 and 18), plus grandma in tow. This trip usually lasts a week or so, and we often use our HGV membership to book accommodations with multiple rooms and a kitchen. This gives us room to spread out so everyone can have their own space, plus a kitchen to feed the masses and a home base to return to if any member of our travel party wants to break off from the group.
Planning Trips That Work For Everyone
Our most recent family trip was to Finland to see the northern lights. We stayed in the frigid Arctic Circle for a week and enjoyed a variety of activities, from a reindeer farm to Santa Claus’ Village. With a mix of travelers, it was important to be flexible and have a variety of activities and downtime options available so everyone could enjoy themselves.
Flexibility Makes Every Trip Better
Additionally, throughout the year, Jason and I have been immensely enjoying the couple’s travels we enjoy now that the kids have grown up! There is something to be said about a long weekend in a city you haven’t visited, or a quiet beach without worrying about sunburnt kids and sandcastle engineering. Using our Hilton Honors Points to book a Hilton hotel is often how we structure these last-minute getaways. We have yet to pick a destination where there hasn’t been a Hilton hotel available.
We are looking forward to our couple’s trip this year to Turks and Caicos and cannot wait to spend time staring at the Caribbean ocean without a care in the world.
Making Space For Couple-Only Adventures Without fail, when the kids find out we are leaving for a couple-only vacation, they immediately start negotiating whether they get to tag along. I love that we have raised humans with the travel bug we do; however, I think it’s important for Jason and me to travel as a couple. They get it too and I’m sure they will enjoy their own independent travel without mom and dad in the very near future. That’s just the circle of life, isn’t it?
Key Takeaways
Travel Evolves as Kids Grow: Family vacations shift from constant togetherness to flexible experiences that meet everyone’s needs.
Flexibility Improves Every Trip: Mixing activities and downtime helps travelers of different ages enjoy the same vacation.
Couple Travel Matters Too: Rediscovering trips as a couple strengthens relationships and creates new traditions.
Shared Values Carry Forward: Raising independent travelers means letting kids explore on their own when the time is right.
FAQs
Q: What is transition traveling?
A: It refers to adjusting travel styles as children grow older and become more independent.
Q: Can families still vacation together when kids are adults?
A: Yes, trips often work best when they include flexible plans and space for individual interests.
Q: Why are couple-only trips important during this stage?
A: They allow parents to reconnect and enjoy travel without the responsibilities of full family planning.
