Traveling with Grandchildren: My Guide to "Skip-gen" Travel

by Tony Huffman, Founder of Huffman Travel 

Today's grandparents are no longer content nesting at home! The baby boomers are a "get up and go" generation. Many boomers have discovered that traveling with their grandkids is one of the best ways to connect and make memories. Our very own Tony Huffman shares his seven tips for a successful "skip-gen" travel experience.

Be Prepared for a New Dynamic

One of the most notable benefits of "skipping" the parents when we travel with our grandchildren is that they tend to be more attentive and behave better when their parents are not around.

Find the Sweet Spot

My feeling is the perfect age to take your grandkids is when they are between 10-14. This is before they get too distracted with social media and life!

My Favorite Destinations to Travel with Grandchildren 

Go someplace your grandkids have not visited before. Ideally, make it a foreign destination that is as different from where they live as possible. Exposure to other cultures will conjure feelings of gratitude and open their minds to new experiences. Italy, Paris, and London are always great - but don't shy away from more exotic destinations such as Croatia, Turkey, and South America.

Be the Cool Caregivers

When traveling, I find that not forcing the grandchildren to dress up for daytime activities is always a crowd-pleaser. However, insist they do dress up for evenings.

The Best Advice for Grandparents 

Be prepared; traveling with your grandchildren can be very tiresome! I suggest morning touring - schedule up to four hours followed by a proper sit-down lunch. Vary the types of restaurants to keep the kids curious. I love to make a game of meals and encourage the kids to try new foods for prizes. We find that when the kids are incentivized to try new foods, they love it most of the time.

My Most Memorable Experience on a "Skip-gen" Trip

In Rome, touring the small, secret streets via golf cart. Mask making in Venice - nothing more fun than watching your grandchildren’s creative abilities come out in a foreign country. A private cooking class in Florence, where they worked hard and then loved every bite of what they made!

How it Differs from Traveling with Your Kids

As a parent, you usually take a "vacation," not a trip. A trip with grandparents should be educational but still fun, less regimented in a way.