Multi-generational holidays are on the rise – up 12% in the last five years
Holidaying with your children and your parents can give everyone precious quality time together and involve grandparents more fully in family life, away from domestic pressures and routines.
Here are our top recommendations for getting the most out of a ‘3G’ holiday:
- Choose a type of holiday where grandparents (and parents!) can relax, or do sports or other activities, while the kids play – beach holidays and holidays with childcare are ideal. Mark Warner’s famous crèches and kids’ clubs mean everyone can get a break.
- Don’t make the mistake of thinking that self-catering is necessarily the best choice – shopping, cooking and cleaning will impinge on family bonding time. It’s nice to be looked after by someone else every once in a while!
- Book a half- or full-board package to save the hassle of organising flights, transfers and so on.
- Source a resort with activities to suit every member of the family – from high-octane watersports to blissed-out sunset yoga, from kids’ activities to tennis tournaments.
- Look for a resort with varied, flexible accommodation options to suit all types of family group. Interconnecting rooms, for instance, mean everyone is close at hand yet has their own space – and that grandparents won’t be rudely awakened by dawn-rising toddlers!
- Keep in mind that older people may tire more easily and need some time out from both you and the kids. Make sure grandparents know you’re happy for them to do their own thing when they want to.
- If you go out together, don’t squeeze too much into one day – it may be too tiring both for grandparents and for the kids.
- Factor in some grown-up time – Mark Warner’s children’s teas and evening crèches mean adults can catch up properly over dinner or in the bar.
- Agree in advance who is paying for any holiday extras, such as meals out and excursions, to save misunderstandings.
- Make sure that grandparents take up on any seniors’ discounts available for travel or attractions.Read more about family holidays with Mark Warner.
