Planning a holiday for three generations

By the Nexara Holidays travel desk · 2 min read

Holidays with grandparents, parents and children create lasting memories. The challenge is pacing a trip that works for a toddler and a seventy-year-old at the same time.

Choose the right destination

Look for short journeys, comfortable hotels, good food and something for every age.

• Kerala: houseboats, tea gardens and easy drives.
• Singapore: clean, efficient and full of attractions for all ages.
• Kashmir: shikara rides and meadows, with ponies for those who cannot walk far. See Srinagar.
• Dubai: air-conditioned attractions, desert safaris and malls.
• Pilgrimage tours combined with sightseeing.

Pacing

• One main activity a day.
• Afternoon rest.
• Two or three nights in each place.

Rooms

Request connecting rooms, ground-floor rooms for grandparents and family suites where available.

Transport

A private vehicle sized for the whole group with luggage, or a mini-coach for larger families. Avoid very long drives.

Split up sometimes

Let the adventurous members do an activity while grandparents rest, then meet for dinner.

Food

Choose hotels and restaurants that can cater for vegetarian, mild and child-friendly meals.

Medical preparation

Carry medicines, prescriptions and medical summaries. See Travelling with elderly parents: planning a comfortable trip.

Who decides?

Appoint one family member as the coordinator with the travel planner.

See our Family holidays and Senior-friendly holidays pages.

A sample week

In Kerala, two nights in Kochi, two in Munnar and one on a houseboat works well for three generations: short drives, a mix of sights and plenty of time to sit together. In Singapore, four nights with one theme park day, one wildlife day and one easy city day is a good balance.