Nothing can beat the memories made when spending quality time with your family. Planning a vacation with your parents can provide the perfect opportunity to catch up, reflect and have a lot of fun together.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to make the most of a getaway with your folks.
A Beach Break
It could be a big glitzy resort or a quiet cottage – whatever best suites your family’s style – but everybody loves a beach vacation. From Maui to Cape Cod, the dunes of Oregon to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the options for where to spend a toes-in-the-sand timeout with the most important people in your life are limitless.
Vegas, Baby!
Mom wants to catch a show but Dad’s itching to hit the tables while your kids want to splash in the pool and all you can think about is what’s for breakfast at the mega buffet. Or is it some other way around? No matter the quirks of your particular family dynamics, catching flights to Las Vegas can be a hot host for a chilled out family trip. The famed desert destination offers grown-up pursuits and all-ages activities in a tidy easily manageable package for families that like to stick together with their itineraries or divide and conquer and then regroup to recount their adventures.
An Off-Piste Reunion
Hit the slopes for a super cool family reunion. Even if there are people who don’t ski in your group, the chance to convene over cups of hot cocoa beside a roaring fire in a cozy chalet should appeal to the whole family. And most quality ski resorts, such as Whistler in British Columbia or Snowmass in Colorado, are set up to accommodate all sorts of winter pursuits.
RELATED: How to Create Summer Travel Traditions Your Family Will Cherish for Generations
Hit the Big City
New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Tokyo … the sky’s the limit when it comes to family fun in the big city. For foodies, culture vultures, must-see sightseeing tourists and history buffs of all persuasions should find their sweet spots in the global hubs of the world. A good thing about an urban holiday with the family is that you can usually leave the driving to public transport and cabs (or just walk most of the time) and reduce the squabbles and up the free flow of conversation.
Get Back to Your Roots
Did your parents grow up somewhere different from where they live now? Head “home” with them for a stroll down memory lane and get a priceless glimpse into your family’s past. If you’re an urbanite, you’ll love the downtime in the small town where your parents met (and they might love rekindling their relationship). An Italian-American family’s tour of the Old Country could be perfect for solidifying family bonds and a deeper appreciation of your traditions.
Visit the Rest of the Family
Got an out-of-state sibling, aunt and uncle on the other side of the country or some other close relative living elsewhere? Pay ‘em a visit and take Mom and Pop along for the ride. Of course, any new additions to your family are the ultimate reason to drop in (announced obviously) on the loved ones and enjoy one another’s company and celebrate your ties.
Have a favorite trip you like to take with your parents, but wasn’t on our list? Leave it in the comments section below!
