Top tips for travelling with grandchildren

A trip away with the grandkids can be the perfect opportunity to spend some much needed quality time together (whilst simultaneously giving parents a well-deserved break!).

With baby boomers increasingly enjoying the fruits of their retirement, many of you are choosing to spend your holidays with the little ones. And with more and more generations living further apart, a holiday can fill that long distance relationship void.

A cross-generational vacation may sound perfect on paper, but have you thought through the logistics of your trip? Anything can happen while you’re on-the-go, and travel insurance is a must, particularly when travelling with children. It’s a little known fact that travel insurance for dependent children under the age of 18 is often free. Some insurers will even cover dependants up to age 25!

Ready to start booking your trip? The key to a family friendly holiday is making sure that everyone’s got something to look forward to. Here’s some holiday ideas and top tips for travelling with the grandchildren:

The anti-theme-park trip

When Disneyland beckons, consider destination tours to Oxford, England where kids can take in the sites where classics such as ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ and the ‘Harry Potter’ series first came to life. Movie buffs can head to the studios where the ‘Harry Potter’ films were made whilst mature aged bookworms can attend lectures on legendary writers like Tolkien and C.S Lewis. Alternately you could head to Hobbiton in New Zealand for an adventure straight out of Middle-Earth.

The weekend trip

Warm sunshine and sandy beaches have a knack of keeping everyone happy. Byron Bay is a long-time favourite for families, with picture perfect coastlines, lush, scenic scenery and a short drive to some of the best theme parks Australia has to offer. Alternately, urban trekkers can’t go wrong with a weekend in bustling Melbourne or Sydney with plenty of cool museums and attractions to keep tourists- both young and old- entertained.

The adventure trip

If both you and your grandchildren like your holidays with a side of adrenalin, you may want to consider a trip somewhere outside of the box. Rainforest retreats in Central America, the Caribbean and Queensland’s Daintree, offer lush settings and activities like horse riding, zip-lining, river tubing, hiking and more. Adventure holidays with a hidden ecological focus can be the perfect mix of fun and education. Just make sure that all the activities you’ve signed up for are covered by your travel insurance policy.

The trip with perks

Love cruising but not sure your grandkids will be on board? Cruises have become popular with families in recent years thanks to generous family discounts and a wide variety of activities for toddlers to teens. The Carnival’s Spirit is one of the best cruise ships around for young children, with the largest waterpark and the steepest waterslide at sea. With plenty of fun stuff to occupy the kids, you can enjoy some well-earned downtime! Be warned that even if you’re cruising Australian waters, you are longer covered for hospital or medical expenses by Medicare or your usual private health care provider. Medical expenses on board can be very expensive, so be sure to take out travel insurance .

4 top tips for travelling with grandchildren:

• Don’t forget travel insurance. Whether someone is injured, falls sick or your luggage is stolen or lost, travel insurance will bring you peace of mind should an emergency arise. You can use a comparison site to shop around to find the best deal. If you’re a frequent traveller you may want to consider an annual policy that covers you for all your trips throughout the year – saving you time and money!

• Plan your trip wisely. Theme parks may put a skip in your grandkids step but can get tiresome, very quickly. And although you may want to cater the trip to your tastes as well as theirs, forcing them to enjoy an exotic fare or art exhibition when they’re not simply not interested may not bode down so well. Brainstorm some cross-generational ideas that will appeal to everyone such as science museums, aquariums, zoos and tours. Armed with an iPad, travel guide and plenty of fun facts, you can turn an otherwise boring activity into a fascinating, educational experience. Don’t forget to find a travel insurance policy that covers tablets and other electronics.

• Talk to mum and dad: Have a good chat to the parents before the holiday. Suss out how they’re feeling about the upcoming trip and discuss any concerns or anxieties. It’s a good idea to have both parents sign a letter permitting you to travel with the grandchildren. Many countries don’t allow minors to travel with anyone but their parents unless written permission is supplied.

• Do your homework before you go: Taking the kids to a new and foreign destination? Will you need any tourist visas or vaccinations on your holiday? Check out www.smartraveller.gov.au for any safety warnings or necessary travel precautions.

Being a grandparent is oh-so-special. Take advantage of the special relationship you share with your grandkids and book that holiday!

Have you been on holidays with your grandchildren? Where did you go? Where would you like to go with them?