Recently updated on May 1st, 2024 at 11:13 am
Multi-generational travel is surging, as families are increasingly coming together to explore the world and create cherished memories spanning generations. These special journeys weave together threads of wisdom, curiosity, and connection, building bonds for years to come.
To delve deeper into the details of how to make multi-generational travel work, we sat down with Lawrence – a seasoned senior globetrotter in his mid-60s – and his spirited grand-niece, Avery, a first-time traveler at age 18.
Join us as we unlock the secrets to multi-generational travel, where learning is a shared legacy and adventure knows no age.
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What’s your connection and why did you choose to travel together?
“Avery’s my grand niece – my brother’s her grandpa,” explained Lawrence. “She’s a baby of her family, the jewel of everybody’s heart.
“When she was graduating from high school, I thought, what better companion to have for a graduation present than for Avery to come with me as my plus one.”
How did you tell Avery about the trip?
“Well, he gave me a call,” Avery said. “I think it was around February or March, he gave me a call. And he asked me if I had a passport.”
“That’s not all the story,” said Lawrence. “First, I had to talk to Avery’s parents and to get the okay that I could actually put an invitation out to their baby girl – the last one in the nest, so to speak – to take her halfway around the world to Croatia!”
Do you live in the same city?
“I’m in California. She’s in Atlanta, Georgia. So a good 3,000 miles apart,” said Lawrence.
Do you usually get to spend a lot of time with each other?
“I want to say the last time I saw Avery was probably about five years ago,” said Lawrence.
“It’s [usually] them coming to see the grandparents because my brother – her grandpa, her Papa Doc – and Grammy live in the same area with me.
“So they’ve been out to California several times, we’ve gone to Hawaii on trips together as family. And I’ve gone back south for different, you know, family situations. So we’ve been close.”
Why was this multi-generational trip special for you both?
“Yeah! This is the first trip I think I’ve ever just taken with [Lawrence],” Avery said. “When we went to Hawaii, it was … with my parents and my siblings. And then my grandparents and him.”
“In truth, I’m her uncle – or her granduncle – and I’m 66 years old. She’s 18… and you never know when I’ll be gone,” he said. “So this is an opportunity for my grand niece and I to actually get to know one another.
“For her to know her uncle, and for me to know her and experience something together that neither of us experienced, but to do it together.”
TAKE THE TRIP: Balkan Delight
Lawrence, your love for travel came later in life, right?
“Right! So, 64 is when I got my traveling bug – it was my trip to Italy in 2021,” said Lawrence.
“It was a Trafalgar tour, and it turned out to be a wonderful experience with my daughter, Jasmine. And as soon as I was done with that, I went to planning my next trip and that happened to be Spain and Portugal.
“This was an ancestral tour for me because I had done a DNA test. And it came back [saying] I have ancestors from Spain and Portugal. So it was like a discovery of who I was, and so that made it very special.
“I went on that trip as a solo guest and thoroughly enjoyed it. So even though I’m older – at 66 – going on a Trafalgar tour is a wonderful experience whether you’re with someone or without someone, because you’ll have fun either way.”
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And you want to pass the travel bug onto Avery early on in life?
While Lawrence only found his love for travel later in life, he says this multi-generational tour was a chance to instill it in Avery just as she begins her adult life.
“One of my main purposes for asking Avery is to now – at 18 – install that traveling bug to get her to want to go to everywhere in the world,” he said. “So by the time she’s my age hopefully she will have been everywhere on this planet.”
“Hopefully!” agreed Avery.
How do you feel about travel now, Avery?
“I love traveling. I’ve only traveled domestically, so inside the United States, until now, but I’ve always had an interest in studying abroad,” she said.
“My parents are big advocators of traveling. And I enjoy food. So if you enjoy food, then why not go travel?”
Are you planning a multi-generational tour or plan to travel with your whole family? Let us know in the comments below!