It's a Young World After All

by Caralee Adams

Wayne Levin/Getty Images

Lee and Nancy Schiff started a tradition 10 years ago when they brought their seven-year-old granddaughter along with them on a trip to Jamaica. Every year since, the Chesterfield, Missouri, couple has taken as many as three of their grandchildren on adventures to Fiji, Tahiti, Belize, and Australia. "They're keeping us young by traveling with us," says Lee, a 69-year-old retired executive.

The Schiffs are among the growing number of grandparents opting to take their grandkids on the road. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, 6 percent of grandparents planned to travel with their grandchildren this summer, up from 4 percent in 2002. More encouraging: 56 percent of grandkids ages six to 17 "would really like" to take a vacation with their grandparents—and a whopping 78 percent of those ages six to eight want to give it a shot, according to American Demographics.

"What makes this kind of vacation so appealing to grandparents is that the intimacy of travel makes for quality time between the generations," says Lillian Carson, a psychotherapist from Santa Barbara, California, and author of The Essential Grandparent. "Grandparents can find out about their grandchildren on a different level."

Lee Schiff agrees. "I tell my own kids to get lost," he jokes. "We have more fun with the grandkids. With the parents, you start getting a mob."

For Sarah and Morey Sahr of Palymyra, Virginia, the pace of life slows down when they're with their grandchildren. Sarah, a retired elementary school teacher, will ask her grandchild to look for yellow flowers or animals during a leisurely drive; sometimes, they'll pull over to the side of the road for a closer look. On a recent trip to the beach, they took a detour through a small town to enjoy an old-fashioned soda fountain the Sahrs had frequented for decades. "It's a really special time when the parents aren't around and we don't have the rush of a schedule," says Sarah.

Milt and Marion Drexler, both retired teachers from Stamford, Connecticut, took their grandsons, ages eight and nine, to Great Camp Sagamore in the Adirondack Mountains. "It was different being away and in new surroundings," says Marion. "But by the end of the week, the boys forgot about phoning home." The Drexlers plan to go back to camp next year—with more grandchildren.

For elaborate trips, some people rely on agencies specializing in family travel. The Schiffs have found one such company, Rascals in Paradise, helpful when navigating international travel details with children.

Others opt for organized tours, such as those through Grandtravel, based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. "There is a peer group for each generation," says founder Helena Koenig. Certified teachers lead cultural and academic activities to popular destinations such as Kenya or national parks in the western United States.

Interested in taking a trip with your grandkids but unsure how to get started? Follow these tips to help make your vacation a success.

• Start out small. Before investing in a major excursion, try something short to see how the child does away from home. By beginning when the kids are still young, they ease into being away from home with their grandparents.
• Involve everyone in the planning. The Schiffs spend six months sifting through options with their grandchildren before deciding where they want to go.
• Choose something you enjoy: Enthusiasm is contagious.
• Coordinate childcare details with the parents before taking over the reins. Get debriefed on sleep needs, food preferences, and other relevant details. Carson advises that you get a signed, notarized statement from the parents to authorize the children's medical care in case of an emergency.
• Discuss the rules ahead of time—for example, how much they'll be allowed for spending money. "When you decide things in advance, then it's neutral, not reprimanding," says Carson. "When it's done after the fact, it takes on a different tone."
• Resist the urge to do too much. (Remember the 1969 movie If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium?) Don't try to pack too many activities into each day, and include some quiet time.
• Be flexible. You may have your heart set on visiting a museum, but if the kids lose interest, don't force it.

Here are a few of our favorite travel organizations that offer vacations that will appeal to you and your grandkids:

www.rascalsinparadise.com or 415-921-7000 Travel agency specializing in family vacations, including a children's diving program.

www.sagamore.org or 315-354-5311 No parents are allowed at the grandparent-grandchild summer camps in Raquette Lake, New York. Canoeing, crafts, and star gazing. Call for prices.

www.grandtrvl.com or 1-800-247-7651 Luxe tours, offered primarily in the summer, focus on natural attractions, historical sites, and places of current interest. Cost: $3,500 to $8,000 per person.

www.Grandkidsandme.com or 651-695-1988 Nurture relationships through camps in Amery, Wisconsin, and Grandkid Days in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Cost: $450 for two weekend campers, $32 per day-tripper.

Caralee Adams is a freelance writer in Bethesda, Maryland, who covers travel, parenting, education, and health topics.