Spring break vacation is upon us! Maybe it’s time to figure out where to take the family? Or are you one of those who planned your spring break family travel months ago? (Seriously, are there moms out there that do that? Oh say it isn’t so?) Do you make it a road trip or take the kids to the beach? Or do you skip this seasonal travel altogether? Whether a procrastinator or planner, ready to go or stay at home, spring break family travel is around the corner. See how your style of travel planning fits in with other families, courtesy of a joint survey by TravelingMom.com, TravelingDad.com, and Vacatia.
Spring Break Travel For Grandparents
Table of Contents
You may have already caught on that I’m not a big planner. And if you asked my family, all 5 children, their spouses, 7 grandchildren (even the baby), and the hubby would laugh hysterically at the mere thought that moi was NOT a procrastinator. Okay, I admit it — my mantra tends to be, “If you can put it off until tomorrow, why do it today?”
Yet when it comes to multigenerational family travel plans, I’m actually somewhere in between. The main reason for that departure from my traditional delay is that I enjoy traveling with my grandkids, so we have a whole lot of family schedules to work around. Bringing together the entire family, or even just one pod of family members or grandkids, oh boy, it’s not an easy job.
When a Spring Break Family Travel survey landed in my in-box, I was curious where I rated amongst other families. This survey was the joint efforts of leading family travel websites, Traveling Mom and Traveling Dad and the social community of Vacatia, the resort marketplace for vacationing families.
Read on to see how your planning style compares to others.
Still Planning Spring Break Travel?
It’s not just you (it’s them…)! The survey says…28 percent of respondents figure out their Spring Break vacation details at the last minute. We’re talking within a week or two prior to departure. )That’s my kind of people!).
About 29 percent report finalizing their Spring Break plans about a month before their trip, while 23 percent two months before. Those organized planners are just 19 percent who have nailed their spring break itinerary before the end of 2016.
Oregon Road Trip: Spring Break Travel
Last year for spring break, I “planned” a road trip with the two grandkids here in Denver to visit their cousins (my other four grandchildren) in Oregon. Other than confirming with my daughter that it was okay for them to join me, we didn’t pre-book any part of the road trip. We loaded all of our luggage, snacks, and entertainment into my Ford Escape, and proceeded to make the 20+ hour drive from Colorado to Oregon. This was about as unplanned as a trip could get.
I somehow managed to drive straight through to Oregon on the way there, but after all the fun we had while visiting with the family there, I was too tired to drive more than 20 hours again. I booked a last minute hotel stay in Salt Lake City on the way back. It was all about Grammie resting, sipping a glass of wine, while the grandkids splashed in the pool.
While in Medford, we explored its city, but also made time for a last minute overnight with the entire crew (6 grandkids and 3 adults) to the Pacific coast. We booked a last minute stay (literally hours before arrival) at the Three Rivers Casino Resort. We arrived late evening to the resort, so we could get to the coast early in the day. All I have to say is that sometimes procrastination brings some awesome spring break travel surprises including a Pacific coast photo opp with my 6 grandkids!
Family Travel Expands to Multigenerational Travel
Going back to the survey, 60 percent report that the planned a traditional spring break trip with kids. I’m not surprised that the survey included another 10 percent bringing grandparents along. Another 8 percent plan to bring
Another 8 percent plan to bring grown kids or family members, and nearly 5 percent say they will “bring everyone in our big, multigen family.”
According to Caroline Shin, CEO and co-founder of Vacatia, “We receive these requests all the time. We call them ‘like family’ trips. Our guests are increaslingly booking our larger resort rentals (2-3 bedroom or larger) or booking multiple resort residences to accommodate their friends and extended families.”
Here is a link for tips when traveling with multigenerational family.
What’s Different about Spring Break Travel this Year?
Are you a family of traditions? Or does your family prefer to experience new places each year?
The survey reports that more than one-third of Spring break planners intent to head to a new destination this year, while 11 percent go with the family tradition and do the same thing every year.
Read more of these Spring Break Travel stats here.
So do tell where do you fall in the spring break travel planning style? Share your comments below.
We are going last minute this year
I may not travel for spring break, but my other vacations are increasingly multi-generational. It’s a good thing.
I’m with you! The parts that have to be planned (or penalized with paying more $$ such as flights) I do pre-plan, but after that, it’s just fun to see what happens. I can neither confirm nor deny commitment issues… 😉
I am a procrastinator AND planner! Oddly I plan PART of my trip and then procrastinate about the rest. I will book a flight but have no place to stay until a few days before. Afraid of commitment maybe?
Comments are closed.