3 Family Travel Experiments I'm Trying This Summer

A few weeks after returning from our three-week multi-generational family trip, I found myself thinking less about where we traveled and more about how we traveled.

The more I reflected on the experience, the more I realized I wasn’t looking for a different destination, a better hotel, or a more optimized itinerary. What I was really searching for was a different way to experience family travel itself.

I kept coming back to a few questions. How do we create trips that feel more present and less rushed? How do we share responsibility instead of placing it on one person? How do we create meaningful experiences without feeling like we have to orchestrate every moment? And how do we return home feeling restored, connected, and energized rather than depleted?

Instead of searching for answers online, I decided to approach this summer’s travel differently. I came up with three experiments that we’re going to test as a family.

One experiment gives every family member—including the kids—the opportunity to plan and lead a day of the trip. Another builds dedicated restoration time directly into the itinerary for each adult. And the third explores what happens when we stop trying to create all of the magic ourselves and allow local guides, teachers, and facilitators to help shape the experience.

In Episode 64 of The WandHERwild Podcast, I’m sharing the realizations that inspired these experiments, how they are already influencing the way we think about travel inside Wanderwild, and why I believe the future of family travel is less about seeing more and more about experiencing it differently.

In This Episode

* The biggest realizations from our recent multi-generational family trip

* Why “I choose to have a great day today” has become our family travel mantra

* How food, flexibility, and giving back can shape the travel experience

* Family Travel Yes Days: giving each family member ownership of a day of the trip

* How travel can teach kids leadership, planning, and decision-making