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Family Travel and Traveling with Friends: Why do it and How to Plan it

Family travel in Ecuador.

Family travel provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to strengthen bonds and build lasting memories like not many other activities can. Whether you are exploring a new city or country, hiking through jungles or deserts, or soaking up the sun on a quiet beach or up in the mountains, traveling with loved ones allows us to connect, learn, and grow together.

It might sound cliché, but clichés do hold a sort of universal truth. Consider this, families are perhaps parallel to an atom in the sense that all its parts play a role, rendering it one of the bases of life. A family, on a much larger scale, hopes to function in a similar way. As they learn to adapt and grow as times move forward, families and individuals can also get easily caught up in the routine. When that happens, creativity and energy start to falter. To be fair, it is hard for that not to happen, as times do seem to require so much of us lately. However, it’s never too late to stop and consider taking a well-deserved break to recharge and reconnect, not only with the world but with ourselves and with each other.

Family enjoying their Galapagos Holidays.

Family enjoying their Galapagos Holidays.

Read on to find out why you should consider going on a family trip or holiday with friends. Learn what you will get from traveling with loved ones, and how to go about planning the best family vacation or group travel experience. 


Why Travel with your Family?

There are numerous benefits to family travel. Some may be obvious and others less so, but they are all important reasons to keep in mind when considering a family trip

  • Traveling with family can enhance the relationship between its members, from grandparents to children. 

  • Even if a family holiday offers plenty of opportunities to have fun and relax, research suggests that family travel offers unparalleled opportunities to strengthen family bonds. Shared experiences can encourage a sense of unity. Additionally, it can promote closeness among family members

  • Traveling, and even more so as a family, broadens horizons and helps to develop empathy. Exposing both adults and children to different cultures, languages, and ways of life can nurture an appreciation for new perspectives. This results in broadening their views of the world and even enhancing social skills.

  • Last but not least, family travel can stimulate communication skills between individuals. While traveling families are exposed to new environments that invite them to work together to understand unfamiliar surroundings, make decisions, and compromise.

Kid befriending llama in Ecuador.

Kid befriending llama in Ecuador.

Things to Consider When Planning a Family Trip

When planning a family trip, it is important to consider various factors. They can ensure everyone has a positive and enjoyable experience. Take into account things like age range, interests, specific needs, and budget. This will make sure you choose the best itinerary that gets the closest to catering to everyone’s expectations.

Age range

When coming up with a family trip itinerary, take into account the age range of your family members and plan activities that are appropriate for everyone. For example, if you have young children, you may need to look for activities that are stroller-friendly or that include interactive experiences for them to be entertained and learn from. If you are traveling with teenagers, more active-oriented experiences might be of interest. But if grandparents happen to be traveling with the group, the itinerary should consider lodgings with particular needs or more quiet activities that require less strenuous movements. 

Interests

While it may be difficult to accomplish, it is possible to plan a family holiday that caters to (almost) everyone’s interests. Consider what the members of your family are interested in, what they enjoy doing, and if there are shared interests. If you happen to have a potential future marine biologist in the family, for example, you may want to plan a trip to an aquarium or snorkeling excursion. Interested in art and culture? Pick a destination that offers visits to museums, art galleries, and cultural experiences might be a good choice. If there is a general interest in trying traditional food, a gastronomy tour in the chosen destination could be the way to go. If you are an active and adventurous sort of family, a destination with natural parks and reserves. where you can practice outdoor sports together might be an idea to consider.

Family travel in Mindo.

Family travel in Mindo.

Specific needs

To travel as a family and enjoy it as much as possible, specific needs might have to be considered. There might be a family member with strict dietary restrictions or food allergies, in which case a tour, cruise, hotel, or destination that can cater to those needs or can offer immediate assistance should it be required is a must. If we are traveling with a loved one with a physical limitation that requires specific assistance or infrastructure in order to facilitate their movement, and therefore their enjoyment, a facility, city, or country that takes those needs into account could be the chosen destination.

For families that are traveling with grandparents or family members that get tired easily and need to rest more often, a destination where they can use comfortable transportation or that offers terrains that are friendlier to walk on are the best choice. If someone in our family happens to be very susceptible to seasickness, a cruise or a boat trip is not the smartest idea.

Budget

Family vacations can be expensive, so it’s important to set a budget and try to stick to it. It’s also important to plan your family vacation well in advance so that you find the best possible deals and book destinations or sites that might experience more traffic if they happen to be popular destinations or if it’s high season. You may need to make some compromises to keep costs down, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have an amazing time. Simply giving your family the gift of traveling together will be enough reward.

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Family Holiday in hacienda Chorlavi.

Family Holiday in Hacienda Chorlavi.

Top Reasons for Families to Travel Together

If you are still not convinced or if you are reluctant to invest in a family trip, consider the following reasons:

  1. Traveling with your family offers an excellent opportunity to disconnect from the distractions of daily life that usually don’t allow us to dedicate as much time to our loved ones as we wish. Family travel takes us out of the routine and gives us the chance to focus on quality time with our family members. 

  2. It can provide a chance to learn and grow together, whether by trying new foods, exploring different cultures, or simply enjoying an activity together. In a few words, family travel allows us to discover new facets of our loved ones by taking us out of our comfort zone.

  3. Family travel can be a way to strengthen family bonds and create lasting memories. By stepping outside of your normal routine and experiencing new things together, you can deepen your connection and appreciation for each other.

Dad horseback riding with his son.

Dad is horseback riding with his son.

Travel with Friends or Small Group Travel

While family travel can be incredibly rewarding, traveling with friends or in groups can also be a great way to explore new destinations. And again, rendering the same benefits and filling your memory chest with fun and loving stories. 

Here are a few benefits of traveling with friends or groups:

1. Shared experiences

Traveling with friends provides plenty of opportunities to create shared memories, much like traveling with a family. Resolving matters together, exploring new cultures, and trying out new experiences strengthen bonds. Furthermore, it can have the power to form new friendships. While traveling, even if you are with your friends or group, you will surely have the opportunity to meet new people that could have a possible effect on your life, and maybe last a lifetime.

2. Safety

Traveling with a group can provide an added layer of safety, particularly when exploring unfamiliar destinations, as friends look out for each other and watch each other’s back. It is ideal to choose a safe destination, but sadly no one is except for the negative vibes that lurk around the planet. Making decisions together, taking care of each other, and having an extra set of eyes to scan the surroundings are one of the perks of traveling with friends or groups.  

3. Cost savings

Splitting expenses with friends can help make a trip more affordable, allowing you to do more and see more. It’s common for agencies, hotels, cruises, and other services to offer special fees for groups. This makes it easier to visit or explore certain sites and destinations that would otherwise be too expensive to visit on your own.

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Friends traveling in Cuyabeno.

Friends exploring Cuyabeno in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Recommended Destinations for Family Travel and Traveling with Friends 

However curious we might be about all the countries in the world, very few do not cut the list simply because they are not yet the safest places to visit. Thankfully, the list of countries and destinations available to us is vast and offers an alternative for all tastes and needs. Some of those destinations include:

1. The Galapagos Islands

Explore the home of unique and tame wildlife, and turquoise waters as you explore the Enchanted Islands through a Galapagos Islands cruise or through an Island-hopping adventure. Ever dreamt of taking your family swimming with sea lions and penguins? Galapagos is the place.

Kid snorkeling with a sea lion.

Kid snorkeling with a sea lion in the Galapagos Islands.

2. Ecuador

This compact yet mega-diverse country allows visitors to enjoy a unique cultural and adventurous experience. Visit its colorful cities that boast some of Latin America’s best preserved Old Towns, such as Cuenca and Quito, hike in ancient craters and snow-capped volcanoes like Quilotoa and Cotopaxi, or bike or go on horseback through Andean valleys.

3. The Amazon Rainforest

Live the breathtaking experience of being surrounded by lush, green forests, filled with life at every corner. Stay at an eco-lodge, go on guided night walks, and swim in harmless piranha lakes. The lung of Planet Earth is a must-visit destination

4. Machu Picchu

Walk through the most impressive Inca ruins, and one of the most photographed places on the planet. All while discovering Peru’s fascinating culture and rich history.

Friends travel to Machu Picchu.

Friends traveling to Machu Picchu, Peru.

5. Colombia

A country of hospitable people, delicious coffee, Caribbean beaches, mega-diverse natural parks and reserves, and amazing music. It certainly offers something for everyone. Visit the cosmopolitan capital of Bogota or head to the coast for a Colombian tropical experience

The list could go on forever, but for now, consider these amazing options. You will not regret it. 

Family travel in Ecuador.

Family travel in Ecuador.

Family Travel and Traveling with Friends: The Experience of a Lifetime

Traveling in itself is an experience like no other. Whether you do it alone or as a couple, its rewards are felt long after and for years to come. Traveling opens our minds and changes us forever, sometimes subtly, sometimes very clearly. However, nothing can match traveling as a family, as that same experience that we live individually when we are taken out of our routine and that touches our minds and souls, touches us collectively. Give your family and yourself the gift of a lifetime and start planning your family trip today. 

Start your family adventure now! 


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