{"id":17695,"date":"2026-08-11T16:05:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T16:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/?p=17695"},"modified":"2026-09-13T12:45:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T12:45:30","slug":"the-family-vacation-grows-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/fall-2026\/the-family-vacation-grows-up\/","title":{"rendered":"The Family Vacation Grows Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remember when planning a family vacation meant the adults decided where to go, packed the car and told the kids what time to be ready?<\/p>\n

Things get more interesting when those kids grow up.<\/p>\n

Now everyone has an opinion. Your adult children have their own travel styles, schedules and budgets. Grandchildren may range from little ones who are thrilled by a train ride to teenagers with very definite ideas about what constitutes fun. Some family members want to hike. Others would rather browse shops, book a massage or linger over lunch.<\/p>\n

And that’s not necessarily a problem.<\/p>\n

The secret to a successful multigenerational vacation may be giving up the idea that everyone needs to do everything together.<\/p>\n

Instead, think about choosing a destination that provides a comfortable home base, plenty of options and natural opportunities to separate for a few hours\u2014and then come back together.<\/p>\n

A long weekend can be ideal. Three or four nights is enough time to get away without requiring everyone to coordinate an entire week’s schedule.<\/p>\n

Here are three very different ways to make it work this fall.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Fall in the Smokies at Three Little Bears Retreat, where families can settle into a mountain cabin and head out on a guided wildlife safari into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo: Three Little Bears Retreat<\/p><\/div>\n

Bryson City, North Carolina: Make the Mountains Your Home Base<\/h3>\n

For a family that likes the idea of having its own place rather than scattering among hotel rooms, the mountains of western North Carolina offer an appealing solution.<\/p>\n

Three Little Bears Retreat<\/a>, near Bryson City, sits alongside Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/a> and offers five private cabins ranging from intimate creekside accommodations to larger mountain homes that can accommodate as many as 14 people.<\/p>\n

That makes the house itself part of the vacation.<\/p>\n

There is room to gather, but nobody has to be together every minute. And because activities can be tailored to the interests and pace of the family, one generation doesn’t have to set the agenda for everyone else.<\/p>\n

Fall is prime time in the Smokies, when changing leaves and cooler temperatures provide plenty of reasons to get outside.<\/p>\n

For something everyone can enjoy sitting down, board the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Its excursions travel through mountain scenery that can’t always be reached by car, passing Fontana Lake, mountain rivers, historic structures and fall foliage.<\/p>\n

More active family members might tackle the 2.4-mile Deep Creek waterfall loop, which passes three waterfalls. Others can spend some time exploring Bryson City’s galleries, antique shops, restaurants and breweries.<\/p>\n

Three Little Bears Retreat also offers guided wildlife safari expeditions in vintage Land Rovers into Great Smoky Mountains National Park.<\/p>\n

Families follow the retreat\u2019s guide vehicle, staying connected by long-range radio while looking for what the retreat calls the Smokies\u2019 \u201cBig Five\u201d\u2014black bear, elk, wild boar, coyote and bobcat.<\/p>\n

Then meet back at the retreat.<\/p>\n

Three Little Bears can even arrange chef-prepared communal Camp Cookery dinners\u2014an appealing reminder that sometimes the best part of the family vacation isn’t the day’s big attraction. It’s sitting around the table afterward and hearing what everybody did.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs offers plenty of ways for families to split up and come back together\u2014from golf and fine dining to fly fishing, a ride on the Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, and relaxing at one of the resort\u2019s rustic cottages. Photos: The Broadmoor. Penrose Room entr\u00e9e photo: Chad Chisholm.<\/p><\/div>\n

Colorado Springs, Colorado: Pick Your Own Adventure<\/h3>\n

At The Broadmoor<\/a> in Colorado Springs, the challenge may be deciding what not to do.<\/p>\n

That can be a distinct advantage for a multigenerational family.<\/p>\n

The historic resort occupies 5,000 acres and offers everything from golf and spa treatments to hiking, horseback riding, fly fishing, mountain biking, pickleball, rock climbing, falconry and ziplining.<\/p>\n

In other words, don’t try to make everyone agree.<\/p>\n

One morning, the golfers can head to one of the resort’s championship courses. Someone else can disappear into the spa. More adventurous members of the family can try a zipline or guided rock-climbing experience. Younger guests may have their own seasonal programming.<\/p>\n

Then choose a few experiences that bring everybody back together.<\/p>\n

One possibility is The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway<\/a>, which climbs to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak. Another is Seven Falls, a series of waterfalls tucked into a Colorado canyon, where visitors can choose how much walking and climbing they want to tackle.<\/p>\n

The accommodations also lend themselves to the grown-up-family concept. In addition to traditional rooms and suites, The Broadmoor has residential-style cottages with one to eight bedrooms and Brownstones with kitchens, living and dining areas and private terraces.<\/p>\n

Families looking for a more immersive outdoor experience can venture beyond the main resort. The Broadmoor’s seasonal Wilderness Experiences<\/a>, open into October, include Cloud Camp and The Ranch at Emerald Valley, with activities ranging from horseback riding and hiking to archery, fly fishing and canoeing.<\/p>\n

And there’s another reason not to schedule every minute.<\/p>\n

The Penrose Room<\/a> reopened in 2025 after an extensive renovation. Its theatrical tableside dining\u2014including classics prepared or finished at the table\u2014could turn one evening into the event everyone shares.<\/p>\n

Sometimes the best multigenerational itinerary isn’t an itinerary at all. Give everyone choices during the day. Make dinner the appointment nobody misses.<\/p>\n

\"\"

San Diego gives multigenerational families plenty of ways to spend a fall getaway, from beaches and waterfront adventures to museums, attractions and family favorites throughout the region. Photos: San Diego Tourism Authority.<\/p><\/div>\n

San Diego, California: Give Everyone More for the Family Travel Budget<\/h3>\n

If mountains aren’t calling your family’s name, October brings a very different kind of fall getaway on the Southern California coast.<\/p>\n

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Kids Free San Diego<\/a>, a monthlong October promotion with more than 100 offers at attractions, museums, hotels and restaurants throughout the region. The San Diego Tourism Authority<\/a> estimates families can save as much as $1,000 depending on what they choose to do.<\/p>\n

That can matter when a weekend involves several generations\u2014and several admission tickets.<\/p>\n

Children 11 and younger receive free admission to the San Diego Zoo<\/a> and San Diego Zoo Safari Park<\/a> during October. Other participating attractions and businesses offer their own free-child admissions, meals or other incentives.<\/p>\n

But the bigger reason San Diego works for the grown-up family vacation is choice.<\/p>\n

Start with Balboa Park. Family members interested in science can explore the Fleet Science Center. Dinosaur and natural-history fans can head to The Nat, while aviation enthusiasts can explore the San Diego Air & Space Museum.<\/a> All are participating in Kids Free San Diego this October.<\/p>\n

You don’t necessarily have to pick one.<\/p>\n

Split up for a couple of hours and meet later for lunch.<\/p>\n

On another day, get everybody out on the water. City Cruises is offering a kids-cruise-free promotion during October<\/a>, providing views of Seaport Village, Coronado Island and Cabrillo National Monument along with opportunities to spot wildlife.<\/p>\n

Families with younger grandchildren may choose LEGOLAND California<\/a> or SeaWorld San Diego<\/a>, both of which have October promotions. Others may decide that their perfect afternoon involves neither roller coasters nor aquariums.<\/p>\n

That’s fine, too.<\/p>\n

Grandparents and adult children can take turns spending time with the younger travelers while other members of the family explore museums, restaurants, beaches or neighborhoods on their own.<\/p>\n

Hotels are participating as well, with offers ranging from discounted second rooms to complimentary children’s meals and activities. Those savings can become particularly meaningful for a family needing two or three rooms rather than one.<\/p>\n

And October provides another advantage: San Diego says the summer crowds have begun to fade while the weather remains warm.<\/p>\n

It may not provide the traditional red-and-gold foliage of the Smokies, but for a family that wants one more taste of sunshine before winter, that’s precisely the point.<\/p>\n

Together Doesn’t Have to Mean All Day<\/h3>\n

The multigenerational family vacation has changed because the family has changed.<\/p>\n

Adult children aren’t children anymore. Grandparents may be the ones eager to hike, zipline or learn to fly fish. Teenagers may want independence. Younger grandchildren may happily spend hours somewhere the rest of the family can handle only in smaller doses.<\/p>\n

Instead of fighting those differences, plan around them.<\/p>\n

Before booking, ask everyone what one thing they really want to do. Don’t fill every hour. Build in time for smaller groups to go their own way. And choose at least one point each day\u2014a train ride, an excursion, dinner around a big table\u2014when everyone comes back together.<\/p>\n

Because the goal isn’t to prove that three generations can happily follow the same itinerary.<\/p>\n

It’s to come home glad you traveled together.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to plan a long weekend with adult children and grandchildren that everyone actually enjoys<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17816,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[222,223],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2026","category-fall-2026-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17695"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17895,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17695\/revisions\/17895"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}