Senior Traveler | On vacation, alone, with the grandkids

Philadelphia Inquirer, The, June, 2006 by John J. Hilferty

Grandparents taking their grandchildren on trips of a lifetime are not a particular invention of the travel industry. Only in the last 15 years or so, though, have travel companies been targeting the concept with trips that prepare for just about every psychological and sociological calamity.

The problems usually translate to bored kids and exhausted grannies and pop-pops, who fling themselves together with little study given to likes and dislikes. Now, these trips are organized to maximize enjoyment for both generations.

Since it is essential that grandparents - before considering a trip with grandchildren - be as knowledgeable of the kids' aversions as they are of their curiosities, it's a good idea to consider a vacation at an all-inclusive resort where there are scheduled activities for all ages.

It should be a resort that meets those criteria by creating flexibility for both the kids and the grandparents. And, with ...