By Trip Styler, on August 16, 2016

3 tips for new parents vacationing with grandparents

Often vacations with tots aren’t the most soothing trip style—they’re energetic, busy, and full of firsts (just like your tyke-in-tow).

Enter grandparents.

When my son was just over a year old, our family of three (now four) met up with my husband’s parents in Mexico for some familia fun!

Because it was our first time traveling as a fivesome, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew we’d have a great time—how can you not on the beach in Punta Mita?—but I didn’t realize the trip would turn into a relaxing holiday (Olé), and I’d come home refreshed like I used to when I traveled with my husband (before kids) to chic beach resorts.

Three “S” rules

I attribute our relaxation recipe to shoulder season, setting, and schedule—a trip trifecta that allows for maximum escape!

how to travel with grandparents, a new parent guide

Viewfinder Tip: For the best chance of enjoying your holiday to the fullest when traveling as a multi-generational troop, find the sweet spot between setting, schedule, and shoulder season.

Shoulder season

The reason I’m such a shoulder season fan when it comes to multigenerational family travel is because navigating busy resorts in high season—something I’ve tried one too many times—can be a losing game. However, travel in low season and you win, as well as remove any question of “if” you’ll find the right beach chair, “if” you’ll get a reservation or eat when it’s convenient, or “if” you’ll find the right type of room for your brood.

After all, when a resort isn’t at full capacity, you can vacation to the fullest (read: Do what you want when you want).

Setting

Choosing a hotel setting with a restaurant (or five!) and a bevy of amenities is the perfect way to enjoy together time and alone time without having to constantly venture elsewhere. In this type of resort-style situation, the eat-spa-do options are all there for you and only a few steps away.

In addition to hotel conveniences in close proximity, another parents-traveling-with-grandparents suggestion is securing a two- or three-bedroom, two-bath suite. This type of quarters is ideal as it allows you to stay together without swapping rooms for each child’s nap, etc.

Schedule

Normally I would not pair the words “schedule” and “vacation.” They’re almost opposites. But, in the case of galavanting with grandparents, everyone having a general idea of the “daily drill” is important as far as setting the tone, maximizing together time, respecting alone time, creating play time, and allowing for date-night time. 

A guide for traveling with grandparents

Barring our holiday following a rigorous roster of vacation must-dos, we settled into a win-win schedule that worked really well for every member of the family. Here is what it looked like:

Note: The below timeline would morph daily based on everyone’s preferences and our baby’s wake/sleep schedule, but generally, here’s how our six-night trip played out.

Our daily drill

  • 7:00 a.m. – rise and shine
  • 7:10 a.m. – parents deliver baby to grandparents’ room for bottle and snuggles, and go for a run along the beach
  • 7:50 a.m. – parents return from their jaunt and get ready for breakfast
  • 8:15 a.m. – all go to breakfast
  • 9:15 a.m. – one parent would take baby back for nap no. 1
  • 9:30 a.m. – everyone else returns from breakfast
  • 10 a.m. – all head to the pool (except mom or dad, who is relaxing on the balcony, while baby sleeps)
  • 11 a.m. – baby wakes; all enjoy the pool and eat lunch
  • 2 p.m. – one parent takes baby to room for nap no. 2, and grandparents tag in while baby naps
  • 2:30 p.m. – parents relax by the pool and read
  • 4:30 p.m. – baby wakes; all go to the beach for playtime in the ocean
  • 6 p.m. – all head to restaurant for appetizers and drinks
  • 7 p.m. – parents take baby to bed, grandparents stay and eat dinner together
  • 8:30 p.m. – grandparents come back from dinner (to monitor sleeping baby), parents go to dinner
  • 10 p.m. – parents return, all go to sleep

For more, check out some related articles:
First trip with baby
Maui with baby
Cruising with baby
10 babymoon tips for soon-to-be parents

Have you ever traveled with grandparents as a new parent? What are your tips for maximizing together and alone-time?