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Travel Hub · Family & Senior Travel

Travel has no age limit

From wrangling toddlers through security to finally booking the trip you spent 30 years talking about. Planning tips, honest advice and real stories for travellers of every age.

First flights to retirement trips. The dog's invited too.

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Family trips don't have to mean chaos. And later life doesn't mean slowing down.

Some of the best trips we've seen on this site have been multigenerational adventures, parents taking toddlers on their first flight, and retirees finally booking the trip they spent 30 years talking about.

This hub is for all of it. Planning tips, destination guides, honest advice on what works (and what really doesn't), and real stories from people who've done it at every age. The dog and the cat get their own section too, obviously.

12+ guidesFamily & senior articles
Any ageFirst flights to retirement trips
Pet-friendlyDog, cat & pet travel covered
Real storiesInterviews & guest experiences
WorldwideDestinations on every continent
The guides

Family & senior travel guides

Advice, inspiration and honest stories for travellers of every age. From your kid's first passport to your parents' dream retirement trip.

Family Travel

First flights, toddler logistics, and who to travel with in the first place.

Who to Travel With? Friends? Family? Solo?

Friends, Family, or Solo? Who to Travel With for the Best Experience

Travel with your Parents

Why You Should Travel with Your Parents as They Get Older

Family Travel is the best travel, right?

Together Time: 7 Perfect Trips for Every Generation

flying with a young baby

Essential Guide: Tips for Flying with a Young Baby

Senior Travel

Comfortable cities, off-season wins, and proof it's never too late to go.

Multigenerational Travel

Grandparents, parents, kids, one trip. How to plan it so everyone actually enjoys it.

Pet-Friendly Travel

Dogs, cats and the fine art of travelling with someone who can't read a boarding pass.

Hard-won wisdom

Planning tips for every generation

The stuff nobody tells you until you're already at the airport.

Travelling

With kids

  • Book direct flights where possible. Layovers with toddlers are a special kind of torture
  • Pack twice the snacks you think you need
  • Choose accommodation with kitchens. Eating out every meal with kids gets expensive fast
  • Travel during shoulder season. Fewer crowds, cheaper prices, happier everyone
  • Build downtime into every day. Kids don't care about your itinerary
Travelling

60+ travel

  • Travel insurance is non-negotiable. Medical costs abroad can be devastating without cover
  • Book ground-floor or lift-access accommodation. Cobblestone streets and stairs are no joke
  • Consider off-season travel. Fewer crowds, cooler temps, and far better prices
  • Carry medications in hand luggage with a doctor's letter
  • Slow down the itinerary. One or two things per day beats an exhausting highlights reel
Travelling

All ages together

  • Book accommodation with separate spaces. Everyone needs somewhere to retreat
  • Let different generations plan one day each. Keeps everyone invested
  • Choose destinations with varied activity levels. Beach plus walking plus culture works well
  • Set a shared budget upfront. Money disagreements ruin family trips faster than bad weather
  • Build in "split up" time. You don't have to do everything together every day
Budget & costs

What does family & senior travel actually cost?

It varies wildly with destination, group size and travel style. But here are realistic daily per-person budgets for the most popular trip types.

European city break

London · Paris · Rome · Barcelona

Budget£55 / $70 / €65 per day
Mid-range£120 / $150 / €140 per day
Comfort£200+ / $250+ / €235+ per day

Kids under 5 often go free at attractions, and senior discounts are widely available. Always ask, the worst they can say is no.

Beach & resort

Spain · Greece · Portugal · Turkey

Budget£45 / $57 / €53 per day
Mid-range£100 / $125 / €115 per day
All-inclusive£150+ / $190+ / €175+ per day

All-inclusive is often the family sweet spot: one price, no surprises, and nobody negotiating over a third ice cream.

Long-haul trip

USA · Australia · Japan · Southeast Asia

Budget£65 / $82 / €76 per day
Mid-range£140 / $175 / €165 per day
Comfort£250+ / $315+ / €290+ per day

Flights are the big cost here. Book 3 to 6 months out for the best prices, especially around school holidays.

Quick answers

Family & senior travel FAQs

The questions we get asked most, answered honestly.

Is it worth travelling with young children?

Yes, but it takes more planning. Kids under 2 fly free (or heavily discounted) on most airlines, and many attractions offer free entry for under-5s. The memories are worth the extra logistics. Start with shorter trips to build confidence, then go bigger.

What's the best age to start travelling with kids?

There's no magic number. Plenty of families fly with babies under 6 months. But if you want a trip the kids actually remember, around age 4 to 5 is when destinations start to "stick". That said, travel at any age teaches adaptability, and the earlier you start, the easier it gets.

Is travel insurance more expensive for seniors?

Yes, typically. Premiums increase with age, especially after 65 or 70 when most standard policies either jump in price or require medical screening. But it's absolutely not optional. A medical emergency abroad without cover can cost tens of thousands. Compare specialist providers through our travel insurance hub for the best rates.

What are the best destinations for multigenerational trips?

Destinations that offer something for every age group work best. Think Portugal (walkable cities, beaches, affordable), Japan (safe, accessible, culturally rich), the UK Lake District (gentle walks, pubs, scenery), or a Mediterranean cruise where everyone picks their own activities. Our multigenerational travel guide in the section above covers this in detail.

How do I handle different budgets within a family group?

Set a shared budget for accommodation and group meals, then let everyone manage their own spending money for activities and extras. Booking a rental apartment or villa instead of individual hotel rooms usually saves a fortune and keeps the group together. Be upfront about money before the trip, not during it.

Can seniors with mobility issues still travel comfortably?

Absolutely. Cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Singapore are among the most accessible in the world. Book accommodation with lifts, request wheelchair assistance at airports (it's free, and our accessible travel hub covers exactly how), and look for cruise lines with accessible cabins. Slow travel suits this perfectly. One city, explored properly, beats five cities rushed through.

Should I book package holidays or plan independently for family trips?

It depends on your tolerance for logistics. Package holidays, especially all-inclusive, remove the planning stress and often work out cheaper for families. Independent planning gives you more flexibility and usually better accommodation. A good middle ground: book flights and accommodation separately, then pre-book activities and skip-the-line tickets through a service like GetYourGuide.

What should I pack differently for family or senior travel?

For families: entertainment for transit (tablets, colouring books, snacks), a basic first-aid kit, and copies of all documents. For seniors: medications in hand luggage with prescriptions, comfortable walking shoes (not new ones), a portable phone charger, and insurance documents printed as well as digital. Everyone: a good daypack and a reusable water bottle.

Can I take my dog or cat abroad with me?

Often, yes, with paperwork. Most destinations need a microchip, up-to-date rabies vaccination and an animal health certificate, arranged with your vet a few weeks ahead. Rules vary a lot by country and airline, and cats generally find travel more stressful than dogs, so plan around your animal, not your itinerary. Our pet travel guides in the section above walk through the details.

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Step-by-step planning checklists, free guides, and a stack of money-saving tips to help you plan a trip the whole family will actually enjoy. Grandparents included.

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