You may be asking yourself, what are group travel tours for families? Group travel tours for families are multi-family travel groups that are led by expert guides. These trips can either include multiple families within your own (think family reunion) or your family paired with other families you haven’t met yet. Below we break down the pros and cons of group travel tours for families so that you can make a wise decision on what is best for you and your family.
The Pros:
Less time planning
The biggest benefit of booking a group travel tour for families is all the time you’ll save. Instead of having to research and create your own itinerary that fits your schedule and everyone’s needs, someone else will do it for you. And not just someone else, but an expert guide who is very knowledgeable about the destination you’ve chosen to travel to. This expert will listen to what your family enjoys and what ages will be in your group in order to create a personalized itinerary that fits everyone’s needs.
Tour with other families
A wonderful perk of group travel tours for families is meeting other families! This can make a family trip even more fun as you get to know other people and experience new places together. Tour groups like Thomson Family Adventures pair families together that have similar-aged children. This is a great option for families with only 1 child or for families who know their kids will love hanging out with other kids on vacation. They may even end up with a lifelong pen pal!
Lower cost
Choosing to travel with other families in a tour group is typically less expensive than booking a private tour. Expert guides are able to snag company and partner discounts so they can save money, while saving you money. Large group discounts are typically applied. In addition, the expert knowledge and guidance that you’ll receive on a group family tour can save you money as well.
Great for family reunions
Instead of arranging a typical family reunion at a dining hall or park shelter, a group travel tour for families may be the better option! Expert guides can accommodate all ages in the group (multi-generational groups) and provide an itinerary that works for the whole family. For example, Adventures by Disney offers “magical moments” and activities for all ages and because it’s Disney-owned, you know that it’s kid-friendly and will be great for the whole family.
Gain wonderful memories
When it comes down to it, the best benefit of group travel tours for families is all the unique memories that will be made. There’s something about getting out of your box with the people you love and adventuring alongside one another. This is also a fun way to learn more about each other and is especially great for multi-generational family reunions. Sharing new experiences with the whole family and other families is certainly an adventure and that adventure may be a once-in-a-lifetime family trip for everyone involved.
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The Cons:
May limit tour options
Depending on what you’re wanting to do, group travel tours for families may limit your options. An expert guide will create an itinerary with the goal of pleasing the entire group as best as possible. That means if there is something you specifically want to do (e.g. solo golfing one day) but that something isn’t feasible for the majority of the group, you’re probably not going to have time to do it. Travel plans are made with everyone in mind.
Fixed itineraries
While having a travel expert plan out your itinerary is a huge benefit, the disadvantage is that there’s no option to change or alter the itinerary. So once it’s planned, it’s planned. This includes what time you leave, what time you return, how long you are at one destination, etc. If you’re someone who wants flexibility with timing and plans, booking a group travel tour for families may not be the best choice.
Transportation is decided
A fixed itinerary also means fixed transportation. Not only will you not be able to choose how you and your family will be traveling, but a particular mode of transportation may even limit what sites and places you get to visit. For example, a large bus will not be able to travel easily through tight inner-city streets or skinny mountain roads. Again, this can be convenient for some (no need to plan) but inconvenient for those who want a more immersive experience.
Most likely to get the “tourist” experience
Booking a group travel tour for families most likely means you’re going to get more of a “tourist” experience. This means you’ll be stopping at the most popular tourist attractions which may be what you want to do anyway. On the other hand, if you’re wanting to “live like a local” or have a more “authentic” experience, group travel tours may not be for you. Instead, you may enjoy taking a family trip to an underrated family vacation spot.
More people, more opinions
Since you’ll be traveling with your own family and other families, there are going to be many more opinions about the family trip. While the itinerary plans cannot change, people can have opinions on specific things to do at each tourist site. Some tour groups include up to 30 or more people in a group, but thankfully there are other options. Some tour groups, like Austin Adventures, keep to a smaller group—around 12 people per group.
Best Tour Operators/Companies for Group Travel Tours for Families
Now that you know the pros and cons of group travel tours for families, here are the best tour groups in the US:
- Austin Adventures
- Thomson Family Adventures
- Adventures by Disney
- Sierra Club Outings
- Western River Expeditions
In summary, to help you decide if group travel tours would be good for your family, consider what each family member would like to get out of the trip. Also, consider everyone’s abilities and personalities. Would a pre-planned itinerary with other families be awesome? Or do you enjoy taking things into your own hands and having the flexibility to change the itinerary if needed?
Have you ever gone on a group travel tour for families? If so, how was your experience?
