Top 10 Indisputable Benefits of Long Term Family Travel

Long term family travel refers to family trips which last for one month or longer and include domestic and international trips. While some parents may argue that long term travel can be disruptive for children, the benefits of traveling as a family far outweigh any challenges families may encounter. If you’re interested in embarking on a long term trip with your family, keep reading to discover the top 10 benefits of long term family travel.

Remember, the location is not as important as traveling as a family.

1. Travel gives families the opportunity to create lasting memories together

Years after a family embarks on an overseas adventure together, they’ll be able to reminisce about their shared experiences, such as climbing the stairs to the top of the Eiffel Tower, riding elephants in Thailand or the time they got lost driving across the Australian outback. Families who travel together are also likely to have special inside jokes, that others won’t understand.

2. Travel increases the amount of interaction between family members

In today’s modern world, family members often live separate lives, with children spending the bulk of their time at school and their parents spending their days at work. However, when a family sets out on a adventure together, they’ll have plenty of opportunities to bond and share quality time together. It’s the shared everyday moments like playing games on a long drive or telling stories by the camp-fire that strengthen a family’s bond.

3. Travel gives families the opportunity to learn together

Children aren’t the only ones, who benefit from being exposed to new cultures, destinations and ways of life. When a family travels together, adults and children alike will learn first-hand about historical events, ancient cultures, art work and foreign languages as well as developing practical skills such as managing a budget, navigating cities with maps and planning itineraries.

4. Travel teaches families to be supportive of each other

Families who travel together will discover each family members unique skills and talents as well as the situations which test their comfort zones. When one individual is unsure of trying a new activity, such as horse riding, white water rafting, or trying an unfamiliar dish, their family members will learn to support them by giving them positive affirmations and letting them know that they believe in them.

5. Parents learn to see destinations through their children’s eyes

Children often see new cities and sights with a sense of awe and appreciation and can teach their parents or grandparents, how to appreciate and rediscover the beauty and opportunities in the world around them. Yes, visiting world class museums and art galleries as a family can be a rewarding experience but so can purchasing items for a picnic basket and enjoying an afternoon in a garden together.

6. Parents get the opportunity to pass on their knowledge to their children

While traveling with their children, parents can show their children where their ancestors came from or where they studied abroad and can also share knowledge, they’ve picked up over the years, such as how to ski, how to surf or how to pack lightly, without leaving out any essentials.

7. Traveling with children makes it easy to connect with locals

Families who’ve travelled extensively with their children, often comment on how approachable locals are when you travel with children. Children are naturally friendly and inquisitive and find it easy to strike up a conversation with someone, regardless of whether or not they share a common language. Parents shouldn’t be surprised if local parents strike a conversation with them at a playground or if a waiter makes a special effort to entertain their child.

8. Families are more likely to get off the beaten tourist track

While independent travelers may spend their vacations, ticking off major tourist attractions, families who travel together for a month or longer, have more time to experience life as the locals do by eating a local cafes and visiting beaches, parks and playgrounds frequented by locals.

9. Children who travel extensively usually grow up to be tolerant, respectful adults

Children who are exposed to different ideas, cultures and countries from a young age are likely to be accepting of those who are different. As an example, by exploring a country, where English isn’t the official language, children will learn that the whole word doesn’t revolve around their country and that the world is full of different cultures and ideas.

10. Traveling together teaches families what is really important

Without everyday distractions such as arguing about who gets to hold the television remote, families can concentrate on the things that are really important in life such as spending time with their loved ones, learning about the world around them and challenging their comfort zones.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your nearest and dearest family members and start planning your own long term family adventure. The world is waiting for you!

If you enjoyed this post, please check out these two posts as well:

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