We Planned the Dream Family Trip, Here’s What Actually Happened (Multi-Generational Travel with Kids)

I just got back from what I had been calling the dream family trip. Three weeks of multi generational travel with my parents and my two young kids.We flew from Norway to the US, did long road trips, spent time in my childhood home in New Jersey, visited Disney, and I hosted a Wanderwild Family Retreat along the way.In many ways, it was exactly what I had imagined.But it didn’t feel the way I thought it would.I found myself holding more than I expected. Solo parenting, navigating different generations, managing emotions, logistics, and energy. I wasn’t just on the trip. I was the one keeping it all together.At the same time, the moments that stayed with me were not the big ones. They were the simple, relational ones.In episode 63 of The WandHERwild Podcast, I’m sharing what family travel with kids actually felt like for me, and the gap between what we imagine and what we experience in real time.In This Episode* What a three week multi generational family trip with kids looked like in real life* Solo parenting during travel and carrying the mental load* Why you don’t stop being “on” just because you are on vacation* The difference between how a trip looks and how it feels* Slow, simple moments compared to overstimulating travel days and environments* Parenting across generations and navigating different perspectives* How travel brings up family dynamics and emotional patterns* Why the most meaningful moments were the simplest ones* How shared experiences create a sense of connection and belongingWho This Episode Is For* This episode is for you if you’ve ever planned a meaningful trip and felt a disconnect while living it.* If you are the one who organizes, thinks ahead, and holds the experience for everyone else.* If you’ve come home from a vacation feeling more tired than expected, or wondering why it didn’t feel the way you thought it would.* And if you are craving family travel that feels more connected, more present, and less heavy.An Invitation For YouThere was a moment during this trip that I keep coming back to.A simple night walk during our retreat. No big plan. Just families moving together, kids holding hands with other adults, laughter, and a sense that everyone was looking out for each other.It felt easy. It felt connected. It felt like a village.That is the feeling I care about when I think about family travel.Inside Wanderwild Family Retreats, I create spaces where that kind of connection can happen, while the structure and planning are already held for you.If that is something you have been craving, learn more about upcoming retreats here: https://www.wanderwildfamilyretreats.com/hello.Links & Resources* Summer Mother–Child Retreat* Winter Mother-Child Retreat* Subscribe to my work on Substack* Listen to more episodes of The WandHERwild PodcastThanks for being here! Subscribe for free to receive occasional notes and new episodes directly to your inbox. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wandherwild.substack.com