What Family Travelers Are Talking About Right Now

Hi everyone! Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been keeping a close eye on what parents are talking about in family travel forums — the questions they’re asking about family travel planning, the trips they’re dreaming about, and the logistics that feel overwhelming when traveling with young kids. From multigenerational vacations to slow travel with kids to navigating the latest Hyatt points changes, there are some clear trends emerging.

So today’s newsletter is a roundup of what’s trending in family travel right now — along with our real-life experiences to help you plan your own trips with more confidence (and less stress).

Another topic that keeps popping up? Multigenerational travel.

More families are planning trips with grandparents, adults, and little ones — and the biggest challenge is making it work for everyone.

That means:

The key is thoughtful, realistic planning. With the right structure, these trips can become some of the most meaningful family memories you’ll ever make.

In our full guide, we walk you through exactly how to plan a smooth and memorable multigenerational vacation — from picking the right location to creating a realistic daily rhythm that works for everyone.👉 Read more here:
https://www.travelingwithtots.blog/p/planning-a-multigenerational-trip

Another growing trend in family travel right now? Slow travel.

Instead of hopping from hotel to hotel, more families are choosing one base city and exploring from there. And with toddlers or preschoolers? This can be a game-changer.

When you return to the same apartment each night, kids feel settled — and you can actually enjoy day trips instead of racing through a packed itinerary.

We used Florence as our two-week home base in Italy, and it completely shifted how we approach international travel with kids. The historic center is walkable, gelato is always close, and the train system makes exploring easy — without constantly repacking.

From Florence, you can easily plan day or overnight trips to:
Pisa, Cinque Terre, Milan, Lake Como, Lake Garda, Verona, or Venice.
Even Rome and Milan are convenient by train — and often offer more cost-effective international flight options.

If you’re planning Italy with kids or considering slow travel in Europe, Florence is an incredible base city.

👉 Read more in our Italy guide (and scroll to the bottom for itinerary ideas you can mix and match based on your family’s travel style):
https://www.travelingwithtots.blog/p/italy-with-littles

One topic that keeps popping up in family travel forums?
Kids’ habits, routines, and meltdowns.

Those little everyday moments can absolutely shape a trip — and most parents are just looking for ways to make traveling with toddlers and preschoolers smoother. We’ve found that practicing good habits at home (before travel) makes a big difference and can lead to fewer tantrums, more smiles, and enhanced quality family time.

For example, we’ve been working on getting our kids to “listen the first time.” We added it to our tracker and check in each night to see if they followed through. Slowly but surely… it’s working. And we know it will make outings and travel days so much easier.

That’s exactly why we created our Digital Kids Habit Tracker & Rewards Chart.
It encourages small daily routines, rewards positive behavior, and builds confidence at home — so your little ones are ready for smoother, happier trips.

👉 Give your kids a head start on stress-free travel:
Digital Kids Habit Tracker & Rewards Chart

If you follow the travel hacking world at all, you’ve probably seen the discussions around Hyatt’s new award category changes. I’m not a points expert (and I won’t pretend to be!), but one takeaway is clear: some properties are increasing in points cost.

If you’ve been considering a Hyatt stay for your next family vacation, it may be worth checking award availability and pricing sooner rather than later.

A few family-friendly resorts that have been on my personal radar for future trips include:

When award charts shift, popular family resorts tend to go quickly — and sometimes require more points than before.

Even if you’re still in the dreaming phase of your next trip, this is a gentle reminder that travel points don’t always hold their value forever. If a redemption has been on your mind, it might be worth running the numbers.

And if you’re deep into Hyatt points strategy for families, I’d love to hear what you’re seeing — hit reply and share.

Another trend gaining momentum: more parents are using travel advisors for family trips.

Whether it’s planning a Disney vacation, organizing a Japan family itinerary, or coordinating a large multigenerational getaway, travel advisors can simplify logistics, secure better room configurations, and design age-appropriate daily plans.

I’m putting together a curated list of family travel advisors who truly understand traveling with babies, toddlers, and young kids — the ones who know how to build in downtime, recommend the right neighborhoods, and make complex trips feel manageable.

Have you worked with a travel advisor you loved?

👉 Reply to this email with their name and contact information — I’d love to include them in the list.

Your recommendation could help another family plan their best trip yet.

Another topic we’ve seen come up recently is Mexico. With the recent violence reported in Puerto Vallarta, many families planning spring trips have understandably felt concerned. We’re actually one of those families with an upcoming Mexico trip on the calendar.

After going down our own research rabbit hole — reading updates, checking advisories, and following local reporting — we’ve decided (like many others) to continue monitoring the situation closely while recognizing that challenges in one region don’t necessarily reflect conditions across the entire country. Travel decisions are deeply personal, and we always encourage families to stay informed and choose what feels right for them.

We’re hoping for continued safety and peace for the communities affected and will keep sharing updates if anything meaningfully impacts family travel planning.

We’re here to share what works, what doesn’t, and to answer your questions. Got a destination you’d like us to cover? Need advice for your next trip? Just hit reply and let us know. And as always, feel free to follow along on Instagram for real-time updates.

Happy Travels,
Shaina