November 3, 2026, 12:05 pm | Read time: 7 minutes
Traveling with your parents as an adult–just like when you were kids? While this may seem unimaginable to many, it has become a small tradition for our author. He has several very good reasons to go on vacation with his parents.
The idea came from my mother. Instead of gifts and a party, she wanted a short trip “somewhere” with the whole family for her 68th birthday. Our first city trip together took us to London. It became an annual travel ritual. I quickly realized that these trips are enriching not only for my parents but also for my brother and me. There are many good reasons why we should travel with our parents more often.
Once we become adults, most of us prefer to travel without our parents. It’s part of the process of becoming independent. I, too, stopped taking real trips with my parents around the age of 18. What remained were the usual visits to relatives within Germany. But those don’t really count for me. They were focused on family gatherings, and we stayed in our old parent-child roles.
While I traveled more frequently and even went on a multi-year world tour, my parents mostly stayed home. And when they did travel, it was a package holiday at a hotel resort. There, you get delicious food several times a day and plenty of relaxation, but you don’t see much of the country. It was only the trip to London that showed my parents how individual travel works today–and how enriching it is to discover other places, even if it’s sometimes a bit exhausting.
Interestingly, the first joint trip in years not only changed my parents’ perspective but also mine: I finally found a way to give back to my parents by planning a trip for them, booking everything, and traveling with them. And so, I have five good reasons why I want to travel with my parents at least once a year.
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1. A way to give back to your parents
First things first. It may be quite natural that parents do more for their children over their lifetime than the children do for their parents. At least that’s how it is in my family. My parents just say, “You’ll give it back to your children someday.” They don’t expect anything in return. Yet I always have this feeling that I can’t give enough back to my parents. They don’t need much support from me, except when it comes to travel planning.
Researching and booking accommodations. Choosing the right flights. Planning the route from the airport to the accommodation. Navigating with Google Maps on site. And communicating everywhere in English. What is a given for many when traveling is a major hurdle for my parents, keeping them from traveling, especially on individual trips.
And that’s exactly what I can take off their hands. Whether I’m planning a trip for myself alone or for my parents and me, the effort is about the same. But for my parents, it’s a huge relief. They can completely relax on the trip because my brother and I handle the organization on site. “We feel like kids with you on the trips–we just follow along,” my mother says self-deprecatingly. In other words, my parents can finally let go of responsibility and simply enjoy traveling.
And so, I’ve found an ideal way to give back to my parents. They see places they wouldn’t dare to visit alone and are completely carefree. It’s my small thank you for the carefree and happy childhood they gave me.
2. Creating new shared memories
At the same time, traveling creates new shared memories. Instead of always reminiscing about past days and experiences, we experience something new together on trips. I can excite my parents and give them unique memories. My father (73) was almost bursting with pride when he climbed with me to the middle observation deck of the Eiffel Tower in 15 minutes–115 meters high. For my parents’ golden wedding anniversary, there was no big celebration at home, but a short trip to Paris. We sat together on the steps in front of Sacré-Cœur, with the sunset over Paris and a few charming street musicians in front of us. The fact that there was a small scuffle in the crowd didn’t make the moment any less valuable for us. “C’est la vie,” as the French would say.
Of course, there are many people my parents’ age who travel wonderfully independently and navigate the world well. However, my parents feel insecure and prefer to stay in their familiar surroundings. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to stay in your comfort zone. But if you want to discover the world, you have to venture into the unknown. That’s exactly where I help my parents and fulfill their travel dreams. What remains are countless memories. And, of course, tons of family selfies!
3. Breaking out of old parent-child roles
The role distribution in a family is often well-established over the years. But when you break out of the usual daily routines and do something new with your parents, you have the chance to switch roles. On trips, for example, I can take responsibility for my parents and set the direction. My parents can more easily relinquish control and step out of their otherwise responsible and caring roles.
But not only that. They behave differently on trips. Daily routines and worries fade into the background, and they focus more on the moment in the here and now. They are visibly more relaxed and calm than in their everyday lives. You see your own parents in a new light.
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4. Strengthening the bond with each other
It’s completely normal for us as adults to lead our own lives and no longer rely on our parents. Unfortunately, over the years, this can also affect the relationship with them. When you’re only focused on your own life and perhaps live far apart, months can pass in some families before you see each other again.
Shared trips can help strengthen the bond with your parents again. You have more time to exchange ideas and have deeper conversations. Even for me, who maintains a strong bond with my parents and meets them regularly, the trips are a different experience. When my brother is also there, it feels particularly fulfilling to be on the road together. Just like in childhood, when we traveled together by car to Italy or Spain. I can well imagine that a shared trip can also be an opportunity to create more closeness if you’ve drifted apart a bit in everyday life.
5. Don’t postpone shared travel plans indefinitely
In our family, too, it was often said, “We absolutely have to do that together sometime.” Or, “We should definitely go to New York someday. And to Paris, too.” Or me to my parents: “You should see Asia sometime.” And so on.
But our time together is finite, and a stroke of fate can disrupt all plans at any time. Our parents aren’t getting any younger. Eventually, strenuous trips and long-haul flights may no longer be possible for them.
Instead of postponing shared trips and experiences from year to year, you should set concrete goals and start planning. This is certainly not always easy. If the parents are retired, they are at least often more flexible with their time. But you shouldn’t necessarily wait that long for shared trips.
Personally, I would have preferred to travel with my parents again sooner. But now I know: We still have the opportunity, and we want to take advantage of it. Our goal is clear: At least once a year, we take a trip together. Because in the end, all we have left are the memories of shared experiences and happy moments.