Holidays With Adult Children: 6 Tips to Make Them Enjoyable

You may have heard that parents only get 18 summers with their children. It has become one of the most talked-about ideas in modern parenting. But while children grow up and move out, family holidays do not have to stop. They simply change.

Perhaps you are meeting a son or daughter abroad on a gap year, marking a graduation with a city break, or booking a multi-generational trip. Travelling on holidays with adult children is a very different experience from the family holidays of their childhood, and it can be a lovely one.

Why more families are travelling together

ABTA’s Holiday Habits report for 2024-25 found that 63% of Britons name time with family and friends as one of the main reasons they go on holiday. The average Briton now takes 3.94 holidays a year, the highest figure since ABTA began tracking it in 2011. Separate research found that 46% of UK adults think multi-generational holidays are important.

A travel specialist says one of the biggest mistakes parents make is assuming a holiday with adult children should work like the old ones. Everyone is now travelling by choice rather than around school terms, and that changes the feel completely. Trips tend to be built around flexibility, not fixed itineraries.

How gap years and milestones are changing

A gap year used to mean a tearful goodbye at the airport and a long wait for news. Now many parents fly out to join part of the journey, perhaps for a week on safari, a celebration in Italy, or a few quiet days in a private villa after months of independent travel.

It can also help a young traveller’s budget in a natural way. A week together might mean a lovely hotel, a great meal or a special experience they had not planned to afford. The aim is to add something special, not to take away their independence.

Many families now mark big moments, such as finishing school, graduating or starting a career, with a trip instead of a gift. Experiences tend to be remembered long after another present has been forgotten.

Six tips for holidays with adult children

• Treat everyone as an adult. Let your grown-up children have opinions, make decisions and shape part of the plan. Feeling trusted makes the trip better for everyone.
• Talk about expectations first. Some people want every meal together, others want time to explore alone. Agreeing early avoids misunderstandings.
• Balance together time with personal space. Even close families benefit from time apart, which makes the shared moments feel more special.
• Make new memories. Get to know who your children are now, rather than repeating childhood routines. Pick activities that suit everyone’s current interests, whether that is adventure, culture or food.
• Share the planning. Giving everyone a role creates a sense of ownership, especially as travel styles differ.
• Aim for connection, not perfection. The stories families remember are often the unplanned ones, full of unexpected moments and shared laughter.

Building new traditions

Holidays with adult children are less about recreating the past and more about starting something fresh. It might be a weekend city break, a once-in-a-lifetime safari, or meeting halfway through a gap year adventure.

Because everyone chooses to be there, many families find they appreciate the time together even more. Those trips become part of the family story, and that is what makes them worth planning.