With thousands of enrollments in the last year alone, Intergenerational Travel Adventures have been among Road Scholar’s most popular programs. These fun and educational journeys offer grandparents and grandchildren the chance to spend quality time together and deepen their relationship in a unique, educational and exciting way. For families that are separated by great distances across the country or beyond, Intergenerational programs create special opportunities to share experiences and make lifelong memories for grandchildren who are eager to see the world and grandparents who are passionate about education and family bonding.
A crew of Intergenerational All Stars on a Road Scholar hiking adventure
From rodeos and baseball games to weaving classes and safaris in Kenya, there are hundreds of domestic and international adventures waiting to be had with your grandchildren. Let’s hear some firsthand accounts from Road Scholar participants who have enjoyed these learning programs:
Linda Berger recently went on an Intergenerational adventure with her grandson and had this to say about her experience:
“What an outstanding adventure it was—for both of us! My choice for his first trip to the West was for him to experience Yellowstone Nat’l Park, and that was such a perfect choice. I had been there on an adult Road Scholar program several years ago, so I knew its treasures. What I didn’t know was how many wonderful grandchildren and grandparents we would meet to share it all with us on this adventure. My other “almost old enough” grandchildren are now waiting patiently for their turn to travel with Grammy. Thank you for making this possible. My grandson, I know, will never forget this trip.”
Another Road Scholar participant, Sandy Stevens, went on two very different but equally enjoyable Intergenerational programs, one with her grandson Ben in San Diego, and the other with her granddaughter Allison in the Big Apple:
“If I didn’t know it before, I know it now: 9-year-old boys and 11-year-old girls are from different planets.
A Central Park scavenger hunt, boys vs. girls, highlighted the day. Each group was given a camera to capture the kids in creative poses at each of 12 spots. The three-hour hunt took us from one end of the park to the other, but Allison observed, “This was a great idea! Otherwise, we wouldn’t have known all this was here.”
On our own, Allison and I visited the United Nations, discovered our way around Macy’s, the world’s largest department store, and saw three Broadway shows. In San Diego, Ben and I joined fourteen other grandparents and twelve 9-to-11 year-olds arriving from coast-to-coast. Some, like Minnesotan Ben and I, live states apart, so the program provided an even more special opportunity to bond. We returned home with new, continuing friendships and minds full of new knowledge, and Ben continues to inform his parents of facts he learned from all the educational experiences we shared.
Best of all, though, we made memories.”
As Linda and Sandy shared, Intergenerational programs allow grandparents and grandchildren alike the chance to really get to know one another, share passions and form meaningful bonds. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to connect with your grandchildren and open up new worlds for them as you embark on what is sure to be an unforgettable adventure for all generations. Check out Road Scholar’s Grandparents Travel page to learn more about upcoming programs.