Goway is and always has been a family company. Generations of families have helped build Goway for over five decades, from the family of our Founder and President, Bruce Hodge, to our everyday staff. We know that travelling the world is one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences, and doing it with your family makes it even more so.
Family travel is one of the most dynamic pillars of travel. It requires bridging the gap between multiple generations, reacting to the latest trends, and combining diverse interests and travel styles to create one unforgettable journey. This can make planning the perfect family getaway a tricky endeavour. Unless you have over 55 years of experience in planning custom family trips.
Goway has seen it all when it comes to family travel, and we know that planning successful family trips demands constant attention and adaptability. Luckily, Goway's family of expert Destination Specialists, 24/7/365 customer support team, and Goway GroupsOnly team—North America's largest dedicated group travel division—know just what it takes to deliver on these high expectations.
Here are some of the latest evolutions in family travel that you should know about, so you can start planning your next trip with the ones you love most.
How Is Family Travel Evolving?
More and more people are recognizing the unique benefits of family travel. In fact, a 2025 survey from the Family Travel Association (FTA) found that 92% of parents surveyed plan to travel with their family in the next year, the highest level since 2018.
One of the most significant drivers behind the increased interest in family travel is the recognition of the real-world education and personal connections offered by family trips. A majority of parents polled agreed that travelling has helped their children see the world from a broader perspective (71%), become more confident (58%), become more engaged learners (53%), and, most importantly, bring them closer together as a family (85%).
Another driver behind the surge in family travel is multi- and skip-generational travel. Multi-generational travel involves children, parents, and grandparents, while skip-generational travel involves children and their grandparents. Multi-generational travel is the more popular choice, with 71% of grandparents surveyed having taken a multi-generational trip in the past three years, compared to 28% having taken a skip-generational trip. Grandparents, like parents, are also motivated by the educational and bonding opportunities of family travel, with a majority of grandparents polled agreeing that it's a great way to bond as a family (75%) and that it helps their grandchildren become more adventurous (55%) and flexible (53%).
The survey also highlighted the increasing role children are playing in the planning of family trips, also known as "kidfluence.". Most parents polled (74%) reported that their children love to travel and are becoming more involved in trip planning, with many of their travel ideas coming from social media, YouTube, and other digital platforms.
Where are the Top Family Travel Destinations?
So much of planning a successful and unforgettable family trip revolves around choosing a destination—or destinations—that everyone in your family will enjoy. That's why choosing a destination with a variety of experiences and accommodations is crucial. Lucky for us, we have a whole world to choose from.
A family trip to Africa
You can find excellent family travel destinations on every continent, but let's begin in Africa. It's a continent full of some of the world's oldest history, most delicious food, and most iconic landmarks. It also has something to offer every kind of traveller, regardless of their age. For example, my family recently took a trip to South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. My father is a long time Goway expert, and with the help of fellow Goway experts and my mother, they were able to plan an excellent trip that exceeded everyone’s expectations.
My parents, who had been to Africa before, were looking forward to finally bringing the travel stories my brothers and I have heard for our entire lives to life. We saw the Big Five on thrilling safari game drives, visited the infamous Robben Island with a former political prisoner of apartheid named Monde, shared stories over a boma dinner in Botswana, swam with sharks in Cape Town, and bungee jumped over Victoria Falls. Every moment of this trip was special, and sharing it with my family made it even more so.
South Africa and Botswana have plenty more to offer families beyond my personal experiences. Both countries offer excellent choices of family-friendly safari lodges in iconic destinations such as the Kapama Game Reserve, Sabi Sabi, the Okavango Delta, and Chobe. Additionally, they both offer a variety of land- and water-based active experiences, such as hiking, swimming, and rafting, as well as rejuvenating wellness experiences, often immersed in incredible natural settings.
Beach vacation destinations
If you're among the majority of those surveyed in the previously mentioned 2025 FTA survey, then you’re likely planning on taking a beach vacation in the upcoming year. Luckily for you, your options are nearly endless.
Countries like Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Fiji, and Thailand are not only home to some of the world's most beautiful beaches, but they also offer rich cultural, natural and wellness experiences. Imagine pairing a Barossa Valley wine tour with an Outback Aboriginal experience and Whitsunday Islands beach getaway; learning to Samba after a day at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana Beach; relaxing in volcano-fed hot springs in Arenal before searching for nesting sea turtles in Manuel Antonio; feasting on a traditional lobo after a day in the Fijian sun; or indulging in a culinary tour of Bangkok before venturing to the sunny beaches of Koh Samui. Transforming classic beach holidays into educational family vacations with immersive cultural exchanges is one of the best ways to get the most out of your family trips.
Big-ticket getaways
Planning family trips around specific, big-ticket events or shared hobbies is another great way to ensure your trip is engaging for everyone involved. Destinations like London are home to tours like the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour, which takes you behind the scenes of one of the most successful franchises of all time in a timeless city full of world-class museums and restaurants. Similarly, families can experience the electric atmosphere of a local baseball game in Japan and a tour of Tokyo's DisneySea and Universal Studios. Or suppose your family loves being active outdoors. Off-the-beaten-path destinations like LAAX in Switzerland let you turn your shared love of skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and mountain biking into lifelong memories.
There are plenty of other incredible destinations that offer equally extraordinary family experiences. These include Italy, Morocco, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and French Polynesia, among many others. No matter where your family wishes to explore, Goway can help get you there, so be sure to check out our featured family trips.
How to Make Your Family Trip More Efficient
Planning a family trip requires a lot of time, attention, and coordination. One of the best way of avoiding these obstacles is by working with Goway's family of Destination Specialists. Relying on Goway’s 55 years of experience of planning family trips means you have more time to dream big while we find you the best options for flights, accommodations, and experiences.
Travelling domestically and within North America is another great way to make your family trip more convenient without sacrificing the quality of your trip. Both Canada and the U.S. boast world-class cities like New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, as well as breathtaking natural beauty in places like the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and the coastal beauty from Oregon to British Columbia. Nearby Mexico also packs everything a family trip could ask for, with Mexico City and the Yucatan Peninsula offering endless culinary, beach, and historical Maya experiences. Travelling to these destinations are often less time consuming and offer plenty of flexibility in terms of the style of trip, making them excellent choices if you’re looking for a more convenient family vacation.
Hawai'i is another top destination for families seeking an iconic yet flexible vacation. All four islands we serve—O'ahu, Maui, the Big Island of Hawai’i, and Kaua'i—are ideal for family trips, whether you're planning a tailor-made itinerary, a private-guided adventure, or a road trip. O'ahu, in particular, is a favourite for families thanks to its mix of history, fun, and natural beauty. Explore Pearl Harbor's historic sites, enjoy interactive family experiences at Kualoa Ranch, savour meals from Waikiki restaurants to Kahuku Food Trucks on the North Shore, and relax on spectacular beaches framed by breathtaking scenery.
How to Start Planning Your Next Family Trip
Successful trips are always born from an idea, and when you’re travelling with your family, ideas are abundant. Narrowing down what kind of trip your family is interested in and where you want to go is always the first step. Fortunately, when you travel with Goway, you can leave the rest to our expert Destination Specialists, our 24/7/365 customer support team, and our Goway GroupsOnly team. That means you have more time to be creative with your family and dream up the perfect family trip. And with over 115 countries on all seven continents to choose from, nearly anything is possible on a family trip with Goway. Start planning your next family trip today.
Born to two parents who met travelling, Sael has always wanted to travel the world. Sael has hiked the Inca Trail in Peru, visited blue-footed boobies on the Galapagos Islands, stood on both hemispheres of the equator in Ecuador, climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, hiked the base of Uluru, surfed Pacific Ocean waves in Mexico, and skydived over the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns. Meeting new people and sharing stories are some of Sael's favourite parts of travelling, and he hopes he can help ignite this passion for discovery in others.
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