Can traveling with mom and dad keep them young? Why grown-up kids say multi-generational travel has been 'a huge deal' to their aging parents.

Travel is something that brings people together to learn about new places and cultures ... and about each other. For many young adults who've yet to start a family (or do not want children), that means continuing to travel with their mom and dad. These grandchildren-free trips have a great deal of perks, freeing up lots of space on the itinerary for big adventures that are not dependent on nap times and diaper changes.

Adult children traveling with their parents is a growing trend according to Meghan Hayes, an independent travel advisor affiliated with MEI-Travel. "This trend specifically is growing because less people are deciding to have children, or they're deciding to have children later on," she tells Yahoo Life, "but they're still ready to go on bucket list-style trips and want to include their family in these trips."

Hayes explains many families are taking the trips they've always wanted to take — or that they put off due to the coronavirus pandemic — and they want to share those experiences together, "regardless of what that family looks like." She says the uptick in adult children traveling with their parents has become almost 25% of her current business, where these types of travel parties made up only 5 to 10% of her clients before the pandemic.

Some of the biggest destination trends Hayes has seen include Orlando, Fla. and its iconic theme parks and Europe, specifically France, Italy and London. "If you're looking for a little bit of a hybrid with a bit of relaxation, but also a little bit of activity," she says, "something like a cruise to a destination like Alaska is also an excellent option for an adult children and parents-style trip."

But does taking mom and dad along on your next major vacation improve their wellbeing? Yahoo Life spoke with adult children, who consider their parents their favorite travel buddies, about why they believe it's important to keep traveling together, regardless of age.

Travel reminds parents they can still do anything they set their mind to

I travel with my parents, who are in their late 50s and early 60s, multiple times each year. On a recent trip with my mom, we traveled to Peru with Adventures by Disney and had the opportunity to hike Machu Picchu. After getting our tickets and starting on the hike, I realized my mom was struggling: At 63, she was the oldest in our group of 37 people, but was determined to reach the top of the mountain to get to the picturesque vista overlooking the ancient site.

While she may not have been the fastest (and needed help with the uneven steps, lack of a handrail and fear of going over the steep mountainside) she made it to the top of the mountain. When we reached the flat grassy area overlooking the ruins, my mom and I sat together and I leaned over to tell her how proud I was of her and that she can still do anything that she sets her mind to, even if it's scary.

Travel helps aging parents' mental health and confidence

Hannah Johnson, who lives in Ringgold, Ga., travels with her mom every year to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The tradition started after their first trip to the parks together while Johnson was in college, and even though the duo didn't return to Disney until 2020, the trip has now become an annual event.

Their favorite parks to visit together are Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. "My mom loves the Germany pavilion [at EPCOT] so we spend like an hour there," says Johnson. "Then at Magic Kingdom, we go to Casey's Corner (a quick-service hot dog restaurant inside the park), then sit and people watch. We like to do the PeopleMover (a tram-style attraction that gives park guests a tour of the Tomorrowland area) and more chill things, because [my mom] is not a huge thrill person."

"I decided [the annual trip] was going to be what I did for her," says Johnson, "kind of as a payback for all the things she did for me. I could just see how happy she was and how much it meant."

With theme parks come big crowds, however, and that's when Johnson feels most proud of her mom. "My mom has anxiety, so just learning how to navigate and deal with a crowd and not just freak out and shut down is a huge deal," she says.

Travel connects families once they've moved far apart

Jenna Clark and her adult sister live in Orlando, Fla. but frequently travel with their parents, who live in New York City, to one of their favorite places: HersheyPark, theme park in Hershey, Pa. that celebrates chocolate.

"We really like meeting all the characters there," says Clark. "We're not really huge rollercoaster people, but HersheyPark still has a lot to do for people who don't like coasters, like the smaller rides, characters and entertainment." Clark's family also enjoys spending time at their favorite HersheyPark hotel, Hershey Lodge, where they recently spent an entire day enjoying the resort pool, onsite mini-golf and restaurants.

Clark says these family trips are important to her because her parents are hard workers and spending time together can be challenging, given each of their schedules. "My parents work a lot," she says. "My dad works 60 to 80 hours a week. It's not often that my father would come [on a trip] but [when] we're all together as a family it's really special."

Travel can help reconnect with your parents, or connect with them in a new way

Carly Caramanna, a Yahoo Life contributor from Nashville, Tenn., says her travels with her mother are all about connection. "It's exciting," she says, "because instead of visiting each other's homes, we explore new destinations."

Caramanna explains after all the trips her mom took her on as a kid, she feels she now has the opportunity to be the planner and take her mom on trips. They've been traveling together for almost a decade. "It's like payback in the best kind of way," she says.

While the duo takes time every-other-month to meet up in a new domestic destination, they try to do one big European trip every winter.

Being able to plan the trips is part of the fun for Caramanna. "I am a type A planner. [My mom] gets an itinerary made by me days in advance solely so she can pack. I plan all the flights, everything," she explains. "[My mom] loves that I can just take the planning reins and she just literally shows up."

"We've gone all over Ireland, we've done England, we've done France," she adds, "so we've hit up a lot of the major spots in Europe. Now we're looking for some underrated gems." This year the mother-daughter team is looking at possibly going to Portugal for their annual European escape.

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