How Families Travel in 2025: Our 7 Favorite Trends

After years of canceled plans and postponed reunions, family travel is in full swing again post-pandemic. But instead of rushing through overcrowded itineraries, families in 2025 are focusing on creating shared memories. Whether it’s multi-generational getaways or screen-free nature retreats, this year’s trends reflect a desire to slow down, come closer together, and travel with heart. Let’s take a look at the biggest family travel trends for 2025!

How Families Travel in 2025: Our 7 Favorite Trends

Sofia Ricar
30 June, 2025

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#List #Traveling with Children

Trend 1: Multi-Generational Travel: Everyone’s Coming Along!

In 2025, traveling with the whole family continues to grow. According to the Family Travel Association (2023), more than 50% of families are planning multi-generational trips, often including parents, kids, and grandparents. Unsurprisingly, beach holidays top the list: they offer relaxation for the older generation and plenty of room for the little ones to play.

But why are big group trips in such high demand? For younger parents, it’s all about connection: 89% of Millennial and Gen Z parents said that quality time with extended family is the main reason they travel together.
These trips aren’t about luxury. They’re about lasting memories and shared values.

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Trend 2: “Edu-Ventures”: Learning While Traveling

Creating memories and expanding your horizons at the same time: more and more families are trading the poolside lounge for immersive learning experiences. In 2025, travel isn’t just about switching off. It’s about discovery, encounters, and growing together.

According to Road Scholar, “edu-ventures” are booming. One standout is so-called “roots travel,” where families visit places tied to their heritage or cultural identity. Others opt for immersive programs that go beyond sightseeing and dive deep into local traditions, cuisine, and history.

This shift – from passive tourism to active, cultural experiences – reflects a desire for authenticity and shared learning. Whether it’s cooking with local ingredients in Southeast Asia or exploring Indigenous traditions in Canada, edu-ventures offer unforgettable learning moments that go far beyond the classroom.

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Trend 3: Slow Travel & Nature Escapes: Less Is More

Welcome to JOMO: the Joy Of Missing Out. The opposite of FOMO (“Fear Of Missing Out”), JOMO is all about switching off, slowing down, and truly being in the moment.

Especially when traveling with kids, less really is more. We often forget that children neither need nor enjoy tightly packed itineraries. Dr. Christa Relly, a physician at our Travel Clinic UZH, reminds us that children especially benefit from a slower travel pace, and more families are listening. Road trips, longer stays in nature, and unstructured days are making a comeback.

One lovely example comes from our colleague Barbara Bichsel, who shares in her episode of “Wanderlust Chronicles” how her family traveled through Namibia with only the first and last nights pre-booked. Everything in between was spontaneous. With the right gear and an open mindset, they embraced the unexpected and found joy in spontaneity. No full schedule, no overbooking, just being present.

Find out more about Barbara’s trip to Namibia here.

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Trend 4: Wellness-Focused Family Retreats: Screen-Free Holidays

In a hyper-connected world where everything is shared online, screen-free family retreats have become a much-needed breath of fresh air.

In 2025, more families are choosing holidays that center on wellbeing, rest, and mindfulness. Picture yoga with a mountain view, forest bathing, nature-based play for kids, and shared meals without distractions. Parents can finally relax, children learn to be present, and everyone slows down together.

The pandemic has changed our understanding of health, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. Hotels and retreats are responding with offerings that appeal to all generations: family spa areas, guided mindfulness walks, tech-free zones, and calming activities that help everyone recharge.

We’re learning to value what feels good over what just looks good on Instagram. That shift is changing how we travel as families in 2025.

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Trend 5: Off the Beaten Path: Fewer Crowds, More Discovery

In 2025, more families are choosing unusual, less touristy destinations - not in spite of their kids, but because of them. Families with school-aged children often need to travel during peak holiday seasons. That’s the perfect chance to get creative.

Need an example? In one of our recent “Wanderlust Chronicles” episodes, our colleague Seraina Rüegger shared her family trip to Uzbekistan. With its stunning Silk Road architecture, warm hospitality, and rich history, it was a trip full of curiosity and discovery.

Find out more about Seraina’s trip to Uzbekistan here.

Choosing less crowded destinations often leads to deeper cultural encounters and more relaxed experiences. From the Baltics to the Balkans, from Georgia to Guatemala, the world is full of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered as a family.

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Trend 6: Entertainment Travel: When Pop Culture Inspires the Trip

In 2025, “entertainment travel” is taking the spotlight. Families are planning their holidays around what they love, be it a concert, a theme park, a film location, or a sports event. It’s less about well-known destinations, and more about those that hold personal meaning.

When people travel to the filming locations of their favorite shows or movies, it’s called “set-jetting.” Families are getting in on the trend, whether it’s the dreamy Sicilian hotel from The White Lotus, the Harry Potter Studios in London, or the cozy Hobbit huts in New Zealand. These are destinations worth crossing borders for.

And it’s not just the kids who are excited. Parents are just as eager, whether they’re attending a concert with their teenagers or taking a family trip to the Stanley Cup Final. What matters most is sharing the joy and the excitement together.

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Trend 7: Sustainable, Slow Travel: On the Road with Responsibility

Travel is a gift, and more and more families are recognizing that.

Sustainability remains a key value in travel for 2025. For families, that means finding new, responsible ways to explore. From train rides and ferry crossings to staycations and eco-friendly accommodations, the focus is shifting from “as much as possible” to “as meaningful as possible”.

And the best part? The kids are learning, too. It’s about showing them that adventure doesn’t have to cost the Earth (quite literally...) and teaching them early that their carbon footprint should ideally be as small as their shoe size.

Many rail companies now offer family compartments, kid-friendly services, and discounts. Ferries often have play areas, cabins, and, with a bit of luck, dolphins visible from the deck. Slower travel creates more space to talk, play, learn, and enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

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Whether near or far, planned or spontaneous: family travel in 2025 is as diverse as families themselves.
What unites them is the desire for shared experiences and moments that bring them closer together.