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Travel Tuesday--Autumn Family Travel-Disney, Fall Getaways & Traveling With Grown Kids
Published 23 days ago • 6 min read
Dear Ageless Traveler,
This Thanksgiving, I am doing something I have looked forward to all year. I'm heading to Orlando with my daughter and son-in-law to visit Walt Disney World. Yes, at 78, I will be the one in line for the rides!
When our children were small, we planned every trip, packed every bag, and answered "Are we there yet?" a hundred times. Now the tables have turned. My grown kids want to travel with me. They call with ideas and help plan the days. I can't tell you how gratifying that is. It may be the greatest gift a parent can receive.
The holidays are the perfect time to think about family travel. It's a season to repair rifts, reach out to the relative you haven't spoken to in too long, and embrace the new year together. You don't need to fly across the world to do it. Plan a staycation. Or try what I call a "relative-cation." Visit a close relative, explore their town, and let them show you their favorite spots. Some of my happiest trips have been only a few hours from home.
That's why I am so delighted to feature a mother-daughter travel writing team on this week's podcast. Dr. Evelyn Kelly and Natalie Kelly have traveled the world together, and Evelyn is still going strong in her 90s. If they don't inspire you to call your daughter, son, niece, nephew, grandchild or younger friend and say "Let's go!", nothing will.
In this week's newsletter, as promised, our segments cover:
Ask Adriane: How Do I Travel With My Grown Kids (and Still Like Each Other)?
News You Can Use: Michelin Stars in New Mexico and Scottsdale, Colorado Turns 150, and Utah's Food Festivals
Culture Vulture: Literary Trips, Arts & Culture Month in Victoria, Storm Watching in BC, and Tucson Gems
Luxury Travel for Less: Kids Free San Diego, Santa Fe's Route 66 Tour, and a New Culinary Destination on California's Central Coast
Help us grow our listener community! Please invite your friends to subscribe to our newsletter, join The Ageless Traveler Salon on Facebook, and tune in to our podcast on Apple, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or wherever they listen.
Never stop traveling
Cheers,
Adriane
P.S. I have some exciting news. I have just been named an Ambassador of the Travel Coach Network! If you'd like to help others travel with ease and maybe turn your love of travel into a new calling, check out their courses and certifications.
This Week's Highlights
On This Week's Podcast
Have a Love Affair with Travel: Mother-Daughter Adventures Across Seven Continents with Evelyn and Natalie Kelly
Meet Evelyn and Natalie Kelly, the award-winning mother-daughter writing, speaking, and travel team behind Travelers at Heart. Together they have explored all seven continents, around 90 countries, and all 50 U.S. states.
Have a Love Affair with the USA celebrates all 50 states through stories. It includes an interactive Red, White & Travel-Ready Quiz that matches you to your travel style. Are you a History Buff or a Road Trip Rebel?
Q. My adult children say they want to travel with me, but I worry we'll get on each other's nerves. Any advice?
Sharon, Joplin Missouri
A. I get this question more than you might think, and I love it, because it means your kids want you along! Here's what works for our family:
Plan it together. Let everyone pick one "must-do." When everyone has a stake, everyone has fun.
Build in time apart. Nobody needs to be together 24/7. An afternoon on your own makes dinner together that much sweeter.
Talk about money up front. Decide who pays for what before you go. It prevents awkward moments at the check.
Choose a destination with something for everyone. That's exactly why Disney World works for us. There are rides for the thrill-seekers, shows for the theater lovers, and great restaurants for all of us.
News You Can Use
New Mexico Earns Its First Michelin Stars New Mexico earned its first Michelin distinctions in the inaugural Michelin Guide Southwest. Thirteen restaurants are recognized: five Bib Gourmand and seven Recommended. The cocktail manager and chef at Campo took home the guide's only Exceptional Cocktails Award, plus one of two new Mindful Voices honors.
Food and Festivities in Scottsdale Just down the road from us in the desert, five Scottsdale restaurants earned Michelin recognition: FnB, Hush Public House, Indibar, Reserve, and Shinbay.
Colorado Turns 150! Happy birthday, Colorado! The state is celebrating its 150th with a colorful fall season. See the foliage by train or Jeep, explore haunted ghost towns, and enjoy the harvest at its peak. For something truly different, there's La Junta's Tarantula Fest. (I'll let you go first.) Visit Colorado Tourism.
Fall Food Festivals in Utah The Park City Wine Festival, one of the country's top wine events, is this October. So is the Fall Harvest Festival at the American West Heritage Center.
Culture Vulturing Around the World
Literary Trips for Book Lovers If you've ever wanted to walk in the footsteps of your favorite authors, this roundup of literary trips every book lover should take is a delight. It would make a wonderful family trip for the readers in your life, too.
Arts & Culture Month in Victoria, BC This November, Victoria celebrates its creative spirit with a month of exhibitions, live performances, museums, galleries, and public art. You can roll up your sleeves, too. The Paint in Paradise class on November 7th is one of several hands-on workshops. Visit Destination Greater Victoria.
Storm Watching at the Wickaninnish Inn Here's a travel experience I bet isn't on your list yet, but should be. The Wickaninnish Inn, on Vancouver Island's rugged west coast, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It pioneered storm watching as a must-do BC experience. This winter, you can curl up by the fire and watch dramatic Pacific storms roll in with the Inn's special storm watching packages. Visit Destination British Columbia.
Tucson's Gem Season Tucson has been a global gem destination for more than 70 years. The Dealers Showcase, October 15–18, brings together dealers, showrooms, and one-of-a-kind finds for collectors and the simply curious. A jeweler I know shops for exquisite pieces there every year…he says it’s a must-go.
Luxury Travel for Less
Grandparents, This One's for You: Kids Free San Diego All October long, kids 12 and under eat, stay, and play free in San Diego with a paying adult. "Kids Free San Diego" is celebrating its 15th year. Offers include free hotel stays or amenities, free admission to theme parks, attractions, and museums, and free meals. It's the perfect relative-cation with the grandkids! See the full list at KidsFreeSanDiego.org.
Santa Fe: A Crossroads of Travel As a lover of travel history, I adore this one. The new three-hour Mother Road Journey: Route 66-Themed City Tour traces centuries of Santa Fe's transportation history. It covers Indigenous trade routes, El Camino Real, the Santa Fe Trail, and America's legendary Mother Road. It's a splurge at $525 for up to two people, but split with a travel companion, it's a private, one-of-a-kind experience.
Edna: A New Reason to Linger in Wine Country Michelin-starred chef Jeremy Fox is opening Edna in California's Edna Valley, in phases this fall. It's a four-in-one destination: an ingredient-driven restaurant, a tasting room, a distillery, and a family-friendly market. Regional wines, craft spirits, and fine dining all come together in one place. Visit Highway 1 Road Trip.
Friends Meeting Friends
Please check out the wonderful podcast Dementia Decoded, with host Jennifer Fink.
Loving someone through cognitive decline or chronic illness shouldn't mean losing yourself. On Dementia Decoded, caregivers find practical strategies for everyday communication, coping with anticipatory grief, and making self-care non-negotiable. It's an essential listen for anyone supporting a spouse or loved one while still striving to live a full, intentional life.
Don't Forget to Download Our FREE Ageless Traveler eBooks
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