Podcast conversation with Hannah Lawnik.
Hannah answered so many questions about going on a Backroads trip. I learned many new things, including one of Backroads expressions is “get dirty by day and live large by night.” Sounds fun!
- How much time is on your own vs with the group?
- How much moving from hotel to hotel do you do?
- Can you upgrade to a suite at a hotel if you’d like?
We also talked about how to choose the best trip for you. Based on a variety of factors: Destination
Segmentation
- Age of kids
- Activity/difficulty level
- Activity type:
– Biking
– Multi adventure
– Hiking
- Hotel type – casual vs premier
Duration
- Weekend getaways
- Most trips are 6 day/5 nights
- Safaris, cruises, and Asia tend to be 8 day/7 night
Typically if you have a group of 8+ people the cost of doing a private trip is about the same as if you went on a group trip. It’s a great idea for a multigenerational family or group of friends.
Hannah and I have a shared love of the outdoors and both love sending families out West, to Spain and Costa Rica. We talked about a few of Hannah’s favorite itineraries for families with older kids in these destinations:
Glacier National Park Multi-Adventure Casual Hotels
- Bike
- Hike
- Raft the Flathead River
- Swim in the chilly waters
- Including experiencing the “Going to the Sun Road”
Mallorca Multi-Adventure trip
- Bike
- Kayak
- Hike
- Snorkel
- SUP
- Swim
- Visit caves
- Go on zodiac rides
- Rock climbing
Costa Rica Multi Adventure Premiere
- White water raft
- Hike to waterfalls
- Bike o Kayak
- SUP
- Surf
- Zipline
- Yoga class
- Soak in thermal pools
- Cooking class
Hannah’s favorite off the beaten path trips include Bavaria & Tyrol Multi Adventure, Israel & Jordan Hiking Trip, Oman Hiking and Vietnam.
TIP:
If you are thinking about a Backroads trip, it’s a great opportunity to see even more of a country when you plan a pre or post stay. Often the trips start and end in different cities, so you can even do both. It’s a great idea to work with your travel advisor to select the best Backroads trip for your family and to add on even more fun before and after the trip.