Fun Family Vacations With Elderly Parents

You’re planning a trip with your parents. It is going to be fun, with grandkids, grandparents and both of you on the go. Circle in on the following destinations to visit for a fun, flexible, multigenerational holiday, keeping in mind the navigability of the locations, the climatic requirements and the silver comfort and delight in discovering these places.

Kerala Calling

Nodding coconut palms lining the beaches along the Arabian Sea, energising ancient wellness therapies, delicious thalis and houseboats on the backwaters of Alleppey. ‘God’s own country’ is certainly one of your best bets to travel to with your parents. Kerala is nature’s retreat, just moving around here is like a soul balm. Old Jewish synagogues, the Chinese fishing nets at Kochi, the stunning Kovalam beach, the Cherai beaches, the elephant trail at Thekkady are must visit locations here. The spice village is a revelation, with sunning specials and mounds of coconuts lining the areas. Drift along calmly in a houseboat (the juniors can perch in a canoe), sipping tea on the small deck, dip into museums for a taste of history and enjoy the Kerala thaali served up on a banana leaf.

If your folks are nature lovers, pick the scenic beauty of Munnar where the woody, leafy trees watch silently as the wafting clouds slide sneakily into the valleys lazing between the mountains. The tea plantations roll down the slopes in unison, you can take a short tour, catch the Kalaripayattu show nearby and shop for the best herb-oriented oils for zapping away niggles and aches in Kerala. Here is a slice of pure wellness, even in the fresh spices you pick at the Periyar spice plantations.

Where to Stay in Kerala: Club Mahindra Munnar, Club Mahindra Thekkady, Club Mahindra Ashtamudi, Club Mahindra Cherai, Club Mahindra Poovar

The Ganga Beckons

When travelling with seniors, choose Rishikesh or Haridwar. The nature therapy as you drive into the small towns sends molecules of joy winging through your soul. The rounded pebbles, the gurgling of the water, the sound of bells calms and caresses everyone mentally. You can sit on the steps by the river for hours, enjoying a cup of hot chai, watching the flowers and coconuts gush past, swirling and twirling as the current of the river is radically fast at Haridwar. The cold rush of the Ganga at Har ki Paur is clean and clear. Amidst the countless tiny shops selling hippie style yoga mat covers to traditional paraphernalia for your mandir at home to the hot puri and kachori, laal pedas and lassi flying off the shelves, the buzz is unbelievable as the chanting of hymns fills the air.

At Rishikesh, the new, specially created Triveni Ghat is the perfect spot for dipping into the gentle waters of Ganga drawn on the side, and for participating in the maha aarti in the evenings. It is a hair-raising experience. Mansa devi mandir, the Chatsang café, the colossal Lakshman jhula liberally laced with monkeys are great do-able attractions too. Remember to eat puri aloo at Chotiwala once you alight.

Where to Stay: Club Mahindra Kanatal

Awesome Oz

Feeding kangaroos and koalas topped my to-do list when I visited Australia. The best part about travelling to Oz and New Zealand is the space – people are fewer in number, racism is the lowest in this part of the world, and there are facilities galore for silvers. The Aussies are a gregarious lot – they love beer, barra (mundi) and blokes. You can chill out along the shingle at the Gold Coast, the touristy stretch dotted with quaint cafes, coffee shops, night markets, casinos, and vantage barbeque spots by the beaches. The greenery abounds, with bungee jumping and paragliding spots, and you can feed the marsupials in designated areas. There’s a palpable buzz, from the laser show at Darling Harbour to the farmer’s market near Darling Harbour to 4D shows you can catch. Laze at Bondi beach, or travel to Melbourne for a slice of architectural wonder.

If your folks are true blue enthusiasts, you must go to the Great Barrier Reef. From Cairns, a bus takes you to Port Douglas and then a boat to one of the most spectacular wonders of nature. Moving in a glass submarine to soak up the colourful corals and stunning shoals of fish is an experience to cherish. Kuranda rainforests are full of brilliant birds and butterflies, the Blue Mountains stun in Sydney, and Hunter Valley is a wine lover’s delight.

Go Thai

There's something about small places that brings in nostalgia and the rush of quaint traditions of the past that still make up their main streets. Rent a villa and soak up the sun, shingle, surf in Bali. It has re-opened again for international travellers. History lovers can take to Chiang Mai (those charming urns abound here), beach lovers to Phuket, and temple lovers have it all across the country with ancient temples dotting the land. There are floating flower markets, the midnight bazaars, special trapeze shows at Fantasea; in James Bond island.

Go snorkelling and lazing in Samui, Phi Phi islands. Neat bargains, multiple locations to choose from and cheap and cheerful shopping along with great Balinese massages and seafood make up the holiday menu here. Perfect backdrops for clicking pictures for your family album, gentle walking, and a climate close to India’s make this a fun location to vacation in with culture and comfort.

Soar To Spain

Make way for an immersive, colourful experience. English speaking locals, fabulous beach locations, and a warm, friendly vibe make Spain the perfect pick for you. There are plenty of seniors here as the wintry UK climate sends most of them scrambling for the sun in Spain. They treasure family, just like us. Revel in the colors of flamenco, tour the country as part of the gentle walker programs, bargain at small shops and soak up the warmth. There is a unique combination of natural attractions and cultural richness here. Valencia, Andalusia and Barcelona are a must for urban splendor. If your folks are middle aged (by your definition) they will love the nightlife at Ibiza too! Dine at charming restaurants, drive down to the prettily priced Portugal, drive along the beautiful, smooth roads by the coast. Family life is very important to the locals in Spain and Portugal, so you will find multiple avenues to enjoy your holiday

Course Through Canada

Tick the Northern Lights off your bucket list if you come to Aurora Village in Canada. It is an ethereal sky here, cosmically lit. The sheer openness of Canada and its natural beauty allure in the winter wonderland that the Aurora Borealis creates with its fiery fingers in the skies. You can rent a car and travel to Lake Louise, Banff.  The Banff National Park is a stunning location. Alternatively, rent a car and simply start at Calgary and end in Vancouver. You will be feasting on sunrise on snow browed, a wonderful walk along the thickly forested Rockies and enjoying roasting marshmallows on Canadian campfires. If you can brave the cold, plan a Christmas outing to Canada. The entire country is even more beautiful, coated with glacial valleys and snowy contours, and leisurely walks make the adventure easy on the planning bit.

We know planning a trip with elderly parents can be a little tricky but with Club Mahindra Bliss Membership, all your worries can be resolved in a jiffy! Our Bliss membership is not only the best way to send your parents on a holiday but also the most efficient way of giving them the command to choose the destinations they want to visit along with guaranteed best accommodation.

About Mahindra Holidays

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL), India’s leading player in the leisure hospitality industry, offers quality family holidays as also stated by Club Mahindra Membership Reviews and Club Mahindra Reviews, primarily through vacation ownership memberships. While Club Mahindra is the flagship brand offering Club Mahindra Membership, other brands offered by the company are – Club Mahindra Resorts Fundays and Svaastha Spa. As of Mar 31, 2019, MHRIL has 61+ resorts across India and abroad and its subsidiary, Holiday Club Resorts Oy, Finland, a leading vacation ownership company in Europe has 33 resorts across Finland, Sweden and Spain. Visit us at https://www.clubmahindra.com/