Holiday Trip With Grandparents: Plan for the Slowest Walker

More families are traveling with grandparents. In one 2025 survey, 57% of parents expected to travel with both grandparents and children. In a 2026 survey of families planning these trips, the most common need was limited walking endurance (48%). The fix is simple: plan each day around the person who tires first, not the person who could walk all day.

1. Start with one honest number: how far can everyone walk?

Ask before you plan, not at the airport. How many blocks before a rest? Are stairs hard? Is standing in line harder than walking? Write the answers down and plan to them. A day that fits the slowest walker also fits tired kids.

2. Keep each day in one area

Crossing a city twice in a day is where most of the energy goes. Pick one neighborhood or one park section per day, and group the stops close together. Our planner groups each day by area for this reason.

3. Plan rests on purpose

Put a sit-down break in the plan every couple of hours: a café, a bench with a view, a museum theater show. Plan a midday break back at the hotel if the youngest still naps. Nobody has to ask for a rest if it's already on the schedule.

4. Split the group for an afternoon

The kids want the long hike; grandparents want the scenic drive. Plan one afternoon where the group splits and meets for dinner. Everyone gets a better day, and nobody feels like they held the others back.

5. Check access details with the place itself

Access details online are often out of date. In a 2026 report, 90% of travel advisors said accessibility information can be incomplete, outdated or contradictory. Before you go, check the venue's own website or call: ask about step-free entrances, elevators, seating, and wheelchair loans. Write down the date you checked.

6. At the airport: ask for help ahead of time

• TSA Cares. Call (855) 787-2227 or use the online form at least 72 hours before your flight to ask about screening and request a Passenger Support Specialist. This doesn't skip screening. TSA doesn't provide wheelchairs; ask your airline (TSA).
• Airline help. Under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, travelers can get prompt help getting on and off the plane and between gates for a connection. A traveler shouldn't be left unattended in a wheelchair for more than 30 minutes. Assistive devices fly free. Each airport has a Complaints Resolution Official to help on the spot. The DOT disability hotline is 1-800-778-4838 (8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. ET, weekdays) (DOT).

7. National parks: passes that save money

US citizens and permanent residents 62 and older can buy a Senior Pass: $20 a year or $80 for life. The free Access Pass is for US citizens and permanent residents with a permanent disability (NPS passes). For an easy park walk, the Everglades' Anhinga Trail is a 0.8-mile round trip on pavement and boardwalk, and the Park Service lists it as wheelchair accessible (NPS).

8. Going abroad? Read the official advisory together

Before you pay for anything, check the U.S. State Department's travel advisory for the country and any area-level warnings. Grandparents often ask about this first, and it's an easy conversation when everyone reads the same official page.

Plan it in a few minutes

Tell our planner who's going, including ages and how far each person can walk. You'll get a free outline and a detailed Day 1, with each day kept to one area and stops looked up on Google Maps. Plan your trip free — outline and Day 1.

FAQ

• How many stops should a day with grandparents have? Fewer than you think. Plan to the slowest walker and add planned rests.
• Does TSA provide a wheelchair? No. Request one from your airline (TSA).
• Who can get a free national parks Access Pass? US citizens and permanent residents with a permanent disability (NPS).