I have traveled the world as a former airline exec, and nothing tops multigenerational travel | members only

A HERITAGE JOURNEY Multigenerational travel can take many shapes, but one of the more meaningful ways to bring generations together is a trip that introduces younger generations to a part of

their roots.  Last summer, Jack expressed an interest in traveling with me to Spain. Understandably, his mother (my eldest daughter) had her concerns. Jack had flown before, but this would

be his first solo flight — an international one at that. I worked on this trip from Thanksgiving 2023 to May 2024, sending multiple revisions of the itinerary to Jack’s parents before

finalizing the details. It was worth every minute. Jack traveled from Dallas, where he lived, while I flew from Newark, New Jersey. With proper planning, we landed at Madrid’s international

airport in Spain within a half-hour of each other, and I went to his terminal to pick him up on the other side of the airport. It was seamless. Early on, I identified some experiences and

places I wanted to share with him, including a bullfight in Madrid and a tour of the Prado, Spain’s national art museum. There was a balance between the artistic and doing things that were

more in tune with what a young guy would want. The tour allowed him to fully experience and enjoy the art, but didn’t overwhelm. Enough of it could sink in before we headed out to the

bullfight. In both instances, Jack got a taste of the culture that is our shared heritage, and I had a chance to experience it with him. MAKING CONNECTIONS Skyhorse Publishing I created

opportunities, too, that allowed me to reconnect with family and friends and introduce Jack. He met relatives in Madrid and Galicia — in my parents’ hometown —​ and a few longtime friends,

experiences he said were meaningful to him. Some of the more memorable moments were quieter ones, including a stop for lunch at a seafood restaurant in Sanxenxo, a town I had never visited,

and which Jack selected from a map. We discovered it together. One of the biggest differences between traveling with my children in earlier years and with my grandson are the ever-present 

cellphones. They certainly make travel easier. And Jack now has photos of a part of his roots and some phenomenal places, including the gorgeous Santiago de Compostela, in the palm of his

hand. But we must remind younger generations to live in the moment and avoid technological distractions. There are few moments as special as those that allow you to travel with a child or

grandchild. They don’t forget those moments easily. Make the time to plan a bonding multigenerational trip that can focus on part of a family’s heritage, past and present. You won’t be

sorry.