Backroads has spent decades building outdoor trips for serious travelers. This winter, the company is going after a harder challenge: three generations of one family, all trying to vacation together without anyone sitting out because the pace didn’t fit.
Toddlers get cranky and teenagers check out on most family vacations. Grandparents often skip the day’s activities while everyone else keeps moving. Backroads designed its winter lineup so each age group gets its own pace and its own leader, with everyone coming together for dinner.
Giving each generation its own way to spend the day is also what keeps them coming back. On most trips, guests choose their activity each morning from a menu of options at different intensity levels. Backroads said early demand for 2027 family trips is already running strong.
Backroads Says Family Bookings Are Climbing
Family holiday bookings at Backroads rose nearly 20% in 2026 compared with 2025. The biggest draw is the company’s Kids & Teens trips, which pair younger travelers with a dedicated Kids Adventure Leader for the whole day.
The company’s Teens & 20s trips are built for families with young adults who want something more active than a beach chair. Backroads has run active trips since 1979 and now operates in more than 60 countries.
Where the Company Is Sending Three Generations This Winter
Seven destinations are on the winter family roster this year. The trips range from glacier walks in Iceland to zip-lining and wildlife spotting in Costa Rica, with each one landing in a different climate and terrain.
- Costa Rica: zip-lining, wildlife spotting, river rafting and hot springs.
- Argentina’s Patagonia Lake District: kayaking and horseback riding near its glacier-fed lagoons.
- Hawaii’s Big Island: lava tubes, biking, kayaking and snorkeling.
- Vietnam: cycling, local markets, a Halong Bay cruise and a stop in Hoi An.
- Iceland: glacier walks, ice caves, frozen waterfalls and a chance at the northern lights.
- Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands: kayaking and biking, with family-friendly hotels along the way.
- The Canadian Rockies: ice skating and snowshoeing, with a chance to spot moose tracks.
Trip Leaders Handle the Kid Stuff So Parents Don’t Have To
Tom Hale, the company’s founder, president and CEO, said, “What I love about a family trip is that you get to see each other a little differently.” Backroads Trip Leaders run the activities for each age group, so no one ends up babysitting on vacation. If your family hasn’t settled on a destination, the company’s gift certificates (good toward Biking, Hiking & Walking or Multi-Adventure trips) never expire.