7 Tips for Traveling with Your Dad

As many people know, my dad is one of my most regular travel buddies. We’ve traveled to South Africa, Kenya, Argentina, Uruguay, and Antarctica together. Next year we’re heading to Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC together and have our eye on India in the future. So to say I am a big advocate of traveling with your dad is an understatement.

I will say, the first time traveling with my dad was a little nerve-wracking. My mom and brother were always there to be middle ground – would there be awkward silences? Could we stand each other alone for the entire trip? Would we be good travel buddies? What if we come out of the trip hating each other? Luckily, we managed to survive, make awesome memories, and our relationship is stronger because of it.

I’ve learned a lot about my dad, strengthened our relationship, and have memories with him all over the world. In honor of Father’s Day, I figured I’d put my top tips for traveling with your dad to hopefully inspire you to get exploring together! 

Why travel with your dad?

While most family travel focuses on families with young kids, there’s nothing to stop you from traveling with your parents as an adult. Traveling with your dad is an excellent way to bond and create lasting memories. Whether it’s a road trip, a cruise, or a foreign adventure, traveling with Dad can offer so many benefits beyond just shared experiences including getting to know him on a new level, outside the entire family. 

You can also learn from him. When cage diving with sharks in South Africa was cancelled due to weather, I was very upset and cried. Dad was disappointed (it was one of the main reasons we chose South Africa), but he said there’s nothing we can do except still enjoy Cape Town. So instead, we took a helicopter ride. He taught me that there are things we can’t control, but it’s still important to make the best of any situation. 

Tips for traveling with your dad

Find a destination that you both love.

When planning a trip with your dad, finding a travel destination that both of you love can be a challenge. However, it’s crucial to choose a destination that will allow you both to create unforgettable memories together. To make this process easier, you should focus on open communication, compromise, and brainstorming.

Discuss your preferences and interests and work together to find a location that caters to both. For example, if your dad is a history buff and you love the beach, you can compromise by choosing a destination that offers both. My dad and I stumbled upon our first destination, South Africa, because of our love of watching Shark Week together. Exhausted, my mom said ‘Why don’t you two shut up and just go there’ – so we did. 

Finding a destination should include factors such as budget, activities available, length of trip, transportation, and of course climate. If you make someone go to a place that they don’t really want to go to, then you’re setting yourself up to have a bad time together.

Plan ahead

When it comes to traveling with your dad, the key to a successful and stress-free trip is to plan ahead. This means starting the planning process well in advance of your travel dates to ensure that everything is booked and organized.

I know some people are very spontaneous travelers, but often this doesn’t work for group traveling or traveling with someone that you’ve never traveled with before. Traveling already brings out the worst in people, so why add more stress to the situation?

Create a detailed itinerary for your trip that includes all of the activities and sights that you want to see. Give each other copies of the itinerary so that you both know what to expect and can stay on track throughout the trip. If you need help, here are my 8 steps to planning any trip. Of course, leave free time for relaxing and exploring on your own.

If you both have an idea of what the trip will look like in its most basic form, then you’re starting the trip on the right foot! If you try to make it TOO spontaneous, you might end up fighting about where to stay, how much money you’re spending, or where your next stop is. There is a middle ground! 

Talk money

Traveling with your dad can be a great bonding experience and create cherished memories for years to come. However, it’s important to discuss finances before embarking on your adventure. By communicating openly and honestly about budget, expenses, and expectations, you can avoid any surprises or disagreements during your trip.

When discussing finances with your dad, it’s essential to come to a mutual agreement about how expenses will be split. You both should have a clear understanding of your budget for the trip and how much you each will be expected to contribute. By setting realistic expectations you can avoid any financial strain or stress that may arise during the trip.

It’s also important to be clear about what expenses will be covered and what won’t be. For example, if one person wants to splurge on a fancy meal or activity, both parties should be aware and agree to it beforehand. You don’t want to end up in a situation where one person feels like they are footing the bill for the entire trip, leading to resentment or tension between you and your dad.

Talking about money may be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary to ensure you and your dad have a financially successful and enjoyable trip. 

Both of you should enjoy the activities

Going on a trip with your dad should be an opportunity to bond and make meaningful memories. To make the most out of your trip, it’s important to consider both of your interests and hobbies and look for activities that you can enjoy together.

One way to ensure that both you and your dad have a great time is by finding common interests. Dad and I really love nature and animals, so that has been a primary focus of our trips – safaris in Africa or the wildlife of Antarctica. There is a reason I do these trips with my dad and not with my mom – my mom is not a nature fanatic like us. (My mom’s trips are more history-based or beach-based!) 

Sometimes you’ll find a destination that can offer you both of your interests. For example, if you’re interested in beautiful hikes and dad is interested in World War II history then why not visit Germany? There are ways to find destinations that do both! 

Spend time apart

Traveling with your dad can be a wonderful and memorable experience, but it’s important to recognize the value of spending time apart during the trip. 

Let’s take the trip to Germany as an example. If you REALLY think that WWII history is boring, then maybe you do a hike on the day that he does a WWII tour? Meet for dinner and have a chance to discuss it. There’s nothing wrong with separating on a trip. Everyone needs a break from people. This will give you that break AND allow you to see what you both really want to see.

To make sure everyone stays on the same page and has the opportunity to reconnect, it’s a good idea to agree on a meeting point or time to regroup after spending time apart. This can help to alleviate any stress or worry that may arise from being separated and can also be a great way to share stories and experiences from individual adventures.

Remember, spending time apart during a trip with your dad is not a sign of a strained relationship or a lack of interest in one another. In fact, it can be a great way to strengthen bonds and learn more about each other’s interests. By prioritizing balance and individual interests, you can ensure a fulfilling and enjoyable trip for both of you.

Utilize your strengths

When it comes to planning a trip with your dad, it’s important to utilize your complementary strengths and skills to ensure a successful and enjoyable journey. By acknowledging each other’s abilities, you can each take on tasks that align with your strengths, contributing to a memorable and stress-free trip.

For example, if you’re good at planning, you can map out a route of activities that cater to both of your interests, book accommodations, and arrange transportation. (Obviously, this is my strength.) On the other hand, if your dad is skilled with public transit, he can navigate the subway system or bus routes with ease, getting you both to your destination in a timely and efficient manner. (He is definitely better with directions than me.)

Relax

If you’re thinking about traveling with your dad, then I’m assuming you have a solid foundation for your relationship. They’ve probably seen you do embarrassing things or even failed at something. When we travel with someone else there’s a pressure to always be ‘on’ and be our best selves. One of the most amazing things about traveling with my dad is the lack of pressure. I get to be me and I know he’ll still be there at the end of the day. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re lucky enough to have a good relationship with your dad then I hope you take the opportunity to take a trip with him. Even if it’s just for the weekend, you’ll be surprised at all the benefits. 

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