When It Comes to Summer Travel: Kids Are the Boss

Summer brings out the family travel surveys. According to HomeAway, an online vacation rental marketplace, kids influence where families go on vacation. No surprise there. While most parents (76%-95%) consider their children’s preferences, a significant number of millennial parents—19%—cave in to kids’ demands, giving their children full control over the family vacation destination. Only 2% of parents age 55+ hand over the vacation choice to their progeny.

It’s also no surprise that a survey conducted by HomeAway would emphasize that kids, as well as adults, like extra space—the kind you get in a rental home versus a hotel room.

A comforting part of the HomeAway survey is where people stow their kids. You can give up the guilt about where you put your child to sleep when on vacation.

Respondents said:

• 43% put their children on air mattresses

• 22% let their kids sleep on the floor

• 4% tucked their kids into the bathtub

• 3% put their kids in a closet. (Hopefully, it was a walk-in).

That might explain why children want unique accommodations, with 37% longing for a castle and 29% preferring a treehouse.

Who’s invited to come along on the family trip?

• 38% of parents want to include grandparents and other relatives

• 55% of children prefer to invite their friends

• 32% of kids want to bring the family pet with them on vacation

Where do kids want to go?

• 54% of kids ages 6-12 want a theme park, but only 27% of teens 13 to 18 do

• Teens are nearly 3 times as likely to choose another country as their destination.

• the second most popular destination among ages 6-12 is a beach

• 10% of teens want big city travel, versus 5% of kids 6-12.

Interestingly, 37% of kids want a pool compared with 75% of their parents.

What kinds of vacation accommodations did you want when you were a kid? I thought a motel with a pool was dandy. What type of lodging do you seek now for you and your family? This depends where we are going, but, generally, the more rooms, the merrier we’ll be.

All photos courtesy of HomeAway.