On the Road to Spanning Generations

Let’s hear it for grandparents.

Grandparents (many older baby boomers among them) represent a third of all leisure travelers, and more than one-third of them have traveled with grandchildren in the last year, according to a recent survey.

It might be a weekend in New York City, a week touring national parks or a trip overseas to retrace the family’s roots in Italy or Scotland. The size of the travel budget doesn’t matter. What counts is grandparents’ desire to show their grandkids a little piece of the world.

Elderhostel offers more than 100 trips (many priced at $500 per person) designed for grandparents and grandchildren. Call (877) 426-8056 or visit www.elderhostel.org. Companies such as Grandtravel, (800) 247-7651, www.grandtrvl.com, and Abercrombie & Kent, (800) 323-7308, www.abercrombiekent.com, cater to well-heeled grandparents and offer special family itineraries throughout the U.S. and abroad. For outdoors-loving grandparents and grandkids, the Sierra Club, (415) 977-5522, www.sierraclub.org/outings, has family trips to destinations from Cape Cod, Mass., to Hawaii.

Those who love learning with their grandkids could check with their college alumni association to see whether it offers any family trips. You may also want to consider a family learning camp offering classes for kids and adults alike, such as the one at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., (607) 255-6260, www.cau.cornell.edu, or the one at historic Chautauqua Institution, (716) 357-6250, www.chautauqua-inst.org, in southwestern New York.

One reader was eager to find videos of national and state parks--a great idea for anyone about to head out on a parks trip with the grandkids. You should be able to find some at the library or at a large video rental outlet, or you can visit the National Park Service Web site, www.nps.gov, where you can link to the bookstores at individual parks. The PBS series “Great Lodges of the National Parks” is available on video and DVD. The VHS tapes are $19.98 each, or $69.98 for the four-tape set. Each of the two DVDs is $24.98. Visit www.pbs.org.

People 62 or older can get a lifetime Golden Age Passport for $10. The passport will admit seniors and family members traveling in the same vehicle to all national parks, monuments, recreation areas and historic sites that charge an entry fee. Get the pass at any national park or recreation area that charges admission. Don’t forget to take proof of age, such as a driver’s license.

How about a condo rental? For the first time, families can enjoy the benefits of RCI Holiday Network time-share condos without the commitment. Some cost as little as $500 a week. Call (800) 730-9981 or visit www.rciholidaynetwork.com. ResortQuest also specializes in resort condo rentals, many in beach communities and at discounted rates. Call (877) 588-5800 or visit www.resortquest.com.

If you plan to travel just after Labor Day or before the prime summer season (in late June, for example), you can save big. The Web site of the local chamber of commerce or visitors bureau in the town where you’re headed can put you in touch with real estate agents who handle vacation rentals.

Wherever you go, here are a few tips:

* Choose a house (or several condos) with a pool, because young children don’t always like the ocean--though they love the sand.

* Safety and convenience are vital. Nix any place that requires a long hike to the sand or has a lot of steps, especially if there are babies and toddlers along.

* Think about taking a relative to help watch the kids so that the parents get a break. Consider renting within a resort complex where there will be some organized children’s programs, giving parents and grandparents the chance for some adult time.

* Splurge on maid service. Nobody wants to spend vacation cleaning up kids’ messes.

* Insist that everyone help with the shopping and the cooking.

* Most important, keep that camera handy.

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Eileen Ogintz welcomes questions and comments from readers. Send e-mail to eogintz@aol.com.