We’re often inspired to travel by an urge to get away. Away from our normal lives, away from our routines, away from our obligations.

But sometimes, travel can help us get closer: closer to loved ones and even ourselves. That’s because traveling disrupts our routines in a good way, challenging everything we take for granted.

We have some suggestions for planning meaningful reconnection travel this year. And wherever you go, stay connected with us by downloading the free Allyz® app. It’s the easiest way to access your travel insurance benefits anywhere in the world, including 24-hour assistance.

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Planning a trip to reconnect with kids or grandkids

One day, you’re helping your adorable granddaughter build sandcastles on the beach. The next thing you know, she’s a checked-out teenager with headphones permanently stuck to her ears.

You’re desperate to reconnect. Is a vacation the answer? Traveling with a teenager or young adult has its challenges, but it also can be a life-changing experience that brings you closer together.

The key to planning one of these multigenerational trips is to give younger travelers some autonomy. Ask them to choose a few activities the two of you can do together. Don’t take it personally if they want to sleep late one day, or explore the local market on their own. Here are a few ideas for reconnection travel with teens and young adult children.

Ancestry travel: Every young person is trying to figure out who they are, and discovering where they come from is an important part of that journey. Consider planning a trip around your family heritage, whether that means visiting your father’s relatives in the Philippines or the small town in Lithuania where your ancestors once lived.

Educational travel: Yes, we know your teen might roll their eyes at “educational.” But building a trip around one of their interests, whether ancient Rome, Amazonian wildlife, or paleontology, is a great way to reconnect. The nonprofit tour operator Road Scholar offers well-regarded trips for grandparents and grandchildren that include fun activities to share as well as time to venture out on your own.

Nature travel: “When our teenagers are lost in their heads or in their screens and we can’t seem to penetrate their world, sometimes we need to do a force quit and reboot the whole system,” writes travel planner Carmen Schaffer. “Unplug the kids (and ourselves) from their (our) devices and bring them (us) back to what made them (us) happy and content.”¹ When your kid was small, what was their happy place? Was it building forts in the woods, catching fish in the lake, feeding chickens on the farm? Plan a trip that gives them the chance to just be in nature and reconnect with themselves. National parks, state parks, and campgrounds are all budget-friendly options.

Read more: How to Survive—and Enjoy—Vacations with Teens

Planning a trip to reconnect with your partner

Why do couples drift apart? Sometimes, a big event causes a rift, such as an affair or your children leaving for college. More often, it’s because of the routines we fall into:

• Focusing more on children (or on work) than each other
• Letting resentments pile up instead of addressing them as they arise
• Seeing each other less, especially if you’re working opposite shifts or have different schedules
• Talking only about day-to-day needs instead of having deeper conversations

If you want to feel closer to your partner and change your old routines, consider a couples retreat to reconnect. This is a structured getaway that’s designed to bring you closer together: physically, mentally, and spiritually. It might include therapy sessions with a licensed counselor, circle discussions with other couples, intimacy workshops, etc.

But this type of couples retreat isn’t right for everyone! If that sounds more like work than a fun getaway, or if you shudder at spending your vacation with a group of strangers, then plan your own couples trip together. Here’s the secret: It should be something you both enjoy, but not the same old thing you’ve done before. If you want to grow together, you both have to step out of your comfort zone.

Visit a destination that feels a little challenging. Going someplace with a dramatically different culture will help you learn to rely on each other to figure things out. If you’ve never been overseas together, then get your passports ASAP.

Compare travel bucket lists. Ask your partner to list their top 10 dream destinations. Are any of them on your list, too? If not, look for common ground to guide your trip planning.

Learn something new together. The excitement and vulnerability of trying something unfamiliar can make you feel closer to each other. If you’re both active, maybe you want to try surf lessons in Costa Rica or ride horses at a working ranch in Montana. If you’re not that outdoorsy, what about learning to dance bachata in Colombia or taking cooking classes in Thailand?

It doesn’t have to be all about romance… although sprinkling a few rose petals on the bed never hurts.

Read more: 4 Perfect Adventure Destinations for Couples

Planning a trip to reconnect with yourself

You’re scrolling on your phone one evening when you have an epiphany: You spend all your free time watching other people do interesting things. When’s the last time you hiked in the mountains, or made macarons, or went to a hockey game? It’s like you’ve lost touch with yourself and the things you used to enjoy.

Solo travel can be a powerful way to rediscover yourself and break that pervasive sense of emptiness.

Travel to a place that inspires awe. Scientists have actually studied how “awe engages five processes—shifts in neurophysiology, a diminished focus on the self, increased prosocial relationality, greater social integration, and a heightened sense of meaning—that benefit well-being.”² In plain language: Having an awe-inspiring experience gets you out of your own head, makes you feel connected to others, and helps you think about what life really means. Here are 10 suggestions for natural wonders that will awe you.

Test your physical and mental limits. Sometimes, you need a firm push to break out of a rut. Have you ever thought about going to survival school? There are dozens of camps and retreats in the U.S. that will teach you the skills you need to survive in the wilderness. Some focus on nature awareness: edible plants, wildlife tracking, medicinal plants, etc. Others are more intense, offering serious survival training with zero creature comforts. Either way, you’ll gain a new appreciation for your own abilities (and for hot showers.)

Try wellness travel. Wellness vacations aren’t what they once were. It’s not just about fitness and nutrition, but about reconnecting with your body, mind, and soul. Ask yourself what’s holding you back from feeling like your true self. Are you feeling terminally distracted? Book a retreat that’s centered on mindfulness and meditation. Are you exhausted all the time? Many resorts offer sleep vacations, in which every element of your stay is designed to help you rest and recharge. Are you having a midlife crisis? Consider a menopause retreat or a midlife retreat, both of which aim to guide you through the changes you’re feeling. 

Read more: 9 Tips for Planning Your International Solo Trip

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