JG

We are a couple with a teenage daughter. We love to travel and manage a couple of trips per year. We would like to meet other families who travel with their children, preferably teenagers to share future travel. My question is, does anyone know of a internet travel site where families can meet for travel purposes? It would be great to have another family or two to travel with, particularly if they also have teenage daughter(s).

Rex

JG, <BR> <BR>I would love to correspond with you - - and if our plans mesh, perhaps traveling together could be possible. (My wife and) I have traveled three times with younger travelers - - in 1998, with our own three, six cousins and two boyfriends; in 1999 with one other adult and 14 fifth graders for three weeks to France, and spring break 2000 with two of our children and three other friends (not relatives). <BR> <BR>@002 will be a double graduation year for us - - our youngest (HS) and college (our oldest), and it is more or less understood that a graduation trip will be on the table - - exact dates and destinations are yet to be determined - - and might be a function of what other kids are interested in coming along. <BR> <BR>We have especially enjoyed renting a big house (villa) as our base for the "middle week" of a 2 week trip (i.e., 3 days before, then 3-4 days after). Properties that can handle a dozen or more are somewhat rare finds, but they seem to be very special places. <BR> <BR>I would be glad to correspond with you further, or to continue the "dialogue" right here on the board. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex Bickers <BR>Westerville, Ohio <BR>

JG

Rex, I will e-mail you directly. JG

noname

With all due respect, why would you want to travel with anyone else, much less with strangers? I am married with 2 teenagers. What with work, commuting time, church and civic obligations etc. I am gone 60-70 hours per week. When I'm on vacation I want to be with my wife and kids, not to mention the hassles of trying to deal with a group of people.

anon

I'm with you, Noname. On a couple of occasions I've witnessed knock-down drag-outs between what I can only assume were two different families traveling together. (I wasn't about to go up and ask them!) I say get together afterwards for pix and videos, but do your traveling separately!

xxx

Don't do it, J.G.! I too have witnessed groups of people traveling together and it can be an ugly scene, especially when they are lodging together.

xxx

Weren't your friends strangers before you met them? <BR> <BR>

avoice

To the second xxx: Yes, obviously your friends were strangers at one time, but I doubt that you got to know them initially by travelling through Europe with them for a period of time! <BR>It would seem that you would seek out friends first as travel companions. And, if you feel that you and your friends wouldn't be compatible, why would you ever think you'd have a better chance with total strangers?

beenthere

Reminds me of a trip me and my wife took with her brother and his wife a few years ago. Wonder what they're up to now.......

anonymous

Seems like there was once a thread here about who would you most want to sit by on a long plane trip. Almost everyone named a stranger, not a family member, best friend, long-lost or otherwise. <BR> <BR>Perhaps because that person would be interesting, just like the various people you get to meet when you travel. <BR> <BR>Maybe this thread is attracting some backlash against the idea of group travel in general. Too bad. <BR>

J

I personally want to travel only with my own group of family and friends (we are very close and get along great!). However, I know some people (probably folks who are more outgoing than me)like group travel like JG, the original poster, mentioned. I think that's fine for them! (but not for me).

Ann

Don't know about traveling with strangers, but when I was a kid, our best trips involved either traveling with, or meeting up with other families. Particularly when my siblings and I were young, it gave our parents a bit of a break since we had other kids to play with, and the parents were able to socialize without leaving the kids at home.

a lurker

An interesting post from a different time, a different thread: <BR> <BR>====================================== <BR> <BR>Author: s.fowler ([email protected]) <BR>Date: 4/28/2001, 9:25 pm ET <BR> <BR>Message: Hey Art -- we missed you at the Chicago "fodorite" meeting today! <BR> <BR>What Art [and *yes* even dear Rex] are doing is a natural outgrowth of a group of people who share a love of travel. It's really not that much different than the "ride" boards we used in college. <BR>