A Weekend Getaway: Making Memories Across Generations
A few weeks ago, our family packed up and headed to Kentucky for a three-day, two-night adventure to the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter.
Three of our four children, their spouses, and our grandchildren gathered from four different states (one couldn’t make it due to a new job) for a trip that will become a favorite family memory.
As I watched my grandchildren marvel at the exhibits, observed everyone together, and chatted and laughed with my grown children as we walked together, I was reminded of something important:
Family trips don’t stop being important when your children grow up. In many ways, they become even more meaningful.
The Fruit of Years Invested
One of the questions I am sometimes asked is, “How do you get your adult children to want to spend time together?” See my post Preparing Today for the Relationship You Want Tomorrow
The truth is that family closeness in adulthood is often the result of seeds planted years earlier.
It grows from family dinners around the table, conversations in the car, shared traditions, game nights, vacations, laughter, forgiveness, and simply choosing to be together over and over again.
Of course, no family is perfect. Ours certainly isn’t.
But when connection has been valued throughout the years, adult children are often more willing to continue investing in those relationships.
A family trip with adult children isn’t something to take for granted. It’s a gift.
The Rain Came
On our first day, the day we went to the Creation Museum, it was rainy. Not a little drizzle, but a full day of relentless rain.
At first, I found myself disappointed.
Our time in the actual museum was not an issue because we were inside. However, there were outside activities like a petting zoo and gardens we were looking forward to.
I had envisioned beautiful weather, perfect family photos, and sunny days exploring together. Instead, we found ourselves pulling on rain ponchos, opening umbrellas, and splashing through puddles.
Something beautiful happened. My children and grandchildren were unaffected by the bad weather. They didn’t complain or whine. In fact, they remarked about how appropriate it was to be in a downpour when we were going to see the Ark replica the next day 😆
They didn’t focus on what was going wrong. Instead, they made the best of it. They put on their ponchos, danced in the rain, ran through puddles, and had the best time.
They embraced the adventure.
They never skipped a beat. The rain was a non-issue. I found my sour attitude turned from being bummed about the weather to rejoicing and being thankful for children and grandchildren who didn’t care.
By the end of the day, I realized that the rain hadn’t ruined our trip at all. In fact, it helped create some amazing memories.
What Kinds of Trips Work Best
One of the beautiful things about this kind of trip is that it doesn’t have to be an extravagant location.
The goal for a trip like this is connection. In hindsight, I would say that some of the exhibits at the Creation Museum were too advanced for our young grandchildren (all six and under). That being said, they loved it in their own way; dinosaurs, walking through the land of Eden, insects, and so much more.
The money spent was well worth the joy of seeing them together and spending precious time with them.
The Ark was an amazing sight. Thankfully, the rain had stayed away, and we were able to experience it all.
If you haven’t visited the Ark Encounter, I highly recommend adding it to your bucket list. The sheer size of it is astounding and gives you a deeper appreciation for the enormous task God entrusted to Noah and his family.
Walking through the Ark brings the biblical account to life in a powerful way, helping you see Scripture with fresh eyes while revealing the greatness, creativity, and faithfulness of our amazing God. ❤️
The funny thing about the Ark Encounter (after our previous day in the rain) was that when we arrived, it was on auxiliary power only. They had lost power 🤪.
I felt the pangs of disappointment creep in, but thankfully, we were able to board the Ark, and perhaps due to the circumstances, it felt even more realistic.
The lights did come on midway through our visit, which was wonderful.
On a side note, when we take trips like this, we don’t expect everyone to stay together every minute of the day. We recognize that each family has different needs, especially when little ones are involved. One of our sons and his family left the Ark before the rest of us because their children had reached their limit, and that was completely fine.
We were simply grateful they came and shared the experience with us. We’ve learned that giving one another the freedom to do what’s best for their own family helps keep these trips enjoyable and stress-free for everyone.
That family spent some time exploring the zoo and enjoying the playground while we finished our journey through the Ark. Before long, we all reunited at the playground and headed back to the Airbnb for the evening.
It was a wonderful day filled with laughter, connection, and sweet memories.
If you are an adult child and your family hasn’t made an effort to gather everyone for a weekend or vacation, maybe you can be the one to make it happen!
You will be giving your children special memories with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Look for opportunities to learn together, explore together, laugh together, and enjoy being in one another’s presence. Some of our favorite moments weren’t the planned attractions.
Those moments were the conversations while hanging together, watching the kids play hide and seek, sharing meals around the table, and watching the Survivor Finale.
Keep Making Memories
Be Intentional
If your children are adults, I want to encourage you NOT to stop creating opportunities to be together.
The years pass quickly. Schedules become fuller. Families grow. Grandchildren arrive.
Life gets busy, but making time for shared experiences remains important.
It doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be elaborate.
It simply needs to be intentional.
Staycations are all the rage right now. Check out this blog post by my dear friend Judi Robinson about their staycations: a backyard family staycation
Special Memories
Matching T-shirts For the Grandkids
I had a dream of getting matching T-shirts for all of our grandchildren to wear on the day we visited the Ark Encounter. The shirts would feature an ark design, serve as a special keepsake from our trip, and be a way to keep our eyes on them while in a busy place.
I almost let the opportunity slip by as our trip quickly approached. However, about a week before we left, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
I enlisted my daughter’s help for the mission. We searched Amazon and Etsy, but to no avail. She did a little Pinteresting and designed the logo for the shirts and reached out to a local print shop. Thankfully, they were able to complete the order in time for our trip and for a great price. Mission accomplished!
Just before we headed to the Ark Encounter, I surprised everyone with the shirts tucked inside gift bags. The smiles on their faces made it all worthwhile, and they looked absolutely adorable wearing them together.
Looking back, I’m so glad I didn’t let that little idea slip away. It turned into one of those simple moments that became a cherished memory—worth every ounce of effort and every dollar spent.
One day, the details of the trip may fade. We may not remember every exhibit we saw or every detail of the adventure, but we will remember being together.
We will remember the laughter. We will remember the rain. We will remember the matching shirts. And we will remember the sweetness of watching three generations walk side by side.
Those memories are worth every effort, and I am so glad we captured photos of it all.
Memory Books
Speaking of photos, recently, for some of our trips, I’ve started making memory books using Chatbooks. The 6 x 6 book is a perfect, inexpensive way to preserve memories. I made one for each family—a special keepsake they can pull off the shelf, look through, and remember the sweet time we shared.
I hope that years from now, they’ll smile as they relive the memories from this special trip. ❤️
A Final Thought
Throughout the weekend, my mama heart was full as I watched our children parent their little ones, enjoy one another’s company, play with their nieces and nephews, laugh, tease, and share stories.
More than once, I found myself quietly thanking God for the gift of family and the abundant blessings He has poured into our lives.
The trip was a reminder that the investment we make in our families matters. Here is another reminder to go to my post Preparing Today for the Relationship You Want Tomorrow
Years of intentional connection do not guarantee perfect relationships, but they often create a foundation where adult children genuinely enjoy being together as a family.
And what a gift that is.
So if you’ve been thinking about planning a family trip, consider this your encouragement.
Pick a date. Choose a destination. Gather your people. And go make some memories.
Psalm 133:1: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Much love,
Kim❤️
Kim Grant Home
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