Trip Planning: Barcelona with Parents

More and more I tend and prefer to plan less and less, when it comes to travel.  And this is starting from a point where on my first trip outside the English speaking world I photocopied the Budapest and Prague articles from back issues of Time Out London office.  Literally.

I think of it as both fun and funny to show up with barely a guidebook or a single article, tips from a few friends, and hopefully one or more local contacts however vague (a cousin's cousin's study abroad roomate in a 3rd country from 20 years ago is usually good for a cup of tea, a walk, or even a free lunch or getting to sit in a chair on the floor of the parliament).

I like to wander, ask strangers' advice, get tips from the B&B owner or bartender.

Now I have a husband who likes to buy or at least peruse at the bookstore as many guidebooks as he can find, usually from three of our favorite bookstores, one of which is a travel bookstore, and bring them all along.  Plus dictionaries.

My parents rarely travel abraod and since this trip has been in the works and put off for several years, we've had many Christmases to buy each other guidebooks for this one.

And we're just going to Barcelona for a week.

I've never traveled as a grown up with family before.  So what are your tips for planning a grown up family vacation?  How can we make the planning, and the exploring, a bonding experience, rather than a source of potential conflict? And what are your tips for Barcelona or nearby?

Comments

[Robin Hadley Ketro]

Thanks, Betsy! I bet eating will be one of the together highlights! Rick Steve's is one book we don't have (yet). I definately want to get it, I love his, though they've gotten so popular the places he recommends will be full of other fans, kind of funny. See, I do like guidebooks, and we don't have them *all* (yet).

[Betsy Kim]

I don't always use guidebooks either but did for my Barcelona trip 2 years ago. I had already been there twice before so I figured the Rick Steves guide to Europe might give us some insight into new things to do and see there. The book was helpful in some areas but not others. We went to a Barcelona soccer game and I found out how to order the tickets through a Google search. Rick Steves did recommend the tascas in the Barri Gotic which we did on our last night there and it was probably the highlight of our trip. I definitely recommend it! I don't have any recommendations about family travel since I haven't done it as an adult but definitely agree with the other post about "on your own time". Have fun and don't forget to eat plenty of pan con tomate!

[Robin Hadley Ketro]

That sounds like great advice, Marion! Anyone with specific ideas for apart and together time in or near Barcelona?

[Marion]

I love guidebooks - just for the ideas and the possibilities! But then, once I am there, I am like you, I just want to wander and discover.

This trip sounds fun. My advice for grown up family travel is for everyone to be okay with "on your own time" that you don't always have to go everywhere, do everything, together.

Can't wait to hear about this trip!