Taking the Kids: A guided trip just for your family that won't break the bank

Such trips don't have to be that exotic or cost more. In fact, they can cost less. With 10 or more guests, for example, each pays the lowest possible price for a Backroads trip, said a company spokesman. You can actually save an average of $300 per person compared to signing up individually on a scheduled departure.

The best part: "Having a terrific group of guides to handle 95 percent of the camp setup meant more time for us to enjoy being together," said Matt Ratner, whose extended family of more than a dozen has had OARS-organize custom raft trips in the past. And it gave us access to stunning rivers in gorgeous parts of the country we don't have the technical skills to access independently.

Ratner, who lives in Los Angeles and whose family is spread across the country, explained that his dad and three brothers have been doing "some version of a family canoe trip for 50 years."

"Now that my cousins all have children of their own," he explained, "the self-guided trips were turning into too much work."

Not to mention the stress of leading a family group. "Someone is bound to vocalize their displeasure at the itinerary, the food, the accommodations. ... I've been there more than once!"

Professional guides take that onus away and are expert at defusing travel stress. (They have a plan B and C at the ready to entertain the kids, if the weather is bad.) "The best part was not having to focus on looking for a place to park and just enjoying being here with the kids," said one dad on a private trip in Yellowstone National Park. That's no small thing.

The bottom line (besides budget): Consider whether you just want to spend time together or want to meet new people. Stephanie Augenstein, the mom of three teens from Charlotte, North Carolina, said her family has opted for three private trips with Thomson Family Adventures "because we were unsure about traveling with another family we didn't know."

"With our children aging out of the house, time together is getting lesser and more precious," she explained.

When extended family is involved, it's important to get everyone onboard as early as possible with the dates, the itinerary, and the cost (assuming the grandparents aren't picking up the tab for everyone). You may not want to suggest a bike trip if few in the family have ridden bikes since they were kids. You want to make sure everyone's special dietary needs can be accommodated.

And if you have a group that ranges in age from 6 to 60 (or older), you will want to make sure activities will suit everyone. Can guides tailor an experience or tour for younger guests? (I've been on tours where that hasn't been the case, and the kids are miserable.) Alternatively, if there is a group of younger children, can a guide be added to offer them special activities while the parents and grandparents tour a historic site? (I'll never forget the kids "sword" fight guides orchestrated at the Roman Colosseum while the adults toured.)

"At the end of the trip," said Sandy Duncan, "We all agreed it was the Best Family Vacation ever! It was just over way too soon."

========

(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)