Written by: PoshMom Editorial Team
We love to travel. To take a break from our oh-so-busy days and introduce our mini-me’s to the world just beyond and far-reaching from their local borders. Whether you are planning a weekend getaway or looking forward to spring break or summer vacation, it’s never early to plan a family-friendly immersive travel experience.
There are several ways to do this—be it trains, planes and automobiles, city sights, sitting on beaches or rolling up everyone’s sleeves to get entrenched in a different culture. Often it is like a tight-rope trek figuring out how our wine-tasting desires mesh with activities that work for the kids. If only, we had a smattering of choices for us all. Oh, but we do. One of the most notable
and on-trend travel companies—Airbnb—tipped the travel world on its side again with their Airbnb Experiences brand. That’s right. These goes well beyond a host putting their house up for rent. Perfect for both immersing in the culture when traveling—or learning about where you’re going before you even get there—these family-friendly immersive travel experiences are
super popular—in person and online too.
According to Airbnb, Experiences are unique, memorable activities designed and hosted by locals that go beyond typical tours or workshops, from in-the-know hidden city tours to more adventurous fire-eating lessons (yes, we agree, not for the toddlers in the group!). They provide insights and immersion into the hosts’ passions and interests, and deliver a different way to experience a destination. Depending on the overarching type of activity you think will excite your gang, there are a bunch that work for both adults and kids. And even more fun is going online with your little one to have their input on what family friendly immersive travel experiences you’re signing up for.
Experiences, which launched in 2016 with about 500 programs, catapulted to more than 50,000 experiences in more than 1,000 cities globally in just a few years. And then the pandemic hit. And shelter-in-place orders closed borders and fear of spreading Covid brought all dreams of travel and many a unique Experience to a standstill. But then Airbnb Experiences went into
“figure it out mode” (Experiences was spearheaded by a mom, of course!) and seamlessly transitioned to Online Experiences in April 2020. This gave “guests” and moms with too much kid time on their hands unprecedented access to travel virtually, from home in categories ranging from Great for Groups, Family Friendly, Animals, Arts & Writing, Baking, Cooking, Dancing, Entertainment, Social Impact, Wellness and more.
“We knew guests were looking for unique and authentic things to do while traveling and we launched Airbnb Experiences in 2016 to meet that need,” explains Catherine Powell (the aforementioned mom!), Global Head of Hosting at Airbnb. “But then travel stopped and people were isolated and we identified a new need. We created Online Experiences in just 14 days to help people connect, travel virtually and earn income during the COVID-19 crisis.”
And hosts and clients alike have connected with the plethora of amazing activities too numerous to name (a few favorites include Tango Lessons by Agrentinian Experts, Drawing with a New York Artist, Meditation with a Buddhist Japanese Monk, Nature Walks, Improv shows and a Family Magic Show and Lesson—and by the way, with some prices as low as $7 per person for an hour Experience).
In fact, clients have loved the Online Experiences so much that Airbnb has teamed up with partners like Michelin star chefs who offer personalized online cooking classes, celebrities, as well as world renowned authors. “Online Experiences is Airbnb’s fastest-growing product to date,” states Powell, “and we are delighted with the opportunities it creates for our hosts and our guests. Airbnb Experiences was created to foster connections between people. We continue to be committed to that mission—whether in virtual or live form.” .
So whether you ultimately go on an Adventure to the Secret Islands in Indonesia or get to win mom of the year award because your fam is set to share fun time with a giant panda from home, you will definitely be making some of the ultimate Experience-worthy memories, ever.
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