Hi Frugalistas! Sometimes I travel alone. Sometimes we travel as a family. But what I love to do is take mother-daughter holidays (vacations) with my daughter MissG. Here are my top tips for great things to do on a mother daughter trip. Guaranteed to make your mother daughter trip a successful, memorable and meaningful experience for you both:
Do something luxurious
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- Your spa treatment is ready….
Going to the spa is a fabulous experience you can share with your daughter. Good resorts will have double rooms suitable for mother-daughter treatments. Many resorts and timeshare properties will also offer specialised treatments suitable for even quite young girls – MissG had her first mani-pedi at age 9 on a mother daughter trip to Bali. A spa treatment during our most recent trip to Port Douglas in Queensland was a given. She’d had such an enjoyable experience the first time round, it was on her “must do” list.
Do something cultural
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- Cruising in Port Douglas is a cultural experience
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- Meeting some of the locals after the cultural show at our hotel
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- Our Hindu offering in Bali
Regardless of where you are visiting, make time to participate in and understand the local culture. I really believe this is particularly important when your daughter is young. Even if it is just a cultural show put on by your resort, or a similar show designed for tourists, participate.
On a visit to the local market in Bali we came across a stall selling Hindu offerings, used to bless homes and businesses alike. We had seen them around the streets, and even at the gate to our resort. We bought one and took it back to our hotel room. While we didn’t add any fresh food, or incense like the local versions, MissG loved “our” offering.
Do something decadent
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- Hhhhmmm, gelato…..
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- A margherita for me and a made to order mocktail for MissG
Drink cocktails and/or mocktails together. Doing something “girly” is also important, and what is more girly than putting on a pretty outfit and hitting the bar for a local cocktail before dinner? A great way to end a special trip. If cocktails aren’t your style, how about a special afternoon tea, or just a simple ice cream together?
Do something adventurous
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- Holding a snake in Bali
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- MissG’s first time on a motorbike was one we will both remember
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- Helmet on for the first time
In Port Douglas we went on a trike tour. We helmeted-up and hit the highway for great trip around the local sites. It was MissG’s first time on a motorbike, and she loved it – the highlight of her trip!
Do something cute
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- Buddy enjoying his coconut drink in Bali
Even big girls (and their mothers!) love cute things. Is there somewhere where you can pat or cuddle some of the local fauna?
One of the things we also like to do on mother-daughter trips is take photos of MissG’s stuffed toys. She chooses a special friend to accompany her on her trip, and we include the toy in some of our activities and in our photos.
Do something you will both remember
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- Handfeeding a willing kangaroo
Creating memories is one of the most important things you can do on a mother-daughter trip. Creating memories can be as expensive or as cheap as you like. Our latest special memory? MissG handfeeding kangaroos, and one of them putting its front paws on her leg while it fed – completely at ease. She was thrilled, and at $2.00 for the packet of roo food, so was I!
Do something simple
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- A walk on the beach at sunset
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- We had great fun “posing” this shot at Cape Tribulation
Sometimes the cheapest activities can be the most memorable and meaningful. A walk on the beach costs nothing. Finding shells, talking and just “being” with your daughter, completely present in the moment (put those phones and cameras away!) can be a great way to connect and enjoy each others’ company.
Go shopping
Of course! But again make it meaningful. Head to the markets, mix with the locals. Buy a special gift for those you’ve left at home that you choose together. Buy something special for your daughter that she will remember your trip by. It doesn’t need to be anything expensive, just something that will make her smile, and remember that special time she spent with her Mum…….one bag travel
Have you ever taken a mother-daughter getaway? What made it so special for you and your daughter/mother? one bag travel
If you’re planning a mother daughter trip you must be wanting some cute clothes to take, and probably new (matching no doubt!) luggage. I’ve found some great options for you perfect for one bag travel that won’t break the bank. These are affiliate links, so if you buy something I do earn a small commission, but I promise it won’t cost you a penny extra.
One bag travel
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Nice! It is always a treat for my daughter and me to travel together – even if it is a day trip. We love it when people notice we are mother-daughter.
Yes, I love it too, although on our last trip someone asked if MissG was my granddaughter which did not impress!
We had 2 sons, so no mother-daughter bonding, but one of our sons shares my wanderlust and he and I did 2 mother-son trips while he was in college. Both worked out well. We respected each others’ museum visiting styles. We would make up a time to meet so we could go through each at our own pace and pick which exhibits to see.
Great solution Suzanne – I presume you skipped the spa visit?
Love these tips! I think a lot of them are great for all combinations of traveller. It’s nice to have a bit of variety on holiday so you can find different ways of bonding.
I think you’re right Bronwyn – it is the hallmark of any great trip. But I particularly wanted to think about mother-daughter trips way because so often they are just cocktail and shopping affairs (not that there’s anything wrong with either!)
I took both my girls to the mountains last summer to go summer tubbing. It was a simple and fun weekend getaway. Loved it.
Yes, something simple can be some of the best fun of all
I haven’t gone anywhere with my mom in quite a while and we used to do this so often! You’ve just inspired me to arrange something really soon! Thank you!
Family is the most important!
Yes, doing something special with family is great isn’t it?
These sound like awesome activities for mother – daughter bonding! I have done the whole spa thing with our daughter, and she certainly felt like a princess 🙂 Great post!
Great blog post. It really should be all about making family connections, and you’ve done that well!
Thanks very much Tami, that’s very kind. That’s exactly what it is about.
Thank you. There’s no reason of course why you couldn’t take the list and just change the activities to suit a boy too.
I’ve never been on a mother-daughter trip but in June daughter and I are camping for three days at a music festival. Baptism of fire?
Oh God, what a triple threat……good luck!