Beyond Classic Spots with Hands-On Experiences: 11 Days China Trip for American Three-Generation

On an ordinary workday in my sixth year in the industry, I encountered a three-generation American family. Mr. Johnson wished to take his parents, wife, and two children on an 11-day family trip across Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, and Shanghai during late April and early May.

This politely worded letter of request contained a familiar challenge - simultaneously satisfying the elderly couple's need for comfort, the children's desire for fun, and the middle-aged couple's pursuit of cultural depth.

During the video conference, I noticed Mrs. Johnson repeatedly mentioning a less-than-ideal European trip ten years prior. She recounted how the children cried in museums, the elderly couple sat on benches in the Louvre for two hours, and the parents, exhausted, ended up ordering pizza in their hotel room for dinner.

Six people from three generations who can't quite find common ground but enjoy family outings, I thought with a smile. This isn't a problem. I rolled up my sleeves, ready to design an itinerary where everyone would be satisfied!

Designing a Trip Satisfying Three Generations: Adding Hands-On Experiences

I spent three full days researching routes. The classic Beijing-Xi'an-Guilin-Shanghai itinerary seemed simple, but pleasing six people was no easy task. The elder Mr. and Mrs. Johnson needed comfortable transportation and ample rest, the two children craved interaction and fun, while the middle-aged couple hoped to experience authentic Chinese culture.

The main conflict between the three generations often lies in the difficulty for the elderly and children to enjoy the same activities, with the parents caught in the middle.

To ensure the elder Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and the two children could experience the same travel enjoyment, in Beijing, I contacted an English-speaking calligraphy teacher in an old hutong. The calligraphy courtyard was very quiet, with sunlight falling into the square courtyard. Inside, they were attempting Chinese calligraphy for the first time.

Seeing the focused expressions on the two children's faces in the photos as they held calligraphy brushes, awkwardly writing the character "福" (fortune) on rice paper, I knew this arrangement was a success. The elder Mr. Johnson even enthusiastically tried a few strokes, despite his slightly shaky hand. This time, the elder Mr. Johnson and the children shared the experience of using a calligraphy brush, even having a competition, pointing out each other's incorrect holding techniques.

For the second stop, Xi'an, in addition to visiting the world-renowned Terracotta Warriors.

I contacted a local workshop that offered a mini Terracotta Warrior DIY activity. When the children entered the workshop, they were greeted by walls filled with unfinished miniature Qin dynasty terracotta figures. They could roll clay into strips and press it into molds, and upon opening the mold, a miniature terracotta warrior would be formed.

In the videos sent by the guide, the two children were diligently coloring their clay figures, the normally mischievous and loud children quiet and focused on their creations.

I also arranged a dumpling-making activity for the whole family. From kneading the dough to rolling the wrappers, the entire Johnson family gathered around a local chef, learning to pinch the edges of the dumplings.

For the Guilin leg's bamboo raft ride, I was concerned about the elderly couple's stamina. After multiple communications with local boatmen, we chose the calmest section of the river and prepared comfortable cushions and parasols. In the photos, the three generations sat together on a bamboo raft, the elderly couple quietly appreciating the scenery on both banks, and the children excitedly pointing at the reflections in the water.

For the final few days in Shanghai, I arranged a seemingly simple activity - the Maglev train experience. Initially, I worried the elderly couple might find it just a mode of transportation. However, when I received photos of them posing in front of the train's speed display screen, seeing the similar expressions of amazement on the faces of all three generations, the value of this decision was self-evident.

Two weeks after the trip ended, I received a long email from Mr. Johnson. He didn't use flowery language, but the satisfaction conveyed between the lines made me feel deeply gratified. What touched me most was a detail he mentioned: during the dumpling-making night in Xi'an, his father insisted on rolling the wrappers himself. Although the finished products were misshapen, the elderly gentleman insisted on cooking them for everyone. When the whole family shared that strangely shaped dumpling, laughter filled the entire courtyard. This moment of familial affection transcending language was precisely what I had hoped to create for them.

I am very happy to have created points of resonance for their family during the trip. For three generations to find their joy in the same journey, and to intersect at certain special moments, seeing the sincere smiles on everyone's faces in the photos they sent is the best affirmation of my work.