How Every Generation Vacations, From the Silent Generation to Gen Z

Different generations do not necessarily agree on what makes a great vacation. One traveler might want a packed itinerary in a new country, while another would happily spend a week on a cruise ship, take a road trip with family, or find a beach chair and barely move. Age and life stage matter, but generational labels are broad categories rather than rules everyone follows.

Still, travel surveys reveal some interesting differences. A 2026 AAA survey found that roughly six in 10 members of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers planned to travel during the year. Where the generations begin to separate is in what they prioritize, how they plan, and why they are taking the trip in the first place. Here's what the research says about five generations of American travelers.

The Silent Generation includes people born from 1928 through 1945. That means its members are now in their 80s and 90s, and recent travel research usually studies them as older adults rather than breaking them out as a separate generation. Their formative years stretched across the Great Depression, World War II, and the postwar period, but those shared experiences do not automatically translate into one preferred type of vacation.

Age-based research gives us a better picture. AARP's recent travel studies have found that spending time with family and friends remains one of the strongest travel motivations among adults 50 and older. Travelers 70 and older also show relatively strong interest in road trips and cruises. In AARP's 2026 research, interest in international cruises rose with age, accounting for 28% of planned international trips among travelers 70 and older, compared with 15% among those ages 50 to 59. Comfort matters, but older travelers are hardly limiting themselves to familiar places down the road.

Baby Boomers were born from 1946 through 1964. They remain an active travel market, and the 2026 AAA survey found that 61% of Boomers planned to travel during the year. Among those travelers, 57% expected at least some of their trips to revolve around milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and family reunions.

Domestic travel remains important to this generation. An earlier travel-by-generation study found Boomers averaged more domestic than international trips, although newer AARP research shows interest in international travel has been growing among older Americans. Food is another draw. Hilton's generational travel research found 86% of Boomers surveyed wanted to try local or regional cuisine when traveling, while 45% made restaurants and culinary experiences a top travel-budget priority.

Domestic travel remains important to this generation. An earlier travel-by-generation study found Boomers averaged more domestic than international trips, although newer AARP research shows interest in international travel has been growing among older Americans. Food is another draw. Hilton's generational travel research found 86% of Boomers surveyed wanted to try local or regional cuisine when traveling, while 45% made restaurants and culinary experiences a top travel-budget priority.

Generation X covers people born from 1965 through 1980. In 2026, its members are generally in their mid-40s through early 60s, an age range that can include everything from raising children and juggling careers to caring for older parents and beginning retirement. Not surprisingly, there is no single Gen X vacation.

An earlier generational travel study found weekend getaways were particularly common among Gen X travelers, accounting for 37% of domestic trip types in that survey. More recent research suggests Gen X still wants to make those trips count. Hilton found that 84% of Gen X travelers surveyed wanted to experience something new when traveling, while 78% wanted to feel taken care of or pampered. AAA's 2026 survey found 60% planned to travel, and 71% of those travelers expected to plan trips around important milestones.

An earlier generational travel study found weekend getaways were particularly common among Gen X travelers, accounting for 37% of domestic trip types in that survey. More recent research suggests Gen X still wants to make those trips count. Hilton found that 84% of Gen X travelers surveyed wanted to experience something new when traveling, while 78% wanted to feel taken care of or pampered. AAA's 2026 survey found 60% planned to travel, and 71% of those travelers expected to plan trips around important milestones.

Millennials were born from 1981 through 1996, putting them roughly in their 30s and 40s today. They have been an important travel market for years. A 2017 Expedia study found that U.S. Millennials averaged 35 travel days per year at the time, more than the other U.S. generations included in that study.

Newer surveys offer a better look at what Millennials want now. Hilton found that 60% of Millennials surveyed said rest and recharging were priorities, while 52% prioritized exploration and adventure. For Millennial parents, family-friendly options were especially important. AAA's 2026 survey found 63% of Millennials planned to travel, and 88% of those travelers said they would plan trips around milestones. That was nearly identical to Gen Z and far higher than the share among Boomers.

Generation Z includes people born from 1997 through 2012, although only the adult portion of the generation is old enough to independently plan and pay for vacations. Gen Z is becoming increasingly important to the travel industry as more of its members enter adulthood, and recent Gen Z travel research has highlighted everything from international and solo travel to technology-heavy trip planning.

AAA found 60% of Gen Z respondents planned to travel in 2026. Among those travelers, 89% expected to plan trips around milestones such as birthdays, weddings, graduations, and other important events, the highest percentage of the generations surveyed. Gen Z also stands out in how trips are discovered and planned. Deloitte's 2026 travel outlook found that more than half of Gen Z travelers use social media as part of trip planning, compared with about one-third of Gen X and roughly one in seven Baby Boomers. The same research found 42% of Gen Z travelers took some type of sustainability-related action when planning travel.

No matter what generation you belong to, taking time away from the daily grind can be worth it. A vacation gives you a chance to recharge, spend real time with family or friends, and make memories somewhere outside your normal routine. It does not have to be expensive or elaborate, either. Sometimes simply getting away for a few days is a form of self-care all by itself.