Traveling with kids and grandparents isn’t about the destination anymore – it’s about surviving the journey in style. How do I know this? Well, I’ve got twin boys so when we travel with the whole family, it takes a lot of planning to make the trip fun for three generations of people – 8 people. Here’s how we upgraded our last big family holiday expedition to Yanqing’s World Garden Park area which was about a two-hour drive from our home!
The Space Solution:
When regular vans failed and two cars meant double the chaos, my husband struck gold on Xiaohongshu when he found an RMB 3,000 round-trip charter (peak season pricing) that gave us VIP mobility for under RMB 400/person for a rolling lounge experience. The Toyota Coaster is essentially a mini bus that comfortably seats up to 13 passengers (excluding the driver).
This wasn’t just hiring a personal driver who had a big car. The entire trip was an unforgettable experience in its own. The whole group had a great time singing karaoke with their built-in system and the ample leg room made what would have been a dreaded long drive into so much fun for the whole family.
Pro Tips:
Confirm mileage limits upfront (we kept single trips under 100km).
Coordinate pick-up/drop-off routes with drivers in advance so you don’t have any unforeseen miscommunications on the day of your trip.
Why We Loved Our Toyota Coaster:
- Airport-grade VIP shuttle comfort
- Zero-gravity seats + strollers-friendly aisle space
- Built-in karaoke system (toddler rockstars activated!)
- Climate control + motion-sickness-friendly suspension
Our “boring 2-hour drive” became a multigenerational concert! From Chinese ballads to nursery rhymes and juice boxes in hand. On the return trip, even our most carsick-prone grandma marveled: ‘These seats are incredibly comfortable to sit in – I didn’t feel nauseous at all throughout the journey!’
We really appreciated our driver taking the extra initiative to arrive 20 minutes early and assist us with all six luggage with the skills of a ninja as well as assist our elderly passengers with boarding and getting comfortably settled in. He took the time to confirm the navigation and provided technical support for the entertainment system along the way.
It’s worth pointing out that families with special needs or requests need to inform the rental company in advance. Things like child seats or wheelchair accessibility will require them to prepare 72-hours in advance.
With all the logistics out of the way, it’s just a matter of making your family’s favorite playlist and packing ample drinks and (non-messy) snacks. Unlike airline services, charter vehicles don’t provide catering – we brought insulated bags with juice boxes and banana bread.
So was it worth the splurge? For our Brady Bunch crew, this meant:
- Parents actually relaxing (no white-knuckle driving!)
- Kids entertained ≠ digital devices used
- Motion-sick grandparents traveling with their dignity intact
For our larger family with three generations traveling together, this chartered service perfectly solved our seating capacity issues while delivering unexpected comfort and entertainment perks – even allowing my perpetually ‘driver-doomed’ husband to finally relax on the road. Though pricier than DIY road trips, the premium paid for this stress-free experience proved a worthwhile investment in family harmony.
If you’d like to book them for your next road trip, get in touch at the WeChat below.
Images: Siyu He
