The interior designer and mother of five shares the important life lessons she learned from a trip to Banff National Park last summer.
While exposing kids to travel is important, getting them out of their familiar surroundings and routines is not. That’s exactly why Joanna Gaines loves family vacations so much.
“We are basically homebodies. We love being at home,” the 47-year-old mother of five said in a statement obtained exclusively by Travel & Leisure. “But as my kids have grown up, I’ve realized what a gift it is to be able to escape the day-to-day schedule, rhythm, and to-do list and enjoy some meaningful family time.”
The Summer 2025 issue of Magnolia Magazine, the quarterly publication she co-founded with husband Chip Gaines, focuses on the theme of “Boundaryless” living, pushing us to transcend our daily lives—and travel is undoubtedly the best way to do that.
“We grow up and begin to feel the weight of life’s parameters in ways we didn’t when we were younger, so the idea that the seasons seem ‘endless’ can actually feel overwhelming, even uncomfortable,” the interior designer, best known for HGTV’s Fixer Upper, writes in this issue’s editor’s letter.
This idea became even clearer last summer when our family traveled to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. The family followed the youngest of five children—whose ages ranged from 6 to 20—as he explored, as he still retained a childlike sense of freedom.
When she had a free afternoon, the six-year-old came up with the idea to hike in the park, she wrote in the Magnolia article. “I can’t overstate how few hikes I’ve done in my life, but with Crewe as our fearless guide, the trip was easy and fun,” she says. They followed the youngest to the river, where they eventually jumped into an inflatable raft and floated down the Bow River—a moment so memorable it made the cover of the magazine.
“For me, this photo captures so much more than a cover-worthy location,” she explains. “It’s the way the day unfolded, with one ‘yes’ leading to another, and another — with no destination in mind other than ‘further’ — that kept my gaze ever upward, gazing out at the vastness of the world.”
That the idea was sparked by her children just underscores the power of childhood curiosity, especially when kids have a palette to explore their curiosity, a trait she credits Crewe with inheriting from Chip. “When Chip and Crewe are leading together, there’s almost nothing that can stop them,” she says, adding that they both have an adventurous spirit and love to skip water!
“To be honest, I’m not sure either of us would have sought out this experience if we weren’t in a spontaneous spirit,” Gaines says.
And while it may feel a little counterintuitive, the rewards more than offset any uneasiness. “Whenever we take time out, we have the space to really be in the moment,” she tells T+L exclusively. “So for us, it’s really about just laid-back time together — so we limit phone use, pick a few ‘things to do’ that we’re all excited about, and throw schedules out the window.”
By sharing her own transformative moments from family travel, she hopes to inspire others to really push the boundaries of expectations and let adventure unfold naturally.
“We often long for the outside world — chasing dreams and pushing beyond our comfort zones is great, but in recent years, I’ve realized that ‘limitless’ can thrive here, too,” Gaines wrote. “There’s always something fun about finding newness and adventure in wide-open spaces, and close to home.”
Arthur
The travel method of “one ‘yes’ leads to another” is simply a good medicine to fight the anxious era. When the whole family puts down their mobile phones and goes with the flow, even the inflatable raft becomes a Noah’s ark leading to spiritual freedom.
Ethan
A 20-year-old and a 6-year-old mixed-age trip is actually led by a toddler? This anti-routine story proves that in family travel, it is often the youngest member who can restart the exploration instinct of adults that is sealed by the schedule.
Benjamin
The cover photo of floating downstream is more convincing than any tourism bureau advertisement – there is no posing, only real laughter witnessed by the mountains, this is the gold standard of top vacations.
Ryan
The description of my husband and young son playing skipping stones in a group is too vivid! It turns out that the courage to “go on a whim” can be spread through the Y chromosome. It is recommended to directly broadcast “Fixer Upper: Wild Camping Special” next time.
Chris
The final insight about “infinity is just around the corner” is a relief for all parents who are worried about “not having time to travel far away”. It turns out that backyard adventures and cross-border travel are equally valuable, as long as you set out with a child’s eyes.
Jay
From self-deprecating that “I have only hiked a few times” to being taken rafting on the Bow River by her 6-year-old son, Joanna perfectly interprets “the best travel guide may be hidden in the child seat” – it turns out that parenting can also unlock hidden adventurer personalities!