6 Tips for Planning a Meaningful Genealogy Trip

Updated: May 15, 2022

Everyone loves a good story, and few stories compel us like our own. Over 30 million people have taken DNA tests to learn more about themselves and where they come from. Sometimes the results inspire a deeper heritage dive, even a trip to explore a newly-discovered homeland.

There's no better way to bring your family story alive than by traveling to where it began. If you're curious about exploring your family heritage through travel, here are 7 tips to get you started.

A pastoral Irish countryside with green fields, grazing cattle, and a farm. — My heritage is nearly 100% Irish.

Consider a DNA Test

If you don't have many details about your heritage, DNA testing might be a good place to start. Services like AncestryDNA and 23andMe close information gaps through detailed analysis and large DNA databases.

Stack of black and white photographs and old documents, including a Marriage Certificate. — Geneology experts say any photograph or piece of paper with writing can provide useful clues.

Dig into the Research

Many genealogy records have been digitized, allowing for a lot of research to be done online. The National Genealogical Society offers tutorials and resources and can even help connect you with archives and libraries around the world.

Language and history can serve as roadblocks to your research, especially in regions where borders have shifted time and again. Your family's country of origin may influence the number of information gaps you encounter. Archives may be in a foreign language or closed to the public. Records in England, Scotland, and Italy are more readily available than those in Ireland, Germany, and Poland.

Wooden map of Eastern Europe, including Poland, Lithuania, Blaurus, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. — Borders have shifted many times over the centuries in Eastern Europe, which poses challenges for geneolgy research.

Call in an Expert When You Need One

Depending on your goals, I can connect you with a professional genealogist to help research the details - down to the places where your family lived, worked, and worshipped if you like. This research will inform your travel itinerary, and you can even elect to travel to your homeland with your genealogist.

Work a Geneology Trip into Your Family Vacation

Heritage research doesn't have to dominate an itinerary, but it can enrich a journey. For example, we can incorporate ancestral excursions into a cruise. By carefully choosing the right river or ocean cruise itinerary, you could spend a day tracing your family tree in a city where you have an ancestral footprint.

Go On a Heritage Trip

You don't need a detailed family tree to explore your roots. Experiencing the sights, culture, and food of your homelands is another way to forge ties with your history. Many people gain a strong appreciation for who they are and connect to their heritage from these journeys.

Explore Your Faith Heritage

Faith-focused trips are on the rise as travelers seek to understand the influence of their religious heritage. Pilgrimages are one form this type of travel can take. A European itinerary might include the Oberammergau Passion Play, Germany's once-in-a-decade performance about the final days of Jesus. Or a traveler could select a river cruise sailing that explores Jewish history. In fact, religious sites around the globe play a primary role in many family heritage stories.

I can help you connect with your past and find out where your story began. Contact me to plan your genealogy journey today!