Roots and Wings

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey

Since it’s my dad’s birthday this weekend, I’ll give him a shout-out for his “Roots & Wings” speech at my wedding. This speech is legendary in our family, and its main theme — the importance of creating strong roots in a family so that your children can eventually spread their wings and fly — has stood the test of time. Exploring and learning about your family’s heritage together can help to create that grounding in your roots and, over time, create a family legacy. What a special way to build and strengthen multigenerational family bonds. Take a look at a few of the ways that Legacy Travel Designs can help you and your loved ones in your own heritage quest:

AmaWaterways Ancestry Cruises

Have you ever wondered what your ancestors’ lives were like in Europe at the turn of the century? Or imagined how it would feel to follow in their footsteps, walking the same paths they did in your ancestral village? Now you can experience a deeply meaningful connection with your personal heritage while enjoying the enriching and exclusive experiences only a river cruise with AmaWaterways provides. As part of a history-making partnership, Ancestry® and AmaWaterways are combining their shared passions for family, heritage and travel to offer guests the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to uncover their family history while cruising along Europe’s legendary rivers.

Your journey begins with expert family history research that meets you wherever you are in your individual ancestry exploration, whether you are just starting out or you’ve already traced your family tree back multiple generations. Your discoveries continue with a professional genealogist who accompanies you throughout your river cruise. Uncover the most authentic and enriching experiences ashore with specially curated included excursions led by knowledgeable local guides. Together, your genealogist and guides will help you more fully understand your personal links to the beautiful regions you’re traveling through as you follow in your ancestors’ footsteps.

AmaWaterways’ inaugural Ancestry Cruise is departing July 30, 2022, and will sail along Europe’s fairytale Rhine River through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Switzerland and connect you with your heritage along the way. More Ama/Ancestry cruise itineraries are in the works. Stay tuned!

Kensington Tours – Personal Heritage Journeys

Kensington also has partnered with Ancestry to create the AncestryProGenealogists® Experience. For your Personal Heritage Journey, Kensington will create a customized, private-guided travel experience around the most meaningful places and moments in your family’s past. You can touch the same stones as your ancestors once did, walk the same streets, and hear their stories. You will have the assistance of a professional genealogist who will work with you on pre-trip research and provide a report of the findings along with copies of any documents and images that are found. You will be connected with a Destination Expert who will create your ideal heritage itinerary, ensuring that all your travel needs are met. Every Personal Heritage Journey is specially designed to create a profound and deeply personal sense of connection with your roots. Below are just two of the destinations offered.

Land of the Rising Sun: A Japan Heritage Discovery

Japan is a country with a legendary history, dramatic past, and renowned culture. In a truly unique experience, you can retrace your own family’s roots and visit your ancestral village and the surrounding district (“gun”). Travel across Japan’s largest island of Honshu, starting in the capital of Tokyo, before traversing the historic Nakasendo Way en route to visiting the temples and shrines dotted throughout Kyoto, and learning about the history and culture of the Hiroshima area. This itinerary is based on an ancestral home in the Hiroshima prefecture (“ken”), but your tour will be customized to the area(s) where your ancestors lived.

Ghana: Door Of No Return Ancestral Journey

Because of the history of enslavement of Africans in the United States, the vast majority of African Americans do not have access to documentation of their family’s African heritage. However, the advent of DNA tracing has allowed many to map their ancestry to particular areas in Africa, one of them being Ghana. A heritage trip to Ghana is the sort of journey that has the power to change you. On a customized tour, planned to your exacting specifications by Kensington Tours’ Destination Experts, you’ll quickly discover why Ghana is unlike any other country in Africa. You can connect with your heritage by exploring the many historical sites and natural wonders of Ghana, as well as experiencing the culture first-hand. The best part is that you’ll explore the country completely on your own schedule all the while taking comfort in the fact that each Kensington Tours experience includes round-the-clock travel support.

Brendan Vacations Ancestry Trips – Ireland and Scotland

What if one vacation could change your life? What if it showed you more than just the iconic sights? What if it showed you… you? With over 120 million people tracing their heritage back to the Celtic Isles, Brendan Vacations, a specialist in Ireland and Scotland, can help you learn more about your clan. They will connect you to local genealogists who can offer insight and advice; guiding you along your ancestral journey. Brendan can create custom and self-guided itineraries to help you retrace your ancestors’ footsteps by visiting family tombs and homesteads, meeting long-lost relatives, or strolling the neighborhoods where your own personal story began.

Regardless of how you define “family”, traveling with your loved ones on a trip to Ireland with Brendan Vacations ensures you’ll come back with your own Celtic story filled with memories for years to come.

Rediscovering your roots gives you a better sense of place, a stronger legacy, a deeper appreciation for family, and a greater understanding of the culture that lives in you, no matter where you live in the world. And who better to explore those roots with than the people who share them? Let us know when you’re ready to give the gift of heritage to your loved ones!