To me, travel experiences bring people together. The process of travel is an experience, mostly good, that takes people out of their element and away from their home, whether it’s a day trip, weekend getaway, or a key vacation. I was lucky enough this year to enjoy an 8-day getaway with 25 of my family and closest friends at the all-inclusive Barcelo Maya Palace on the stunning beaches of the Riviera Maya, Mexico – including my grandchildren. There is something magical about spending time with your friends on a daily basis and a deeper bond is built too.

As a GrandMom, Mom, Wife, Aunt, Sister, Friend etc. who values personal relationships, I’ve created my bucket list of family travel experiences for 2010:

1) For Christmas this year, my hubby and I gave each other the gift of travel. We already have three trips planned for 2010: weekend getaway to the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa at Summerlin; motorcycle road trip through Wyoming to Montana and Yellowstone; and a fall trip to Seattle's Hotel Max and revisiting the wineries of Washington.

2) Late spring, I will be joining my daughter, her husband and my two grandchildren in California’s Disneyland. It’ll be a memory jogger as the last time I visited Disneyland was when my daughters were 10 and 12. Multi-generational travel is the best! I will also be whisking my grandchildren away from their parents, so that I can have GrandMom time with them and Mommy and Daddy can have alone time. (Tips on Staycationing with the Grandkids.)

3) Girlfriend getaways! I think a relationship women frequently neglect is with their girlfriends. I have several BFFs (best friends forever), and I want to make sure I include my girlfriends in my bucket list. Since we’re all busy working women, I’m leaning toward a road trip to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. (Last year, we enjoyed Steamboat Springs.) One girlfriend and I love to ski and golf together; while my other girlfriends (who are also mothers) will probably enjoy a spa getaway.

4) Couples getaway. We have several couples that we frequently travel together, and I’ve been charged with finding somewhere tropical for us to land. Any ideas?

I’m already looking forward to 2010. What about you?

Happy New Year from my family to yours!