AC

Grandparents are picking up the tab more during these tough economic times, treating the whole family to a vacation or just flying the grandkids in for a visit, some hotels and travel agents say. More than ever, the Best Western Plus North Shore Inn in Portland, Texas, says it's seeing three generations of a family check in, with the grandparents usually footing the bill. The Best Western Plus Longbranch hotel in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has also seen an increasing number of weekend visits by people with grandchildren in tow. Travel professionals say the trend largely results from the turbulent economy. Some grandparents want to treat family members to vacations they may otherwise struggle to afford, or they simply want to spend more time with loved ones in the midst of so much uncertainty. In the past four years, Ginger Mittelstaedt, owner of the Free Spirit Travel agency in Portage, Wis., has been booking a growing number of multi-generational excursions on cruises or at...