Our multigenerational family of seven has just returned from Castles on the Rhine: Family Riverboat Adventure, our second Tauck Bridges vacation—and once again, it was fantastic! After experiencing our first Bridges adventure the year before, we knew we had found something special: a way to travel together as a family that created unforgettable memories for grandparents, parents, and grandchildren alike. I highly recommend it!
In 2025, we took our family on our first Tauck Bridges journey, Wonders of the Canadian Rockies. From the moment we returned home, we were already talking about where our next family adventure might take us. We had so much fun that we couldn’t wait to plan another trip for the summer of 2026.
But before we could embark on our next adventure, I had a surprise to reveal.
I wanted to tell our two young granddaughters that they would be joining us on another Tauck Bridges family vacation—but I didn’t want to simply hand them an itinerary or announce the destination. Instead, I decided to turn the surprise into an adventure of its own.
For Christmas morning, I created a “Guessing Game Treasure Hunt” just for them. It featured rhyming riddles, hidden mystery gifts, and a series of clues that would ultimately lead them to the big reveal: where our next family adventure would take us.
I began by handing the girls a letter explaining what was about to happen. Little did they know, they were about to embark on their very first adventure of the day—and the destination was one they would never forget.
The Treasure Hunt Begins
On Christmas morning, before the wrapping paper began to fly, I handed Madison and Julianne—our two grandgirls—a special letter. It explained that Mimi and Poppy had planned a little game just for them.
The letter began:
Merry Christmas to our favorite grandgirls, so dear!
Mimi and Poppy love you more every year.
We giggle and smile when we’re all together,
Our time’s full of joy—no matter the weather.
Now let’s play a game, a fun little quest,
With clues and surprises (we planned it the best!)
There are hiding spots—both clever and sly,
n Mimi & Poppy’s house—so look low and high.
Are you ready to search? Then let’s have some fun…
Here it is… your clue number one!
The girls were immediately intrigued. They had no idea where the game would lead—or that each little surprise was carefully chosen to give them a hint about the adventure waiting for them later that year.
Clue #1: A Passport to Adventure
The first riddle read:
A journey starts with something small,
A little book you’ll need most of all.
Look where you rest your head at night,
Where dreams begin till morning light!
The clue sent them racing to the guest bedroom. Beneath the pillows, they discovered their first surprise: adorable passport covers.
The excitement began to build. A passport could only mean one thing—they were going somewhere!
But where?
Tucked alongside their passport covers was the next clue.
Clue #2: Cold Cash
Now you have papers—
official and true!
But trips need money
to buy things, too.
Look somewhere cold where snacks like to stay,
And chilly air helps food last all day!
The girls quickly figured out the answer: the refrigerator.
Inside, they discovered what we jokingly called “cold cash”—two crisp €20 notes. The Euros were another little piece of the puzzle, and now the girls knew for sure that their mystery trip was taking them somewhere outside the United States.
Their curiosity was growing with every clue.
Clue #3: Pack Your Toiletries
The next riddle sent them off again:
When you travel far,
You wash and you brush,
You pack things you need,
And you don’t want to rush.
Find the place where towels are near,
Where bubbles and water help keep you clear!
This time, the answer was the bathroom.
Inside a cabinet drawer, they discovered two adorable toiletry bags emblazoned with the perfect travel sentiment:
“Paris Is Always a Good Idea.”
Now we had a problem—or so I thought.
The secret was getting harder to keep.
The girls had just been handed passports, Euros and toiletry bags that mentioned Paris. Surely they had figured it out!
But there was still one more mystery gift waiting to be found.
Clue #4: A Towering Hint
The next clue read:
Clean and ready—
what comes next?
A place so tall it leaves folks impressed!
Find where wheels wait to roll away,
Even when they stay parked all day.
Off they went to the garage.
Inside the parked car, they discovered the next piece of the puzzle: a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower.
At this point, the mystery was pretty much solved.
Or was it?
The girls still had one final clue.
The Final Clue
Their last riddle read:
You’ve found the tower, tall and grand— A famous sight in a special land. Now find the place where family meets, Where Christmas joy and laughter beats!
They raced back into the family room, where the Christmas tree stood surrounded by presents.
Beneath the tree was a gift box.
Inside were several Paris travel books—and one final letter.
This was the moment we had been waiting for.
The Big Reveal
The girls opened the letter and read:
Surprise, Maddie and Julianne!
We are taking you, your Mommy and Daddy, and Auntie Amanda to Paris, France for four days…
and then on a Rhine River cruise this summer, where we’ll visit FIVE countries in all!
We love you,
Mimi & Poppy
And just like that, the secret was out.
The Christmas morning treasure hunt had taken them from passports to Euros, from toiletry bags to the Eiffel Tower, and finally to the destination itself: Paris!
But Paris was only the beginning.
After four magical days exploring the City of Light, our family of seven would board a riverboat for our second Tauck Bridges adventure—Castles on the Rhine: Family Riverboat Adventure.
We had no idea then just how many stories, laughs, discoveries and memories were waiting for us.
What we did know was that the best part of any journey isn’t always the destination.
Sometimes, it’s the anticipation.
Sometimes, it’s watching the faces of the people you love as they discover a surprise.
And sometimes, the adventure begins long before you ever pack a suitcase.