Family vacations are important for your family, but deciding when and where to go can always be a challenge. Budget is a major consideration, and as kids get older, time becomes increasingly limited. This post is a great starting point for family vacation ideas.
Disclosure: We’re received some complimentary trips and admissions but all opinions are my own.
Family Cruise
It’s no surprise that I love cruising. It’s a great way to see multiple destinations and can be very relaxing. If you haven’t cruised before, consider a short family cruise, like the 3-day Disney Dream trip we took as our first family cruise or a sailing on the World’s Biggest Weekend, the Utopia of the Seas.
Family Resorts
Many family-friendly resorts offer water parks, outdoor pools, fun activities, beach access, kids’ clubs, and more. For some excellent quality time with your family, you may consider staying at a family-friendly resort where you can spend much of your time. All-inclusive resorts are a great option, but there are other terrific options.
Theme Park Family Vacation
Theme park trips are so fun for families, especially those with younger children. My kids now love rides, but when they were younger, they liked seeing characters. Seeing the magic of a theme park through a child’s young eyes is a beautiful part of parenting.
City Vacations
Cities are filled with delicious restaurants, beautiful parks, historic sites, outdoor activities, and world-class museums, making them great places to visit with kids. We like to visit New York City at least once every few years, and the kids love seeing shows and exploring everything there is to see. There are also so many fun restaurants in New York City for the whole family to enjoy and even if it rains, there’s so much to do.
National Parks
National Parks offer so much, from relaxing atmospheres to nature education. State parks are another great option if you can’t reach a National Park. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of my favorites.
Family Vacation Road Trip
Most of us have great memories of road trips with our families. While road trips aren’t always easy, they are a great way to take a reasonably priced family vacation and help promote family bonding. Road trips can be a great way to take a more flexible vacation because you won’t need to worry about purchasing flights for a specific time. While you may want to book your hotels, those often have a more flexible cancellation period.
Ski Vacation
Family ski resorts offer many family-friendly activities, but you can also consider a day trip to the mountain. If your kids (or you) haven’t skied before, definitely consider ski school or private lessons. My kids have loved their time in ski school and didn’t want to leave.
Beach Vacation
I love the beach, and our family has experienced many beach vacations. You can also combine your beach vacation with a Caribbean cruise. I prefer visiting a beach resort, which is convenient because you can go back to the room whenever you need to.
Guided Tour Family Vacation
Another relaxing vacation idea is a guided group tour. We’ve been on several Adventures by Disney family vacations and have loved every one. I enjoyed the relaxing vacation with no planning responsibilities while my kids had a great time meeting other kids.
Adventure Vacations
You may consider going on a family adventure vacation when your kids are older. Zip lining, horseback riding, and whitewater rafting can easily be incorporated into your regular vacation, or you can choose to take an adventure-filled vacation.
Read our blog post for more family vacation ideas.