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The Best Types of Trips for a Family Vacation

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

Disney Cruise Ship at sea
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

sign showing hotel amenities in the rainforest with colorful plants
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

Pixar pier with Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure, one of the theme parks in Southern California
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

View of Boston from the Charles River
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

Stream with rocks at Smoky Mountain National Park
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

Red hayride wagon on the road
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

Snow covered mountain view from above in chair lift
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

Beach with leftover wedding decor
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

Arenal Volcano framed by palm trees
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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

Top of zipliner view with volcano in background
Image Credit: Jodi Grundig/Family Travel Magazine

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.

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