Choosing the Best Family Holiday Destinations

The first step to planning a getaway that's ideal for your loved ones is researching and selecting your vacation destinations carefully — and we are here to help! 

What is the Best Holiday Destination for Families?

With so many points on the globe a possibility, there's a lot of territory to cover. We learned that your success in introducing children to the wonders of travel, and having a good time doing it, depends on finding an amazing place to explore, with kid-friendly attractions and activities, plus opportunities to spend fun, quality time together.

Over the years, we redefined this segment — and refined the list of places we go — creating journeys that feature only the best family holiday destinations worldwide. Now, we want to share them with you!

Our Top 10 Family Holiday Destinations Worldwide
Here are what we consider the best family vacation spots in the US and Canada, as well as the best family holiday destinations in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Get inspired, and start planning!

US National Parks – Visiting the national parks with kids is a brilliant idea. Explore Yosemite National Park's rocky cliffs, plummeting waterfalls and open meadows. Go flightseeing 20,000+ feet above Denali National Park. Greet the sunrise from your inside-the-park, on-the-rim lodge at Grand Canyon National Park. Ride a horse or mule alongside a cowboy on Bryce Canyon National Park trails. We also recommend touring iconic Zion National Park, Yellowstone National Park and others!

Alaska – Being the largest US state –– and the most sparsely populated –– means there's lots of space for your whole family to play. From Anchorage to Denali, discover natural wonders, majestic national parks and mile-upon-mile of unspoiled wilderness, providing an extraordinary environment for outdoor adventure and spotting magnificent wildlife. 

Canada – The second-largest country on the planet spans spectacular national parks, cool cosmopolitan cities and beautiful towns in between. With children, we love visiting the Canadian Rockies, including Banff National Park, Lake Louise and Jasper National Park.

Ireland – A great first overseas trip for kids, Ireland is filled with scenic landscapes, charming towns, enchanting castles, rich music, storytelling traditions...and Fair Dublin, of course. See Kinsale, the Cliffs of Moher, Cobh Heritage Center, Bunratty Folk Park and more.

London – In the capital of England and the United Kingdom's biggest city, delve into a royal destination that will please detectives and spies in training, history and art buffs, outdoor adventurers, food and entertainment aficionados––and everyone in between. 

Paris – See the family-friendly side of Paris and France itself, which includes the iconic Eiffel Tower, art treasure hunts in the legendary Louvre museum, wonderful parks, the Place de la Concorde, Montmartre, Sacré Coeur and much more.

Italy – La bella vita can be yours in Italy. From Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Orvieto and Sorrento, to the Umbrian countryside, discover beloved attractions such as St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pompeii, plus highlights like dog-led truffle hunting, Gladiator School and pizza- and gelato-making demos. 

Europe by Riverboat – Consider a European family river cruise! Head straight to a series of captivating cities and storybook villages, along shimmering waterscapes, like the Rhine, Danube, Douro, Rhône and Seine Rivers. You'll only unpack once on your floating hotel, from which you can enjoy onboard fun, as well as guided sightseeing, special experiences and shore excursion choices. You could see cities like Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, Lisbon, Porto, Amsterdam, Paris and many more.

Africa – Experience a family safari in areas like Tanzania. View Africa's "Big Five" wildlife, and have incredible adventures, at Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Kilimanjaro. Learn more about Africa family safaris here.

Galápagos Islands – A far-flung paradise where you can launch your young naturalists, sleuth myriad mysteries and marvels, and witness animals and flora found nowhere else on Earth. Keep it simple with a premier, guided tour featuring a voyage filled with island hopping around the Equator and a stop in colonial Quito. (In Latin America, we also pick Peru and Costa Rica as remarkable family destinations.)

We're Happy to Help You Select Your Destination
Whichever of the best family holiday destinations above might be on the horizon, reach out, and we'll chat about your options!