COMPAS news era
Related Articles
With a return trip after a year of delayed travel, families across the country are finally putting the idea of family vacations back on their radar. And they’re not just thinking about cheap family vacations or the most popular family vacation spots in the US. After several years of staycations and road trips, big-ticket family vacations have also caught the attention of many people.
From all-inclusive US resorts and family cruises to kid-friendly national park lodges and Orlando theme parks, here are the best family vacation ideas to help make your travel dreams come true.
Family Vacation Ideas in the U.S.
All-inclusive resorts are one of the best family vacation ideas because they remove a lot of stress from the vacation planning process. While most people think of Caribbean family resorts and beautiful Caribbean beaches when they envision a complete vacation, there are also plenty of passport-free options that cater to families here in the United States as well. Here are some family vacations in the US where everything is included.
Club Med Sandpiper Bay – Port St. Lucie, Florida
In Port St Lucie, Florida’s Club Med Sandpiper Bay offers something for everyone in the family: multiple pools, water sports, golf, spa, kids club and private beach access. And if you want to leave a complete oasis, the resort is just two hours from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando.
Pleasek Mountain House – New Paltz, New York
With its stunning location on the shores of Lake Harapk, the Mintak Mountain House is the perfect New York getaway destination for families who enjoy swimming, kayaking, and paddle boating. Surrounded by thousands of acres of forest, this all-inclusive resort is an idyllic fall family getaway for hiking and picnicking when the weather is sunny and the leaves are changing.
Grand Hotel – Mackinac Island, Michigan
With a return trip after a year of delayed travel, families across the country are finally putting the idea of family vacations back on their radar. And they’re not just thinking about cheap family vacations or the most popular family vacation spots in the US. After several years of staycations and road trips, big-ticket family vacations have also caught the attention of many people.
Aulani, Disney Resort and Spa – Oahu, Hawaii
On the Hawaiian island of Oahu, family vacations get a decidedly Disney experience at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, where a mostly all-inclusive resort rate includes an evening bonfire, character experiences, live entertainment, walking tours, ukulele lessons, kids’ club, and games room—not to mention plenty of kid-friendly pools, lazy rivers, and water playgrounds.
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Golf and Beach Resort Puerto Rico – Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico is another passport-free tropical family vacation idea. Located on the northeastern side of the island of Puerto Rico, this sprawling resort borders the El Yunque rainforest and is home to three lagoon-style swimming pools featuring waterslides and waterfalls. The inclusive meal plan includes unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, three meals per day and use of the tennis court.
Woodloch Pines Resort – Hawley, Pennsylvania
With bumper cars, go-karts, splash pools, and a jungle gym just to start, you’d be forgiven for thinking the kids’ club at Woodloch Pines Resort was a true theme park. At this family-run resort in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, kid-friendly amenities go above and beyond. But don’t worry, adults will have fun too—family-friendly experiences here include hayrides, pony rides, and bowling.
C Lazy U Ranch – Granby, Colorado
Not far from Rocky Mountain National Park, the world-famous C Lazy U Ranch in Granby, Colorado, is a fully equipped guest ranch featuring classic ranch activities (like trail rides) and modern kid-friendly amenities (like zip lining and ropes lessons). The seasonal kids program for ages three to 17 makes it a great choice for family vacations where adults can spend a little time alone while the kids go out and play.
Family Vacation Ideas in Mexico and the Caribbean
With your passport ready, your list of family vacation ideas gets bigger with this all-in-one beach resort in Mexico and the Caribbean.
Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa – Vieux Fort, St. Lucia
The Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa in St. Lucia is home to Splash Water Park, the largest water park on the island with two giant waterslides and a lazy river. But what makes it really special is the separate family (“Splash”) and adults-only accommodation areas and pools (“Harmony”).
In addition to the resort’s five pools (two for adults only), there are on-site paintball facilities, a kite-surfing and windsurfing center, a kids’ club, nine restaurants and seven bars. And with adjoining rooms that can accommodate up to six people and feature a sitting area, sofa sleeper and private balcony, Coconut Bay is a great getaway idea for larger families.
Club Med Punta Cana – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
At Club Med Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, children aged 11 to 17 get their own space called Club Med Passworld, which offers activities such as horseback riding, water sports, archery and even learning to swing a flying trapeze. This is a great vacation idea for families with teens and teens who are hard to please.
Nickelodeon Riviera Maya Hotels and Resorts – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
The kid-friendly Nickelodeon Hotels and Resorts Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen (about 30 minutes from the international airport and several other Cancun family resorts) brings SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to life in five minutes. – A stellar all-inclusive resort setting where every room is a beachfront suite with a pool.
Highlights of a family vacation at this resort include character breakfasts, live Nick-themed shows and entertainment, and a six-acre outdoor water park with slides, rides and splash pads.
Jewel Runaway Beach Resort and Waterpark – Runaway Bay, Jamaica
At the all-inclusive Jewel Runaway Beach Resort in Jamaica, it’s all about the water. The resort’s Jewel Lagoon Water Park features waterslides, raft rides and a lazy river with rock caves and waterfalls. Child and parents alike love the pool and beach, and in the evening family fun includes live entertainment and drive-in movies.
Planet Hollywood Beach Resort – Culebra, Costa Rica
With movie memorabilia, walk-of-fame, red carpet and Stars Kids Club, Planet Hollywood Beach Resort in Costa Rica is a family vacation favorite for kids and teens. Other popular amenities at this Costa Rica family vacation hotspot include multiple pools, a splash zone, a spa and seven on-site restaurants. This all-inclusive resort also provides special experiences such as zip lining, canopy tours, horseback riding, and water sports such as snorkeling and sailing tours.
Cruise Holiday
Amusement parks, water parks, private tour operators and floating all-inclusive resorts equivalent, cruises make for unforgettable family vacations that everyone in the family can enjoy. Here are some of the best options for a family cruise vacation.
Family Friendly Cruises
Choosing the right cruise line for your family is the most important decision you can make on any cruise with children. The Disney Cruise Line has been the standard bearer for the idea of family vacations at sea since its launch in 1998, but today many other cruise lines appeal to families with kid-friendly amenities as well.
Look for cruise lines that have kids’ clubs, waterslides, age-appropriate stage shows, kid-friendly dining experiences, and discounted prices for young children when planning your family cruise vacation. Besides Disney, lines like Princess, Norwegian, Carnival, and MSC are also great family cruise options.
Your First Family Cruise Vacation
Disney Cruise Line’s two smallest ships, the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic, are stunning without being overwhelming, especially for first-time cruisers and those with young children. On all of its ships, including the new Disney Wish, you’ll be treated to live Broadway caliber shows, Marvel and Frozen-themed dining, exclusive new Star Wars rooms for kids and adults, and some of the best water cruises in the world. slides. And Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is another highlight for families.
Reduced Cruise Rates and Free Kids Sailing Offer
When it comes to family cruise deals, it’s hard to beat “free,” which is exactly what you get on certain trips from some family cruise lines. Many others offer significantly reduced rates for children as well. You’ll often find this offer on family-friendly cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, and Holland America, which also cater to the younger set with kids’ clubs, family-oriented entertainment options, pools and water play areas, a menu that created with children’s tastes in mind, and even a child-centred spa selection.
Yacht with Water Park
For families with young children and teens, nothing beats a cruise ship water park when it comes to keeping everyone happy and refreshed on days at sea. And while pools and waterslides are standard on many cruise ships today, not all of them are suitable for families with teens or children under 10. Cruise lines that go for families in this category are Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Disney Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruises.
River Cruise
If your idea of a family cruise is less about waterslides and buffets and more about cultural appreciation, then one of the best family vacations you can give your kids is a trip through Europe on a riverboat, especially if it’s a complete family vacation. aimed at children with almost all expenses included in the upfront cost.
That’s exactly what you get with Tauck’s Castles on the Rhine: Family Riverboat Adventure, whose family vacation package includes a private beach tour, all gratuities, port fees, and hotel (while staying on land).
Starting in Amsterdam and visiting the cities of Basel, Lucerne, Koblenz, Cologne and Strasburg, the eight day Tauck European river cruise takes you to the beach every day for family travel experiences such as cycling along the banks of the Rhine, tasting fondue in Switzerland, riding a cog train steepest in the world in the Swiss Alps, explore the medieval ruins of Heidelberg Castle, and enjoy private dinners and tours of the historic Burg Satzvey castle. On the river, there are activities themed “Carnival Night” and “French for a Day”.
This all-inclusive family vacation package starts at $4,690 per person for the 2022 river cruise and $4,890 for the 2023 river cruise. They depart on select dates in June and July and are already accepting reservations for the 2023 family vacation.
National Park and Camping Vacations
One of the best kept secrets of America’s national park system is a hut hike through Montana Glacier National Park. Consisting of two dramatic country cottages, Sperry Chalet near Lake McDonald and Granite Park Chalet near Swiftcurrent Pass, hut-to-hut hiking offers family-friendly amenities such as hot meals and comfortable beds without the need to lug heavy nightly gear like tents or sleeping bags. on the day you hike. And in terms of spectacular mountain views, it rivals the Swiss Alps for its natural beauty.
Licensed tour operator Glacier Guides offers cottage-to-hut hikes of three to six days through Glacier National Park aimed at families with children 10 years and older. For the outdoor family looking for a significant upgrade from tent camping, this hut to hut experience is one of the best family vacation ideas in the country.
Glacier Guides outback family vacation packages include a three-day Granite Chalet trip and a six-day hut-to-hut adventure featuring horseback riding and an optional half-day rafting trip. The trip usually takes place in July and August. You can also book accommodation directly with your own chalet without a guided trip at a much lower cost if you are looking for a more independent family vacation.
Other classic national parks include the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Yosemite for a West Coast vacation. Acadia National Park is one great family vacation idea for an East Coast vacation. And if you’re not limited to traveling during the busy summer vacation months, you can usually find nice weather and less crowds during spring break in the best national parks to visit in spring, as well as when the weather gets chilly in the national parks. best. park to visit in winter. Use recreation.gov to find campsites in or near national parks or to get permits.
Family Staycations
Sometimes it’s easier (and much cheaper) to let a family vacation come to you. Instead of looking for cheap flights and then choosing between hotels and vacation rentals for accommodation, you can turn a week at home into one of your best family vacation ideas.
Doing a staycation does not mean just sitting at home and doing nothing. Instead, treat it as an opportunity to turn your home into a family vacation destination. Have a nice big backyard? Put up a tent and sleep under the stars. Roast marshmallows over the fire. Set up an outdoor cinema and introduce your kids to one of your favorite childhood movies on the big screen. Take day trips to state and local museums, aquariums, or parks. Explore local beaches and turn your staycation into a family beach vacation. Blow up an inflatable pool and turn your backyard into a homemade splash pad water park.
And if the biggest barrier to your vacation is expensive airfare for the whole family, book a vacation rental or find a hotel deal within driving distance, make road trips part of the experience.
Most importantly, treat your staycation like a real vacation. Turn off your work email notifications. Change who cooks dinner or let the kids choose their favorite takeout. Relax in the afternoon and read a book. Make a sumptuous breakfast for the whole family. Relaxing tasks and screen time limits for kids. Play favorite family board games. Family vacations at home are limited only by your imagination.
Family Road Trip
You may not remember every family vacation you took as a child, but you may remember at least one trip. That’s because there’s something quintessentially American about the family travel experience. This is practically a rite of passage for many families.
What makes road trips one of the best family trips is not just the scenery or wherever your final destination is. It’s also an opportunity to spend hours together—in the car, at roadside attractions, at resorts, and restaurants. Telling bad jokes, playing car games, forcing your kids to listen to “authentic music” for a change: It’s all part of building memories they’ll remember when they have kids of their own.
Private Group Tours and Guided Family Vacations
Like all-inclusive vacations, there is something liberating about family travel adventures where a small group tour company takes care of all the details of your family vacation. This is especially welcome when you dream of a family vacation to somewhere you’ve never been before. Here are some family vacation ideas that are perfect for a small group led by a professional guide.
Adventures by Disney – Explore the Mysteries of Egypt
A family vacation doesn’t get any better than a trip abroad with Adventures by Disney, a small group tour operator known for its authentic experiences, attentive guides, and kid-friendly activities. And the idea of a family vacation costs no more than a 10-day vacation in Egypt from Adventures by Disney.
Imagine exploring the world-famous Valley of the Kings, standing in awe in front of the Great Pyramids at Giza, visiting the Temple of Isis in Philae, snorkeling in the Red Sea, sailing the Nile in felucca, shopping at a 700 year old night market, and learning to cook dishes. traditional Egyptian in a chef-led class. Now imagine it all without the hassle or annoyance (or whining) you might expect on even the best family vacations. That’s part of the magic of traveling with Adventures by Disney.
In 2022 and 2023, these Egyptian family vacation packages start at $9,069 per child and $9,499 per adult, a true bucket list family vacation with a price tag to match.
G Adventures – Discover Paris and Normandy
Cross Paris and Normandy off your list of family vacation ideas with a nine-day France Family Journey small group tour from G Adventures and National Geographic. Tailored for families looking for a unique bonding experience, this kid-friendly trip takes in French history, art and culture with visits to iconic Paris monuments, Loire Valley cave dwellings, the gardens of Versailles and the UNESCO World Heritage site Mont-Saint-Michel. . Plus, you’ll learn about the history of World War II and take a deeper look at D-Day where it takes place on the beaches of Normandy.
