1. Costa Rica
Costa Rica has mad amounts of biodiversity, hosting 6% of
the world’s species — 500,000 species to be exact. It has tropical rainforests,
cloud forests, beaches and volcanoes. It’s also one of the safest countries in
Latin America. La Fortuna, in the north-central part of the country, is a great place to explore from.
Stay: Arenal Manoa Resort has large family suites, hot springs and a long list
of family-friendly excursions to choose from. The best part is that the volcano,
Arenal, is always in view.
Do: Visit a sloth sanctuary, tour the Don Juan coffee and
chocolate plantation, zipline, walk through high bridges in Monteverde’s Cloud
Forest.
Eat: Gallo Pinto (rice and beans) for breakfast, fried
plantains and lots of chocolate.
2. Europe via River Cruise
River cruises are growing in popularity with families because they are a great way to see a lot of sights in Europe while your hotel gently floats
down the river. Instead of racing around cities, the attractions come to you. Depending
on your route and itinerary, you can see castles, sample delicious bites on a
food tour and get entertained on board
after dinner.
Stay: Adventures by Disney River Cruise has trips
down the Danube River that take you through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.
Do: Check out castles in Budapest, take in a marionette
show in Austria, and tour sites in Salzburg, Austria from "The Sound of Music."
Eat: Strudel, pretzels and Hungarian chocolate.
3. Italy
The food in Italy is one of the top reasons it’s a great
family destination — think of endless pizza, pasta and gelato, and the best in
the world, at that. Italian culture is also welcoming to kids, as it is very
family-centric. There’s lots of itineraries to choose from, from beaches
to mountains, cities to countries, so you can tailor your trip to your family’s
interests. Sardinia is a great stop because it offers crystal blue coasts, fortresses
to explore and waterparks.
Stay: Forte Village Resort has a Children’s
Wonderland area with an enchanted garden, a Barbie experience and Leisureland,
an adventure park for teens.
Do: Swim at the shallow, turquoise La Pelosa,
visit Giara Park to see small wild horses and seek adventure at Diverland
water park.
Eat: Flatbread, fried pastry (seadas) and suckling
pig.
4. Iceland
Iceland is not only exceptionally safe, but it’s a giant
playground for nature-loving families. Reykjavik
is a convenient base for day trips, plus it's walkable for city days.
Stay: Reykjavik Residence Apartment Hotel is well-appointed
but still budget-friendly. Suites have kitchens, lots of room to spread out and a pull-out sofa in addition to a king bed.
Do: Soak in the famous Blue Lagoon, walk
through the ice caves at Perlan, go on a whale and puffin watch.
Eat: Icelandic hot dogs, skyr (a thick and
creamy dairy product) and kleinur (twisted doughnuts).
5. Portugal
Portugal is a good choice for families
because of safety, affordability and its proximity to the East Coast — it’s only
a seven-hour flight. Portuguese culture is also very child centric and it’s not
unusual to see kids and parents out late in restaurants having a leisurely dinner.
Stay: Martinhal Sagres Family Resort is a five-star property in the The Algarve with kids’
clubs, baby story times and a family game room.
Do: Zoomarine Park has dolphins and water rides, Sagres has lighthouses and forts to
explore and take a boat to Faro Beach or Tavira Island for shallow splashing.
Eat: Fish fingers, custard tarts and fresh
orange juice.
6. Canada
If you want to ease into international travel, there’s no
better way to do it than by visiting our neighbors to the north. Not only are
Canadians legendarily nice, but sharing a common language can make it feel less
intimidating. Vancouver is a magnet for families with a mix of both nature activities and city life.
Stay: Fairmont Waterfront has a family package with in-room
movies, board games, milk and cookies and a discount when kids eat from the
regular menu.
Do: Explore Stanley Park, visit the impressive Vancouver
Aquarium and take the ferry to Granville Island for the Kids Market.
Eat: JapaDogs, dumplings on the Dumpling Trail and a
honey dip donut from Lee’s Donuts.
7. Japan
A trip to Japan is like an endless treasure chest of
wonders for kids.
Both Pokémon and Hello Kitty are huge here, but there are also so many delicious
snacks found in convenience stores, and the safety and cleanliness that Japan
is known for. For the most attractions, a stay in Tokyo can’t be beat.
Stay: Mimaru Tokyo Asakusa Station has lots of space for a Tokyo
hotel room at a great price, with amenities like kitchenettes and laundry.
Do: Spend
two days taking in Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea, venture to the Ghibli Museum,
celebrating Studio Ghibli’s famous characters and get ready to get wet at the
enormously popular TeamLab Planets.
Eat: Matcha ice cream, gyoza dumplings and so much candy from the
friendly convenience stores.
8. Singapore
Singapore
is clean, safe, and accessible with lots of attractions designed specifically
for kids. There are wildlife attractions, world-class parks and interactive
museums.
Stay: Shangri-La Singapore has waterslides in a dedicated kids’ pool, a family concierge and indoor play spaces.
Do: Dine with orangutans at the Singapore Zoo; have
non-stop fun at Sentosa Island, which includes Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A.
Aquarium, Skyline Luge and Adventure Cove Waterpark; and see the massive
dinosaurs at Science Centre Singapore.
Eat:
Hainanese chicken rice, chicken satay with peanut sauce and roti prata (Indian
flatbread).
9. Tanzania
If your
kids crave wildlife adventures, maybe a safari might be in order. Tanzania is a
good choice for families because its major attractions are clustered together,
there’s lots of resorts that offer kid-focused programs and there’s activities
like snorkeling, beyond land safaris.
Stay: Tarangire Treetops by Elewana is a treehouse-like resort with lots of excursions
to help you learn about the local culture and wildlife.
Do:
Learn through a junior adventurer safari, visit a Maasai village and swim with
the turtles at the Baraka Natural Aquarium.
Eat:
Uagli, a maize-based porridge; fresh tropical fruit; and chips mayai, an omelet
with French fries.
10. Turks and Caicos
A trip to Turks and Caicos will offer a classic family resort
vacation with lots of activities, calm waters and short flights from the U.S.
Stay: Beaches Turks & Caicos is the gold standard
Caribbean resort for families with a massive waterpark, Sesame Street
characters and kids’ camps.
Do: Visit
iguanas in their natural habitat at Little Water Cay, take a clear-bottom boat
tour in search of sea turtles and learn to snorkel at the shallow Bight Reef.
Eat: Conch fritters, johnny fries and fish tacos.