I just returned from a family trip to Mallorca and got a taste of what’s to come. I love a “flop and drop” vacation at the beach, but I can’t wait for the kids to get a little older and have some real adventures together as a family.
Here are some family travel ideas and bucket list trips that I have on my list for the best family vacation ever. I think all of these trips would be perfect for when my kids are around her 7-8 year old, so I’m planning on booking them all since I only have a few more years to wait!
This post is sponsored by Original Travel, the provider of the most amazing bespoke family holidays. We have lots of suggestions for family vacations, along with sample itineraries that you can tailor to suit your family!
Ranch holiday in the American West
If you’ve ever dreamed of being a cowboy or cowgirl (we’re talking to the adults here as well as the kids!), this is the holiday for you.
A few years ago I visited a ranch in Montana that was like an adult version of the American summer camps you see in American children’s movies. To be honest, it was a dream.
Original Travel offers a two-week family ranch trip from Jackson Hole to Yellowstone National Park to Montana to get a taste of cowboy life. Stop at Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, and Old Faithful, the world’s most famous geyser!
This is a dream come true for the whole family and will 100% be the best family vacation of your life!
Snorkelling in the Maldives
The Maldives might not be the first place you consider as a kid-friendly vacation destination, but it’s actually a great place for families. Especially if your child likes to swim. The water is so warm and calm that it has to be one of the most incredibly easy places to snorkel in the world.
We visited the Maldives when George was a baby and it was a wonderful place for babies and toddlers too. Everything is so calm and relaxing and most of the kids happily go back and forth between the pool and the beach for days. Although there are family-friendly resorts in the Maldives, I choose smaller, quieter islands where older kids can roam a bit more freely.
Read more: What it’s like to travel to the Maldives with a baby
Thailand Adventure + Relaxation
My last visit to Khao Sok National Park was in 2009
I can’t wait to take the kids to Thailand! I’m waiting until they’re a little older and appreciate all the activities on offer (and stop moaning about the long journey!) I think kids ages 8 and up will really enjoy a family trip to Thailand.
I divided my vacation into two sections, one adventurous week and one relaxing week. For an adventurous week, I’d love to stay in a Khao Sok National Park like Elephant Hills, canoeing down the Sok River or trekking through the rainforest.
Sam and I did something similar when we were backpacking in 2009 and it was incredible. It was so beautiful and we were so close to the monkeys, elephants and incredible birds.
For a relaxing time on vacation, I like to go to one of the islands and stay at a family-friendly resort with a kids club and water slides for some peace!
Croatia National Parks
Another vacation I’m planning once the kids are a little older is a road trip to visit some of Croatia’s amazing national parks. Croatia is an absolute dream for anyone who loves road trips…and for those who don’t (the kids in the back are asking if we’re even that close already!), the driving time during this road trip is You can rejoice in the fact that it is very short.
Lonely Planet has the perfect itinerary for a 350-mile drive through five national parks, including Plitvice National Park and North Velebit National Park. There are so many amazing waterfalls and adventures to be had during this road trip that kids of all ages will love!
Iceland
This surprised me because Iceland is one of my favorite places in the world and I usually love warm places with white sand beaches and blue water. But Iceland is magical and breathtakingly beautiful, so it’s time to wrap up the kids warmly and go on an adventure.
You can go horseback riding across lava fields, ice climbing glaciers, visit waterfalls and geysers, go on rock climbing, road trips, river rafting and volcano tours. Go whale watching, seal spotting, or spot puffins. Go dog sledding, visit the beach, or soak in the bubbling geothermal pools. You can also hope to see the Northern Lights, but that’s not guaranteed.
Travelynn Family has a great blog post about visiting Iceland with kids, so be sure to check it out!
Read more: Staying at an American Ranch in Montana