Are you looking for a kid friendly vacation? A lot of “dream” vacations aren’t much of a dream and more of a nightmare when you have small kids. A tour of wine country? More like a tour of WHINE country. (See what we did there?)
If you have small children and want to get away from the monotonous daily grind with a kid friendly vacation, stay tuned for our amazing kid friendly vacation ideas:
Four Awesome Kid Friendly Vacations
- Family camping trips
The nice thing about taking a nice family camping trip is that is can be scaled to appeal to any age demographic, and even multiple age ranges in a single trip. If you have teens, go camping somewhere with exciting outings such as zip-lining or a lake that allows water skis. If you have small children, they might enjoy short hikes or canoeing. If you have both older and younger kids, there are many family camping resorts that offer activities for a broad range of ages. And don’t forget to look for activities that appeal to you as well (or pack a hammock, a book, and a bottle of wine).
Insider Tip: If you don’t consider yourself to be the outdoorsy type, you can still achieve the great family memories without the “roughing it” feeling with cabin rentals. Many of the most popular camping sites in the country also have cabins with running water and electricity nearby. - Winter Get-aways
While we’re on the subject of cabin rentals, we should mention the universal kid friendly vacation factor: snow. Kids of all ages — nay, humans of all ages — love snow. Older kids can enjoy skiing or snow boarding. Younger kids can participate in sledding, making snowmen, and snowball fights. And everyone, we mean everyone, loves a roasted marshmallow after a long day in the snow. The great memories that will be made at this type of family vacation will stay with your kids for the rest of their lives.
Insider Tip: Are you crossing this option off your list of possible kid friendly vacations because you live in a non-snowy environment? If so, you might have snow closer than you think, in mountainous areas. If you live in the desert, do a little research on the nearest mountain to you. You’ll find the higher elevation is far more prone to snow. - Beachy Vacays
Beach vacations seem like a solidly non-kid friendly type of outing. Kids don’t tend to enjoy laying on a towel and sun bathing, and when they’re running about, every parent is on the edge of a nervous breakdown keeping them safe. However, if you find a nice, quiet beach to stay near, this type of vacation can really be enjoyed by all. Look for a beach with a bay, so it gets less violent waves, and avoid the super-hyped up ones that get one million visitors. If you find the right spot for your beach vacay, your kids will love collecting shells, making sand castles, and wading in the water. You’ll love relaxing on a towel with your favorite mystery novel.
Insider Tip: Staying at a hotel is a big bummer when you have kids. There just isn’t enough space for little ones to stretch their legs. Instead, look up one of the many for-rent-by-owner house rental websites out there. You’ll get more space for less money, and usually find much cooler digs than your run-of-the-mill hotel offers. - Theme Parks
We know. We know. You’re probably thinking, “YAWN.” This idea isn’t an earth-moving, life changing idea. But theme parks are the simplest way to plan a kid friendly vacation that really appeals to every member of the family. We aren’t going to name names here because this isn’t a paid advertisement for any theme parks, but there are theme parks that involve one more than five flags. There are theme parks with movie characters in costumes wondering about. There are theme parks that offer sea creatures you’ll never be able to see anywhere else. Whatever appeals to your kids, there is a theme park to match.
Insider Tip: Going to a theme park doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg if you pack your food and pick up your souvenirs from the drug store nearby instead of paying a premium for them inside the gate.
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