Planning a summer vacation to a destination with your family is no doubt a hectic task. Apart from all the other nitty gritty details of the travel, you will need to choose a destination that has something for every member of the family from the aged grandparent to the toddler. That’s why we took it upon ourselves to scour out 10 summer destinations that will be great for your family to visit.
Off the beaten track is what we can call Colorado’s Dude Ranches. These ranches offer a different kind of experience for the entire family and lets you get in touch with your nature loving side, albeit without having to sacrifice the pleasures of modern life. Stay in comfortable cabins with your loved ones, explore nearby Old-West towns and the striking Rocky Mountain scenery by day, and spend the evenings huddled around campfires, sharing stories with other families. Outdoor activities include boating, hiking, fishing, golfing and horseback riding, etc. while the kid friendly programs will help the little ones experience the life of a cowboy by training to be one.
What’s not to love about Hawaii, the land of pristine beaches, alluring seas, active volcanoes and marine reserves, etc.?
With a plethora of islands to choose from, you can expect your summer holiday to whiz past you like the wind.
Catch the mesmerizing sight of lava pouring down from the Big Island volcano into the ocean, walk through Hawaii Volcano National Park’s famed Thurston Tube, enjoy swimming and snorkeling in the calm waters of the Kahalu’u Beach Park, check out the region’s varied marine life at the Maui Ocean Center and soak in some much needed Hawaiian culture at the Polynesian Cultural Center. There’s so much more; go find out for yourself!
The City of Lights may be considered as a destination for honeymooners. However, it is also a great summer destination for families. Your kids will definitely love the climb up the Eiffel Tower, the stroll through the Ile de la Cite pet market, the calming boat ride across the Seine River, the stroll through the Louvre, the visit to the Marche Bastille market, the puppet shows held at Jardin du Luxemborg, the family cooking classes, and the scavenger hunt games at the city’s museums.
The Wind City as it is so aptly called is a hit with families worldwide during the summer months owing to the sheer number of family attractions and activities available in and around the city. These include but are not limited to a visit to the children’s museum on Navy Pier, an architectural boat tour on Chicago River, a visit to the play area at O’Hare, an open air concert in Millennium Park, and a chance to sample some of the best dishes in the world, including Grade A beef served at Weber Grill and the Chicago style pizza served at Giordano’s. Families will especially love the Chicago City Pass that allows them to visit all the main attractions of the city at a discounted rate.
Come summer and San Diego gets crowded with families hoping to soak up some of the sun’s rays at the beach while still allowing everyone in the family to take part in activities galore.
Little tykes will love the calm waters of the La Jolla Shores beach while animal lovers can catch glimpses of sea lions and seals at the Shell Beach.
The Balboa Park offers 14 museums for families to visit, including the San Diego Air and Space Museum, and the San Diego Natural History Museum. Then there’s a visit to the San Diego Zoo where you can see at least 4000 animals, including koalas and giant pandas. And there is no stopping families from visiting attractions like the San Diego Sea World as well as LEGOLAND.
If there are plenty of animal lovers in your family, then a trip to Galapagos Islands may be just what you want to do this summer. The untamed terrain is notorious for its fearless inhabitants in the form of giant lizards, penguins, sea lions and turtles that just don’t seem to get scared of you no matter how close you get to them. The area gives you plenty of opportunity to witness wildlife at its closest best without worrying about your kids getting harmed in the process.
Family friendly Thailand is a great place for kids, with the locals literally fawning over them throughout the trip. There is plenty to do here in the form of sampling world class cuisine, visiting temples and enjoying the beaches to enjoying boat trips, kayaking trips, cruises, live-aboard dive safaris, elephant safaris and the chance to help out abandoned animals via services like the Koh Chang Animal Project.
The thing about Bali that attracts families most is the way it caters to children and adults alike. Most of the hotels in the island offer exclusive family packages that allow parents to enjoy some quite time in each other’s company while the kids are kept entertained by the hotels’ friendly staff. Family adventures are aplenty here as well with the chance to experience thrills like elephant safaris, animal visiting, mountain climbing, hiking, surfing, biking, sailing, water slide riding, beach lounging and museum visits, etc. with the entire family.
Belize is comfortable in more ways than one for families. It is family friendly for one. It offers hordes of activities for visiting families. And it is surprisingly, very affordable for a beach destination. If your days at the beach start getting boring, you can always opt for inland activities which include wildlife tours to see crocodiles, growler monkeys, sharks and turtles, tubing in underground rivers, swimming in swimming holes in the lush forests, exploring Mayan ruins, or learning the play the local drums.
Singapore is no doubt a pretty pricey destination! However, if you have the money and are willing to splurge a bit for the family this summer, this is one destination you need to visit at all costs. There is no dearth to the number of fun filled activities for families in the country. It has a little bit of everything from art, history and science to zoos, gardens, museums, sanctuaries and a whole lot of attractions at the Sentosa Island. Kids will be enthralled by the amount of extracurricular activities available for them in the form of music, ballet, gymnastics and splash pads at the malls.
Puerto Rico is the ultimate Caribbean summer destination for families looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Kids will love the ocean villa bungalows that allow them to swim, snorkel and fish right under their rooms while the city of San Juan offers plenty in the form of art galleries, museums and boutiques to explore. A visit to the El Yunque rain forest is of the order to get in touch with your eco-friendly side while the nearby colonial towns of San German and Ponce let you soak up on some much needed history.
This may be the perfect excuse to visit Iceland, a place that is great for families with kids. There is so much to do here that you wish you could have stayed just a bit longer towards the end of your summer vacation. The spine tingling activities that are sure to mesmerize the entire family include visiting the gigantic Vatnakokull glacier, smoking geysers, live volcanoes, bubbling mud pots, thermal pools, waterfalls and of course the stunning Aurora northern lights!
If that is not enough, families can choose from a never ending list of other activities like elf hunting, horse riding, caving, whitewater rafting, sea kayaking, whale watching and glacier walks, etc.
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