There are plenty of fantastic family destinations to choose from, and we keep exploring new ones. Best Family Escapes is dedicated to helping you choose the best destination for your family, with your individual needs and wishes.
Best Family Vacation
That’s why we have asked our readers for their personal ‘best family vacation – ever’. We’ve received some amazing and surprising answers. But – read yourself…
St. George, Utah
Our itinerary included a day trip to Zion National Park (an hour drive), hiking in Snow Canyon State Park, and hiking in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. Mind you, we were able to accomplish all this with a three-year-old, a one-year-old, and a four-week-old baby!
In addition, we spent time at the Thunder Junction All Abilities Park. It is a free city park featuring a volcano that “erupts,” a dinosaur slide, a train (which costs $1 to ride) and equipment for all ages and abilities. I cannot rave enough about this place, and the fact that it is free speaks to the value the St. George community places on kids and families.
What made St. George [hotels] such a great vacation was the number of activities we were able to enjoy doing together with such a diverse age group (newborn to late 60’s). The entire area is stunningly beautiful and around every corner is a seemingly “off the beaten path” trail that looks like it belongs in a national park. And then there is Zion National Park and all the beauty there.
Laci Lynch, Meandering Little Feet
Oahu, Hawaii
We spent the first two nights of our stay at the Hilton in downtown Honolulu, near Waikiki Beach. We had a great location that was walkable to the beach and only a short drive to many popular tourist locations like Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Honolulu Zoo, and Waikiki Aquarium.
Then, we spent the rest of our vacation at Aulani, the Disney Resort in Ko Olina. Ko Olina is about 45 minutes to an hour from Waikiki so it is much quieter and more secluded. They have a semi-private beach that is shared with one other resort so it was never difficult to find a spot to let the kids play in the sand or in the ocean. The resort also has a private snorkeling lagoon which was a great place to allow my kids to try snorkeling in a controlled environment. Plus, we loved the Disney magic of seeing characters and the incredible programming at Aunty’s Beach House, the complimentary kids club for children ages 3-12.
Siera Duiser, Destinations to Explore
Lapland, Finland
I visited Lapland last Christmas time (mid-December) with my wife and two little ones. We traveled from the UK and stayed in a log cabin complete with fire and hot tub. The weather was perfect for what we wanted, which was activity fuelled days with quality family time back at the cabin – games, books, and cuddles. For us the days offered cross country skiing, husky rides, and the children got to meet Father Christmas and his reindeer, which was amazing but there are countless activities and you could see the Northern Lights too (which I’ve seen previously and its something money cannot buy).
Bottom Line: Visit Lapland when kids are old enough to remember but young enough to believe.
Joe Flanagan, Suddora
Saskatchewan, Canada
I knew my kids liked wakeboarding, so I found a wakeboarding coach who was living on a nice lake in central Saskatchewan. I rented a cabin about a block from Candle Lake and made arrangements for the three kids to have wakeboarding lessons every morning for two hours.
After a few days of that, I had made reservations at a guest ranch in southern Saskatchewan near Swift Current. So, we drove for a day down to the ranch. La Reata Ranch was a few miles off of the paved road and we drove on gravel through cornfields until we descended steeply down toward Diefenbaker Lake. Then it opened up to a beautiful ranch spread with log cabins, sunshine, and wide-open spaces. The kids had their own cabins, and got to run around, ride horses, and have their own adventures. I could read a book and sit in a chair. All the meals were prepared and served at a big table with the other guests.
Without a whole lot to work with, I designed a vacation that really suited all of us. And to this day, I still think of that time as the best vacation I ever had.
Cynthia White, Dear Cynthia
Iceland
My family & I (myself, my husband, & our 2 daughters) traveled to Iceland last year. We stayed in an Airbnb, because it was less expensive than hotels, afforded more space, and made us feel more like locals. We got to Iceland via the now-defunct WOW air! Once in Iceland, we rented a car as transportation around the island.
Why did we go? Well, first off, we found a great deal on airfare and went from there. Second, Iceland seemed like such an unspoiled, exotic place, and we wanted to see it! Third, none of us had ever been to Iceland before. It was so much fun discovering everything for the first time all together as a family.
From black sand beaches to the Blue Lagoon, to geothermal activity, to waterfalls, to see the Northern Lights, to the Golden Circle, to Icelandic hotdogs…our week in Iceland was fabulous!
Nicolette Kay, Semi-Budget Travel
Atlantis, The Bahamas
My wife, 3 kids, and I traveled to Atlantis in the Bahamas. It was an absolutely amazing time from the start. We flew from Newark to Nassau, where we had a driver from Atlantis take us to the resort. It did not have a touristy feel, but rather a very elegant yet family-friendly atmosphere. We had a large suite that allowed us to all have our own beds, and we settled in immediately. We enjoyed time at the pool and riding the water slides, and finished every night running around on the beach at sunset. We rented a cabana one day that served as our home base while we all ventured around the water park.
My wife and I are vegetarian, and they had fantastic vegetarian options at every restaurant. That brings me to my next topic…the food. The restaurants were amazing, and we went to Nobu twice! We were able to charter a boat for the day and went snorkeling. We got to swim with turtles and see beautiful fish! The highlight for all of us was swimming with dolphins. It had been my wife’s dream for so long, and the look of pure joy on her face was priceless. We left having become closer as a family, and have memories that will last a lifetime!
Brandon Hensinger, Brandon Hensinger Enterprises
