11 Awesome Travel Destinations to Take Kids That Don’t Involve a Theme Park

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By Samantha Collins

Traveling as a family is more than just a leisure activity. It’s an exciting journey filled with discovery, bonding, and memorable moments that children carry into adulthood. That’s why finding a place your kids will also love should be a priority when making travel plans. Travelers from a popular online forum suggest looking beyond the hustle and bustle of urban places. The world is filled with family-friendly spots that provide immersive experiences for kids and relaxation for parents.

1. Family Hotels

Family-with-single-child
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Forum members speak highly of the family hotels they found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, where one user suggested, saying, “They go the extra mile for your kids.” Another commenter suggested Familotel branches, which can be found in Austria and Germany. Here, while you relax with a good spa and good food, your kids can be engaged in many types of activities, including dancing, sports, and games. Just make sure to enjoy some of these things with them!

2. Costa Rica

Gracia-Mar-Vista
Image Credit: Richard Atkins

“Central and South America offer great value for budgets. So spend a little more and get a massive return for your money. Check out Nayara Resorts in Costa Rica,” shared one.

“Well, a common mistake for Americans in Costa Rica seems to be trying to see everything. They see the size of the country, which looks very doable, but the roads are awful, and there’s never a direct route,” another warned.

3. Family Cruise Trips

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“Cruises are where it’s at,” said one. Three meals a day, kids’ club for the kiddos, every morning, you throw open the drapes, and you’re at a new destination. Get off, walk into town, see the sights, walk back to the boat, shower, eat.

Somebody else drives, somebody else plans the itinerary, somebody else cleans, somebody else cooks. Unpack on day one and see ten cities in 14 days.

Go to breakfast in the morning, and the kids leave a heap of wet towels on the bathroom floor and the beds unmade? Come back to the room, and the room is clean.”

4. Skiing in the Alps

The European Alps
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“I’m getting really into skiing,” stated another. “Staying six weeks in the Alps with ski school for the kiddo every morning. The ski school was excellent—special lifts, organized races with actual medals, and a restaurant that served special kid’s menus.

We went skiing together in the afternoon. The kid liked skiing a lot. So do we. So we decided to do this again next season.”

5. Traveling to the Canary Islands

Canary-Islands
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Another suggested, “Traveling to all Canary Islands. A very diverse holiday with many different things: culture, beach, tennis, fitness, water sports, fun at the pool, zoos, hiking, and eating out.

The mildly expensive part of the trip is choosing good hotels instead of cheap ones. Some also like all-inclusive, and I wouldn’t say I like it that much because I think the guests are different in all-inclusive hotels. Also recommended: paying for private sports instructors.”

6. Italy

Lake Como, Italy
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“We’ve had good luck with Europe, Italy specifically,” shared one. Cities tend to be very walkable, and restaurants are much more accommodating (even welcoming and joyous!) to families than in the states.

Also, hate to say, but it’s a huge logistical relief to take a cab or Uber with a kid in your lap and not have to worry about car seats like in Italy.”

7. Greece

Crete-Greece
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Someone suggested, “Greece- We’ve gone a few times and have hit Naxos, Santorini, Crete, and Athens. Naxos is one of our favorite places. Less touristy than many of the other islands. Laid back vibe. Lots of great food. The best splurge was a private sailing trip- the water is gorgeous.”

8. Singapore

Singapore
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“We liked Singapore,” one said. “We stopped here for a few nights on our way back from Malaysia and stayed at the Marina Bay Sands. My son still talks about swimming in the infinity pool on the roof. I also did a private photography tour there, and it was a worthwhile splurge.”

9. Family Road Trip

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Image Credit: Deposit Photos

“Family road trips – visiting lots of zoos, museums, amusement parks,” replied another. Pay for skip-the-line tickets and private tours. It’s worth it. We stayed in a vacation rental in the zoo and had a private evening tour alone.”

10. Lakes vs. Oceans

Lake-Tahoe
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“Going to lakes instead of oceans with younger kids is easier,” suggested one. “Fresh water and minimal waves meant less falling or getting salt water in their eyes. Upstate New York or Michigan are both beautiful.”

11. Norway

Norway
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“Norway is a spectacular place to visit and very family friendly. However, if you’ve never been, be warned: it’s geographically HUGE, so don’t try to visit too many different locations. Instead, try and limit your itinerary to the major locations,” a final user commented.

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