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Top Family Vacations Destinations

Planning a family beach vacation? Looking for destinations with family resorts that have fun sports and activities for the whole family, all inclusive resorts where meals are included and kid clubs? Here are some of the most popular beach destinations for families to unwind and relax:

Mexico

Mexico, especially the Cancun area, and Mayan Riviera, an hour’s drive south of Cancun, is a popular place for family beach vacations. The Mayan Riviera is one of the regions of Mexico – and the world- which offers the richest variety of landscapes and archaeological treasures including Mayan ruins, coral reef, snorkelling lagoons, and eco-theme parks such as Xcaret. Hotels, resorts, restaurants, and attractions throughout Mexico welcome families with open arms.

Jamaica

Jamaica is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the Caribbean Islands and is one of the top family-vacation destinations in the Caribbean. Many of Jamaica’s resorts offer supervised children’s activities, babysitters, family discounts, and kid’s meals. Jamaica has an abundance of top all-inclusive chains including: Sandals Beaches, SuperClubs Breezes resorts and Club Med.

There are also many other family vacation options such as the Franklyn D. Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, where families have their own vacation nanny during their stay.

Turks and Caicos

On a 12-mile stretch of satiny white-sand, Beaches Turks & Caicos is one of the premier family resorts on the island.With separate programs for infants, toddlers and teens, each is designed to give each age the activities they love. So when you’re off doing your thing, they’re off doing theirs. There are many other resorts to stay at this idyllic family beach destination

Bahamas

Home to the Atlantis Bahamas resort and many other excellent family resorts, there will not be a dull moment on your Bahamas family vacation. Blessed with the perfect location-less than 100 miles off the coast of Florida, the perfect climate- averaging a little over 75 degrees, and the perfect surroundings-crystal clear turquoise blue waters and pearly white beaches, the Islands of the Bahamas is the perfect destination for your next family beach vacation.

Hawaii

A Family Hawaii Vacation has it all. Beautiful beaches, world-class golf, surfing, shopping, swimming, top notch hotels, condominiums, eco tours, national parks, warm weather, and cool ocean breezes. The four islands that are popular for a family Hawaii Vacation are Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai.

Florida

Florida is a popular family beach destination because the climate is warm year round, it is easy to get to, it offers good value for your money, there are endless options for sightseeing and attractions for you family depending on what area you are in, and the beaches in Florida are numerous.

In addition to beach destinations and of course Walt Disney World, there are tons of other family outings including Universal Studios, Sea World, Bush Gardens and many more.

Don’t Forget Family Cruises

This is a very popular family vacation option and my personal favorite. Cruises with kids offer great value, choice and freedom! There are a lot of misconceptions about cruising such as it is only for older people and not suited for families, it is too rigid, there is nothing to do, you’ll feel trapped, you’ll get seasick, it’s too expensive! All is these statements are false and could not be further from the truth. Bring your kids along on almost any cruise and they’ll have the time of their lives.

Here’s hoping you’ll have top family vacations.

Family Travel Idea: Florida Vacation

Most families with children visit Florida during the summer months,
when school is out – and the Sunshine State bakes in heat and humidity.
So before starting off on a day of touring or a visit to the beach, parents
should keep some things in mind.If you are uncertain, try offering a few
suggestions to the rest of the family and have everyone vote. This way everyone
gets a chance to voice their opinion and cast their vote about where the family
will spend their vacation.There are a few popular family vacation destinations
but with a little creativity you may be able to find the perfect travel destination
for you and your family.


Camping trips are one example of a great family vacation. Whether you opt to
camp at a nearby location or travel cross country to a national park of your
choice you may find that choosing just one of the many beautiful locations
available to be your most difficult decision. With so many gorgeous national
parks as well as breathtaking smaller wooded areas to choose from, finding the
right place for your camping trip can be difficult. Many popular destinations
limit the number of campers per season and it can be very competitive to obtain
one of these permits. In some places, permits sell out within hours of when they
go on sale. Many potential campers are aware of the date that permits begin
being sold and anxiously await this time to snatch up prime camping spots in
their preferred location.


Tours of famous museums are also excellent ideas for family vacations. Even
young children can appreciate distinguished works of are on their own level.
They may not be capable of understanding the intended meaning of the art or of
interpreting the symbolism behind the piece but they can certainly form their
own opinions about what they like and what they don’t like. If you visit an art
museum during your vacation take the opportunity to ask young children what they
think about certain pieces of artwork. This will encourage them to think for
themselves and learn to formulate their own opinions.


Beach vacations are also family friendly ideas. Building sand castles,
participating in beach games, snorkeling, boogie boarding and swimming are just
a few of the activities that families can enjoy together on their beach
vacation. The ocean can be a dangerous place for young children if parents are
not careful about supervising them. Although the beach is a fun destination it
is important to remember that you should remain vigilant to ensure that young
children do not enter the water alone where they could be at risk of drowning.
Exercising proper precautions can help to make your beach vacation enjoyable.


Memories that last a lifetime are often created on family vacations. There
are so many options available for families who wish to travel. Camping trips,
museums and beaches are just a small sample of the popular family vacation
locations available.


The Benefits of Family Travel

Many families decide each year to take a summer vacation. Though many do choose to vacation during the summer season, even more families choose to vacation during the off-season. What category does your family travel fall into?


There are several reasons why some families are not able to take a family vacation, one of the most common involving the cost. Unfortunately, many adhere to the disbelief that a vacation has to be an extravagant trip. This is not true, though. Whether you travel to a nearby amusement park, camp at a state park, or travel around the globe, each one can be a fabulous summer vacation.


Busy schedules are another reason many families are unable to take a family vacation. They forget that the purpose of a vacation is to getaway and take a break from those busy schedules. For this reason, summer vacations are a popular time because the kids are out of school and this may be the only time for the entire family to getaway together. Whether you set aside three days or two weeks, you are encouraged to take a summer vacation and enjoy the benefits of spending some quality time with your family.


Quite possibly the greatest benefit of a family vacation is the time you will be able to spend together. In today’s busy, fast-paced society, many families spend very little time together due to long work hours, busy extracurricular activity schedules and homework. For many, a summer vacation is the only way a family can spend some quality time together uninterrupted by the routine daily demands.


Another benefit of a summer vacation is the relaxation for both the adults and the children. Today, children must function differently than in the past. They are bombarded with a lot of daily homework, busy sports schedules, after-school extracurricular activities and pressure to be at the top. This can be sometimes be a lot of pressure and difficult to handle. A summer vacation may be the rest and rejuvenation they need to meet the demands of another busy academic year.


In addition to you children, you and your partner are likely in need of some relaxation and rest as much or even more than your children. A summer vacation will give you the time you need to forget about work and personal demands. Forget about cleaning the house or turning in a work report, but rather fall into the role of tourist, relax, do some sightseeing and enjoy the time with your family.


You are encouraged to involve the entire family in choosing a destination like Alicante in Spain, especially if your children are older. Be sure to choose a summer location that everyone will enjoy. Maybe schedule a guided tour that everyone agrees upon. Or, find a resort that has fun-filled activities you can do together as a family or the children can enjoy on their own.


Just remember: the purpose of the family vacation is to reconnect as a family, relax and rejuvenate. You busy schedule and work demands will be waiting for you return, don’t worry. Just enjoy the family time!


Family Travel on a Budget

Who says that you can not travel with a family on a tight budget? All it takes is it a little creativity and a lot of planning and that family vacation can happen for under five hundred dollars. Yes, I said it FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Okay, so you may have to be willing to sleep under the stars and pack a lunch but the time that you will spend with the ones that you love will be worth it.


Our first vacation experience will be the Great Smoky Mountains with all of its magnificent views, abundant wildlife, and endless tourist stops. The Smoky Mountains’ are home to numerous camp sites, hotels, and other forms of lodging. A campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains’ National Park is $14-$23 per night according to the official website. There are approximately 20 campsites within 20 miles of the national park. As for hotel rooms, there are thousands. The cheapest hotels are to be found in Pigeon Forge, the new found tourist Mecca of the Smokey’s. Out of season rooms can be commonly found for $19.99 a night so sleeping under the stars does not have to be the only option.


Hint, if you do splurge for a hotel look for one that offers a complementary breakfast or in the least has a mini fridge and microwave. This will save tremendously on the food budget. And while we are on that subject, remember restaurants are usually cheaper at lunch then dinner. So, opt to eat lunch as you main meal and eat at the hotel out of the cooler or the mini fridge for dinner.


Now, you have to keep the natives active because we all know that kids will not be content with just sitting back and enjoying the fresh mountain air and some quality time. So, what do we do now that most of the budget is gone for gas, lodging, and food? Free entertainment of course. And yes, it is out there. You just have to know where to look and how to find it.


Family Travel Games

If you’ve ever spent a long time in a vehicle with children then you’ve probably had to come up with some quick, creative ideas on how to keep them occupied. I have spent countless hours playing travel games with children. Here are a few of the family travel games that I have found perfect for passing the time.


Travel Scavenger Hunt


Make a list of things you might see as you’re travelling (this will vary depending on your location). Some good examples would be… an airplane flying overhead, a lamb, a cyclist, an ambulance, a yield sign, litter, a train, etc. Make a list for everyone or play the game as a group. If children are playing individually, the first person to call out an item gets to check it off their list. If the item appears another time at a different location on your route another child may call it and check it off of their list. Whoever gets all of their items first or whoever has the most items when you reach your destination wins.


Travel Bingo


Make up some blank bingo cars and purchase some automobile, street sign, animal or any combination of applicable stickers to put in the blank spaces. Just be sure that any stickers you buy are of items you might see in your travels. Have the children choose and place one sticker in each square (kids love stickers, so even that part is fun). As you’re driving children call out and check off any items on their card that they see along the road. The first one to get a full diagonal, horizontal, or vertical line checked off wins. In a pinch, children can draw their own bingo card on a piece of paper and either write in or draw items they might see on their trip.


Category Cards


Buy a package of blank index cards and either write one category name or draw one category picture on each card. You should make up at least sixteen cards. Categories should reflect things you might see on your travels. Be creative with your ideas and the possibilities are limitless. Some good examples would be… street signs, emergency vehicles, transportation, animals, restaurants, sports, etc. When the cards are complete, shuffle them and turn them upside down. When traveling, the first player must draw a card and find something that fits the category picked. When an item is found the next card is picked up and an applicable item is found. All players take turns until all cards are used up. Cards can then be reshuffled and the game can continue, however, if a ‘car’ was found for the vehicle category on the first round, a different vehicle (eg. truck, train) must be found on the next round. Play for fun or set a time limit for each item and score a point only for items found in the given time.


Licence Plate Spell


Have each child choose a different 5 letter word. When driving each player must find the first letter of their word on a licence plate. When the first letter has been found, they must find the second letter of their word on a different licence plate. This continues till someone completes their word. Then, players choose new words and start again. The player who completes the most words first by the end of the trip wins.


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