Planning the ultimate family holiday? This guide is packed full of the best family holiday destinations, both in Europe and beyond. Whether you’re after adventure, wildlife, culture or a mix, you’re guaranteed to find a holiday that appeals. From snorkelling in turquoise waters to spotting elephants on safari, these unforgettable trips promise amazing memories for your whole family.
Best family holiday destinations in Europe
Prepare for volcanic adventures in Lanzarote, snowy magic in Lapland and the ultimate family resort in Greece. These European family holidays will delight you as parents, just as much as your kids.
Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
- Best time to visit: October to April for winter sun
- Best for: Families with children of all ages
Lanzarote is a brilliant all-year-round family destination, offering warm temperatures and a range of family resorts. With sandy beaches, unique volcanic landscapes, caves and waterparks, there’s plenty to keep little ones entertained. Visiting Timanfaya National Park is a must, and somewhere your kids’ geography lessons will come to life. The Canary Islands are among the best family holiday destinations in Spain, easily accessible from airports across the UK, with a flight time of just over four hours.
Insider tip: Book a Lanzarote highlights tour and you’ll see many of the island’s attractions in one day, without the hassle of hiring a car.
Lapland, Finland
- Best time to visit: November or December for a Christmas holiday to remember
- Best for: Families with school-age children
If you’ve always dreamed of a white Christmas, and the UK’s unpredictable weather isn’t worth risking, now is the time to book a holiday to Finnish Lapland. Fly to Rovaniemi and you’ll be immersed in snowy scenes from the moment you step off the plane. Family activities include snowmobiling, husky sledding and visiting Santa’s village. You might even be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights during your trip.
Insider tip: Take a look at the unique glass igloo hotels in Lapland, for a truly memorable stay under the stars.
Halkidiki, Greece
Best time to visit: May to October, but be warned summer holiday prices can be eyewatering.
Best for: Families with babies, toddlers and children at primary school
Regarded as one of the best family holiday destinations in Europe, Sani Resort in Halkidiki definitely lives up to the hype. Alongside beautiful Greek beaches and top restaurants, you’ll find every amenity you and your kids could dream of. That includes swimming pools, kids clubs, a creche, water sports and even a football academy. Some of the childcare is included in package prices, so this is a holiday where you’ll also be rewarded with some time to relax.
Insider tip: There are direct flights from London and Manchester to Thessaloniki, which is around 45 minutes’ drive from the resort.
Best family destinations in the world
Whether you’re excited to hike the Canadian Rockies, road trip through California or spot sloths in the Costa Rican rainforest, one of these family holidays is guaranteed to appeal to you.
Dubai, UAE
- Best time to visit: November to April to escape the UK winter but avoid Dubai’s extreme summer heat
- Best for: Families with children of all ages
If you’re fed up with the UK’s cool temperatures, how about catching a flight to Dubai for some guaranteed sunshine? Along with pristine beaches, there are several fun activities for families. Within Atlantis, The Palm, Aquaventure World is the world’s largest waterpark with 105 rides, attractions and experiences.
Alternatively, you could take some epic family photos from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Or, for something different, head out to the desert for an adrenaline-filled dune bashing experience.
Insider tip: Lots of UK airports offer direct flights (around 7 hours), including London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.
Morocco
- Best time to visit: March to May or September to November to avoid hot summer temperatures
- Best for: Families with older, adventurous children
Just under four hours from the UK, Marrakech is a great starting point for a family holiday in Morocco. After shopping in the city’s vibrant souks, I’d recommend booking an overnight experience in the Sahara Desert, before enjoying the pretty beaches and culture of Essaouira. It’s an ideal country for adventurous families, who want a travel experience that feels world’s away, without a long flight.
Insider tip: You can fly direct to Marrakech from several UK airports, including London, Bristol and Edinburgh. It’s a great budget option too, with Wizz Air, Easyjet and Ryanair all flying direct.
Cappadocia, Turkey
- Best time to visit: If you have school-age children, book for the Easter or summer holidays
- Best for: Families with older children, as hot air balloons have a minimum age of 6
Nothing prepares you for the magical feeling of floating over Cappadocia’s unique rock formations in a colourful hot air balloon. This is a bucket-list experience, and one that would be amazing to share with your children. The area offers plenty more too, including stays in cave hotels, horse riding and visits to ancient underground cities.
Insider tip: As you can’t fly direct from the UK, pair it with a few days in vibrant Istanbul.
Banff, Canada
- Best time to visit: May to September for summer adventures or December to March for winter activities.
- Best for: Active families with teenagers
If your family loves the great outdoors as much as mine does, how about exploring the Canadian Rockies? The mountain town of Banff makes a great base, with its vibrant high street, lively restaurant scene and variety of hotels. In summer months you can hit the hiking trails or kayak on serene lakes. Meanwhile, visit in winter for skiing and snowboarding, or to relax in the town’s hot springs.
Insider tip: Fly direct from London Heathrow or Edinburgh direct to Calgary. From there, the drive is under 1 hour 30 minutes.
Florida, USA
- Best time to visit: February to May to avoid the crowds and heat of the summer
- Best for: Families with kids of all ages
While the UK’s Alton Towers and Thorpe Park are great for a day out, nothing prepares you for the scale and magic of Florida’s theme parks. Fly into Orlando and spend a week exploring Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. Disney has four theme parks and two water parks. Meanwhile, Universal offers families the chance to immerse themselves in movies and TV shows, including Harry Potter and The Simpsons.
Once you’ve finished in the parks, there’s plenty more to explore in the Sunshine State, including beautiful beaches, the Kennedy Space Center and iconic spots like the Florida Keys.
Insider tip: You can fly direct from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh.
California, USA
- Best time to visit: Summers are hot, so if you’re planning a trip in the school holidays, look at the Easter break, or half terms in May or October.
- Best for: Families with school-age children and up
Are you ready to take your family on the ultimate US road trip? Drive Highway 1 and you’ll take in the beauty of California’s Pacific Coast, from San Francisco down to Los Angeles. Stop off in Yosemite National Park to see epic landscapes, waterfalls and the famous sequoias (some of the world’s biggest trees). For a stop that you’ll all love, visit Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. You’ll be able to put its motto to the test, and see if it really is the ‘happiest place on earth’.
Insider tip: When you hire a car, lots of providers will allow you to hire in Los Angeles and drop it back at San Francisco.
Mexico
- Best time to visit: Ideal for a Christmas break, right up until April
- Best for: Families with children of all ages, who love a mixture of beach time and adventure
If you’re looking for winter sun for your next family holiday, Mexico is a great choice. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and TUI all fly direct from the UK to Cancun. Once there, your kids will love playing on the pristine shores of the Caribbean.
Many all-inclusive resorts, such as Moon Palace and Club Med Cancun offer a lot for families, including kids clubs, water parks and activities. If you’re craving an adventure, book a day trip to the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, a boat trip to Isla Mujeres or dive into some crystal-clear cenotes.
Insider tip: TUI offers really good value flight options to Cancun, ideal for families.
Costa Rica
- Best time to visit: December to April is the dry season, but other months offer great wildlife spotting opportunities too.
- Best for: Nature-loving families with children aged eight and up
Costa Rica is one of the best family holiday destinations abroad for nature-loving families. Imagine spotting sloths hanging from the trees, seeing monkeys on the beach and dolphins diving through the ocean. Other fun activities for families include zip-lining in Monteverde, surfing in the Nicoya Peninsula and spotting wildlife in Corcovado National Park. There are plenty of beautiful eco-resorts to choose from, which kids will love as much as the parents.
Insider tip: Learn a few Spanish phrases before your trip. You never know when they might come in handy.
Sri Lanka
- Best time to visit: December to March. It’s warm all-year-round, but prepare for humidity
- Best for: Adventurous families with children aged eight and up
Sri Lanka welcomes families with a warmth like few others, making it an ideal long-haul destination. It’s a country which perfectly combines adventure, beach, culture and wildlife. Highlights include seeing elephants on safari in Udawalawe National Park, the picturesque train ride from Kandy to Ella, visits to historic temples and the unspoiled beaches of the southwest.
Insider tip: Book a private driver for your trip, and look at family-friendly resorts on the coast.
If UK family holidays aren’t appealing this year, hopefully this list has given you some inspiration to jet off somewhere new and exciting.
