You only have so many years with your kids at home with you and like it or not, time is ticking by FAST!  If you’re like me, you look back on your childhood and the memories are endless, so as a parent, it’s only natural to want to provide our kids with the most amazing adventures that we can.  Because like we talk about a lot around here, adventures mean memories and memories strengthen relationships.

If you do it right and get your kids loving adventure when they’re young, you’ll probably create your best travel and adventure companion FOR LIFE!

Best Adventures to do with your kids BEFORE they grow up.

We’ve searched all over and are highlighting some of the absolute best adventures you can do with kids while they’re still young.  If you have suggestions for more, we’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Swim with Whale Sharks in the Maldives with Kids

We’ve gone swimming with whale sharks in a couple of places, but our kids favorite experience was swimming with whale sharks in the Maldives (we did the whole trip for $50/person/day, so it’s much more affordable than people think).  This excursion was the highlight of our time in the Maldives since we got to get so close to the whale sharks.  Other places where we have been swimming with them, the sharks were much more scared of people, so we only got glimpses of them, but in the Maldives, they were calmer so we got to spend a lot of time in the water with them, and at one point, one of the whale sharks just hung out with us for 30-45 minutes!  Our youngest kids were a little nervous about the size of the whale sharks and just wanted to stay on the boat, but our 6 and 9 year old thought it was incredible.

 

Swim in a Mexican Cenote with Kids

If you’re planning a trip to the southern end of Mexico (Cancun, Merida or Cozumel areas), make sure to check out a few cenotes while you’re there.  Cenotes are freshwater sinkholes that are deep in the jungle and this area has THOUSANDS of them.  Some are the size of a swimming pool, others are the size of a lake, and some go underground for miles and miles making them the prime area for divers to explore.  We’ve written all about the best cenotes with kids where we share which ones are the most accessible, the most affordable, and especially the most fun (lots of rope swings or ziplines which make them perfect with kids!).  Many of them have life jackets at them, so they are really suitable for all ages and swimming abilities.

Crawl through an Egyptian Pyramid with your Kids

There are few places in the world where history comes to life quite like Egypt.  Probably because Egyptian history is so unique and most schools teach it from a young age.  Egypt is a great place to travel with kids (and yes, we felt totally safe with our kids there – read about it here).  While seeing the sights there is a great experience that kids will think is fun, one of the most exciting things that you can do there is to explore the inside of a pyramid.  There are several pyramids that you can explore, including the Pyramids at Giza, but we recommend getting off the beaten path and avoiding the crowds.  We took our family inside the Red Pyramid and we were the only people there.  Sure, it was a bit creepy and unknown, which was exactly what going inside a pyramid should be, since it let us really experience what it might have been like thousands of years ago (which is an experience you WON’T get with hundreds of other tourists there).  Our imaginations where running wild as we explored and crawled through tunnels, making this one of the most memorable experiences we’ve done with our kids.

Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride with Kids in Cappadocia Turkey

You’ve probably seen the pictures online, of hundreds of hot air balloons flying over the hoodoos of Cappadocia.  But seeing it and experiencing it are two totally different things.  After a 4:30am wake up call, we carried our sleepy kids out to the shuttle to meet our balloon pilot.  Our goal was to make it into the sky by sunrise.  All around us were other balloons prepping for flight.  The sound of burners filling up the balloons was one of the only sounds as we sleepily watched our balloon literally take shape.  Soon we were in the air and the sun was poking up over the horizon.  Our flight was mostly quiet, except for the occasional gasps of wonder or “WOW” from the group, though our daughter kept giggling, making us the loud ones on board.  We were soaring above a beautifully strange landscape and there were 100 balloons in the air with us.  Hot air ballooning with kids in Cappadocia was an experience unlike many others, and one that really can’t be replicated anywhere else!  Read all about the best activities to do with kid in Cappadocia (and which ones to avoid) in this article.  

 

Explore the tombs of Petra Jordan with Kids

Ready to channel your inner Indiana Jones?  There’s no better place to do it than at the site in Petra Jordan.  What is left of the ancient city of Petra is a series of canals, carvings, and of course tombs!  The best part is that you can go inside most of them and really explore around inside.  You’ll see where bodies were placed, but the real wonder is just trying to fathom how this city was carved out of the rock by hand over a thousand years ago.  While many visitors just make the walk into the treasury and turn around, you should really plan on spending at least 2 days in Petra, with one of those going all the way out to the Monastery.  Petra really is a wonderland for kids and the Jordanian people are some of the most kind we’ve ever met (especially if you have really young kids!).  It’s one of the top stops we recommend that people visit with their kids!  Though don’t make the same mistake that we did and visit Petra BEFORE you head to the Dead Sea…head here to read all about what a disaster the Dead Sea was for us!

Hiking with Kids in the Swiss Alps

Hiking in the Alps is an experience that will have your jaw constantly dropping.  The views are some of the best that we’ve ever seen from the trail anywhere in the world.  Hiking in Switzerland with kids is actually one of the easiest things ever.  Trails are marked incredibly well, so you know exactly where you’re going and how long it will take you to get there.  In more popular areas, it’s not difficult to find paved trails so you can even take a stroller.  Otherwise, if you’re looking to maximise what you can see, there are no shortage of chairlifts and trains so it’s really easy to take one of those and hike back the other way.  And while there are lots of really popular tourist towns like Zermatt, for a truly authentic Swiss experience, stay somewhere a bit smaller for a while.

 

Learn How to Surf with your Kids

Learning how to surf doesn’t require that you live on the beach or have bleached blonde hair.  But if you want to be successful at learning how to surf, it does require several lessons on a good beginner beach.  If you’re traveling to somewhere like California or Hawaii, expect to pay several hundred dollars for lessons, in addition to getting a good wetsuit so you can stay in the water long enough to learn.  However, if you’re looking for an amazing cultural experience and some spectacular beaches, you could do what we did and learn to surf somewhere unique.  Our family learned to surf in El Salvador, and we paid only $10 a lesson (yes, $10!!).  We got to learn on some great beginner waves and had almost the entire place to ourselves.  Not to mention the fact that El Salvador is one of the most beautiful places that we’ve ever visited.  Don’t forget to read all about what you need to know before you visit El Salvador as well as why El Salvador topped our list for adventure travel in 2018.

 

Take Your Kids on a Multi-Day Whitewater Rafting Trip

Whitewater rafting is one of the very best adventures that you can do as a family.  If you choose your river carefully, you can find the perfect balance of fun and extreme which will leave you with amazing memories and experiences you can look back on for the rest of your life.  While most people think about a trip down the Grand Canyon that takes WEEKS, the reality is that there are rivers all over the place that are suitable for multi-day trips with kids that don’t have the take all your time (and money).  We’ve taken our kids as young as age one down the Colorado River on some calmer sections, and it has worked out great.  We’ve also taken our older kids on sections of the Green River on the Gates of Lodore as well as Desolation Canyon as young as age 6.  Obviously where you choose to go depends on your location, kids ages, and how wild of a ride you are looking for.  While our family has done this for years and have all our own equipment, the easiest way to go on a big rafting trip is with a guided tour.

Teach Your Kids how to Ski

Learning how to ski is a must do for a winter vacationers.  And because it’s not limited to a specific destination, it’s really accessible all over the world (yes, you can even skin in Dubai!)  The feeling of gliding across the snow is so exhilarating and it’s something that anyone can learn how to do!  Whether you choose to teach your own kids to ski (we’ll how you how here, here, here, and here), or choose to put them in ski lessons, it’s something that they can learn the basics of in a few days.  While there are TONS of options for where to ski, if you’re a beginner, choose where to go based on price.  Once your skills are more advanced, then choose a resort that suits your style (our current fave is Solitude in Utah, though Arapahoe Basin in Colorado is a close second!)

Read Next: Why we Love Arapahoe Basin

Let Your Kids Roast Marshmallows on an Active Volcano

This is one of those experiences that our kids will absolutely NEVER FORGET.  Hiking the Pacaya Volcano with young kids was kind of a surreal experience.  Starting out from the town of Antigua Guatemala, this volcano, is about a 90 minute drive, and there are many tour operators that will take you up for a great price (we paid about $10/person for a guided tour).  To make the hike easier for our kids, we hired 2 horses and guides for them to ride ($10 each, and can be arranged when you arrive).  Once you start hiking, it feels like a regular jungle hike – that is until you start hearing the booms and the rumbling.  Yes, you guessed right – volcanic eruptions happening right then!  As you get closer to the top, you’ll start seeing glimpses of the volcano with its tufts of smoke rising out of it.   We were lucky enough to get some drone footage so that we could get an up close view of what was happening, and we were MIND BLOWN.  While the top of the volcano is a couple of miles from where the trail is, you can still see lava shooting out of the top and the occasional boulder being shot out as well.  After you reach the top of your hike, there are several steam vents where the heat from the lava is vented out.  This is where you roast your marshmallows, but be careful – they cook VERY quickly and the steam is super hot!  It’s a great place for a s’more unlike any other!  This is accessible for all ages and we took our kids at ages 1, 4, 6, 8, and 11.

 

We also reached out to some of our favorite travel writers to ask them their suggestions for the absolute best kid friendly adventures.  Here’s what they came up with:

Take Your Kids to Antarctica

If your family has a sense of adventure and enjoys natural beauty and wildlife, then they will love visiting Antarctica. There is no shortage of things to see and do in Antarctica with numerous opportunities to view the abundant wildlife including numerous species of penguins, whales, seals and seabirds. There is a lot to see from the ship and you will also have the opportunity to take Zodiac excursions to explore the area and make landings.  Some expeditions also offer additional adventures and activities such as sea kayaking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and camping overnight.  Visiting Antarctica is very educational, there are daily onboard lectures offered by scientists, researchers and other specialists about the environment and Antarctic wildlife.  Expedition cruises to Antarctica are VERY expensive – expect to pay at least $8,000 to $15,000 USD per person but the cost varies depends on your ship, cabin and travel dates.

Contributed by Matilda from The Travel Sisters

Chase the Northern Lights with your Kids

Chasing the Northern Lights is one thing we recommend everyone do once in their lives. The magical auroras are something we believe everyone should try to see. And when they say “chase the Northern Lights”, sometimes it’s quite literal. There are several countries you can find the northern lights, like Iceland, Finland, Canada, Norway, and even some parts of the U.S. to name a few. It doesn’t cost anything if you head out on your own, but if you opt for a tour, you’re more likely to find the best spots to catch them. There are snowmobile tours, driving tours, snow ski tours, and several other ways to chase the lights. As soon as you spot the lights, you’ll be so mesmerized that you’ll want to stay as long as possible, watching them dance across the sky. It’s truly an amazing sight to see! We recommend giving your kids that experience before they leave the house for good.

Contributed by Sara from Our Kind of Crazy

Canyoneering with Kids in or near Zion National Park

 

Canyoneering is an ideal outdoor family adventure that combines hiking, rappelling, down-climbing, stemming, squeezing through slot canyons, and even wading or swimming. Zion National Park in Utah is the perfect place for this sport. However, to go canyoneering inside the park, you must obtain a backcountry permit, you’ll need your own ropes and gear, and you should really know what you’re doing.

For newbies to canyoneering, book a commercially guided tour with a local vendor in the town of Springdale your gateway to Zion. They will teach you simply, while providing modern, safe equipment, tell you how to dress for the day, drive you to the canyoneering site, and guide you every step of the way on this bucket list family adventure. In a guided group, you are looking at spending $110-155 per person for 4-5 hour excursion, depending on the size of your group.

If your kids are older tweens and teens with stamina, I’d consider booking an eight hour canyoneering experience so you can all really get the hang of things! Since commercially guided canyoneering trips are not allowed inside Zion National Park, the canyoneering company will take you to slot canyons just outside the park — like those found in the nearby Kolob Terraces.

See why our rad family loved canyoneering just outside Zion National Park here. 

Contributed by Tanya from Rad Family Travel

Exploring the Ruins of Machu Pichu With Kids

Heading to Machu Picchu in Peru is often considered one of those things that you do either before kids or once they’ve grown up. But after exploring this magical Incan city with kids, I can tell you, it’s an amazing and unforgettable place for family travel.

Many people are concerned about altitude sickness in kids during a visit here. While Machu Picchu is located among some of the most stunningly beautiful mountains in the Andes, contrary to popular belief, this ancient city isn’t actually at that high of an altitude. The Incan capital of Cusco sits far higher in elevation. And you must pass through Cusco to get to Machu Picchu.

Kids will be mesmerized by the magical train journey up to the city of Aguas Calientes. The towering, glacier-topped mountains are a thrill to take in. But the real treat is when you first take in the Machu Picchu overlook. Standing there, hand-in-hand with your kids while you stare at the postcard-perfect city is an experience you will want to live over again and again.

Getting to Machu Picchu isn’t cheap. Tours often run in the thousands of dollars. And it does require some planning. This includes a local guide while you are at the historic site. You also need to navigate a series of flights or land excursions between Lima to Cusco and Aguas Calientes. But the journey is as memorable as the ultimate destination.

And as you explore Machu Picchu with your children, the magic continues. From the roaming llama’s and Alpaca to the wild and creative buildings, families will find adventure everywhere in Machu Picchu. And, if that doesn’t sell you, know that Hiram Bingham, who re-discovered this lost city, was actually guided there by two local children whose family still live at the base of the mountain.

Contributed by Kevin from Wandering Wagars

Take your Kids Kayaking in Bioluminescent Waters

One of the most incredible adventures to take with your kids before they leave is kayaking in bioluminescent waters. One of the easiest ways to see this from the US is to visit Puerto Rico. You can take a kayak tour where you will glide through a mile of beautiful mangroves in the moonlight. Once you reach the end of the mangroves you’ll see the water start to sparkle!

The bioluminescence (meaning the water actually glows in the dark) is caused by special plankton in the water. It’s tough work kayaking through the dark, but the amazing site makes it all worth it!  It’s such a great bonding experience to see such a rare occurrence in nature together. The bioluminescence is nearly impossible to photograph. But that makes it an even more special experience that just you and your child will remember for the rest of your lives!

Contributed by Vanessa from Wanderlust Crew

Family Safari in South Africa

A South African safari is a magical experience and a truly amazing adventure to share with kids before they leave home. I have so many incredible memories with my mum chasing the Big 5 in the South African wilderness. We have taken our own kids along on the journey and, although he is still too young to remember, we’ve even done a safari with a baby!

A South African safari is a bucket list adventure and an amazing one to share with kids. Together we caught our first glimpses of majestic elephants, rhino, buffalo, leopard and rhino roaming the plains. We’ve giggled as monkeys tried to break into our bedroom, held our breath as lions walked alongside our truck and watched in awe as a 3-day old elephant took its tentative first steps. The remote camps are a total escape and an amazing opportunity to disconnect, make memories and appreciate the magic of each and every moment.

As a family, we’ve explored Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sands and Madikwe Game Reserves in South Africa where our nights in safari lodges have cost anything from US $200 to US$2000 per night. The rates include accommodation, food and twice daily game drives.

Contributed by Elaine from Show Them The Globe

Backpacking the Havasu Falls Trail with Kids

 

The Havasu Falls Trail is a really unique backpacking trail located in the United States Grand Canyon in Arizona and would make for a fantastic adventure to go on with your kids before they left home. People come from all over the United States in order to see the beautiful, crystal blue waters and the 5 amazing waterfalls along this iconic trail. The hike is roughly 25 miles long round trip if you hike all the way down to Beaver Falls which is the final waterfall of the hike, and you should plan to spend at minimum 3 days doing this hike.

The biggest thing to know about this trail is that it requires a bit of advanced planning. The Havasu Falls trails is becoming one of the most popular hikes in the entire United States. Permits easily sell out the day they open up. Be ready to apply for permits early February and be prepared to spend a bit of money to get them. In 2019, permits cost up to $125 per person per day, but trust me, it’s worth the cost. If you are lucky enough to score permits, this will most certainly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you and your kids. All 5 of the waterfalls along the trail are absolutely breathtaking and like nothing else you can see in the United States. Be sure to put the Havasu Falls hike high on your bucket list! You won’t regret it!

Contributed by Allison from She Dreams of Alpine

See the Monarch Butterfly Migration With Your Kids

It was almost a decade earlier that we had watched the BBC Life episode showing the monarch butterfly migration from as far as Canada down to Mexico. I recall being in awe and it was swiftly added to our “must see” list. Fast forward to 2018, when we were booking our flights to Mexico City, and we were looking for one more spot in Mexico to fill our two weeks. We chose Valle de Bravo because of it’s nearby mountains and reputation for having some good hiking. It wasn’t until we dug a little deeper that we realized it was exactly where you could see all the monarch butterflies who had traveled so far for the winter. Even better, we would be there in late February, just in time to see them before they started the long journey north. It felt like this had fallen into our laps and there was no question, we had to go! And not only that, we would get to witness it with our two kids!

There are a few monarch butterfly sanctuaries that can be reached from Mexico City, but the closest one to Valle de Bravo was the Piedra Herrada Sanctuary. It takes 2-3 hours to get from Mexico City to Valle de Bravo, depending on traffic, which makes a day tour possible but a long day. We recommend staying at least one night if traveling to Valle de Bravo with kids. It’s a charming town with incredible scenery and some amazing food.

Seeing the butterflies is pretty easy. The ride by taxi from Valle de Bravo is approximately 1 hour (slightly less). The entry ticket is quite cheap at around $4 USD and includes a mandatory guide. From there you can choose to hike up or hire a horse. We opted to hike up the 1.2 miles (2km) and though it was quite dusty, it was a pleasant walk in the forest. Both our kids, who were 3 & 5 years old, were easily able to manage it. Once at the top, the trail gets a little trickier in the trees with some steep spots, but again with a little help our kids did fine.

Once you make it to the top, you sit in absolute amazement (and silence) at the millions of butterflies hanging on the trees and flying around. We were fortunate to be there on a sunny day and got to witness the butterflies being quite active as the sun shone through the trees. In all, we were there for about 45 minutes and left shocked at how quiet our kids were the entire time. We expect they were as mesmerized by the butterflies as we were!

Contributed by Celine from Family Can Travel

Travel on the Trans Siberian Railroad as a Family

One of our best family travel adventures has been an epic, overland trip by train from Hong Kong to the U.K. For part of this trip, we achieved a long-held dream and travelled on the iconic Trans Siberian Railway across Russia. We travelled from the Mongolia border to St. Petersburg making stops along the way in Irkutsk in Eastern Siberia and in Moscow. It was an incredible, once in a lifetime trip.

Travelling by train allows you to see the diversity of landscapes, flora and architecture within one country. In Russia, we journeyed through dense birch and larch forests, past Lake Baikal (the deepest lake in the world), alongside beautiful wildflower meadows and through modern industrial cities and tiny country towns with wooden houses. You have time on a train journey to interact with your fellow passengers. The cost of travelling on the Trans Siberian railway varies dramatically. There is no one, overall Trans Siberian rail ticket; you must buy a ticket for each segment of your trip depending on the stops you wish to make. Travelling long distance by train was great with kids; we played lots of games and caught up on school work. Our three children loved looking out the window, wandering the different carriages and sleeping in the rocking bunk beds!

Contributed by Sinead from Map Made Memories

Visiting Acadia National Park with Kids

One of the best family adventures on the East Coast is Acadia National Park located in Maine. This beautiful national park features easy to moderate hikes, beautiful sunsets from Cadillac Mountain, a sandy beach to explore as well as tidal pools to find little sea creatures. More adventurous families can look into kayaking the shore, rock climbing up the cliffsides and stargazing late at night. Everyone can enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride along the carriage roads and popovers with ice cream at the Jordan Pond Tea House. With the town of Bar Harbor minutes away from the entrance to the park, you can find easy lodging with something to suit every price point. From a cozy B&B to full-service hotels along the shore and camping options nearby. Bar Harbor also offers many restaurants to choose from and plenty of lobster dishes if you’d like. Speaking of Lobster, take a boat ride out to the harbor and learn about why Maine is one of the biggest exporters of Lobster. Check out these articles to see why Acadia National Park with the neighboring town of Bar Harbor Maine are an absolute delight.

Contributed by Chelsea from Pack More Into Life

Visiting the Grand Canyon with Kids

 National Park holidays make for some of the best family adventures – for kids of all ages! We went to the Grand Canyon with our toddler recently, and I was fascinated watching him take it all in. We did two things in particular that were pretty awesome: some great family-friendly hikes and a helicopter tour.

Our hike to Shoshone Point wasn’t just kid-friendly, it was stroller-friendly! Flat and easy, it’s definitely the trail to choose if you have kids a wide range of ages, because it can accommodate the whole family. Even though our son was too young to walk it, we cheered him on anyway as we strolled him along (he’ll be hiking by himself as soon as he’s able, so we figured we should start early with the encouragement!). Bonus: there’s an open area with picnic tables at the point, so it’s a great place to take a packed lunch.

Our hike on the South Kaibab trail to Ooh Aah Point was narrow, steep and uneven – not the slightest bit stroller-friendly, so we used a baby carrier. But older kids, especially tweens and teens, could probably tackle this trail with mom and dad and feel a pretty great sense of accomplishment at the end!

The helicopter tour was a pretty big splurge for us, at about $200 each. But it was well worth it, being able to see such a spectacular natural wonder form a birds-eye perspective. Our trip to the Grand Canyon was such a success, we plan on visiting a different national park every year until he moves out!

Contributed by Mary Beth from MB Sees.

Family Cruise on Vietnam’s Halong Bay

A Halong Bay cruise in Vietnam is an experience we were so grateful to have had with our eldest daughter, and while she was quite young at the time, she had a blast too! This would be best for kids who are school age, so they can really appreciate the environment and culture. It also means they can participate in all the different activities along the way too.

This was our daughters first cruise experience and cruising Halong Bay is nothing like the big luxury cruise ships with loads of on board entertainment. This is more about the scenery, food and excursions you have off the boat! Although in saying that, the cruise staff make it loads of fun on board too!

We did our cruise with Au Co Cruises and the cost for a 3 night Halong Bay cruise is around $400US per person. It includes all meals and excursions, although there are cheaper alternatives available too. We went with this option to give us a family friendly option suited to cruising with a toddler.

Experiencing Halong Bay is a great reminder for kids to disconnect and enjoy their surroundings. During our cruise we did loads of family fun activities, like kayaking around rock formations, walking through caves and visiting local villages. Showing your children how other cultures live is an experience they don’t get in the classroom.

Halong Bay is one of the most scenic places in the world and it will encourage you to connect as a family, with minimal distractions from the outside world.

Contributed by Holly from Four Around The World

Stay in a Mongolian Ger with Your Kids

Arriving off the Trans Mongolia into the capital of Mongolia was a moment we will always cherish. After 48 hours of travelling on a train we were keen to explore, stretch our legs and head for the hills! We had booked an Airbnb which was actually a traditional Mongolian home called a Ger. The nomadic families in Mongolia will set up their Ger and it’s able to be transported across the country to follow the weather and landscape for their herds. We loved living in s Ger without any electricity, running water or any modern day conveniences. It allowed us to reconnect as a family, to live simply, to appreciate nature and to enjoy star gazing at night. While galloping across the plains on a horse I actually cried as I was so thrilled to actually be there with my family, living our best lives and really challenging ourselves.

Contributed by Bron from Smiths Holiday Road

Take the Kids to India

For some of us, adventure travel is often defined by the degree of difference to home. Of far flung countries with foreign language, food and culture. Rajasthan in northern India is one such place.  From ancient palaces in Jaipur, white marble temples in Ranakpur, the blue city of Jodhpur and the desert fort of Jaisalmer, there are impressive sights to see wherever you go.

But the real reason why India is so great with kids is the everyday is an adventure too. Cows wander the streets, marching bands lead wedding processions through town and street vendors sell anything and everything. Foreign children are treated like superstars and every meal is an adventure as you try the delicious snacks, curries and desserts on offer.

Better still for family travelers, India is an affordable country to travel in. Food is cheap and plentiful. There is a huge range of accommodation available, and there are opportunities to organise home stays for a unique travel experience. Getting around is possible on trains, buses or private cars with drivers.

India is an assault on the senses in every way. It can be a challenging place to visit, but it is also one of the most memorable adventures to take with kids before they leave home.

Contributed by Rachel from Adventure and Sunshine

Learn to Scuba Dive with your Kids

Scuba Diving in Curacao
It’s not easy for a mother to finds ways to bond with her teenage son that that don’t include video games, dirt bikes or soccer.  While planning a family vacation to the Caribbean island of Curacao, I had an epiphany… why not ask my teenage son to join me on a dive?  Scuba diving could be a great multi-generational activity.

Curacao’s calm east coast beaches offer up to 100 feet of visibility and warm, inviting, reef-laden waters which were perfect for his first dive.  Like me, he was mesmerized by the otherworldly sights and sounds of the sea.  The clear turquoise water contained many varieties of coral and sea grasses.  Marine life was abundant with trumpet fish darting about, lionfish splaying their spire-like fins, and the toothy grin of a moray eel as we glided past.  What teenage boy wouldn’t love such visual treats?

It was a fantastic, memorable adventure, and the opportunity to experience the underwater world through the eyes of my offspring was priceless.  The cost for an introductory dive, sometimes called a “resort dive,” in the Caribbean varies widely, from $125 to $250 depending on the location.

Contributed by Patti from Luggage and Lipstick

 

Take your kids Ziplining

If you want to score absolute Brownie points with your kids then put Ziplining on your bucket list. Lago Maggiore ZIPline is a 80mph 2k flight across some of the most stunning scenery in the foothills of the Italian Alps close to Lake Maggiore. A single flight costs 48 Euro’s per pair as part of a family ticket and hiring a Go-Pro for evidence you did it is optional. You meet at The Nest and get to watch a few flights coming in first which kickstarts the old adrenaline and gets you pumped before you make a 15 minute car journey to the top. All harnessed in you’re all set for the next few minutes of breath-taking views with your child of choice. It looks terrifying, however this will be the most euphoric experience you will ever have and is made even more memorable that you get to share it with your kids – they will be dining out on tales of your petrified shrieks for years to come! You may not believe it now but you’ll be wanting to fly again once you come into land. Brilliantly The Nest is set up for you to enjoy everyone else’s incoming flights too, complimented unquestionably with a rewarding cold beer and the epic views you just flew over. For more information you can read about our full experience here. 

Contributed by Alex from My Life Long Holiday

Interrailing across Europe as a Family

Europe is such a beautiful and diverse continent it can be hard to decide exactly where to take the kids during their precious holiday time. Why not make it into the ultimate adventure and show them as much as possible by Interrailing across Europe.

Interrail is essentially a train ticket which allows you to travel throughout the whole of Europe on just one ticket. You can buy different time periods and choose either first or second class travel. We chose 7 days of travel within 1 month which is currently £295 for an adult ticket, a youth (anyone between 11 and 27) is £228 and the best part is that kids under 11 are completely free! So much cheaper than flying!

If you want guaranteed seats on certain trains, you’ll have to make reservations which add a little more to your overall cost, some are free, some can be as little as £5 and some countries such as Spain and Italy require compulsory reservations which can get pricey.

You’ll need to put in a lot of research to plan where you want to visit and work out the best route. For an itinerary which shows you as much of Europe as possible, we left London on the Eurostar and visited Brussels, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Prague, Innsbruck, Bologna, Tuscany, Como and Milan. We took in modern cities, the history of Central Europe, the breathtaking mountains of the Austrian Alps and the charming hill towns of Italy.

My daughter learned so much as we went and soaked up all the different locations like a sponge. The best thing about an interrail adventure is the time spent as a family on the trains. You will really talk and connect without outside distractions, play cards and learn to switch off together.

Contributed by Karen from Are We There Yet Kids