When you hear “family trip” where does your mind go? Are you immediately stressed out or is this an exciting adventure for you? My family LOVES going on trips together and it’s a great time to truly experience something together.
As our family has grown larger over the years, it has gotten much more difficult to plan a trip around everyone’s interests and schedules. It’s important to have a list to narrow down the options! Hopefully you can find a trip that has something for everyone, even the kiddos. I love my two nieces but I guarantee I don’t want to spend my whole vacation at a children’s museum, but I also don’t see the littlest going to hike a mountain.
Want to add to the list? Send me an email and I would love to look into the place YOU like to travel as a family. Who makes up your family? I love seeing how diverse families are but each person is so very special and important to us!
Thinking of planning a family trip anytime soon? Read below my top 5 destinations for going on a family vacation.
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
Any beach along 30A is high-quality and family-friendly. In particular I loved visiting Seaside, Seagrove, and Watercolor. There are so many activities for families of all ages. Shopping, beautiful beaches, and exciting activities can all be found right in this area of Florida. There are many beaches along the Gulf Coast, but by far these are my favorite. Last summer when we went, we experienced Caribbean-blue waters and it took everything to get us to leave (we even tried to stay an extra day). There are so many activities in the little towns for everyone that even if you hate the beach, it’s possible to avoid it completely. If you’re like me, I love spending all day laying in the sand and coming back in the evening to explore and have a tasty dinner. There are plenty of dinning options of all styles! I can’t think of any other beach on the Gulf Coast I’d rather go to… feel free to try and change my mind. We used AirBnb and VRBO to look for accommodations!
Smoky Mountains- Tennessee
I’ve visited the Smokies a few times in my life. They are beautiful and there are always so many things to do, especially as a family. My first full family trip (all the grandkids and everything) that I remember was to the Great Smoky Mountains. My grandparents had us return there just a few years ago, which I didn’t realize at the time would be our final family trip with our grandparents. We had a cabin that fit all TWENTY of us and while we did a lot together, we also had some time to explore on our own. Some of the most memorable activities were zip-lining, white water rafting (terrifying), Dollywood, and many more!!! We were able to do so much even as such a large family and we had the best time! I do truly wish we could go back, those are memories I will never forget. I could go on and on about the Smokies but even after visiting a few time I know for a fact there is still SO much more to see and do around the area and in the national park. We stayed in Sevierville which in my personal opinion was so convenient to a ton of attractions. Be sure to visit The Apple Barn Cider Mill/ Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant while you’re there for a great meal and all-things-apple.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach as a family vacation destination can be found in several different sources. I can confirm this as one of the family vacations I remember as a kid was the whole family road-tripping to Myrtle Beach for a week. While I have vague memories from this trip, I do frequently look back on the photos and remember what a fun and family-friend vacation this was! Of course in traditional grandparent-fashion, the whole crew was there, although much smaller over a decade ago. Besides it being a fantastic beach vacation, there are so many activities for the kids to keep them busy. From Ripley’s Aquarium, to the amusement park, to mini-golfing, you won’t be bored in Myrtle Beach. I know for sure the beach town has changed since I last went, but I would love to take another trip up there to see Myrtle Beach now. I won’t share any of the embarrassing photos from my younger days, but take my word that your family will have a great time here!
Rocky Mountains- Colorado
Another national park? Of course! National parks are great for family vacations and Rocky Mountain NP is a great place for all ages. Depending on the time of year you go will determine what activities can be done. The Rocky Mountains, in general, are typically thought of to be a great place for skiing and there are many ski lodges in the area. In the summer and the fall, the mountains are beautiful!! Several years ago, we took a smaller scale family vacation to ski in Colorado. The mountains are perfect for skiing and even the younger kids can begin to learn how to ski. Got to start somewhere, right? Besides skiing, there are many other winter activities going on! With the right conditions you can go hiking, search for wildlife, and horseback ride in the mountains as well. We have also taken a family trip in the summer a couple of years ago, which was incredible. Check out what there is to do at the specific time you decide to visit.
Jackson, Wyoming
Saved the best for last… not only is my favorite National Park, Grand Teton, located here, but this town is perfectly for families! While it is more pricey, it is the perfect escape to the mountains. Nearby is also Yellowstone National Park which you can take a day from Jackson to explore. Recently, we took a multigenerational family trip here and we had the best time together. Summer is the best time to visit, but you really can’t go wrong with visiting Jackson during any season. check out my blog for more information on taking a family trip to Jackson.
