Slovenia is a small but brilliant country, especially for places to go with kids. Rent a car and head north from the capital to Maribor , a compact city that's just a stone’s throw from active entertainment for all ages. There’s canoeing on the river Drava in summer and skiing in the nearby resort of Pohorje in winter. In spring, try the resort’s single-track toboggan run that hurtles down the ski slopes at up to 30mph.
Costa Rica is a world leader in eco and adventure tourism, with Monteverde as a prime example. About half of this protected area is conserved as the Bosque Eternal de los Niños ("Children's Eternal Forest"), a huge stretch of lush cloudforest, rainforest and montane evergreen forest threaded with trails and full of wildlife-spotting opportunities. As you'd expect, there are plenty of outdoor activities: hiking, camping, zip lines, canopy tours and horse riding.
Bali has an enchanting Hindu culture and jaw-dropping tropical landscapes which will leave any family spellbound. But there’s also no shortage of fun activities to keep kids interested, from Ubud’s monkey forest and shadow puppet shows to waterfall swimming at Gitgit and dolphin-watching off Bali’s north shore. When it’s time for tranquillity, the idyllic Gili islands are a short boat ride away.
Beyond experiencing the faded grandeur of this exciting city, Havana has a host of places to go with kids. A tour of the planetarium walks you around four floors of rooms, charting a journey through the cosmos, from the Big Bang (represented by a light and sound display) onwards. Or try Parque Almendares. As well as being a welcome expanse of greenery, it's also a perfect picnic spot and offers rowing on the river and crazy golf.
While Argentina isn't too well known as a family destination, it has a lot to recommend it. The food is delicious and kids will particularly appreciate the traditional heladerías, or ice cream parlours. There's also a stunning variety of landscapes and outdoor activities and the wildlife-spotting is second to none. If you want to venture away from Buenos Aires, Rosario makes a good base.
New Zealand is top of the most beautiful countries in the world 2022, as voted by you. And while the country's North Island might not have snowcapped mountains, it doesn't skimp when it comes to dramatic scenery. Kids will be enthralled by the sulphur stink at Rotorua, the tiny living lights in the glowworm caves of Waitomo and the bubbling pools at Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. If you hire a motorhome you can explore at your own pace.
Belize is one of the best of the world's smallest countries and one of the safest and easiest in Central America countries to explore with children. Apart from its colourful marine life and beautiful beaches, its malaria-free rainforest interior Belize provides tropical excitement. At Caves Branch Jungle Lodge near San Ignacio you can float downriver in an inner tube through luxuriant forests full of cheeky spider monkeys and squawking toucans, then wake up to a dawn chorus of chirping cicadas.
You won't find finer views and cleaner air than in Colorado and if you're looking for a family trip that embraces the great outdoors, this state begs to be explored. Start in the compact, mile-high city of Denver, from where it's a short drive to the sparkling alpine lakes and majestic peaks of the Rockies. Hidden further east is Colorado's answer to the Grand Canyon, the dramatic Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, one of America's most overlooked national parks
Kerala offers the Indian experience at a more manageable pace for families with babies or small children. Start in quaint Fort Cochin , a small, chilled-out quarter of Kochi with good hotels and restaurants. The peaceful backwaters can easily be reached on a day trip from here, but if you want to overnight along serene waterways on a houseboat made of wood and palm leaves, start out from Alappuzha (Alleppey) or Kumbakonam.
On the surface, this sprawling city doesn’t seem like one of the most sensible places to go with kids. But Nairobi has access to some wonderful child-friendly attractions. Nairobi National Park, where lions, leopards, giraffe and zebra roam free within sight of the city, is the perfect day trip for wildlife-watching. For a more hands-on experience, try the Giraffe Center where you can feed these elegant, long-necked beasts from a raised gallery.
Puglia, in the heel of Italy’s boot, is a great choice for a family holiday in the sun. With no end of pristine beaches, the Salento peninsula is a highlight and the seaside town of Otranto, with its hulking castle, also has family-friendly appeal. Inland Puglia is charming too, not least the fairytale trulli houses. Kids will love spotting these pint-sized limestone dwellings with conical roofs, which are dotted throughout the region.
The West Midlands are perhaps not the most obvious destination for a family holiday in England , but the region has tons of amazingly good fun activities for kids. You can see big game at the West Midlands Safari Park or visit the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley to go back in time to the 1930s and eat the best chips ever. The secret is frying them in beef dripping. Then there's Birmingham, which has an excellent Sea Life Centre.
For older children, Transylvania in Romania is a feast of freaky folklore. The historic city of Brasov is one of Rough Guides things not to miss in Romania and it's near neighbour Bran Castle is one of the reasons it's a must-do with kids. With its grim facade, turrets, ramparts, and precarious position, teetering atop a rocky bluff against a mountain backdrop, Bran Castle is the quintessential vampire count’s lair.
The capital of Scotland has a small enough city centre to stroll around and hosts a number of fun and educational attractions for the whole family. And it also happens to be one of the most beautiful places in Scotland as voted by Rough Guides readers. But what makes Edinburgh really stand out are its festivals. There are 12 major festivals throughout the year from a storytelling event to a science festival and not forgetting the famous Fringe .
For a European bucket-and-spade holiday, it's hard to beat Brittany the ruggedly beautiful northwest region of France . For families it offers everything from charming seaside resorts and friendly campsites to remote coves and rocky promontories. For a first visit, base yourself in Saint-Malo , where a strip of gorgeous beaches stretches east from the winding streets of the old walled town.
Of course Florida can't be beat on theme parks , but even if Orlando isn't your idea of a holiday, don't discount the Sunshine State. In the Northeast you can drive on the beach at Daytona, or have your bones rattled on the Shuttle Launch Experience at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. For something a little more serene, kids will be fascinated by gators in the subtropical wilderness of Everglades National Park, or you could head further up the coast to Tampa Bay and the northwest to swim with manatees in the Crystal River.
Toronto is a-buzz with kid-friendly activities, from cheap thrills like marvelling at the slick skyline and crisscrossing town on a streetcar to splashing out on a ticket to ascend the famous CN Tower or seeing dinosaur bones and Native Canadian headdresses at the Royal Ontario Museum. Chinatown and nearby Kensington Market are great browsing and wandering territory, and the Toronto Islands are only a ferry ride away, but a world apart from the city's hustle and bustle.
For the kind of nostalgic, bucket-and-spade holiday that brings back rosy memories of your own childhood, look no further than the Isle of Wight. There’s plenty to keep kids entertained here, from rockpooling and playing on safe sandy beaches to a raft of old-school attractions, including a model village and a steam railway. Don't miss Blackgang Chine, the UK’s oldest amusement park. Set in rambling cliff-top gardens, it's a child’s fantasy of pirates, cowboys and princesses, though the star turns are the life-sized animatronic dinosaurs.
This landscape of rare geological youth feels utterly alive – the earth belches out gasses, waterfalls cascade as if bursting forth for the first time, and the Northern Lights dance around the skies. You can easily experience much of the wonder on day-trips from the pint-sized, child-friendly capital, Reykjavík. The “Golden Circle” circuit is well established, while the otherworldly Blue Lagoon is also a simple excursion. Bathing in the Lagoon's warm waters with steam rising all around, children will feel like they’ve entered another realm.
If you’re looking to introduce young kids to the joys of the outdoors in Utah, spectacular Zion National Park is one of the most accessible places to start. Shuttle buses and well-marked trails (starting at just half a mile long) make getting to the stunning waterfalls and wildlife of Zion Canyon a breeze. Add in horseback rides, ranger-led youth tours and s’mores by the campfire in one of the park’s three campsites and you’ve got the makings of an unforgettable family trip.
Senegal in Africa has a lot to offer families, from wide open beaches on the wild Atlantic coast to some seriously curious natural wonders. There's the pink-hued Lake Retba, which, at its brightest, is a startling sight. There are undulating sand dunes ripe for you and your 4X4 to explore, and don't miss Ile de Fadiouth – a small island in the south made entirely from shells.
Antalya, in southern Turkey , is packed with activities to keep the whole family entertained. Behind Konyaaltı beach lies the Antalya Aquarium (complete with 4-D cinema), the Wildpark (devoted to insects and reptiles) and – for when the kids really can't bear the heat – an indoor snow park. Next door is Antalya Minicity, which has 1:25 scale re-creations of some of Turkey’s most iconic landmarks.
There are loads of kid-friendly destinations in Japan, but when it comes places with activities all the family will enjoy – as with everything – you're spoiled for choice in Tokyo. The Ghibli Museum and Odaiba are highlights, and the city has plenty of huge parks and interactive museums to explore together. Tokyo Disneyland is also nearby, while Yokohama (for Chinatown and yet another ferris wheel), Kamakura and Nikkō (more nature and history, less neon) are all doable on a day trip.
Cape Tribulation in Queensland is an amazing adventure for children, and adults too. With both lush forests and palm tree-lined beaches, there are plenty of activities on offer. You can also take a boat trip from the cape to the Great Barrier Reef or trek through Daintree Rainforest on the look out for prehistoric cassowaries, avoiding crocodiles, spiders and snakes along the way.
It's hard to choose one place to base yourself in Wales because the country is brimming with family-friendly holiday locations. Pembrokeshire has beautiful beaches and a rugged coastline ripe for exploration, whether you want to take a walk on the Coast Path or get a bit more hands-on with some coasteering and kayaking.
The Maldives might seem like a honeymoon-only destination, but don’t be put off. Most resorts are child-friendly, although it’s best to check first, to avoid being surrounded by just-married couples. Rent a hut on the beach and children will spend hours playing in the white sand, jumping in waves and snorkelling in the shallow waters. Many islands have swimming pools and offer beach games, kayak hire, and dolphin-spotting trips too, with diving courses for older children.
Ko Samui or Ko Lanta are great options for family holidays, with plenty of facilities and lots of distractions for kids. If the thought of resorts makes you shudder, Thailand has a well-developed traveller infrastructure making it fairly easy to head to a more secluded island or part of the mainland. Thailand is especially great for kids in January – National Children's Day (second Saturday of the month) means free activities and public transport for children throughout the country.
The outdoors is never far away in Cape Town, which makes the city a particularly great destination in South Africa for children. It's hard to beat the city's fabulous beaches, the highlight of which for most kids is Boulders, home to a resident penguin-breeding colony. The beach at Fish Hoek, a little further north, boasts a playground alongside its beautiful beach and gentle waves.
The fearless wildlife of the Galápagos Islands make adults feel like kids – and make kids feel like they just can't believe their luck. They’ll tiptoe in between giant tortoises, have birds land inches from their nose, splash around in the shallows with playful baby sea lions, and snorkel near hammerheads and enormous turtles. When they tire of the wildlife one-on-ones, regale them with tales of 16th and 17th century pirates who hid out on the islands.
Tiny Tobago is perhaps the most laid back place in the Caribbean for kids as it provides dozens of activities and wildlife experiences, from beachside horse-riding to hummingbird spotting. Instead of high-rise hotels you’ll find small-scale guesthouses accustomed to catering to families. Kids will love steel bands and street eats, fresh juice and safe swimming beaches. Just remember, once you've been "Tobagoed" you will want to go back.
