Nothing beats a great family vacation. These momentous occasions help your family bond together, making memories that will last a lifetime. They also let mom and dad relax while still providing the kids the quality time they need, but you must take everyone’s priorities into account to keep them happy.
Fortunately, there are a few great family-friendly vacation destinations around the United States, including:
- Yellowstone National Park
- Redwood National and State Parks
- Walt Disney World
- Chicago, Illinois
- Destin, Florida
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Hawaii
- New York City
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- San Diego, California
- top waterparks US
- Dollywood
By reading further, you will learn more about these 11 places, along with ways you can balance everyone’s needs and your budget.
Table of Contents
Is it Possible to Find Good Inexpensive Family Vacations?
Family vacations are rarely just about having fun. These excursions let you take a break from your high-stress life. However, when it is time to rally the troops for a memory-making good time, most people want something new and exciting, but affordable. Fortunately, while the average family vacation costs around $5,197, you can lower your vacation costs by choosing cheaper options.
For instance, you can head to the great outdoors for scenic national parks, adventures, and camping. Your kids get to burn off energy while you reconnect with nature. Another way to reduce your vacation costs is to take a road trip instead of flying.
If you want to stay in civilization, then you can travel to less-visited beach towns and other fascinating, under-the-radar destinations and attractions.
What Makes for a Good Family Trip?
Ideally, a good family trip is a trip your whole family enjoys, but what is suitable for one family can be terrible for another. It can also change based on your mood and desired activities. That does not mean that there aren’t common characteristics. Kids are kids, and some things will always work better than others.
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Take an Active Vacation
Taking an active vacation, such as hiking and camping, creates bonds while keeping your kids manageable and improving their education. Other activities such as zipline courses and rafting can even help your kids overcome their fears.
Plan The Trip Long Before You Take It
Any trip can be good if you plan it. Family happenings can change on a dime. Your kids may see something that catches their eyes and demand to go there. With a preset plan, you can control these situations with appropriate responses and alternatives.
Pack a Goodie Bag
Depending on your destination, you have a long trip ahead of you. Bringing snacks, drinks, and games with you can keep your children occupied during the boring stretches while reducing the number of required stops along the way.
Drive Safely
Your anxious kids may want you to speed to your destination but resist the urge. If you want a great family trip, you must keep it safe. That means driving slowly, stopping for bathroom breaks as needed, and eating something when hungry.
Be Ready to Entertain
The best family trips provide memorable moments all along the way. That includes the journey as well as the destination. Especially true for long trips, you want something to entertain everyone while stuck together in the car.
Never Forget to Have Fun
If you want a good family trip, you must have a good family trip. It may seem obvious, but it is true. You should never get bogged down with the finances and planning aspects of your trip. Once you leave home, the only thing you should have on your mind is having fun with your kids. That means choosing activities everyone in your family can do together. While travelling around you can have taste over the authentic dishes every new place offers take a look at best luxury cuisine destinations in the US to taste world class food variety.
The 11 Best Family Vacation Destinations in the US
National parks, historic villages, whitewater rafting, and seaside attractions are just some of the many family-friendly destinations around the United States. Some of these destinations even offer low-cost attractions for families on a budget.
While no list can show every great family vacation destination available to you, the following 11 provide a variety of exciting options for everyone. Whether you head for the great outdoors, hit the beach, or just around town, these places will produce memories that will last a lifetime.
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Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
There is no other place like Yellowstone. This massive nature preserve offers numerous natural attractions, including majestic mountains, geysers, clear springs, canyons, gushing waterfalls, and subalpine forests. Notable sites include Lamar Valley, Mammoth Springs, Canyon village, and the Old Faithful Geyser.
The place feels like a fairy tale. You go for breathtaking sights, affordable camping, challenging hikes, and everything in between. You may even spot a few buffalo roaming the place, along with many other examples of the park’s diverse wildlife.
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Redwood National and State Parks, California
If you can make your way to Northern California, you will find several fantastic nature parks and trails, including the fantastic Redwood National and State Parks system. The towering redwood trees offer many family-friendly hikes that go deep into the woods. Your whole family will enjoy the chance to get out, explore, and enjoy nature with plenty of fabulous family photo opportunities.
Your kids will love climbing the sky-high sequoias in the mile-long Lady Bird Johnson Grove before visiting the Roosevelt elk grazing in Elk Meadow. From there, you can hike to Trillium Falls before taking a guided tour of coastal tide pools to see the whales out in the ocean.
Walt Disney World, Florida
No best list of family vacation spots would be complete without Walt Disney World. The park’s allure and charm are timeless. The main Magic Kingdom Park offers numerous performances and thrilling rides for everyone in your family. Once you are done there, you can check out the other theme parks such as Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and multiple water parks.
Once you are done with Disney, you can expand your vacation to the greater Orlando and Kissimmee area that surrounds it.
Chicago, Illinois
If your family prefers the big city, you can take your kids to Chicago. The “Windy City” has enough family-friendly attractions that your kids will never be bored. There is the Millennium Park. You can check out the animals at the Lincoln Park Zoo or Shedd Aquarium. You can even take your kids to see the Cubs play at Wrigley Field.
Other popular kid-friendly attractions include the Chicago Children’s Museum at the Navy Pier and the Maggie Daley Park playground and mini-golf course. You can then finish your trip gazing upon the city from either Willis Tower Skydeck or the John Hancock Center Observation Deck.
Destin, Florida
For a lighter vibe, you can take your kids to a small fishing village such as Destin, Florida. As the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” Destin offers many family-friendly, fun, and relaxing amenities and attractions. The village has great fishing spots, sprawling white-sand beaches, and the nearby Henderson Beach State Park. The state park offers numerous scenic hiking trails through dunes with great views of the ocean.
After your hike, your family can spend time snorkeling in the ocean, parasailing, or strolling along Destin Harbor Boardwalk. You can even go on a pirate-theme cruise for dolphin spotting before ending the day at one of the many water parks in the area, such as Big Kahunas and Gulfarium Marine.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
As one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon is a sight to be seen. Your kids may complain about the lack of wi-fi access, but they will remember the trip forever. There are hiking trails up and down the canyon that showcase the majestic beauty of the place.
Other fun family activities include:
- Exploring historic buildings and museums
- Riding a mule
- Cycling down the trails
- Riding on the Grand Canyon Railway
- Rafting in the various streams
More experienced hikers can enjoy more secluded accommodations by taking a stroll to the many campfires situated a mile below the rim along the river.
Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite is another great destination if your family loves the outdoors. The Park offers over 1,200 square miles of stunning rock formations, daunting cliff faces, and towering waterfalls. You can go hiking through the old sequoia trees, fishing, or whitewater rafting down the Merced River, or spend the day viewing the sights of Glacier Point. If you are interested in seeing smoky mountaints national parks then you can consider visit gatlinburg on a budget too.
As for accommodation, you can camp in the park or stay at one of the many family-friendly resorts and hotels in the Yosemite Valley. From there, you can take the free park shuttle to reach breathtaking locations such as El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, and the Half Dome. You may also want to set aside time to see who can reach the top of Vernal Falls down the majestic Mist trail first.
Hawaii
Perfect for older kids, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the big island lets your kids stroll down trails that lead past black lava rocks, smoking steam vents, and enormous craters. You can even ask for ranger-guided walks or go out on your family excursion out on the volcanos. Do not forget to take your kids through Thurston Lava Tube, an old underground lava tunnel.
Once done with volcanos, you can check out the other islands, such as Maui and Oahu. Maui offers several great state and national parks that showcase dormant volcanoes, breathtaking black sand beaches, and traditional Hawaiian festivals and culture.
New York City, New York
The urban wonderland of the Big Apple offers a wide variety of accommodations, restaurants, and attractions for all ages.
If you have young kids, your family should spend time in the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, the Natural History Museum, or Central Park and its Zoo. You can then satisfy your sweet tooth at Dylan’s Candy Bar or Magnolia Bakery.
Older kids who want to be the center of attention should check out Times Square at night or ride to the top of the Empire State Building. You can then enjoy some pasta and gelato at Eataly NYC Flatiron. From there, your family can take a Scott’s Pizza Tour, or see a Yankees, Mets, Knicks, or Rangers game.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Located 90 minutes from Denver, Colorado Springs offers numerous family-friendly actives around town and up on the mountainside. It is an excellent spot for active families that love to stay healthy while traveling.
Situated at the base of Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs is a hub for outdoor activities such as hiking and biking. Numerous scenic trails head up the mountain that inspired the lyrics to “America the Beautiful.” You can then visit the Garden of the Gods, a red sandstone rock formation near the cascading Seven Falls. You can even take your family to see pro athletes in action at the U. S. Olympic Training Center.
When it is time to head back to the city, you can stop by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the nation’s only mountain top zoo. Your family can then take the Wild West tour through historic Old Colorado City, and stop by the many themed art galleries and souvenir shops.
San Diego, California
For a great Southern California vacation, you can take your family to San Diego. Whether you stay a day or a weekend, your family will love frolicking through the city. You can sunbathe on one of the free beaches, visit the museums, or spend the day at the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, or Safari Park. Even if you just explore the serene Balboa Park, your family will leave with many sweet memories of the city.
Outro
Family vacations are a great way to bond with your kids while you relax away your stress. However, they only work if the vacation has something for everyone. While there is no best destination for every family, the 11 mentioned here offer enough memory-making activities that your whole family can enjoy. While booking tickets sometime you might get offered for last minute upgrade, know more here if Are Last-Minute Upgrades Cheaper?