The truth: You only have 18 summers with the kids at home. Eighteen summers! When you see it there in black and white it’s like a punch in the gut. All the more reason to carefully plan out your family travel adventures so you don’t waste a single spring break or summer vacation. While of course you will continue to travel with your brood long after they leave the nest, there are some trips and destinations you won’t want to wait to experience together. Below, the nine best trips to take with your kids before they fly the nest:
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Just a short, 20-minute flight from the main island of Puerto Rico, Vieques may as well be another planet. Previously the home of an American Navy base, this island just re-opened to tourists in the early 2000s and it still has the raw, remote feel of a deserted tropical island. Rent a jeep (it’s the only way to get around here) and head to Blue Beach where you may be the only sunbathers there the entire day. On your way, stop to pet the wild horses that roam free all over the island. At night, do not miss a paddle in the bioluminescent bay, where stingrays jump out of the water with trippy, drippy fluorescent trails and fish dart underneath you leaving iridescent tracks behind.
Take the Kids When They’re: in elementary school, tweens, teens
Yellowstone National Park
A perfect spring, summer or fall vacation, this enormous park is full of kid-friendly takes that really show them how vast and gorgeous the United States is. Although summer is peak season, once you get beyond the main tourist sites regardless of season, you’ll feel like you have the whole park to yourself. Yes, you should see Old Faithful (and note, most of the paths nearby are paved, so it’s all very stroller friendly) but you should also drive through the Lamar valley for your animal fix to see hundreds and hundreds of Bison milling around you. Swim in the Boiling Spring where a burning hot spring meets an ice-cold stream, making it a lovely site and temperature for a dip. If you can, score a room at The Old Faithful Inn, which books up months in advance, but is like traveling back in time (and it’s the best vantage to see Old Faithful). You can really match the itinerary to the kids’ age here, and they will remember it forever.
Take the Kids When They’re: preschoolers, in elementary school, tweens, teens
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From North America’s largest coral reef to a voyage north of the Arctic CircleSan Diego Zoo, San Diego, California
There are zoos and then there is the San Diego Zoo. From the earliest days when this zoo was a pioneer of cage-free exhibits, this park, full of hippos and elephants and cobras and lions, has been setting the standards that all other zoos follow for decades. There are so many special ways to visit, some before the zoo opens to the public, like a private, guided tour of the zoo in an expanded golf cart (“Discovery Cart Tour”), or an up-close-and-personal meet-and-greet with the big cats in residence. Your animal lover will never forget it.
Take the Kids When They’re: preschoolers, in elementary school, tweens, teens
New York City, New York
The jaw-dropping march of skyscrapers never ends in this city, at least until you get closer to the park, which is its own superlative city adventure. Take the kids to the Met and to MOMA (if you have littles, cap your time at 30 minutes so they stay interested) head to the top of the Empire State, to Ground Zero, to the Central Park Zoo, and then wrap up your action-packed days with a kid-friendly show on Broadway like Harry Potter or the Lion King. What are their favorite things? Tailor your itinerary to all their passions, from skating at 30 Rock, to seeing how their ancestors arrived via Ellis Island, to perusing authentically over the top shops on tony 5th Avenue.
Take the Kids When They’re: in elementary school, tweens, teens
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From the Bahamas to the Scottish Highlands, these places have a little something for everyonePark City, Utah
Once everyone is off the bunny slope, skiing is one of the most rewarding family sports under the sun, and Park City is the perfect place to play. Full of gorgeous long cruisers and peaks that take both Ikon and Epic passes, you will cherish the moment your kids out-ski you here. Of all the big mountains to visit, these peaks are also some of the easiest to access and the most family friendly. Yes, you can fly direct to Eagle Airport and ski Vail and Beaver Creek in Colorado, but those are hard plane tickets to score, and more than likely you’re stuck taking the long van ride from Denver over the Vail Pass. Don’t waste precious time — ski Utah instead!
Take the Kids When They’re: in elementary school, tweens, teens
Sanibel Island, Florida
Just off the coast of our southernmost state is the Island of Sanibel (easily reachable by car) which is home to some of the most gorgeous beaches and most incredible shelling in the U.S. and possibly on earth. Stay right on the water at a resort like Sundial, and put the kids in for a half day at Sanibel Sea School, where a naturalist will teach them about the tides, ocean animals and the ecosystem. (When we visited, my kid was bitten by an octopus he found hiding in a shell! It didn’t hurt and he has amazing stories and memories of the adventure.)
Take the Kids When They’re: preschoolers, in elementary school, tweens, teens
Disney World, Orlando FL
It is truly the most magical place on earth. Even though it is also home to the most epic tired-kid meltdowns on Earth, you cannot help — whatever your age — be lulled by the excitement of seeing all your favorite…I mean all your kids’ favorite characters walking and talking around you. There is always a new attraction or a new parade to see, and your family’s favorites and the park itself will change over time. Stay at one of the Disney budget properties to save money (and still get all the on-property perks) and make sure to reserve one day to skip the parks and play at the hotel pool.
Take the Kids When They’re: preschoolers, in elementary school, tweens, teens
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Plus, where to go outside the House of MouseWhite Water Rafting, Maine
Tack this trip onto the end of a New England getaway, but visit when you have bigs. White water rafting is the ultimate keep-them-off-their-phones adrenalin rush and is incredible family bonding for active families. Stay in a hotel nearby, or even better, camp out under the stars with your crew. Rafting is relatively safe, but man, it doesn’t feel like it when you’re in class four rapids! Check out both the Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers.
Take the Kids When They’re: tweens, teens
Washington DC
Some kids may visit on a middle school trip, but that doesn’t compare to going as a family. Check out the Air and Space Museum, the White House and Capitol, the incredible war memorials (anyone you want to research/find on the Vietnam War wall?) and take in the important Holocaust Museum. Many of these museums are best visited through the lens of your family’s own personal heritage — whether you have a veteran or a concentration camp survivor in your lineage, these are the details that bring your visit to life.
Take the Kids When They’re: in elementary school, tweens, teens
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