Need some luck? Or are you just out of Hershey’s Syrup? Either way, you can buy this “Luckiness Syrup” in Shanghai (which is where I took this photo).
Have you seen any other oddly-named products while you were traveling? Share your pictures with us! (We will credit you, of course).
Family vacation travel can be a challenge to plan—especially if you’ve done Orlando and you’re tired of the local beach. Maybe you’re just looking for some exciting family vacation ideas for the upcoming family vacation and you want to travel far and away. We here at Tripbase decided to put together a list of the best family vacation travel destinations.
Our data covers a wide range of parameters in thousands of locations, and we considered everything from places with the most all inclusive kid friendly resorts to the number of attractions and parks as well as things like the popularity ratings with families, the range of kid friendly restaurants, hotels, entertainment and activities in order to come up with the best family vacation travel spots.
There are plenty of great family vacation ideas in destinations that are kid friendly, affordable and stunning all at once—especially if you take advantage of the package deals and all inclusive beach vacations in places like Cancun and the Caribbean Islands of Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. If you prefer a family vacation in kid friendly destinations that offer an urban landscape as well as plenty of family vacation activities, like zoos, parks, museums, natural wonders and historical sites, Sydney, Singapore, Vancouver and Victoria are great family vacation ideas.
For the history and art buffs, London and Barcelona are full of great family vacation ideas that are easy to navigate with public transportation and always have plenty of things to see and do. Finally, for those who want an easy-to-reach country with incredible wildlife, stunning natural parks and beautiful landscapes as well as plenty of water sports and attractions, like butterfly and orchid farms and canopy tours of evergreen rainforests by zip line, nothing beats Costa Rica for excellent family vacation ideas.
For more information about each location, including flight, hotel and car rentals as well as personalized travel recommendations tailored to you, family vacation ideas like where to stay and eat and what to see and do while you’re there, visit the Tripbase location page by clicking on the link.
1. Costa Rica Vacations
Costa Rica Vacations offer guided night safaris through rainforests, zip lines above a lush, green canopy, surfing lessons, and fun in the sand at one of the hundreds of beautiful beaches that line Costa Rica’s Caribbbean and Pacific coasts. If you’re into family vacations that have adventure tinged with the exotic, Costa Rica Vacations offer hikes at the base of active volcanoes, windsurfing on interior lakes, and visits to butterfly and orchid farms.
2. Cancun Vacations and Riviera Maya (Mexico)
Cancun Vacations offer kid friendly, all-inclusive packages, exciting activities and stunning nature are all wrapped up into one. The nearby Riviera Maya is a great place for family vacations away from the hustle and bustle. If you’re looking for a family vacation with great restaurants, clubs and shopping to go with your beach, Cancun Vacations have a hotel zone with plenty of choice. The Club Med Yucatan, nestled on its own little peninsula, has plenty of things for kids to do, including water sports and lessons, and is slightly quieter than the rest of the area. At Riviera Maya, you can enjoy 100 kilometers of white, sandy beaches alongside stunning Mayan ruins. Cancun vacations also offer fantastic snorkeling above the world’s second-largest barrier reef, the Xcaret eco-theme park, and swimming in “Cenotes”—to name just a few of the adventurous, kid friendly activities.
3. Dominican Republic Vacations (Dominican Republic)
Dominican Republic vacations offer plenty of all-inclusive, kid friendly vacation packages—not to mention the many direct flight options, which makes getting here for family vacations even cheaper. Learn to windsurf, work on your tan and enjoy great seafood while you’re at it! If there are teenagers in your family, Dominican Republic vacations include suave teen lounges at the Club Med in Punta Cana. It’s a crowd pleaser.
4. Jamaica Vacations
Jamaica vacations are great family vacations because it’s easy to reach the island and affordable to stay thanks to plenty of all-inclusive kid friendly resorts and direct flights from all over the world. Jamaica vacations offer great water sports, beaches and natural landscapes too.
5. Singapore Vacations
Singapore vacations might be humid, but family vacations there are great because it’s a safe and clean, kid friendly destination that your children will love for its incredible ‘open’ zoo– where you can go on night safaris. Check out the best deals on flights to Singapore and don’t miss the mystical temples, urban parks and water park attractions that Singapore vacations have to offer.
6. Sydney Vacations
Sydney vacations offer great wildlife, ultra-cool bridges, nice beaches and fast boats. Sydney is a great kid friendly destination for family vacations—especially if you like nature and want to use it as a stop-off point to some of the incredible offshore islands and the Great Barrier Reef on your next family vacation. The flights to Sydney are long, that’s for sure but this vacation spot is well worth the trek!
7. Paris Vacations
Paris vacations offer far more than just the Eiffel tower. Packed with urban thrills that kids will love—from charming urban parks to carousel rides and ‘bateaux mouches’ boats that travel up and down the Seine—Paris vacations are great for the entire family. The Louvre always has plenty of kid friendly exhibits that are engaging for family vacations and kids will enjoy experiencing metro rides and tasty new food. So what are you waiting for? Check out the flights to Paris and pack yourself off on a “tres chic” family vacation!
8. London Vacations
London vacations are certain to thrill everyone on the next family vacation. No one of any age could ever be bored in London. Top-notch museums with kid friendly interactive exhibits and urban attractions like the London Eye and the London Bridge are just a few of the mystical treats in this European playground. On your London vacation, you can visit castles and fortresses as well as sprawling urban parks and historical landmarks. London is a great destination for fun, educational activities and family vacations. Plus, it’s overflowing with some of the best kid friendly entertainment in the world—from street puppet shows to box office hits. So bag yourself a great deal on flights to London and get working on your cockney slang!
9. Barcelona Vacations
Barcelona vacations may have a reputation for offering chic design, top-notch seafood and stunning architecture that appeals to big kids, but small ones will find plenty of things to do here too. Family vacations here are great because Barcelona is teeming with lovely, urban spaces like Parc Guell, a kid friendly waterfront and zoo. Top-notch art museums choc full of interactive and engaging exhibits make Barcelona vacations constantly stimulating for kids. And the tourist destinations that adults flock to, like the old Blue Tram that climbs up a hill to Tibidabo and the aerial cable car that takes you from the port to Montjuic, are just as exciting for family vacations with kids. For even more adventure you might want to check out the flights to Madrid and spend some time in the capital before heading on to the architectural delights of Barcelona.
10. Vancouver and Victoria Vacations
Vancouver vacations are jam packed with kid friendly attractions, historic sights, natural wonders urban thrills and a wide range of hotels and restaurants to choose from. Visit the Kids Market on Granville Island, a mall with a Lilliputian entrance and many other charming features just for kids on a family vacation here. Just across the Strait of Georgia from the city of Vancouver on Vancouver Island is Victoria. Overflowing with beaches, biking, whale-watching, and hiking, Victoria vacations are great for family adventure vacations in nature.
For kid friendly travel in the U.S., see our previous blog on Family Vacation Destinations in the United States.
Tripbase is still under development, but we’re working on improving our algorithms and adding content every day, so if you have comments and criticisms for us, we’d love to hear from you.
When it comes to finding the best family vacation destinations, it can be tough to decide where to go for your next trip that will combine great, fun activities and attractions for the kids as well as the parents. Now you can explore ideas from Tripbase’s list of the best family vacation destinations and top family vacations in the United States. We looked at tens of parameters in thousands of locations across the United States to come up with a list of best family vacation destinations that include some all-time best family vacation spots as well as some less well-known, more off the beaten path places for the best family vacation destinations. We included cities from California to Florida, and a few in between. Our ratings are based on extensive Tripbase data that compiles information about each destination, including outdoor attractions, the number of family friendly entertainment options, all-inclusive package deals, family friendly hotels and budget friendly places (like restaurants, zoos and theme parks)—to name just a few. So whether you’re looking for a family adventure vacation with beaches and natural landscapes or you prefer theme parks and museums or a city packed with historical significance that will lend an education value to your next trip, check out our top suggestions for the best family vacation destinations.
For more information about each location, including flight, hotel and car rentals as well as personalized travel recommendations tailored to you, such as where to stay and where to eat and what to see and do while you’re there, visit the Tripbase location page by clicking on the link.
1. Myrtle Beach Vacations
Situated right on a 60-mile stretch of beautiful Atlantic Coast beaches called the ‘Grand Strand’ and 98 miles north of the historic city of Charleston, Myrtle Beach attracts over 13 million visitors a year and is one of the best family vacation spots in the United States. And for good reason. Myrtle Beach Vacations are a dream come true for families who want a wide choice of kid friendly restaurants and budget friendly activities– from water sports to beach walks and playgrounds to amusement parks, as well as all-inclusive hotel packages that often have special activities for kids. Myrtle Beach Vacations include water parks and dinner shows as well as plenty of concerts and special events here that cater to families. Myrtle Beach Vacations also offer plenty of great shopping.
2. Honolulu Vacations
Honolulu Vacations on Oahu are among the top family vacations because they combine stunning natural landscapes with loads of kid friendly activities. On Honolulu Vacations you can visit the popular Kapiolani Park, the Polynesian Cultural Center, an adventure water park, the Waikiki Aquarium, and the Honolulu Zoo. Honolulu Vacations on the island of Oahu have plenty of family oriented activities and pristine kid friendly beaches. If you’re into water sports or boat trips, you can swim with the dolphins, take a surfing lesson (kids too), visit Pearl Harbor, go to a luau and watch traditional Hawaiian dancers. The northern part of the island is less developed and a great place for those seeking more of an off the beaten path family vacation.
3. Orlando Vacations
Orlando Vacations in the theme park capital of the world offer dozens of choices for kid friendly hotels that have resorts with ‘beach pools’ and children’s activities. Orlando Vacations are one of the best family vacation spots in the United States thanks to the number of all-inclusive vacation packages offered there. On Orlando Vacations, you can find great deals to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, NickHotel (dedicated to all things Nickelodeon that features two water parks) and many others—even at Christmas time, when it makes a great, warm escape. If you want to do some exploring, there are more beach resorts nearby than you could count on two hands, including Amelia Island, Cocoa Beach, Clearwater Beach, Daytona and many, many more within two hours drive from Orlando.
4. New Orleans Vacations
New Orleans Vacations are starting to make a comeback after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, and New Orleans Vacations are top family vacations. With the Aquarium of the Americas, the Louisiana Children’s Museum, the jazz music festival and even Mardi Gras (there are great things for kids in the colorful festival), you’ll be surprised by how many things New Orleans Vacations have to offer families.
Washington, D.C. Vacations offer top-notch museums, national landmarks, kid friendly hotels, activities and entertainment in mind-boggling numbers. On Washington, D.C. Vacations, you’ll find zoos with baby pandas, natural history museums with dinosaur bones, the Air and Space Museum with all things aviation and rocket-oriented, insect gardens and sprawling urban parks. Washington D.C. Vacations are top family vacations because they offer education and history in a format that’s fun for kids.
6. San Diego Vacations
Sand Diego Vacations are top family vacations because they include visits to one of the best zoos in the world and spectacular beaches. San Diego Vacations are great for families because they have a wide range of hotel and restaurant options. Just a half hour away is Legoland California, a theme park with live shows, rides and mini villages constructed from Lego blocks. On San Diego Vacations, it’s an easy drive to the Anaheim area where Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom and many California Adventure theme parks are located too. There’s also the popular Universal Studios theme park where kids can explore movie-based attractions.
7. Chicago Vacations
Chicago Vacations include visiting the lovely waterfront and plenty of free activities that kids will love–from urban parks to the Lincoln Park Zoo and a nice boardwalk to beaches. Chicago Vacations are easy to navigate too, which is another reason why Chicago is one of the best family vacation spots. There’s the ‘El’ carriage rides– a favorite mode of transport for kids– and between that, trolley cars and buses, you won’t have trouble getting to the museums, lakefront, shopping, restaurants and kid friendly hotels. For girls, Chicago Vacations should include a day at the American Girl Place– one of the top attractions in the country. Plus, there are a plethora of high-quality museums in the downtown area.
Gatlinburg Vacations in Tennessee pack a great punch when it comes to top family vacations thanks to a wide range of family friendly and budget friendly attractions. A wide range of accommodations exist here and you’ll find great parks, the Ripley’s Aquarium, white water rafting, the Space Needle, mini golf, and the Guinness Book of World Record’s Museum, which are great to visit on Gatlinburg Vacations with kids. Don’t miss the host of attractions owned by Ripley’s while you’re there, including the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum, Haunted Adventure and Moving Theater 4-D. Gatlinburg Vacations also include access to the Ober Gatlinburg, with its aerial tram and plenty of rides, an ice skating rink, and a plethora of nightly kid friendly entertainment like the Lou Vuto’s Salute to Elvis in the Reflections Theater.
9. Philadelphia Vacations
Philadelphia Vacations combine great attractions with historical landmarks. Plus, Philadelphia Vacations are among the best family vacation spots because vacations here can easily include a drive to Hershey, just 90 minutes away from Philadelphia. Known as ‘chocolate town USA’ because it’s the home of Hershey’s chocolate, you’ll find Hersheypark, the Hotel Hershey (an antique themed hotel with a club for kids), the Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park, the Chocolate World Visitor’s Center and the Hershey Lodge. On Philadelphia Vacations, there are loads of museums and landmarks that are a great way to introduce kids to American History without boring them to tears and plenty of family friendly entertainment options, great restaurants, shopping, and art galleries for a night out on the town.
10. Williamsburg Vacations
Colonial Williamsburg Vacations in Virginia are top family vacations because they have an educational twist. Take the whole family back in time to life in the 1770’s, right before the American Revolution, through historic villages that replicate colonial life, actors and volunteers dressed in period costume from 230 years ago on Colonial Williamsburg Vacations. There are plenty of things to see and do on Colonial Williamsburg Vacations. And from there, it’s a short trip to Yorktown and the nearby Busch Gardens Europe theme park (in the summertime) and Water Country USA –both great places to go for a dip with the kids.
Food vacations are rising in popularity these days. After all, food and travel go hand in hand, so why shouldn’t you explore the idea of food vacations? We all know that world-renowned destinations like Paris, Barcelona, Rome and London have great dining, but before you get busy booking flights to Rome or flights to Florence it’s worth bearing in mind that you can find fantastic food for less at best value restaurants around the world. This is Tripbase’s list of the places to go for the best international food vacations. These are the international cities where you’ll get the best value restaurants, and where you’ll find everything from spicy Indian dishes to mild seafood meals. The best part is that you won’t break the bank to eat delicious, interesting food. For more in-depth, personalized recommendations for best value restaurants and international food vacations as well as travel information about each place, just click on the link.
We looked at thousands of international destinations and considered tens of parameters, including the variety of best value restaurants (ethnic, American, and neighborhood places where the locals go), the actual number of best value restaurants (not including fast food venues) and the average costs of a meal (with service and one drink) as well as the number of top-rated chefs per capita, the number of chef-owned restaurants and the popularity ratings of the best value restaurants in a city in order to come up with the recommended destinations for food vacations that have the best value restaurants.
For more information about each location, including food vacations, flight, hotel and car rentals as well as personalized travel recommendations and best value restaurants tailored to you (along with where to stay, where to eat and what to see and do while you’re there) visit the Tripbase location page by clicking on the link.
Best International Food Vacations and Best Value Restaurants
Food vacations, including vacations that seek great food and wine travel as well as best value restaurants, are becoming more and more popular. At Tripbase, we thought you gourmands might like to know where you can go for the best food vacations in the u.s., i.e., where to get the best value restaurants for your buck. We looked at thousands of food vacations destinations and considered tens of parameters, including the variety of best value restaurants (ethnic, American, and neighborhood places where the locals go), the actual number of best value restaurants (not including fast food venues) and the average costs of a meal (with service and one drink) as well as the number of top-rated chefs per capita, the number of chef-owned restaurants and the popularity ratings of the restaurants in a city in order to determine the best places in the u.s. for food vacations with best value restaurants.
Although twenty years ago it might have been difficult to find more than a handful of great u.s. cities known for their restaurants, that’s far from true today. Most American cities today offer a wealth of great restaurant options, but these are Tripbase’s top ten destinations for food vacations with best value restaurants. Here, you’ll find cities teeming with choice—from the dim sum in New York’s Chinatown to the deep-dish pizzas in Chicago—plus everything in between. Asian cities are well known for fresh, inexpensive seafood and digging into a plate of something scrumptious in Seattle’s downtown market or at one of Austin’s authentic Mexican restaurants won’t break the bank.
For more information including flights to San Francisco, flights to Chicago, flights to Boston, hotel and car rentals as well as personalized travel recommendations, visit the Tripbase links.
Food Vacations and Best Value Restaurants
1. New York restaurants (New York)
2. Washington, D.C. restaurants
3. New Orleans restaurants (Louisiana)
4. Atlanta restaurants (Georgia)
5. San Francisco restaurants (California)
6. Chicago restaurants (Illinois)
7. Houston restaurants (Texas)
8. Boston restaurants (Massachusetts)
9. Seattle restaurants (Washington)
10. Austin restaurants (Texas)
Tripbase is still in development, but we’re working on improving our algorithms every day, so if you have comments and criticisms for us, we’d love to hear from you.
Happy Travels,
The Tripbase Team
