These 10+ kid-friendly trips are fun and laughter for the whole family!
Are you planning a vacation for the whole family? Do you need a little help? I’ve got 10+ kid-friendly trips to take in 2023 that are up for consideration! Family vacations provide an excellent chance to enjoy quality time with your kids. The key is choosing the right vacation type for your particular needs. Here are some ideas to make your family getaways as memorable as possible.
Related: Top National Parks To Visit This Spring
Kid-Friendly Trips To Take In 2023
Whether it’s a day trip, a weekend, or a week, the below kid-friendly trips will get you thinking. The best things are yet to come, so let’s make 2023 the best year in travel!
I love to visit small towns. Just this year, I’ve been on several road trips to quaint towns, and my favorite family trip has to be when my grand(son) and I went to Marble Falls in the Texas Hill Country. We want to return to do the things we missed, and kayaking the Colorado River is one of them.
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1. Beach
While the beach is an excellent place for kids to roam, it’s also fun for you. It’s a win-win in my book! Everyone in the family, older kids too, will enjoy a trip to the beach. You can not go wrong choosing a beach vacation – ever! Have you thought about inclusive resorts? One price and that’s it. It usually includes tips as well.
Beach time can be as busy or relaxing as you want – swimming, surfing, fishing, building a sandcastle, flying a kite, or collecting shells is in the forecast! My family and I went to Myrtle Beach one year in March. I don’t advise that. It was winding and cold, but we had a free place to stay, and I used airline miles, so it was worth it to us. Most of what we did there was indoors!
There’s something to be said about “sand between your toes.” Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, AL, has beautiful beaches to consider. Plus, a great zoo and a state park are there as well.
Related: Top 10 Beaches to Visit This Summer
2. Camping
One of the best places to connect with family is under the stars. The great outdoors can provide so much fun for you and your family. Besides the camping itself, these trips can include fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and even a fun scavenger hunt.
If camping is your choice, consider investing in camping and hiking gear for kids, but don’t leave yourself out – camping gear for adults is needed, too! It will save you time and stress having tools and adequate equipment handy.
Have you ever checked out Getaway Cabins? We’ve stayed in two locations in Texas that offered nature trails, secluded areas, the ability to cook over a fire pit, and more. We enjoyed it. The link above is my referral link. If you enter GREENMOM at checkout, it may give you 20% off.
3. Mountains
The mountains provide the perfect place for solace and family hikes out in nature. Going to the mountains is my pick for our kid-friendly trip in 2023. I don’t know which mountain yet – there are so many!! If the mountains weren’t so far from our Texas home, I’d go more often – it’s my favorite place to wonder.
4. Road Trip
Whether you’re taking to the road to visit Aunt Mary or going across state lines, road trips are one of the most rewarding vacations for families. You’re in the car for hours and can talk about everything under the sun with your children. It’s my preferred way to travel these days. Some of the best family vacations I’ve taken are by car.
Kid-friendly road trips are even better when you stay at hotels that include complimentary breakfast – like Holiday Inn Express. Kids love getting their own food. Mine goes straight for those pancakes!
5. Theme Park
Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland is a kid’s dream. You may find coupons for these two places if you dig deep enough. We took our son when he was three, so he will not remember any of it. It was fun – hot, though. If you have young kids, take lots of photos so one day you can show them to your kids when they get older.
6. Area Lakes
Pick a lake, any lake. Lake Michigan is beautiful. I tasted it when I went up north to Wisconsin in July. Wow, it’s enormous! But if that lake is not doable, head out to your nearest lake for the day and take a picnic. While at it, rent a boat and do some fun water sports. Lake Conroe, TX, is an excellent choice for renting a boat.
7. State Parks
Always consider visiting a nearby state park because it offers kiddos a world of outdoor activities. I’ll never forget our day trip to Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, TX. Besides searching for dinosaur tracks in the cold water, the kids also went geocaching, had a picnic, and hiked as much as possible until we got tired.
8. National Parks
If you haven’t been to the Grand Canyon National Park, I highly suggest planning for it before the kids get too old and are out of the house. It’s such a thrill-seeking place and a great choice for visiting a national park. I’ve read about how some families make it their mission to visit every National Park in the United States. I don’t think I’ll ever do that, but it’s important to some travelers.
My dream family trip would be to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I hear great things about the area, but I would need a long weekend. It’s on my travel bucket list for sure.
You’ll get the best of both worlds visiting Rocky Mountain National Park – the park and the mountains.
Yellowstone National Park is an outdoor adventure that can’t be beaten. Family members will enjoy their time here, especially if you like wild animals, glaciers, and Junior Ranger programs. We took our son here when he was three. I took many photos to show him one day, hoping he would remember. He got sworn in as a JR Ranger from one of the Rangers there—priceless.
Related: Visiting Yellowstone National Park With Children
9. Water Park
Want to know about a place with over 20 water parks, all in proximity to one another? Of course you do. I did not know this before I planned a trip up there earlier this year, but Wisconsin Dells, WI, is the Waterpark Capital of the World and boasts indoor/outdoor water slides.
Or what about Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels?
10. Amusement Park
Have you priced amusement parks lately? I was looking into attending Fright Fest Halloween Adventure at Six Flags Over Texas this month, and the Saturday tickets are $55+ each. I’m not even sure Brody will ride the rides or go into a haunted house —so that’s a no for me. However, I do want to take him on a regular day.
Other Kid-Friendly Trips To Take In 2023
San Antonio River Walk is fantastic and is a popular destination in the summertime – warning you now, it’s busy and crazy in the summer.
Hot Springs, Arkansas, has some fantastic places to dine and play, zip line, and beautiful gardens galore. I took a solo trip to Hot Springs a couple of years ago and had the time of my life …all alone, lonesome!
New York City might be fun if you have teenagers. Watching the Today Show out on the plaza would be a thrill.
The San Diego Zoo is a great zoo to visit. I went there many years ago, but I’m sure it’s changed. It does excellent reviews.
If you’re planning a kid-friendly trip, these trips are some of the most common options. Considering factors such as length of stay, age of your children, and how much money you’ve saved or want to spend, you can plan a vacation that your kids will remember forever. And don’t forget, we live in a time where we need to take travel restrictions seriously. Be sure to read up on the places you have decided to go. I’ll tell you, though – camping is your best bet!
Check out my Instagram feed for more wonderful trips – https://instagram.com/mytravelingroads.