The Best Family Adventure Holidays: How to Create an Active Escape for All Ages

Planning a family adventure holiday can be tricky — especially when you're looking to satisfy the adventurous spirits of both kids and adults in one seamless journey.

Whether it's exploring the great outdoors, diving into new cultures, encountering extraordinary wildlife or seeking adrenaline-fuelled thrills, it's important to choose the right destination, resort and activities if you want to keep everyone happy for the duration of your trip.

To help you plan the ultimate active escape for all ages, we sat down with Travel Specialist, Lucy, who is an expert at creating fun-filled and stress-free family tours.

Here, she shares the best short-haul and long-haul destinations for an active family holiday, as well as her top tips for travelling together, and so much more!

Meet Our Family Travel Expert, Lucy

Lucy's love for travel started at a very early age, and she has since taken every opportunity possible to see the world.

Along the way, she's enjoyed many exciting journeys across Europe, has been backpacking through India, enjoyed beach hopping around Thailand and has been cross-country skiing in Swiss Alps, visiting countless destinations in between.

In recent years, she's found herself enjoying more sun holidays and city breaks in Europe with her own family, giving her first-hand insight into the unique pressures families face when travelling together.

Lucy joined the Inspiring Travel team back in 2015 and has since perfected the art of crafting effortless escapes for all ages. Here, she shares her top tips for planning holidays for the whole family that are all fun and no fuss.

Choosing the Right Holiday for your Family Adventure

The first step to choosing the perfect getaway for your loved ones is to get clear about what expectations your family has for their holiday. It’s important to have an in-depth conversation about your specific needs and requirements before you start planning your family trip.

This will guide you towards choosing a destination, activities and accommodation that will satisfy everyone's wishes.

What are some of the most important things to consider when choosing accommodation for families?

For some, this may be as simple as a family-friendly hotel or resort, where children are welcomed, and parents feel comfortable. For others, it could mean a top-notch kids’ clubs, babysitting, pushchair-friendly grounds, early dining times, short transfers, provision of cots, highchairs and car seats – these are all great for families travelling with younger children.

For older ones, parents might want to consider if there are any sports academies and educational experiences, as well as connecting rooms or suites to get that perfect balance of space and togetherness.

As a Travel Specialist, this is where I really add value for families. With first-hand knowledge of the resorts across our extensive portfolio, I'll ensure you truly get to the heart of your chosen destination, building in all the activities you want to do, whilst seeing to it that all the necessary provisions and family-friendly facilities are in place at the hotels you stay at.

Safari holidays are very popular with families now; what makes this style of travel so appealing for parents and kids?

Safari holidays are always very popular with families; we recommend them to parents with kids ages six years and up to really get the most out of this kind of holiday.

Safaris give you the chance to discover not only the wildlife, but the history, culture, and environmental aspects of your destination, so they are incredibly educational as well as being amazingly fun.

I find that families also love the feeling of being off grid on together too, as it gives them a chance reconnect away from the hustle and bustle of normal family life.

Combine this with a beach stay and safaris can make for the holiday of a lifetime!

Road trips are also becoming increasingly popular; why is this style of travel ideal for families and where are some of the best places to enjoy a self-drive adventure?

This type of travel really allows you to tailor your trip to any duration, travel at your own place, and take in as many stops as you wish. You can plan your route to focus on your family's interests too, be it wildlife, activities or sports.

The USA and Canada are very popular road trip destinations and are great for teenagers!

One of our most highly recommended self-drive itineraries in the US takes you through the national parks of Utah, where you can hire mountain bikes or horseback ride through the state's alpine landscapes, take in a rodeo experience, explore the petrified sand dunes at Antelope Canyon, and be awe-struck by the cinematic landscapes of Monument Valley.

You'll find our tailor-made itinerary here: Family Adventure through Utah's National Parks

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Adventure Holidays

How do you cater to different age groups when building activities and experiences into an itinerary?

I love to find out what interests the family has – either all together or individually. Kids may want to do lots of watersports or sports academies, while parents may want private dinners or spa treatments with babysitters arranged.

City breaks are popular with older children, as we can incorporate museum visits, foodie tours, Instagrammable photography tours, and historical sites to coincide with any educational topics they’re covering at school.

More active holidays, like skiing, may require ski schools for various ages, or tennis tuition, or cycling excursions – all of which can be arranged to suit different ages groups and interests.

How do you manage travel logistics, such as flights and transportation, to minimise stress for families?

We excel at making holidays as smooth as possible for everyone. Where available, we arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’ service at airports to help with luggage, check in, and assistance should there be any updates to flights at the last minute. This ensures the airport experience is easy and stress free, and your holiday starts as it means to go on.

We arrange private transfers with age-appropriate car seats. We also book flights with seats included whenever possible to ensure you’re all sat together as a family.

What are some of the biggest challenges families face when planning a holiday together, and how do you address them?

The challenges I find come from making sure everyone in the family is considered when talking about holidays, which is why it’s key for us to find out as much information at the start of the process, so there are no surprises further down the line.

Most requests we can accommodate – if not at Inspiring Travel, then we can refer one of our specialist brands within the group, so between us all, we cover most of the world.

I once had a family with teens who decided on a fantastic active holiday, and then at the last minute, invited the grandparents along, which is wonderful! However, one of the grandparents had some mobility issues, so this presented a challenge as the hotel they’d chosen was not suitable. We found an equally amazing alternative and altered excursions so that everyone could enjoy precious time together without compromising on the overall experience.

Top Tips for a Successful Adventure Holiday with Family

Book Your Holiday in Advance

One of the most important things to bear in mind when planning a family holiday is to book in advance — especially if you're planning to travel in peak school holidays.

If you want the pick of the best family-friendly accommodation at hotels, then booking early is crucial, as they do get snapped up. If you’re planning a more in-depth, multi-centre trip, then this is also the case, as flights are generally at their best price the earlier you book before travel.

Speak to your travel specialist about your plans, as we can advise which hotels get booked up a year in advance or when flights are released for specific dates. It’s never too early to have these conversations – and who doesn’t like having something extraordinary to look forward to.

Take Time to Relax

Family adventures can be full on — especially if you've planned a particularly active trip — so it's important to factor in some time to rest and unwind too. This creates space in your trip to reflect on the amazing experiences you're enjoying each day.

Make sure you've got enough down time factored into your itinerary, as it will ensure you come back feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

Try New Experiences Together

It's always good to try new things — it keeps life interesting!

Introducing little ones to unique experiences early on can ignite their curiosity, help them to learn, and build their confidence.

Enjoying activities together is also great way to make lasting memories and maybe even create new traditions as a family. Whether you picked up a new recipe that becomes a weekly staple or found your 'happy place' that you return to time and time again — travel can enrich family routines long after you arrive back home.

The Best Destinations for Family Adventure Holidays

Top Long-Haul Destinations for Families

If a long-haul flight is on the cards, then the Maldives is ideal for a family getaway. Not only does it offer parents the opportunity to relax and indulge, with some resorts offering private butler service and world-class spas, but it's also excellent for watersports enthusiasts and divers. Most islands also have great educational facilities for children to teach them about marine conservation.

Also in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is a fabulous choice for families — particularly those with teens — where you can swim with dolphins, embark on 4x4 expeditions through lush nature reserves and go glass-bottom kayaking.

Other popular long-haul adventure destinations for families include New Zealand and Costa Rica.

New Zealand boasts diverse landscapes and is home to the 'Adventure Capital of the World', Queenstown, where you can enjoy jet boating and bungy jumping. Costa Rica, on the other hand, is great for ziplining, wildlife encounters and beachside fun.

Canada is a top destination for a road trip-style holiday, which is appealing for families because it allows you to go at your own pace. For thrill seekers, there's white water rafting and cliff jumping in Banff, and you can also explore the wilderness on horseback, spotting wildlife such as elk, moose and bears in Jasper National Park.

Top Short-Haul Destinations for Families

In Europe, Italy, Spain and Portugal are all well-rounded destinations for families, where you can combine cities, beaches and outdoor activities. Lots of resorts have a real focus on sport or wellness and encourage being really active and discovering the destination this way.

Or, if you want to explore a truly unique country that's just a short flight from the UK, then Morocco offers so much for families. You can go hiking or mountain biking in the Atlas Mountains, embark on a desert safari or stroll through ancient cities, introducing young travellers to its vibrant culture and cuisine.

Over in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is a standout choice for families with kids of all ages. Go dune-bashing in the desert or spend fun-filled days at one of the many theme parks on Yas Island, from the fantastic Warner Brothers World to Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld.

Ski holidays offer a vast amount of adventure for the active family in destinations across Europe, including Switzerland, France, Italy and Austria. Beyond just skiing, you can try a whole host of other winter activities in these frozen wonderlands: sledging, snow shooing, ice skating … the list goes on.

Traditional winter ski resorts are also great for summer holidays in the mountains, where you can go hiking, electric bike touring, and enjoy other land sports without the intense heat of some beach destinations.

Benefits of Family Holidays

There’s nothing more precious than family bonding time, and in our busy modern world, it’s never been more important to take time out to relax and reconnect.

A break from our daily routines can give us the mental space we need to focus on what's most important to us and connect with our loved ones in an environment that is free from stress.

In addition to spending some much-needed quality time together, adventure family holidays are particularly good for strengthening bonds and creating lasting memories through new and shared experiences.

What's more, travel can be educational for young ones, introducing them to different cultures, environments, histories and cuisines. Depending on which destination you choose, you can immerse them in experiences that support topics they're studying in school or expand their learning beyond what they're covering in the classroom.

Ready to Start Planning Your Family Adventure Holiday?

At Inspiring Travel, we're here to make your family travel feel completely seamless.

Whether you're thinking of a whirlwind road trip with plenty of stop offs, a safari tour with family-friendly lodges or a fun-in-the-sun escape somewhere closer to home — we'll tailor every part of your journey to suit you and your loved ones.

To start planning your next adventure together, browse our handpicked collection of luxury family holiday or get expert advice on your dream destination by speaking to one of dedicated Travel Specialists.

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