Florida
Is there a better family holiday destination on the planet than Florida? Arguably not, judging from the large crowds that flock to the state’s many, many attractions each year. There are too many to list but perennial favourites include Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios, Sea World, Busch Gardens, the Everglades and more.
Whilst children may complain about the humidity and soaring temperatures during the summer, the winter months offer a particularly pleasant climate with temperatures averaging 23 degrees Celsius. Winter, particularly along the coast, is peak season in Florida when retirees from the north come to spend a couple of months. However, that said, as long as you avoid Spring break and Christmas, the queues at most of the theme parks do tend to be shorter than during the main summer school holidays.
Car hire is highly recommended to get the most from your stay, especially if you want to get round the best beaches and various theme parks. Hiring a villa in Orlando can prove more cost effective and flexible than a hotel if you’re travelling as a family and you’ll find that child-friendly restaurants, shopping malls and other local amenities are within easy reach.
A couple of days in Orlando can be combined with a relaxing week at the beach – both gulf and gold coasts are an easy drive. With a car, you can plan your holiday to suit yourself and there are plenty of other attractions within easy reach including Busch Gardens, the Kennedy Space Center, Miami, the Everglades, Daytona speedway, Myakka River State Park to name but a few.
Read more about the Gulf Coast
Read more about the Gold and Treasure Coasts
Read more about Miami
Read more about Walt Disney World Resort
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria offers a wide variety of landscapes from lush forests and towering peaks to huge sand dunes and volcanic craters. As well as the pleasant winter temperatures, families are drawn to this island by the lively beaches and array of attractions.
And there are plenty of beaches to suit all tastes, from the sweeping sands and majestic dunes of Maspalomas to the darker (and quieter) sands of San Agustin to the lively shores of Playa del Ingles. Particularly good for families with younger children is the man-made Playa de los Amadores, located midway between Puerto Rico and Puerto Morgan.
But, if the children get tired of the beach then there is a choice of waterparks including Aquasur near Maspalomas and Aquapark in Puerto Rico.
Sioux City is a popular day out with families. Here you can enjoy a taste of the Wild West with gun fights, sheriffs, show girls in the saloon and wigwams. Palmitos Park near Maspalomas is another popular excursion; a sub-tropical oasis featuring a variety of wildlife as well as a cactus garden, bird of prey shows, butterfly house and aquarium.
Or, for a look back in time, visit the reconstructed ancient village at the Mundo Aborigen in San Bartolomé de Tirajana. From camel rides to go-karting there is more than enough to amuse all age groups.
Dubai
Every year Dubai sees an increase in the amount of families heading to its shores. Whilst the average daily temperatures from April to October is a whopping 40 degrees, the winter months of December, January and February offer a much pleasanter proposition for families, especially those with smaller children.
The beaches in Dubai are superb and extremely family-friendly. Jumeirah Beach is arguably the most popular with tourists because of its wonderful white sand and warm turquoise waters, with many of the resorts claiming their own private strip of the beach, exclusive to users of their particular resort to stop overcrowding. In fact, many hotels are mini resorts in their own right, offering a vast array of attractions to amuse the whole family. Many of these are open to non-residents – such as the Aquaventure water park and Ambassador Lagoon aquarium at the Atlantis Palm Resort.
The public beach at Al Mamzar Park is also worth a mention. Here you will again find beautifully warm turquoise waters, long white sandy stretches as well as a playground for the children, barbecue sites and family picnic areas. On top of all this, watersports such as jet skiing and water skiing are also available from many spots along the beach.
If that’s not enough to satisfy your children’s excitement, head to the incredible 12 acre Wild Wadi Water Park, which boasts an impressive 23 interconnected thrilling water rides and smaller paddling pools for toddlers, all manned by the 90-strong lifeguard team on duty. Another attraction to check out in the future is Dubailand – a thrilling, huge new theme park currently being built.
Away from the superb beaches and luxurious resorts, no trip to Dubai can be complete without venturing out further afield into the desert where you will find a number of excellent family-focused activities such as touring the vast land in a 4x4 dune buggy and Dubai’s number one spectator sport; camel racing!
| Previous | 1 | 2 | 3 |
