Planning your next vacation and looking for some of the best countries to visit with kids?
Well look no further, we have compiled all the best family-friendly countries to visit that are safe, fun, easy, and kid-friendly. Places that are great for children of any age including toddlers or babies too!
All these are the best travel places to take kids – we should know since we’ve taken our kids to ALL of these countries for our family vacations! Most of these destinations were on our 1 year trip around the world, but these could easily be vacations or extended travel places to take the kids.
What You'll Find in This Post
- 1. Cambodia
- 2. South Africa
- 3. Vietnam
- 4. Croatia
- 5. Malta
- 6. Czech Republic
- 7. United Kingdom
- 8. United Arab of Emirates
- 9. Jamaica
- 10. Australia
- 11. Hungary
- 12. Thailand
- 13. New Zealand
- 14. Canada
- 15. Austria
- 16. Singapore
- 17. Malaysia
- 18. France
- 19. Indonesia
- 20. Mexico
- 21. Spain
- 22. Bulgaria
- 23. Italy
- 24. Cuba
- 25. South Polynesian (Vanuatu & New Caledonia)
- 26. Dominican Republic
- International Family Travel Tips
1. Cambodia
One of the best international travel destinations for families is Cambodia. Siem Reap is a fantastic place to explore with kids and the people of Cambodia love kids and help families feel comfortable and safe. The easiest way to travel to Cambodia is through the airport with your family.
2. South Africa
South Africa is one of the most beautiful places in the world to visit with family. The country has so much to offer from kid-friendly African safaris or city escapes in Cape Town. We spent over 3 weeks in this country and it is one of our favourite countries in the world.
South Africa is a safe and easy destination to take your family. We reveal all the questions you may have about taking your kids on an African Safari which resolves any doubt that you should take your kids to Africa!
3. Vietnam
Without a doubt, Vietnam is one of the most family-friendly countries to visit. Vietnam was the first Southeast Asian country that we took the kids to and was genuinely impressed with how much the people and the travel industry cater to kids.
We spent 4 weeks travelling all over Vietnam with some of the best highlights in Hoi An, Halong Bay, Hanoi and Phu Quoc. All of the places in Vietnam are kid-friendly. We felt safe and found it very easy to travel around this country.
Vietnam would be a great place to take toddlers and babies too!
4. Croatia
Croatia is a dream destination for families. All kinds of fun activities for the kids to do, with plenty of beach days, swimming, hiking, and exploring waterfalls. Kids love taking the ferries out to the other islands and snorkelling in the clear blue water.
I would suggest it is one of the best European countries to visit with kids, they love the food, sunshine and really easy for the kids to have a good time. As well, most people speak English which can make it easy for North Americans to visit and feel comfortable.
5. Malta
When we booked Malta to take our kids to we had no idea what to expect nor did we know anyone that had taken their kids there. But, we absolutely loved Malta with our kids and highly recommend it for families.
Located south of Italy it offers great weather, clear blue water and a unique amount of history with the location between Europe and Africa. So you can have beach days with your family and also get a big dose of history and culture. Be sure to go visit the island of Gozo too. It is one of the best family holiday destinations in the world and a place that is undiscovered by many!
6. Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a great country to take kids to. We loved taking our kids to Prague and think it is one of the best cities to visit with kids. There are tons of playgrounds and parks to take the kids to in the heart of the city. They have kid-centric activities and fun things for the kids to do in the city.
The Czech Republic can also be a great country that you can pair with other close countries to visit with the family. We did a 10 day trip through the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria to see all these amazing family-friendly countries.
7. United Kingdom
If you are new to travelling in Europe, the United Kingdom is an easy country to try first for your first international family vacation. The easiest part is that everything is in English, including menus, signs, taxi drivers and any other communication you need.
It’s also a great place to introduce kids to that are new to travelling. London has some very cool things to do including the Making of Harry Potter Studio which is always a hit with kids.
8. United Arab of Emirates
The United Arab of Emirates may not have been on your radar and it wasn’t necessarily for us either. But, when planning our travel we found out that Dubai is a central hub for many flights so why not make a stopover in this country to check it out.
Dubai has tons of things to do with kids, more than I ever expected and they love families travelling in the country. We also felt extremely safe and impressed by how kid-friendly everything was. Plus, one of the best things to do in the UAE is to go on a desert safari which we highly recommend. Abu Dhabi is a very fun city for kids too and should be on your list.
9. Jamaica
If your family is looking for a beach destination that is carefree and easy then Jamaica is a great place to visit with your kids. There are so many great all-inclusive that offer great family options for lazy days by the pool and building sandcastles on the beach. Many of the resorts in Jamaica are easy holidays with kids that offer kids clubs and babysitting services for babies and toddlers.
The ocean is amazing in Jamacia and the sand is remarkable. A perfect Caribbean family getaway.
10. Australia
Australia is one of the best travel places for kids. What kid doesn’t want to see kangaroos, koala bears and go snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef? Australia is a large country so chances are unless you are going to move there for a while you will not even see a good portion of it. So you’ll have to choose which area you are going to go see with your family.
We highly recommend the Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island, Sydney and the Great Ocean Road for a 1-month vacation in Australia. So much to see and do in Australia that is fantastic for families to visit.
11. Hungary
Hungary is a great country to take the kids to. Budapest is a fun and easy city to take the kids to with fun places to see such as Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda hill castle funicular and a river cruise on the Danube River. Try taking train rides through the country or renting a car to get to see the countryside and stop in new places along the way.
12. Thailand
Thailand is a dream destination for families to go to. It is extremely easy and safe travel with your kids in Thailand. They have more tourism and international visitors than many other southeast Asian countries so they are really good at making travellers feel comfortable.
So many amazing temples to visit in Bangkok and beach life on Phuket Island are some of our recommendations.
13. New Zealand
The best way to visit New Zealand with your family is with a campervan or on a road trip to be able to visit both the North and South Islands. New Zealand offers so many diverse places to see on the islands and great for any families that love the outdoors.
After travelling in New Zealand for 1 month there are still places that we did not discover so our advice is to try to see it all but enjoy the places you do get to see with the family. Some of the kid’s highlights of New Zealand are Hobbiton, Lake Wanaka and the Waitomo caves.
14. Canada
Canada has so much to offer and depending on where you go in the country you’ll have all different experiences. From mountains in British Columbia to the prairies, or french life in Quebec, or the Maritimes. There is a diverse amount of places to visit that are unique in their own way.
Canada can also be a great family trip if you are wanting to see the snow and all the winter wonderlands including Banff, Big White or Whistler.
15. Austria
A country that has so much history and culture for the kids to truly appreciate what they learn in all the textbooks in their classrooms. Have some new experience with the family by taking them to the Opera or a grand palace in Vienna.
16. Singapore
Singapore can be a great entry into southeast Asia for families. It is a mix of western and eastern worlds with a mix of so many other cultures it lets you get a dose of culture in this small country. Kids will love places like Universal Studios and waterparks, and still enjoy the amazing world of street food that is infused in this country.
17. Malaysia
Malaysia is a great place to visit with the kids. Langkawi island is a great place that offers a beach escape for families which is less touristic and off the beaten path for family travellers but all the conveniences for resort life.
On our 1-year world trip, Langkawi was where we decided to go for our “vacation” from travelling.
18. France
France is a great country to take your kids to. I visited France many times when I was a kid and had no concerns or worries about taking our kids there. But, I would highly recommend either driving yourself through the countryside or checking out other places than the major hub of Paris. We loved our time in Biarritz where we enjoyed the French life and visited where the French goes on vacation.
19. Indonesia
Indonesia is a great place for families to vacation. This country can be a cost-effective Southeast Asian country to visit and spend a significant amount of time in. Kids love to discover places in Bali like the rice terraces and Ubud Monkey Forrest.
20. Mexico
Mexico is a great country to take kids for an easy trip when children are small. There are beach vacation resorts for families that are fun for everyone with pools, beaches, great food and kids clubs. So if you are looking for a beach vacation that is easy many places in Mexico can offer some great places.
We recommend places like Mayan Riviera, Nuevo Vallarta or Puerto Vallarta.
21. Spain
Spain is a fantastic place to travel to with kids. We will definitely be spending more time in Spain over the next few years to discover more. Great food, great culture and warm weather is perfect match for families who love to travel.
22. Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a great country that is still off the beaten path for many families who travel. But, with that come a more cost-effective way to travel with cheaper rates on hotels, food and activities. Sofia Bulgaria is also a flight hub to easily have a few day layovers for a quick family trip.
23. Italy
What kid doesn’t like pasta and pizza? The food in Italy will make it a hit for sure with the kids. But, sprinkled in between great food are some cool places to check out for kids. Rome is a great place to take the kids for a world of history for them to learn from. Venice, Alfami coast and Cinque Terra are some great places too for kids to love.
24. Cuba
Cuba is a great Caribbean destination that is kid-friendly which some of the softest and whitest sand we’ve seen in the world. Beach life suits baby and toddler travel with easy nap times and slow pace of life while on vacation here.
Havana, Varadero and Cayo Santa Maria are great spot to check out.
25. South Polynesian (Vanuatu & New Caledonia)
The South Polynesian islands of Vanuatu and New Caledonia are some of the most beautiful places on earth. An easy way to visit these destinations with kids is with a cruise. We recommend a South Polynesian cruise to have the balance for kids to go check out many different islands but have the fun of a cruise ship.
26. Dominican Republic
Bonus! A country that we needed to share is the Dominican Republic. This country is one of the best places to travel with toddlers. White sands, clear blue water and family-friendly resorts make this a great family destination for families with little ones.
International Family Travel Tips
- Ensure you have the right travel and health insurance for your family before you travel. We always use World Nomads for our international travel and you can read our entire World Nomads review that we used for our trips.
- We always check out what UNESCO sites are close by in each country and try our best to go explore these places.
- Don’t forget to download a FREE Packing Checklist that you need for your family – Hot Holiday Packing list or Skiing/Snowboarding winter packing list.
- We like to use Airbnb for any accommodations that are typically longer than 3 nights. Otherwise, we use Booking.com for hotel and resort bookings.
- Check out more tips and tricks to our travel on our World Travel Resource page.
- We do review travel advisories and ensure we have all the needed information regarding entry and exit to countries.
Is there a country that you think is the best family vacation destinations in the world? If so, let us know where you think families should go on vacation in the comments below.
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