6 surprising family-friendly adventure vacations

Sep 11, 2024 • 10 min read

As summer ends, it's time to plan your holiday getaway. Whether you're looking for a family Thanksgiving in the sun, a unique Christmas experience for the kids, or a cultural New Year's celebration with your partner, we've got you covered. 

Icelandic airline Play is making family travel easier by offering $2 fares for kids when an adult books a trip to Europe.

After my son was born, getting him out of the house felt like an insurmountable task. Even taking him into the park next to my house felt like an ordeal. Thankfully, my confidence grew as time passed, and once my energy returned, so did my desire for adventure.

Naples, Italy—where to even begin? The city in the south is not a first stop for touristing Americans. It boasts not the candy colored novelty of the Amalfi Coast, the opulent glean of Lake Como, or the grandiose historical tourism of Rome. When travel guides list top places to visit in Italy, the city is often left off. I'm biased—I have Naples in my blood, this is the city that bore various relatives, and I see its heritage in people I love as well as in my self—but for many, Naples’ appeal is somewhat nebulous, not unlike the wrought and poignant dynamics in Elena Ferrante’s work.

I'm an American born to British parents. My husband is British and recently obtained US citizenship after living there for 10 years. When we had our son (who also has dual citizenship), we knew we'd spend significant time on both continents. However, the pandemic, finances, and busy schedules kept us from traveling internationally.

There's nothing quite like an adventure through wild Britain—sprawling landscapes can be taken in, bracing weather braved, and wonderful wildlife spotted right on these isles. Plus, of course, there's no shortage of smart places to stay and delicious things to eat. Below, our London-based team round up their favorite staycations right now—trips within the United Kingdom that can and should of course be appropriated for inspiration by anyone visiting from, say, stateside. Read on and receive some rural revelations for your next trip across the pond.

I moved to Japan from North Carolina with my husband and our young daughter in the spring of 2022. My husband is in the US military and this has been his first overseas assignment.

The summer before my senior year of high school, I was standing in the middle of New York City's Times Square when I saw an advertisement that read, "Inspiration is everywhere."

The thing about Hawaii cruises is that there’s no bad time of year to take one. Thanks to its year-round sunshine and warm weather, Hawaii will be there for you whenever you’re ready to set sail.

ALG Vacations is set to host an exciting Facebook Live event featuring Jacki Marks and Carson Kressley, broadcasting from the picturesque Quinta de S. Luiz vineyard in Portugal's Douro Valley on September 11, 2024, at 11 a.m. EDT.  

I'd never cruised before — but when 12 of my friends from high school hatched a plan to celebrate our 60th birthdays on a four-night Royal Caribbean cruise, I immediately said yes.