Family Travel: Destinations for Inspiration

Whether it's an experience of a lifetime or a quick getaway that's close to home, these destinations top our list for travel with children—and their grandparents.

Feb 27, 2011

By: Eileen Ogintz

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Explore your favourite city, whether New York, Chicago (Lincoln Park Zoo pictured), San Francisco, London or Paris through your child’s eyes. Let them help plan the itinerary and you will see an entirely different city than you’ve visited before.

Photography copyright City of Chicago

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Thailand offers spectacular ancient temples and the chance to explore an entirely different culture and cuisine. And there’s plenty of time for rest and relaxation on Thailand’s beaches.

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From volcanoes, sea turtles, surfing and hula, you can take your pick or experience all of the above in Hawaii, where no matter their age, the kids will have a blast and so will you. Check out lava tubes at Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, learn to surf or hula and explore the beaches. Take the kids to the new visitor centre at Pearl Harbor on O‘ahu and teach them a little history, too.

Photography Michael Prince

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Become a kid again at Walt Disney World in Florida or Disneyland in California. The kids will love hearing about your first visit as a child. And you’ll love riding Space Mountain with them, as well as be amazed not only by the newest attractions but also the good eats and opportunities for special experiences. How about a backstage tour?

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Climb a 14er in Colorado. When the snow melts, Denver and Vail become vacation heaven for active families with mountains to climb, fishing, mountain biking, alpine slides, rafting and different festivals at ski resorts just about every weekend, not to mention plenty of kid-centric activities.

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

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Costa Rica is a great place to get up close and personal with monkeys and birds, tour a rain forest, practice your Spanish and get in some beach time.

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

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Bora Bora is paradise, where kids can watch fish swim from their over-water bungalow, and you can sail, snorkel and learn everything you ever wanted to know about black pearls, vanilla and the people who so captivated Gauguin.

Photography John Russo

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Kangaroos and koalas, the Great Barrier Reef, opera, rain forests and even a great bridge to climb. Whether your family prefers the city or loves nature or both—Australia has it all.

Photography courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Concierge Recommends Tips

Hawaii, Hualālai

Tee Time

Playing the Resort’s Jack Nicklaus-designed Hualalai Golf Course? Tips: The greens have little grain, so play less break; and whatever you do, don’t try to retrieve your ball from a lava field—those rocks are razor sharp.

See all Hawaii, Hualālai recommendations

Chicago

Sport Time

Catch a Cubs game at one of America's greatest ballparks, Wrigley Field. Not a baseball fan? There's football, basketball, hockey, soccer and lacrosse, and NASCAR at the Chicagoland Speedway.

See all Chicago recommendations

Vail

Top Dining

Former Top Chef finalist Kelly Liken's namesake restaurant is Vail’s top fine dining table. The modern American cuisine focuses on fresh, local seasonal ingredients for specialities like elk carpaccio.

See all Vail recommendations

Costa Rica

If Golf's Your Game

The Arnold Palmer-designed Four Seasons Golf Club Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo has a whopping 14 holes with breathtaking views over the Pacific Ocean or bay, along with significant elevation changes and tremendous variety.

See all Costa Rica recommendations

Hawaii, Hualālai
Tee Time
View Tip Chicago
Sport Time
View Tip Vail
Top Dining
View Tip Costa Rica
If Golf's Your Game
View Tip

Maybe it’s a place you’ve always wanted to go. Maybe it’s a place you’ve been but want to share with the kids. Maybe you want to share a passion—or encourage one of theirs. Maybe you simply want to celebrate a special occasion, or just want to make special memories as a family.

Whatever the reason and whatever the ages of your family members, these destinations are sure to make those special memories happen. Here are our favourites. (Tell us yours, too.)

One Comment about Family Travel: Destinations for Inspiration

Sheila says:
November 27, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Which four Seasons have a kids club?
Thank you
Sheila
Reply

Family Travel: Destinations for Inspiration