10 Trips Every Family Should Take Before the Children Grow Up

There are some holidays that are about switching off, finding a lovely pool and spending a week together in the sunshine. And then there are the trips your children will still be talking about when they are adults.

I am a huge believer that travel is one of the best ways for children to learn about the world. Seeing an elephant in the wild, ordering food in Tokyo or standing in a snowy forest in Lapland makes places, cultures and wildlife real in a way that a book never quite can.

So, if I were creating the ultimate family travel wish list, these are the ten holidays I would put on it.

1. Go on safari

Seeing a lion, elephant or giraffe in the wild for the first time is one of those experiences that is difficult to describe until you have done it.

Safari is exciting, but it is also incredibly educational. Children learn about animals, conservation and the delicate balance of our planet simply by being there. South Africa is brilliant for malaria-free family safaris, while Kenya and Tanzania offer that classic Out of Africa experience.

2. Experience Japan

Japan really does feel like another world, which is exactly why it is so much fun with children.

One minute you are visiting a peaceful temple, the next you are surrounded by neon lights, video games, gachapon machines and some of the best food you have ever eaten. It is clean, safe and easy to navigate, while still feeling completely different from home.

Tokyo, Kyoto and a stay around Hakone make a fantastic first family itinerary.

3. Visit Lapland at Christmas

There is a relatively short window when children truly believe in the magic of Christmas, and Lapland lets you make the absolute most of it.

Meeting Father Christmas is obviously the headline act, but there is so much more. Husky sledding, reindeer rides, snowy forests, frozen lakes and, if you are lucky, the Northern Lights.

Yes, it is cold. Very cold. But that is all part of the adventure.

4. Discover the Maldives

The Maldives is definitely not just for honeymooners.

Choose the right resort and it is one of the easiest and most beautiful family holidays you can take. Children can snorkel in crystal-clear water, spot turtles and tropical fish, try water sports and join fantastic kids’ clubs.

And those white beaches and turquoise lagoons really do look like the photographs.

5. Explore Thailand

Thailand is one of those destinations that works incredibly well for families.

There are temples, markets, cooking classes, incredible food, tropical islands and beautiful beaches. It can feel adventurous without being difficult, and there is a huge range of hotels from great-value family resorts to some seriously luxurious options.

Bangkok followed by a beach stay is a brilliant introduction, but there is so much more to explore.

6. Learn to ski together

A family ski holiday is about far more than skiing.

There are the mountain lunches, hot chocolates, snowball fights and that lovely feeling of everyone coming back together at the end of the day with stories from the slopes.

The Alps are the obvious choice from the UK, but as children get older you can dream bigger. Canada, Japan and even the USA can turn a ski holiday into a much bigger family adventure.

7. Go Greek island hopping

There is something wonderfully simple about a Greek summer.

Blue skies, whitewashed villages, little boats, long lunches, swimming in clear water and evenings wandering into town for dinner. Add ferries between islands and suddenly the journey becomes part of the holiday.

It is very Mamma Mia, but in the best possible way.

8. Have an adventure in Costa Rica

Costa Rica feels like one enormous outdoor classroom.

Children can see monkeys, sloths and toucans in the wild, walk through rainforests, discover volcanoes and learn to surf on the Pacific coast.

It is another destination that reminds me why travelling with children is so worthwhile. You can tell them about rainforests and conservation, but experiencing them first-hand is something completely different.

9. Take them to New York

New York has an energy that children pick up on immediately.

Ride a yellow taxi, walk through Central Park, see the Statue of Liberty, eat enormous slices of pizza, watch a Broadway show and look down over Manhattan from a skyscraper.

It works with surprisingly young children and gets even better as they grow. Around Christmas, with the lights, decorations and ice skating, it is particularly magical.

10. Take the trip that matters to your family

The final one is deliberately open.

Perhaps it is returning to somewhere you loved as a child. Maybe it is visiting family on the other side of the world, taking a road trip across America or finally booking the destination you have talked about for years.

There is no definitive list of places children need to see.

What matters is travelling together while you can. Childhood goes ridiculously quickly, and family holidays give us something increasingly rare: proper time together, away from normal routines.

The world is a very big classroom. I think we should let our children see as much of it as possible.