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The world’s greatest holidays for children, age by age
From a magical trip to Disney World to the very first festival, here are some of the milestones you should be looking to hit with your child
My daughter was one-and-a-half when we went to Mauritius. She had her biggest-ever tantrum on the flight over (halted only by a desperate flight attendant waving a strawberry wafer). But we all survived and, surprisingly, that’s not what we remember most.
Memories of her delight at spotting skittering fish as we cruised to an uninhabited island, her joy at running through the resort’s sprinklers in the Indian Ocean breeze and our long, lazy afternoons by the pool doing sticker books in the shade of a curtained cabana are guaranteed to get me smiling, even though a decade has passed. Everything was new to her and seeing the holiday through her eyes imbued it with an extra sense of magic.
The moral? Don’t save the big holidays for after the kids have left home. Have them now and make memories that will last long after they’ve flown the nest. Below, we’ve highlighted the best once-in-a-lifetime trips for every age, from infancy to 18. It’s time to step away from the last-minute packages and start planning a real adventure.
Jump to explore holidays by your children’s ages:
Age 0
First family getaway
You may be adjusting to a completely new life, but remember that three is the magic number: celebrate with a getaway close to home. That way you can pack the baby paraphernalia, avoid the stress of the airport and just focus on those first milestones. Baby Friendly Boltholes curates cottages especially for preschoolers, including The Sea Cabin, a Cornish conversion in the grounds of a Georgian manor house that’s the perfect size for a couple with a baby. It comes with everything first-time parents may have forgotten – steriliser, baby monitor, buggy – while the garden has plenty of shade for little ones. Charlestown’s tall ships and Shipwreck Treasure Museum are just a buggy-push away.
One week costs from £1,400 (020 3603 1160; babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk).
Age one
Easy, breezy Caribbean
Under-twos can travel on parents’ laps for an infant fee, making long-haul much more affordable. Opt for a place where you’ll all get spoiled rotten – the Caribbean. More specifically, Antigua, which comes with a manageable four-hour time difference and some of the region’s best family hotels. Among them, Blue Waters Resort has a shady Secret Garden where toddlers can feed the tortoises, a pre-order system for kids’ meals so you can avoid hangry outbursts, and a nanny service for parents who need a night off.
Kuoni offers a week from £5,594 all-inclusive for two adults and a child under two, including flights from Heathrow (0800 092 4444; kuoni.co.uk).
Age two
Cruise time
A road trip with a toddler in tow is likely to be a disaster, but you can have a multi-destination adventure if you take to the seas. Cruise operators are increasingly aiming to appeal to families, with dedicated itineraries and kid-friendly onboard attractions. On P&O Cruises’ Iona, little ones can watch a movie at the four-screen cinema, take a dip in one of the pools and hang out at The Reef, a kids’ club for over-twos with its own outdoor play area. Adults, meanwhile, can tick off some serious sightseeing: a week-long Norwegian Fjords cruise departs from Southampton bound for waterfalls, forests and snow-sprinkled peaks.
Seven nights from £3,197 for two adults and a child (0344 338 8003; pocruises.com).
Age three
Splash on the beach
You don’t have to travel across the world to find sandcastle-worthy beaches – the Canary Islands have some of the best around and offer great value too (especially when kids are still young enough to travel outside the school holidays). Among the prettiest is Tenerife’s Playa del Duque which comes with yellow sand, plenty of cafes for ice cream breaks and some of the island’s best hotels nearby. Stay at H10 Costa Adeje Palace for playgrounds and a Jungle Park splash pool.
Seven nights from £2,724 half-board for two adults and a toddler, including flights from East Midlands (0333 014 0236; jet2holidays.com).
Age four
Take in the city
Tiny Madeline or Ratatouille lovers will revel in recognising the landscapes of Paris – particularly the Eiffel Tower. For entry-level sightseeing, this city is hard to beat. Easily strollable with a pushchair, it involves boat trips along the Seine, ice cream in the Tuileries Gardens, crepes in Montparnasse and the gentle theme park rides of the Jardin d’Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne. Meanwhile, the Pompidou Centre has a “galerie des enfants” especially for the under-10s.
Eurostar has three-night breaks, including train travel from St Pancras International and room-only accommodation at Mama Shelter Paris East, from £245pp (eurostar.com).
Age five
Visit Santa
This is the age of the fervent believer – of lovingly-written lists and early Christmas mornings. It’s now that a visit to Santa in Lapland will have maximum impact but, says Sue McAlinden of Best Served Scandinavia, it’s vital to do it right. She recommends booking a year in advance for the best deals and packing good base and mid layers to counteract chilly temperatures (operators should supply boots and specialist outerwear). The company’s Harriniva Santa Break is packed full of festive activities including cookie-baking, visiting reindeer and riding on mini snowmobiles, as well as a private audience with the man himself.
Three nights from £2,250 per adult and £1,950 per child including flights, accommodation and activities in December (020 8125 3182; best-served.co.uk).
Age six
Light exploration
You’re yearning to go off the beaten track but are they ready? For gentle exploration, consider Morocco. Just a three-and-a-half-hour flight away, its desert camps, camel rides and souks make for an unforgettable adventure that’s easier than most. KE Adventure Travel has a group trip that’s suitable for those aged six plus and includes one night at a camp in the sand dunes under star-spangled skies, a stay at a guest house near the sea in Sidi Kaouki, an afternoon of cake and mint tea with a Berber family and a final night in the mayhem of Marrakech’s Djemaa-el-Fna, with its snake charmers and street musicians.
Six nights from £1,055 for adults and £1,043 for kids in the Easter holidays (017687 73966; keadventure.com).
Age seven
Hit the slopes
Young enough to pick it up without grown-up concerns about Bambi legs and breakages, seven-year-olds should be able to cope with bulky ski equipment and freezing temperatures. Nevertheless, it’s best to search out a reliably gentle ski school so they are engaged rather than intimidated. In the Italian Dolomites, Ski School Ortisei is a firm family favourite while little Ortisei itself is perfect for kids and packed with pizzerias.
SnowTrex has a week at three-star Hotel Scherlin (on the ski bus route outside the centre) from £1,344 for a family of four, including lift passes during the Christmas holidays (034 539 964 07; snowtrex.co.uk). Excludes flights. Tui (tui.co.uk) flies from Gatwick to Innsbruck from £466pp.
Age eight
Mummies and more
At eight, learning hasn’t yet lost its lustre – and there’s nowhere more entrancing than Ancient Egypt. If your child is going through a mummy phase, they’ll never forget a trip to see some in situ. Family operator Stubborn Mule has put together an eight-day extravaganza that includes sunset camel riding by the Pyramids, an overnight felucca trip on the Nile, seeking out the mummified remains of some of the most famous pharaohs at the Civilisation Museum and trips to Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings.
Eight nights from £1,825pp, including some meals but excluding flights from the UK (01728 752751; stubbornmuletravel.com).
Age nine
Memorable magic
Though Mickey ears and princesses might seem like the stuff of four-year-old dreams, take those aged younger than eight to Walt Disney World and you’ll have a fast-pass to disappointment. The Magic Kingdom and Epcot can lead to serious sensory overload, while some rides have height restrictions (it’s 113cm for Space Mountain). At age nine, kids still qualify for child tickets and will be young enough to embrace the magic but old enough to remember.
Virgin Holidays has a week during October half-term from £1,868pp, including flights, accommodation at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort and park tickets (0344 472 9646; virginholidays.co.uk).
Age 10
Embrace your wild sides
Mysteriously under-the-radar, the forested islands of the Azores are an easy, four-hour flight from London which makes them perfect for mini explorers. Tour operator Pura Aventura has a new Island Hopping Family Adventure for 2025 that ticks off a jungle hike to a hidden waterfall and kayaking in crater lakes, as well as whale-watching, canyoning and surfing. Hopping between the islands by ferry, guests finish their trip with a stay overlooking the Atlantic on Pico.
Eleven nights from £2,600pp including accommodation, some meals, internal transport and activities (01273 676712; pura-aventura.com). Excludes flights. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Ponta Delgada, from £88 return.
Age 11
Enjoy kids’ fares while you can
Children generally pay full fare for long-haul air travel from 12, so this is the sweet spot for far-flung sightseeing: you’ll get cheaper airfares and they’ll have the stamina to deal with jet lag and packing a few destinations into one holiday. “Japan and Vietnam are proving very popular for both Easter and Summer trips. Vietnam offers such good value, another factor that is playing into its popularity, with families now facing cost of living hikes, whether it be fixed mortgages coming to an end or VAT on school fees,” says Abi Shaw of Bushbaby Travel. The company has created a 12-night Vietnam Summer Explorer trip which can cost less than half the adult price for under 12s. Trailing south from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, it also includes an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay and time on the beach at Hoi An (“likely to offer the best beach weather at this time of year,” according to Shaw).
Twelve nights from £8,500 room only for a family of four with two children under 12 during the summer holidays. Includes internal transport, some activities and international flights (0845 124 4455; bushbaby.travel).
Age 12
The take-a-friend holiday
Provide your offspring with the ultimate kudos by letting them invite a friend along on your family holiday. Make it cost-effective by checking into an apartment rather than a hotel, but pick a resort where there’s plenty to keep them entertained. Pine Cliffs in the Algarve wins regular plaudits for family holidays thanks to its mini golf, basketball, football and tennis facilities, while there’s a juice bar that’s the perfect tween hangout.
A two-bedroom apartment in its newest area, Pine Cliff Gardens, costs from £4,948 in the school summer holidays with Oliver’s Travels (0333 8880205; oliverstravels.com). Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London to Faro from £102 return.
Age 13
Bring The Lion King to life
There are many reasons why some safari lodges impose lower age limits: dawn and night game drives create a punishing schedule, animals (and children) can be unpredictable and there’s plenty of potentially dull down time between the action too. This all makes a safari a very expensive gamble with younger children in tow but by the time they are in their early teens, the sight of spotting lions, elephants and giraffes in the wild is awe-inspiring. And the luxe accommodation options are sure to impress too. Expert Africa offers a week-long Tsessebe Safari split across three camps in Botswana, with walking and boat safaris as well as game drives and light aircraft transfers between lodges.
Seven nights from £6,660pp during the Easter holidays (020 3405 6666; expertafrica.com). Excludes flights but these can be added from Heathrow to Maun from around £1,180pp.
Age 14
Ditch the beach
At this age, sandcastles are a thing of the past while the idea of mum and dad in swimwear just doesn’t bear thinking about. It’s time for a bit of alternative sunshine. Families Worldwide’s Wild & Untouched Albania group itinerary involves searching out flamingos on the Karavasta Lagoon, whitewater rafting on the Vjosa River and wandering the ancient ruins of Apollonia. By the time you reach the city beaches of Durresi on day seven, they may have had enough fun to politely look the other way as you wade into the sea.
The 7-night Wild & Untouched Albania itinerary costs from £1,845pp during the summer holidays, including flights, some meals and activities (01962 302 062; familiesworldwide.co.uk).
Age 15
Trip the light fantastic
Seeing the aurora borealis is once-in-a-lifetime stuff, but it requires maturity to deal with disappointment should this notoriously unreliable light show fail to appear. Teenagers should take it all in their stride and they’ll enjoy the other pursuits that fill the gaps between sky-spotting too – from husky-sledding and snowmobiling to snowshoeing across the icy landscapes. Activities Abroad has a four-night Muotka Arctic Family Adventure, including a trip to an Aurora Camp as well as husky and snowmobile safaris.
From £2,585 per adult and £1,985 per child during the Christmas holidays, including flights from London (01670 789991; activitiesabroad.com).
Age 16
A post-exam blow out
The GCSEs are over and it’s time to have some family fun. Those two words will strike fear into the heart of any teen, however, unless you get the destination right. Luckily, Ibiza’s attractions include shopping at the Hippy Market, eating at the coolest beach clubs (Atzaró Beach should appeal to all) and traversing the treetop walkways of Acrobosc. Base yourself in family-friendly Santa Eulalia and they can walk to shops and restaurants too. Right on the beach, the five-star W Ibiza is home to beachside restaurant Chiringuito Blue, for posing and people-watching.
Seven nights from £5,290 for a family of four including two teenagers during the summer holidays, via booking.com. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Gatwick to Ibiza from £105pp.
Age 17
All about the music
Music festivals are woefully expensive and, for more cautious teenagers, a bit daunting too. Capitalise on this by tagging along for the ride (with a bag of cash, of course). Near the sea, with dates falling over a June weekend and an appearance by Charlie xcx in 2025, Primavera Sound in Porto is a good choice, while the bonus is that a lack of onsite camping means you can check in to a hotel. Eurostars Matosinhos is around 20 minutes’ walk from Parco da Cidade where the festival is held, with space still available during the festival.
Twin rooms cost from £255 per night (00 351 22 004 8100; eurostarshotels.com). Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Porto from £148pp during the festival. Festival tickets cost from £136pp (primaverasound.com).
Age 18
An extra-special send-off
This may be your last family holiday together (at least until your offspring want you to help look after their offspring). Make it count with a mammoth, memory-creating journey to the other side of the globe. Travelbag’s 25-day Around The World trip fits neatly into pre-university holidays, taking in Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and San Francisco along the way. And with the time Down Under including a road trip along the Great Ocean Road by campervan, there’s plenty of opportunity to bond before they head off on their own into the big wide world.
Twenty-five days from £4,369pp B&B including flights, hotels and campervan hire (020 3393 9620; travelbag.co.uk).
This article was first published in February 2024 and has been revised and updated.
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