Wow! I wasn’t sure the snow days would ever end, what about you? We had a great time at home together sledding and snuggling, but it sure will be nice to get back into a routine this week. Did having your kids home from school for all this time start making you wonder what your summer break will look like? Sure, camps are great, but with costs averaging $300 a week, they add up quickly. We love sprinkling the summer with 5-6 great camps, but we also love our summer vacations.
I get lots of questions about “when is the age to visit (insert any destination here)” so this week I’ve put together a few suggestions based on grade level so you can start planning to make the most out of your 18 summers!
Beyond their classroom, where to travel and when
Elementary school aged children
London – Actually, elementary age is a great time to visit any European destination, but London is an easy first stop. Have your kids grown up on iconic movies like Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmatians, Peter Pan, and Harry Potter? Your kids will recognize Big Ben, the houses of Parliament and other buildings as soon as you start to research the destination. With a ton of non-stop flights from the East Coast and no language barrier it’s a great choice for your little ones. All of the UK is a great value again this year with extremely low airfare and the strong dollar.
National Parks– You’ve read my articles in the past about the Every Kid in a Park program where 4th graders throughout the US can obtain a National Parks pass for free. This is a great opportunity for your family to explore the beautiful diversity within the park system. From snorkeling in the US Virgin Islands to hiking the Grand Canyon or even kayaking beside the Glaciers in Alaska there is something for every family in a National Park.
Costa Rica – Who wouldn’t love a family vacation that allowed you to visit with a local family and learn how to make fresh tortillas, zip line through a cloud forest, visit a not only a turtle sanctuary but also possibly a sloth sanctuary and a monkey sanctuary? This is a trip that even your youngest student will love. Of course there’s also time for Mom and Dad to kick back on the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica while the kids test their balance during a surf lesson or on a stand up paddle board.
Middle School
New Zealand – What pre-teen isn’t ready to explore Middle Earth? Most have read the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien at this point and are ready to see first hand the mystical beauty that can only be found in New Zealand. From the bubbly mud and geysers of Rotorua to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves only a few hours away, this small country is it’s own classroom! We can even through some PE in the mix with the extreme sports that can be found throughout the North and South Islands. This is a great destination to bond over some family zorbing, bungee jumping or even white water rafting.
Morocco – Negotiating the souks of Marrakech can easily turn into an economics lesson as bargaining is the norm. This diverse Northern Africa nation is quite accessible from the East Coast. It’s also very family friendly and a playground for kids and adults alike. You can spend an entire morning or afternoon exploring the shoreline on a camel – sure beats the carpool line! The culture and history will keep you captivated and keep the kids entertained as well, they may even come home with a new found appreciation for traditional mint tea!
Thailand – Your kids are a little bit older now and hopefully are expanding their diet to include more than pizza and chicken nuggets – maybe it’s time to expand their palette even more and dive into the food scene in Thailand? Imagine a day where you leave the hotel with the chef and head to the local market. There you will choose only the freshest local ingredients before returning to his kitchen to prepare a meal for the afternoon. One thing that I have noticed is that kids are much more willing to try new things when they can see first hand what goes into those experiences. From the temples to the beaches, there’s something for everyone in Thailand.
High School
Africa – What could be more fun than a family safari? Being able to reconnect with your kids in nature as you view the vast expanses of the savanna is something you’ll remember long after they have flown the nest and started college. There are a number of nations you could visit with the most popular for families being a combination of Tanzania and South Africa. No visit to Tanzania is complete without gazing out at the vast Serengeti National Park or visiting with the elders of the Maasai tribe to learn about their traditions. South Africa is an entirely different atmosphere also full of awe and history. Imagine being able to walk through the iconic Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. You’ll see first hand what history this place holds that your children have only learned about in school, but you witnessed on the nightly news while growing up.
Peru – Conquering the Inca Trail as a family will provide memories to last a lifetime. Imagine the moment you view the ruins of the Sacred Valley shoulder to shoulder with your kids. While these trips are recommended for ages 6 and up, we’ve found that the older your kids are the more equipped they are to handle the hikes and intensity of a trip that visits Machu Picchu. With many of these itineraries you’ll also have time built in to visit the rain forests of the Amazon, the museums of Cusco and Lima as well as visit with some of the Cusco Kids Projects where kids living in extreme poverty are taught important life skills that will help them in the years to come. It’s a wonderful way to expose your children to the beauty and rewards involved when you #VacationForGood
Australia – Let’s face it, teenagers are hard to please. Nothing is more certain to put a smile on their face than the wonders of down under. They will tweet about their experience climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge, they will Snapchat about cuddling a koala and feeding a kangaroo and they will fill their Instagram feed with the fabulous photos from the Great Barrier Reef.
Now, I know the questions are going to come about what happens when your kids are all different ages and span all of these categories. You’re in luck! Each of these itineraries can be customized to fit the needs of children as young as 6, many of them can be customized for children as young as 2.
What are you waiting for, there’s a big world out there that is ready to help you expand your children’s education beyond their classroom walls. Your kids are ready to see the world, are you ready to see it with them?
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