Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming

If your family is drawn to nature, wildlife, and wide-open spaces, Yellowstone is the ultimate outdoor adventure. From bubbling geysers to roaming bison, every day feels like its own documentary.

Why families love it:

• Old Faithful—classic, iconic, and surprisingly thrilling for kids.
• Wildlife watching: bison, elk, wolves, and bears (from a safe distance!).
• Easy boardwalk trails perfect for all ages.

Tip: Stay nearby in West Yellowstone or book an in park lodge early, they fill fast.

Oregon Treehouses – Oregon Coast & Forests

For a vacation that feels straight out of a storybook, Oregon’s famous treehouse rentals deliver pure childhood magic. Sleeping in the trees? Instant core memory.

Why families love it:

• Unique stays that kids (and secretly, parents) will obsess over.
• Nearby hiking, beaches, and adventure parks.
• A true unplug-and-reconnect kind of getaway.

Popular spots include Out’n’About Treehouse Treesort and coast-side rentals with forest views.

Banff National Park – Canada

Trade beach towels for mountain peaks—Banff offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in North America. Crisp air, turquoise lakes, and wildlife make it perfect for families who love the outdoors.

Why families love it:

• Scenic gondola rides with 360° views.
• Easy lakeside trails suitable for all ages.
• Canoeing on Lake Louise or Moraine Lake (hello, postcard photos).

Zion National Park – Utah

Zion is a dream for families who want jaw-dropping scenery without overly challenging hikes. With riverside trails, slot canyons, and red rock views, it’s an unforgettable national park experience.

Why families love it:

• The Narrows (the first easy portion) is perfect for kids who love splashing around.
• Short hikes like Canyon Overlook offer huge views for minimal effort.
• Shuttle system makes navigating the park simple.

Skiing in Colorado

Whether it’s your first time skiing or your kids were basically born ready for the slopes, Colorado offers some of the best family ski experiences in the country.

Why families love it:

• Resorts like Breckenridge, Vail, and Keystone have top-rated ski schools.
• Cozy villages with hot chocolate, ice skating, and winter activities.
• Options for all skill levels—bunny hills to black diamonds.

Bonus: Many resorts offer Kids Ski Free programs when you stay multiple nights.

Tokyo – Japan

Ready for an international adventure? Tokyo is surprisingly kid-friendly, bursting with culture, color, and high-tech fun.

Why families love it:

• Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea—bucket list worthy.
• Kid-approved museums like the Ghibli Museum.
• Efficient public transportation that even families can navigate with ease.

San Diego – California

Laid-back, sunny, and loaded with attractions, San Diego is a long-time family favorite for good reason.

Why families love it:

• The world-famous San Diego Zoo and Safari Park.
• Legoland California with kid-centric hotel rooms.
• Family-friendly beaches perfect for surfing, shelling, and relaxing.

Reykjavik & Beyond – Iceland

A nature-packed adventure unlike anywhere else, Iceland offers families a safe and stunning place to explore.

Why families love it:

• Geothermal hot springs perfect for relaxing together.
• The Golden Circle route: waterfalls, geysers, and volcanic landscapes.
• A chance to see the Northern Lights in winter.

Sedona – Arizona (Bonus Pick!)

If your family loves sunshine, hiking, and that “wow” factor, Sedona’s red rock landscapes offer the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation.

Why families love it:

• Easy-to-moderate hikes with incredible scenery.
• Pink Jeep Tours—always a kid favorite.
• Stargazing that feels out of this world.

Disney World – Orlando, Florida

Of course, no family vacation list would be complete without Disney World. The rides, fireworks, characters, and endless entertainment make it a timeless choice.

Why families love it:

• Magic Kingdom classics for the younger kids.
• Hollywood Studios thrill rides for bigger kids (and brave parents).
• EPCOT festivals with food and entertainment for everyone.

Book early—school breaks fill up fast.

Whether your crew wants to explore national parks, sleep in a treehouse, ski down snowy slopes, enjoy cultural adventures, or end the year with Disney magic, these destinations offer something for every type of family.

Family travel doesn’t have to be stressful—it can be the spark that creates stories your kids will tell for years, long after the souvenirs fade.

The post Top Family-Friendly Destinations: Where to Travel with Kids in 2026 appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Family vacations to New York City may seem daunting at first. The city is a sprawling metropolis of over 8.3 million people who live in an area comprised of about 468 square miles. Yet despite this density, the Big Apple holds an impressive amount of attractions for even the most labor-intensive of travel itineraries!

One way of easing into your New York city vacation is to plan your trip with a specific theme in mind, such as visiting city museums, touring local parks or even finding those off-the-beaten-path eateries to take in the local vibe.

Whatever the ultimate goal of your vacation might be, establishing one or two primary themes for your overall travel itinerary can help to hone in on the city’s special points-of-interest that speak specifically to your family’s own interests. This will ensure that no member of the family will feel left out while exploring what New York City has to offer.

The vacation-by-theme concept can also add one more important item to every family vacation. By remembering to focus on your child’s educational development while on the road, you can ensure that family vacations are fun, cultural and creative!

If a themed vacation centered on a truly unique and educational experience for your children is what you have in mind, try making the Metropolitan Museum of Art – The Met – the focal point for your New York City trip! 

Located at 1000 Fifth Avenue, the Met provides an overabundance of activities for kids of all ages. Indeed, both kids and parents can even go online beforehand and print out museum material that is specifically tailored for children. The Family Map, for instance, is a great tool that provides a floor plan of the museum and a fold-out, illustrated color poster of the Met’s collection.

The museum also provides special guides, most of which can be downloaded beforehand, and which help to show children the history of specific collections while providing fun facts. Kids can explore Greek mythology with the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” guide, or learn about medieval weaponry with “Fierce or Fancy,” or even download the “Young in America” guide to discover what it was once like to be a child in America. Whatever your child holds an interest in, there are over 25 special guides that can either be downloaded or picked up at an information desk in the museum itself.  

Another great aspect of the museum is its family programs, which are free and on a drop-in basis for participants between 18 months and 12 years of age. The Met’s family programs include Storytime in Nolen Library for ages 18 months to 7 years, which starts with a book and then ends on a self-guided treasure hunt through the galleries, Drop-In Drawing for informal sketching, various programs for families with children who are blind or partially sighted, a family audio guide program, and a plethora of others! For more information, call 212-650-2217 or email familyprograms@metmuseum.org.

In case you would like a tailored tour to navigate the museum, the Met also provides suggested itineraries for families, such as half-day tours and other family-inspired itineraries for age appropriate tours.

As far as lodgings are concerned, New York City’s hotels, including the abundance of family-friendly hotels that it’s also known for, can run the gamut in price ranges, locations and room/hotel specific amenities.

Though the Upper West Side is generally known as a kid-friendly neighborhood, Loews Regency New York  in the Upper East Side is a family-friendly hotel worth looking into. The hotel is currently going through a complete overhaul of its property and will not reopen until January 14^th, 2014. Reservations do fill up fast, however, so keep this future date in mind as the hotel has been noted on countless travel-themed websites as one of New York’s top kid-friendly hotels.

One website that parents can make use of, and that is greatly informative in providing invaluable material on various kid-friendly activities, excursions and hotels on the Upper West Side, is mommypoppins.com. The site is a veritable one-stop shop for planning kid-themed vacations in the Big Apple.

The Milburn Hotel, for instance, located at 242 West 76th between Broadway and West End Avenue, is one such hotel offering an advantageous amount of amenities for both younger and older children. In addition to the continental breakfast included in the room price and the fact that their suites come with their own kitchenette, the hotel also provides PlayStations, books for children and DVDs for the family. Children under 14 years of age stay free at the hotel, while children 14 years of age and older pay only $10 per night. Also, cribs and rollaway beds are provided free of charge.

Another hotel recommended by the above-mentioned website is the Lucerne, located at 201 West 79th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. This recently renovated hotel which is located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side provides a feeling of old world charm with jazz music playing in the lobby and a doorman who greets you at the hotel doors. Guests can request the deluxe family suite for additional room and privacy. Children under 16 stay free at the hotel and cribs are provided free of charge. 

The great thing about many of these hotels that are located on the Upper West Side is that they are in close proximity to other kid-friendly attractions, such as the American Museum of Natural History, located at Central Park West at 79th Street; the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, located at the Tisch Building, 212 West 83^rd Street, and a number of peaceful and scenic outdoor spaces, two of them being Riverside and Central Park. 

Indeed, because of the neighborhood’s approximation to all of these kid-friendly venues that will fit every itinerary, the Upper West Side is known as the most kid-friendly part of New York City to visit. So be sure to explore the neighborhood extensively and feel free to use it as a safe and exciting base from which to explore the surrounding areas and all of what New York City has to offer!

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Booking this year’s vacation spot in Pigeon Forge, TN made for an incredible family getaway and a much-needed break from our hectic lives.  My husband and I did some research beforehand to find an affordable, family-friendly place to stay that was situated right in the heart of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains.  We decided on the RiverStone Resort & Spa as our choice of stay because of its ideal location and unique features for both children and adults. As we hoped, it turned out to be the perfect rustic vacation spot for a tranquil, family-friendly vacation.

We pulled up to RiverStone and were warmly greeted by a majestic view of acres of rolling hills and the hazy contour of the Smoky Mountains.  A landscape of green enraptured my senses and I could hear the trickling waters of the nearby Little Pigeon Forge River.  The experience was very relaxing from the start, and I was especially eager to check out RiverStone’s luxurious spa.

Nature is healing and is sometimes just what we need to distress and regain our sense of inner harmony and peace.  My first impression of the lobby space was a warm and inviting atmosphere with its grand stone fireplace and vibrant, earthy colors.  My family and I opted for a 3-bedroom condominium with three plush king-sized beds and two bathrooms…one with a 6ft Jacuzzi tub, with full amenities including a washer and dryer, a widescreen flat panel TV, sleeper sofa and gas fireplace.  It was such a delight reading in the morning while peeking over the horizon from our private balcony.  The fully equipped kitchen with its granite countertop bar area and stainless steel appliances was perfect after a fun-filled day when we wanted to cook a meal and enjoy a restful night in with the kids.  The interior design scheme was also very refreshing and elegant with ambient lighting to provide a comfortable living space for the week.  The condo turned out to be the perfect home away from home for my family, but RiverStone’s log cabin rentals are also worth mentioning for those wanting a cozy cabin space nestled in the heart of the Smokies.  The wooden, ranch-style cabin is situated right along the river and offers a spacious wrap-around porch, lofted space, and stone gas log fireplace.  The online photos depict a charming, woodsy bungalow sited behind a log fence and shaded by beautiful maple trees.

Another major highlight of my stay at RiverStone was its full service day spa!  My husband and I treated ourselves to the couples Signature Massage with hot stone and Swedish massage techniques, aromatherapy, and detoxifying herbal mud treatments for the ultimate relaxation experience. Our massage therapists, Jason and Jami, were extremely friendly and left us both feeling rejuvenated and refreshed in body and mind.  RiverStone also offers a variety of services that are sure to satisfy your desires.  I was really impressed to find that RiverStone offers spa options for children as well, and they did a fantastic job pampering my daughter with their Princess Manicure.  I think my daughter felt really special and enjoyed feeling like a fairytale princess while we enjoyed quality mommy-daughter time together.  While we were getting pampered, my husband and son enjoyed a round of golf at the nearby Gatlinburg Golf Course.

Another great feature of the RiverStone was its huge indoor pool.  While the kids splashed in the pool, my husband and I enjoyed a dip in the steamy Jacuzzi hot tub.  My teenage son especially loved the on-site game room with its fully loaded arcade, including pinball, air hockey, and pool table.  It was a shame the lazy river was closed for cold weather because my kids would have had a blast coasting past the overhead waterfalls and winding curves on tubes.  The lazy river is conveniently situated alongside the patio area so it would have been very easy to keep an eye on the kids from one of the lounge chairs.  We will definitely be taking advantage of that on our next visit, as well as the playground and picnic/grilling area they offer. RiverStone’s extensive Fitness Center was equally impressive.  Needless to say, I was very pleased with the full range of activities and balance of indoor/outdoor spaces at RiverStone.

While in Pigeon Forge, we headed over for great food and entertainment with a Southern twist to the Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner show.  It was a treat for all of us and left us reeling in laughter as we munched “with our fingers – no utensils needed” on a good-ole-fashioned four course Southern feast of rotisserie chicken, pork loin, potato, corn, biscuit and the best creamy vegetable soup you ever tasted. Dessert too! Vegetarian options are also available and kids under three eat free when sitting in a parents lap and eating from their plate!  My kids loved seeing the open-air stables with show horses inside as we walked up and the surprise meet-and-greet with the stars of the show while we picked up our tickets heading into the lobby.  We thoroughly enjoyed the world famous saloon with hilarious entertainment put on by some wonderful banjo players with a sense of humor to boot. After the opening show, fully costumed Belles lead us into Dixie’s grand arena where we enjoyed thrilling horse stunts, comedy acts, and an incredible Bluegrass-style musical production. While my kids loved the special effects and rings of fire, I especially enjoyed the twangy banjo and guitar sounds of the Bluegrass and Country band, Mountain Rukus, in the opening act and the barrel races. We all could hardly stop laughing at Skeeter doing his chicken dance and other comical antics. My kids were energized the whole show and learned about Northern-Southern rivalry first hand as the performers sparred in competitive fun.  Overall, I thought the meal and show was perfectly choreographed for an easy flow throughout the evening and I would definitely recommend Dixie Stampede for a fun-filled dinner adventure.

The Lumberjack Feud was another great dinner show we visited and offered a little more action and excitement.  Lumberjack stepped things up a notch featuring the rough competition of flannel-clad lumberjacks over ten different logging events.  The seating is split up into two sections, the McGraws and the Dawsons sides.  We were proud to be a Dawson! My kids were on edge the whole time as we watched this rough and wild bunch compete in chainsaw carving, tree climbing, log rolling, and axe-swinging among other fierce events.  This was no ordinary theatre show!  We really were caught up in the action between the booing and cheering of this enthusiastic crowd.  My daughter even won a “cookie,” or piece of wood stamped with the Lumberjack Feud logo (which was later signed by cast members) for cheering loudly. Lumberjack kept to a family-friendly atmosphere by showcasing a variety of different events.  It was really neat to watch the Timber Dogs fly through the air to retrieve objects and watch these world athletes climb their way up vertical timber posts.  The show came with a flavor-blasting meal to boot.  My family enjoyed chowing down on slow-roasted pork loin, green beans, old-fashioned cornbread dressing, and creamy baked mac-n-cheese.  The homemade Smoky Mountain Berry Cobbler was an equally delicious dessert!  Beneath all the action, the show told an exciting and unique story as we enjoyed a great meal.  I think we all left satisfied and with a new appreciation for the American legend of the lumberjacks.

For a special dinner with the family, you might want to check out the Old Mill Pottery House Café & Grille, located in the heart of Pigeon Forge’s charming Old Mill Square.  This was a favorite spot on our trip with its delicious family-style meal and Old World character. My husband is a meat-lover and greatly enjoyed the delicious hand-cut Black Angus ribeye steak and I was raving over the Praline Grilled pork chops.  Gazing over the menu, there were a lot of options including hearty soups, southern catfish and fresh seafood, signature sandwiches, and quality steaks.  This venue epitomized Southern charm and comfort, offering homemade cakes, brownies, cheesecake, and other delicious desert options.  We felt right at home eating from handcrafted dinnerware, which was beautifully crafted by artisans next door at Pigeon River Pottery.  The kids menu for kids 12 & under was also fantastic and offered yummy choices of a drink, chicken tenders, mac-n-cheese or a hamburger, along with fries or a fresh fruit cup.  Afterwards, my family enjoyed a pleasurable stroll through the Old Mill Square.  It was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle and tour this traditional place. 

I’d say our stay in Pigeon Forge was a major success with unforgettable memories.  There’s such a diverse range of activities and places to visit here, which was nice because I think everyone in my family took away something special.  It was refreshing to have some down time alongside our lively dinner shows at night.  I would highly recommend visiting this scenic spot if you’re planning your next vacation getaway!  Our trip turned out to be a fun-filled adventure that my family will always remember.

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