Traveling is an even better experience when you have others to share it with. Exploring the world with your family and inspiring others to channel their inner wanderlust makes for some great bonding moments. With the COVID pandemic so relevant in the entire world, it is natural for parents to want to protect their children while traveling. Here are some of the most child-friendly destinations, activities, and other features your kids will love to travel during the year 2021!

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the most visited locations for families. It has world-class beaches, exotic animals in any of the many national parks available, street markets, cheap excursions and Museo de Los Ninos which is a children’s museum. Or you can go to Bosque Eternall de los ninos (“Children's Eternal Forest”) There are great outdoor activities such as zip lining, canopy tours, horseback riding, hiking, and camping. There are volcanoes you can go see or visit sloths, toucans, and monkeys. This country is extremely welcoming, sunny, this is one of the best places to hang outdoors with your family.

Thailand

One of the common nicknames of this beautiful country is, “the Land of Smiles.” This sloan was created because of how welcoming the Thai people are to tourists. People flock from all around the world to see the glamorous beaches, nature wildlife, and exciting attractions. If you have older kids, they may enjoy karting, wakeboarding, and wildlife spotting. There are several play areas where little ones can splash in the sea and play on the soft sand. There is even a splash jungle water park located in Phuket. If you want to visit the city, go to the capital Bangkok. Bangkok has incredible architecture and several temples that are history-filled. You can spend some fun days at places like Dream World, Safari World, and SEA LIFE Ocean World Bangkok, and escape the crazy streets and popular beaches. 

Japan

Japan has become an increasingly popular destination for families and kids. You can travel to Himeji Castle in Himeji to visit a 17th-century castle to spark young imaginations with its maze-like alleyways, massive towards, and secret rooms. Visit Disneyland in Tokyo that has seven areas with attractions for every age group. Located right next to it is the Tokyo Disneysea, this park is designed to look like an underwater world with a variety of rides available to all. There is also Hitachi Seaside Park where millions of flowers bloom at different times of year. Families love to come here because there is a large playground, ferris wheel, water playground, a place to golf and bike. Japan is full of life and color and is a great place to explore Asian culture.

Iceland

Iceland is unlike any other country you have ever been to. The Earth here belches out gasses, waterfall cascades as if bursting forth for the first time, and you can see the Northern lights dance in the skies. You can go see penguins here, whale watching, dog sledding, and see massive icebergs. Some of the most popular family friend activities are located in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. There you can see the famous Blue lagoon. There are thermal baths in this lagoon where you can bathe and enjoy the natural heated waters.  Coming to this country will inspire imagination because the people there believe that mythical creatures roam the area. It's a fun way to learn about the history of folklore, elves, trolls, goblins, gnomes, mountain spirits, and dwarves.

Turkey

Turkey is packed with activities to keep the whole family entertained. One of the most famous activities to do in this country is going to Cappadocia in central Turkey. Here they release hundreds of hot air balloons above valleys and volcanic “fair chimney” formations.

Behind Konyaaltı beach lies the Antalya Aquarium this even has a complete 4-D cinema inside, the Wildpark which is a park that is devoted to insects and reptiles and is cool to take a look at, and if the kids want to get out of the heat there is an indoor snow park. If you go to Antalya Minicity, there are recreations of Turkey’s most iconic landmarks. The Toy Museum at Antalya’s harbour also provides a fun distraction from the beach.

New Zealand

You may recognize New Zealand's gorgeous landscaping because this is a popular country for filming. Movies such as The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many more were filmed here. The reason why is because New Zealand has some of the most gorgeous scenery. One of the big to-do lists for family members young and old is a trip to Hobbiton- home of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit Trilogy. It’s a magical experience to feel as if you are actually in the shire. This is a location that’s great for all outdoor activities. There are plenty of places to hike, waterfalls to see, beaches to play on. You can also go to Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty where this is bubbling volcanic mud, stinky gas, gushing geysers, and Māori haka performances! Rotorua is hard to beat from a kid's perspective. And around the Bay of Plenty coast are beautiful beaches and plenty of fish and chip shops.

Kenya

Kenya isn’t your typical first thought location to take kids. However, Kenya has access to several child-friendly attractions. You can go to Nairobi national park, where lions, leopards, giraffes, and zebras roam free within sight of the city, it's a great place for wildlife-watching. If your kids want to actually get up close with hands-on experiences with these animals, you can go to the Giraffe Center where you can feed these tall creatures and can even go to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust where orphaned elephants are rehabilitated and prepared for life in the wild. It's a cool country to interact with animals, explore the safari, see blue beaches, see some of the most gorgeous starry nights, and be culturally enriched.

Taiwan

Taiwan is the place to go if you want to experience the Chinese culture without actually traveling to China. From the pristine beaches to the myriad of museums, Taiwan has a lot to offer for your kids. By providing an uplifting experience and a better understanding of Chinese history and culture it opens the gate to understanding Asia as a whole. Located in the center of the island is Sun Moon Lake where you can take a ferry through the gorgeous junglelike terrain. Moving forward you can try lots of different foods such as turkey rice, hot pot, beef noodle soup, dumplings at night markets where you can see plenty of other kids running around at the same time! Worried about safety? Taiwan is listed as one of the safest places to be in the entire world with crime being at an all time low. 

You can still travel to locations during the pandemic and be smart about how safe you are. Wear your mask and check out our safety tips for more guidance. Come take your family a trip they will never forget!

Post written by Aryn