Trips to Take With Your Kids Before They Grow Up (International Edition)
If you’re looking for family vacation ideas outside of the United States with your kids, you’ve come to the right place!
The world is big, so when it’s time to start planning those first few international trips with kids, it can be tough to know where to start.
I’m sharing the international trips we’ve taken with our kids in the hopes that it will help get your wheels turning! Most of my suggestions are in Europe or Central/South America, simply because those places are the easiest to reach with kids on a school schedule. Africa, Asia, and Australia are expensive and/or time consuming to get to, so we haven’t had a chance to visit yet, but we have SO many places on those continents we WANT to visit someday.
But if you’re like us, with kids on a regular school schedule and sports on the weekends, and you want some ideas for trips you can accomplish in a week or 2 on a reasonable budget, I think I have some great ideas for you.
And if you’re still looking for US destinations to visit with kid, be sure to read here: 25 Trips to Take with Your Kids Before They Grow Up (USA Edition)
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
International Trips to Take with Kids: Best Family Vacation Spots!
Italy: Venice, Florence, Rome
My kids have experienced quite a bit of travel at this point, but they still name this trip as their favorite of all time.
We took a week-long whirlwind tour of Italy’s historic sites in 2023, and ever since then we’ve been dreaming of taking another trip there.
Of course the pizza, pasta, and gelato set it apart as a kid-friendly destination, but what made the trip so memorable was how kind everyone was to our kids. For example, if one of the kids was having a hard time in a restaurant, a waiter would come over and interact with them instead of glaring at our family.
We started in Venice where we spent two nights, then took a train to Florence and spent two nights there. Finally, we took a train to Rome and spent 2 nights.
The highlights of the week were the guided Colosseum tour, the pizza making class in Rome, a day trip to Burano from Venice, and riding a gondola in Venice!
Admittedly, we crammed a lot into a short amount of time, but we worked with what we had. Ideally I would recommend 3 nights in each spot, but do what works best for your family!
On future trips to Italy I hope to see the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, and Cinque Terre.
Read: 1 Week Italy Itinerary with Kids: Venice, Florence, and Rome
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is another popular destination for families from the United States for a good reason. The biodiversity is incredible, so if you have kids that love nature, animals, and volcanoes, you’re in for a treat!
Costa Rica was our first international trip with 4 kids, and it did not disappoint. We flew into San Jose and immediately had a private transfer take us to our resort in La Fortuna. We stayed at Hotel Arenal Manoa where we had connecting rooms and a view of the Arenal volcano. To this day it remains one of our favorite resorts of all time! We stayed there for 3 nights, and during our time in La Fortuna we took the kids ziplining and on a sloth tour.
Next we took another private transfer to the beach town of Sámara where we stayed at Villas Kalimba. In Sámara we took a horseback ride through the mountains and on the beach, took a catamaran dolphin tour, and spent time relaxing at the beach.
Read more about Costa Rica here: Costa Rica One Week Itinerary for Families
Scotland: Edinburgh + the Highlands
I took my oldest daughter to Scotland for her 11th birthday trip, and it was the perfect safe and magical destination for a mother-daughter adventure.
The reason we chose Scotland for her birthday trip is because we’ve been reading the Harry Potter series together since she was age 7 or 8, and we wanted to see some of the Harry Potter filming locations as well as places that inspired the books.
We stayed in Edinburgh for 4 nights, and spent 3 days/2 nights on a group tour of the highlands. After our group tour we had one last night in Edinburgh before catching our flight home.
We booked a big chunk of the trip on credit card points, including our flights, which we booked on Virgin Atlantic, and our hotel rooms in Edinburgh. I signed up for both the personal and business IHG cards, and used the 4th night free on award bookings to book the 4 nights at Hotel Indigo Edinburgh Princes Street. We also booked our last night through IHG at the Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh - Royal Mile.
We took a day trip from Edinburgh to ride the Jacobite Steam Train (the Hogwarts Express), and on our 3-day tour of the Highlands we saw the Kelpies, Pitlochry, the Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe, the Isle of Skye, and more!
To read all the details about our trip, check out my blog post: 1 Week Scotland Itinerary with Kids (Edinburgh and the Highlands).
Benelux: Belgium, Netherlands, + Luxembourg
Belgium is one of those countries that flies under the radar in comparison with surrounding European hot spots, but I found it to be incredibly kid-friendly and a great spot for a family city break! I took just my youngest on a girls’ trip one February when I found a great flight deal.
We flew into Brussels, but only stayed one night since our flight arrived in the early evening. The next day we took the train to Bruges where I met up with a fellow content creator, and we spent 2 nights there. We explored Bruges and took a day trip to Ghent. Both were beautiful cities that felt like a fairy tale!
Next we took the train to Amsterdam where we had a quick 24 hours to sightsee. We wandered along the canals, took a canal tour, saw the Anne Frank House, ate our fair share of stroopwafel, and walked through the flower market. I regret to say we didn’t get a chance to rent some bikes, but now I know we’ll just have to go back!
We spent our last 2 nights based in Brussels, but instead of exploring the capital city, we took another day trip to Dinant, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
This “Benelux” trip was full of waffles, fries, chocolate, castles, cobblestone streets, unique architecture, and canals. The weather in February was surprisingly mild (at least for me as a Midwesterner), and while it seems like our itinerary was jam packed, we did a lot of slow wandering through beautiful towns and cities, and we never felt rushed. (Though, yes, I would have liked one more day in Amsterdam).
Read my full itinerary here: Belgium, Amsterdam, and Luxembourg 7 Day Itinerary.
Greece: Athens + the Island of Paros
Usually I’m the one planning our trips and choosing the destinations while my husband is just happy to be along for the ride. However, I wanted to make sure we hit some of his bucket list destinations, too, so a few years ago I asked him to make a list of where in the world he would most like to go.
Greece, specifically any Greek island, topped his list, so I added a week in Greece on to our Italy trip in summer of 2023.
We spent 1 night in Athens after flying in from Italy. Specifically, we stayed in Piraeus near the port so we could catch an early ferry to the island of Paros.
We stayed in Paros for 3 nights and had plenty of time to relax and explore the island. Paros is a bit more upscale, so if you like shopping and fancy restaurants, this island is perfect for you!
I actually like neither of those things, and still fell in love with the island. The people were so friendly, the towns were uncrowded but still lively, and we still got to enjoy the classic whitewashed buildings and blue domed churches. The beaches were lovely, too. It was just what we needed after a whirlwind week in Italy.
After taking the ferry back to Athens we spent just 2 nights there. Honestly, this was one of my bigger travel regrets. We had booked roundtrip flights out of Venice, Italy instead of booking open jaw flights flying into Italy and out of Athens. The extra travel we had to do to get back to Venice ended up cutting our time in Athens short, with only 1 full day there to explore.
Because our time there was short, I ended up splurging on a private tour to see all the main sights of the city, but for various reasons the tour ended up being a disappointment.
We still loved Athens, and all of the disappointments about our time there were my own mistakes, so we really want to go back someday and do it the right way!
Because I felt like I made so many mistakes booking this Greece trip, I haven’t written a full 1-week Greek itinerary, but I do have it written down in the 2nd half of my 2-week Italy and Greece Itinerary.
I also have a guide to the Island of Paros here: Best Things to Do in Paros, Greece with Kids.
Guatemala: Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and Tikal
Guatemala was one of our most unique trips as a family! As a former Spanish teacher I had heard amazing things about Guatemala, and I figured since I speak the language pretty well it would be a fun and slightly off-the-beaten-path type of family vacation.
I’m so happy to report that I was right! We spent 10 days in Guatemala, AND my husband’s parents joined us for 7 of those days.
To give you an overview of our itinerary, we flew into Guatemala City but had a private transfer take us straight to Lake Atitlan where we spent 4 nights. Next we took another private transfer to Antigua where we spent 3 nights. Our driver then took us back to the airport in Guatemala City where we said goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa who were heading back home. Our family, however, was heading up north to spend 2 nights in Flores to see Tikal National Park, and a plane is the easiest way to reach it. Finally, we flew back to Guatemala City where we stayed overnight before catching an early flight the next day.
Lake Atitlan is such a peaceful destination. You can find accommodations along the lake with volcano views, and you take lanchas, or speedboats, from town to town. Each town along Lake Atitlan has its own style, and we loved exploring Panajachel, San Marcos, and San Juan.
Antigua has cobblestone streets, Spanish colonial architecture, and the iconic yellow Santa Catalina Arch. We loved exploring this beautiful town, taking a chocolate making class, shopping the markets, and even taking a day trip to climb a volcano and roast marshmallows at the top!
Our last stop, Tikal, was my favorite. We stayed at a luxury boutique hotel in the jungle and took a private sunset tour of the ancient Mayan ruins.
Read about our full itinerary with all the details here: The Ultimate 10 Day Guatemala Itinerary with Kids
London, England
I have a special fondness for London since my maternal grandmother grew up there. She used to tell us stories of being a child during WWII in London, such as being evacuated to Wales and playing with shrapnel in the streets.
After she passed away, my entire extended family traveled to London to see where she grew up and to pay homage to her. We spent a week there, and at the time we only had one toddler. On top of that, I was the first of my sisters to have a baby, so our group was 11 adults and 1 child. Here’s my blog post on that trip: Planning a London Vacation the Whole Family Will Love
More recently, we took our 4 kids to London for just 24 hours and used the London Pass to see as much as we could in our short stopover on the way to Germany.
Honestly, we could have easily spent another week there with the kids! London has so many playgrounds, great public transportation, and so many interesting historical sights to see, making it an especially family-friendly destination. Plus, for families visiting from the US, it’s nice to be able to speak the language, especially if you’re new to international travel.
Here’s How to Make the Most of 24 Hours in London with Kids.
Germany + Austria Road Trip
This past summer we spent 2 weeks road tripping through Germany and Austria. As I mentioned above, we actually flew into London, then took an overnight train to Berlin where we picked up our rental car.
Our trip had 3 segments:
Seeing Martin Luther sites to honor our Lutheran heritage.
The Romantic Road in Germany
Road tripping around the Alps
The first segment of our trip was seeing the Martin Luther sights, which is why we started in Berlin. We visited Wittenberg, Eisleben, and the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach.
Next we drove south and started our trip down the Romantic Road starting in Würzburg and ending in Füssen. We stopped in Würzburg, Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, Augsburg, and Füssen. Our favorite stop was Rothenburg, a medieval town with colorful half timbered houses and the city wall still intact.
Füssen, Germany was the start of the last segment of our trip. We visited Neuschwanstein Castle, took a road trip to see Eibsee, one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany nestled below Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. We stopped at a Kinderhotel in the Tyrolean Alps of Austria, visited Hallstatt, and stopped in Salzburg to take a Sound of Music Tour, too!
2 weeks didn’t feel like enough time to see it all, and we barely scratched the surface! I put our full itinerary in my blog post, PLUS, what I would do differently next time: 2 Week Germany and Austria Itinerary with Kids.
Guanajuato, Mexico
Back when I only had one child, I had the opportunity to join my mother–in-law on a trip to visit my brother and sister-in-law and nieces and nephews in Leon, Mexico where they were living at the time.
The main goal of our visit was the spend time together, but one of the perks was visiting nearby Guanajuato. Guanajuato is a colorful city located right in the center of Mexico, northwest of Mexico City, so if Mexico City has been on your bucket list (it’s still on mine!) it would be fun to combine the two cities into one visit!
Guanajuato is known for its colonial architecture and colorful buildings. Take in the spectacular view from El Pipila Monument and make sure you try the signature dish in Guanajuato - miner’s enchiladas!
Be sure to check the current safety guidelines for visiting Guanajuato. Currently the U.S. State Department has a level 3 travel advisory for the state of Guanajuato, so keep an eye on that and do your research before planning a trip here. We visited in 2014, and things have most certainly changed since then.
If the travel advisory changes, and Guanajuato is considered safe to visit again, I would highly recommend planning a trip to this beautiful city.
Paris, France
What list of recommendations for trips to take with kids would be complete without Paris?
I recently took my 5-year-old on a girls’ trip to Paris with my mom and mother-in-law. We spent 2 days at Disneyland Paris, and 3 full days exploring Paris together.
From the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and Versailles, you’ll definitely keep busy walking to and from iconic landmarks.
But I also want to say that there are lots of parks, carousels, and playgrounds for little ones to enjoy. My daughter even loved Petit Palais, a free art museum with a stunning cafe in back. Try some of the famous hot chocolate from Angelina or Carette, and eat tons of crepes, croissants, and macarons.
Here’s my full guide to visiting Paris with kids: Paris with Kids: A One Week Itinerary for Families
Places I’ve Been Without My Kids (That I Still Think Would Make Good Family Trips)
I wanted to include a few more suggestions of places I’ve visited without my kids that I definitely want to return to with my kids someday!
Jamaica: Kingston, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay
Last year I was honored to be included on a press trip to Jamaica where we took a whirlwind tour of 3 cities in 3 nights including Kingston, Ocho Rios, and Montego Bay.
Kingston was so culturally rich, and we enjoyed a walking tour through Kingston’s Art District where we learned the stories behind the murals and discovered why Jamaica’s motto is: Out of Many One People.
Next we enjoyed some soft adventure in Ocho Rios at the popular Dunn’s River Falls and Park where you can zipline, climb a terraced waterfall, and relax on the beach.
Finally, I would highly recommend finishing your trip at a family-friendly resort in Montego Bay. Half Moon Resort had it all, including a Children’s Village, tennis courts, a world-class spa, multiple pools, a crescent-shaped beach with calm ocean water, horseback riding, and more.
Yes, Jamaica has beautiful beaches, resorts, and adventures, but so do a lot of places on earth. What really drives me to recommend it to parents is the warmth of the Jamaican people. It’s a bummer to spend your hard-earned money on a vacation only to feel like an annoyance to the locals. In Jamaica the people I encountered showed refreshing hospitality and a zest for life that was absolutely contagious.
Read my article here: Jamaica, Your Way
Ecuador: Quito and Beyond
Ecuador may not be on your radar, but it’s one of my favorite countries in the world. I studied abroad here in college, and it almost feels like a 2nd home to me! After visiting 3 times, I still feel like I haven’t seen it all!
Quito is one of the highest capitals in the world at an altitude of 2,850 meters above sea level, so the views of the Andes mountains are spectacular. The Old Town is one of my favorite places in the city with well-preserved colonial architecture. Definitely include a visit to the Basilica del Voto Nacional, take the Teleferico cable car for panoramic views of the city, and stop at La Mitat del Mundo - the equator! There are 2 museums that claim to be on the equator. I recommend the Intiñan Equator Museum!
One unique thing about Ecuador is that for such a small country it offers a ton of geographical diversity. You can visit the mountains, the jungle, and the beach. Places to visit include; Cotopaxi National Park, the Galapagos, Baños for outdoor adventure, the cloud forest of Mindo, Otavalo for a vibrant indigenous market, or an ecolodge in the Amazon Rainforest.
A friend from college is currently living in Quito with her kids, and my husband and I got a chance to visit their family without our kids. With some reasonable safety precautions, I would gladly bring my kids back to explore more of this beautiful country together as a family.
Colombia: Bogotá, Cocora Valley, and Cartagena
When I was studying abroad in Ecuador my best friend was also teaching at a school in Bogotá, so I went to go visit her on my 2-week break! We had so much fun exploring Bogotá together, and it felt so cosmopolitan compared to Quito.
Then in 2023 my husband and I visited Cocora Valley, Colombia on our way back from Quito on our kid-free trip. Cocora Valley has some of the tallest wax palm trees in the world set in the mountains, and it’s one of the most beautiful natural sites I’ve ever seen.
The gateway town to Cocora Valley is Salento, and it was used as the inspiration for Disney’s Encanto! The buildings are so colorful, and the town is small and very walkable. You take Willy Jeeps out to Cocora Valley and sit in the back of the Jeeps, and it’s the coolest experience. I know my kids would love this area, and I plan to bring them back someday! If your kids love Encanto, this destination would be so much fun to bring the movie to life for them.
Now I have never actually been to Cartagena, but friends who have gone have said it’s such a fun beach town to visit with kids, so it’s on my bucket list!
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro + Iguazu Falls
Brazil was another press trip I got to take when I first started out as a travel writer, and it honestly blew my mind. We started in Rio de Janeiro and saw the Christ the Redeemer statue, which was epic, the Museum of Tomorrow, Sugarloaf Mountain, Tijuca National Park, Copacabana Beach, Olympic Boulevard, the colorful Selaron Steps, and Barra de Tijuca Beach.
While there are some safety concerns in Rio, I think if you take proper precautions like hiring private guides or private transfers and use common sense in busy tourist areas, you’ll be just fine. There’s an energy in Rio that’s undeniable, and to see one of the wonders of the world up close was incredible, and something I really want to share with my kids!
Here’s my Rio de Janeiro Travel Guide
Our next stop was Iguazu Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world! Of course Iguazu Falls itself is incredible to see in person, but there’s so much to do and see in Foz do Iguaçu, the gateway city to visiting the falls. You can visit Parque das Aves, a bird park where you can see 150 different species of birds, the Three Borders landmark where you can see Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil from one spot, visit Itaipu Binacional Hydroelectric Dam, kayak the Iguazu River, take a helicopter ride over the falls, and go biking in Iguazu National Park!
This is such a kid-friendly city.
Finland: Midnight Sun in Rovaniemi and Turku
Last but certainly not least is Finland. I think this would be SUCH great first international trip with kids. I visited on a press trip without my kids, but I noticed that kids are welcomed and loved in Finland, English is widely spoken, and Finland is extremely safe.
We got to visit during summer to see the Midnight Sun. In some areas of Finland the sun never fully sets in summer, and we got to float in a lake at midnight in Rovaniemi, Finland. You can put on a thick neoprene suit that helps you stay afloat, and it’s the most peaceful experience!
Rovaniemi is also where Santa Claus Village is, so whether you visit in summer or winter, you can have your kids meet Santa Claus! Plus if you visit in winter you may have a chance to see the Northern Lights! Read: Things to Do in Rovaniemi, Finland
We also visited Turku, a beautiful city on the Southeast coast of Finland along the archipelago. It’s perfect for island hopping in summer and visiting the Moominworld theme park! Read: Things to Do in Turku, Finland
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Emily Krause is a Wisconsin-based travel content creator who writes about exploring the world with kids.
On A Mom Explores you’ll find the best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
