How to Choose Where to Travel With Kids

Start Here: How to Choose Where to Travel With Kids

If you’re not sure how to choose where to travel with your kids, start with this question:

What kind of trip would feel both exciting and manageable right now?

Not the most impressive trip. Not the trip someone else says you should take. Not the trip that looks best online.

The trip that fits your family right now.

For some families, that might be a hotel an hour from home with a pool and free breakfast. For others, it might be Disney World, a cruise, a national park, a city weekend, or an international trip you’ve been dreaming about for years.

Most of my trips didn’t begin with a perfectly planned list. They started as little ideas that snowballed into something real: a great deal that popped up, a friend mentioning a place she had always wanted to go, or a city I couldn’t stop thinking about.

Start simple. Do you want nature or city energy? Somewhere familiar or completely new? A road trip or a plane ride? A resort where everything is in one place, or a destination where you can explore a little more?

The right destination usually sits somewhere between “this sounds fun” and “I can realistically handle the logistics.”

1. What Kind of Trip Sounds Fun Right Now?

Sometimes the decision is simple: is there somewhere you really want to go?

I’m a big believer that a lot of destinations can work with kids if you build the trip around your actual family instead of trying to travel the way you did before kids. If there’s a bucket-list destination calling your name, start there. Then figure out what would make it safe, realistic, and enjoyable for your family.

You don’t have to wait for the perfect time. Start with the dream, then build the plan around your kids’ ages, your energy level, your budget, and the kind of support you’ll have on the trip.

2. Budget

Budget matters. Some trips will always cost more, especially when flights, strollers, car seats, kid-friendly accommodations, or larger hotel rooms are involved.

But that doesn’t mean a great family trip is out of reach. If a Disney Cruise, international flight, or all-inclusive resort isn’t in your budget right now, scale it back. Stay closer to home. Look for a shorter trip. Choose a destination you can drive to. Build the trip around one or two things you really want to do instead of trying to do everything.

Some of our most memorable trips have been close-to-home trips just a few hours away. A hotel room with a pool, a comfy bed, and something new to explore can be enough. Find a local museum, a great coffee shop, a state park, a beach, or a playground you’ve never visited before.

Kids don’t care how far you travel. They care that you’re together, doing something different, and making it feel like an adventure.

3. Safety and Comfort Level

Safety matters on every family trip, and it matters even more if you’ll be the only adult managing the kids like I often am.

On one of my first trips with my kids, we took a Caribbean cruise with my mom and docked in Nassau, Bahamas. I’d heard mixed things about venturing outside the cruise port, and it made me nervous. But I decided to give it a try. I got off the ship with the kids while my mom stayed back, we explored carefully, and it ended up being a confidence-building experience that shaped how I approach travel now.

Still, safety should always come first.

When my friend and I started planning the trip that eventually became Portugal, we had first talked about going to Guatemala. But after reading news stories and checking the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory, she and her husband didn’t feel great about it. So we pivoted. Portugal felt like a better fit for two women traveling with young kids, and it ended up being a perfect choice.

If something doesn’t feel right, listen to that instinct. There’s no shame in choosing a destination that gives you more peace of mind.

4. Familiarity

If you’re new to traveling with kids, familiarity can make a world of difference.

You’ve probably noticed how often Disney World shows up on my travel list. That’s not just because I love it, though I absolutely do. It’s because I know it inside and out. I worked there, I understand the transportation, I know how to plan around long park days, and I have a good sense of where my kids will be happiest.

Familiarity doesn’t have to mean Disney, though. Maybe you have family or friends in another state, or there’s a city you’ve always felt comfortable visiting. Maybe you want to recreate a childhood trip with your own kids.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with choosing somewhere that feels easy and familiar. Every trip does not have to push your comfort zone. You’ll gain confidence naturally over time.

5. Logistics

Traveling with kids means logistics matter more than ever.

For me, managing two kids, a double stroller, and luggage means I try to keep travel days as simple as possible, especially when I’m the only adult. I avoid multiple layovers, long transfers, or destinations that require complicated transportation unless I have a very good reason.

High-elevation hikes, narrow streets with canals, or cities with lots of stairs do not work well for us right now. In this season, I usually look for places that are stroller-friendly, easy to navigate, and where I can move confidently without feeling like every outing is a puzzle.

Everyone’s threshold is different. Your kids’ ages, your travel style, your personality, and the kind of trip you want all play a role. But thinking through the logistics before you book can make a huge difference in how enjoyable the trip actually feels once you’re there.