The 6 Bucket List Holidays Your Family Should Take This Year
When it comes to holidays, there is a world of opportunity waiting for you. Whatever the age of your child, you should consider trying something new. You might have always wanted to see the Northern Lights or escape to an island in the Indian Ocean. Holidays can also be a great way to make your child’s school curriculum come to life and help them learn.
The Northern Lights and Snow Safari
Taking a trip to Finnish Lapland is a great adventure and ideal for children aged 4 to 14. The Northern Lights are one of the greatest natural displays our planet has to offer. It is a completely free, multicoloured light show that is most common in the Arctic regions.
If you want to see these lights in their full glory, you will need to head north and to around 60 degrees latitude at least. Finnish Lapland is appealing to families for other reasons as well. You can easily combine the search for the Northern Lights with a snowmobile safari, a visit to a reindeer farm or go snowshoeing.
Sun, Sea and Sand
The Greek Islands are another great destination for a holiday and will be great for all children from babies to 18-year-olds. If you are bored of heading to other warm spots for the summer like Spain, France and Italy, you should take a trip to Greece. Greece has a great offering of sleepy villages, beautiful beaches, hearty food and amazing relics that will be universally appealing.
The last few years have been hard on Greek tourism. There was financial instability and then the eastern islands become the first port for thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Syria and Libya. This led to an 11% fall in tourists, but this can be good for you as there are now a lot of good deals to be had in the country.
Total Relaxation
If you want to relax for your holiday, you should head to St David’s which is ideal for children aged 1 to 8. Pembrokeshire is one of the best places for a family to head because of the attractions that keep the children occupied and the St Davids holiday cottages just off the coast. The coast surrounding St David’s will vie for your children’s attention with the incredible wildlife that they can find.
Many people do not realise that the area can be an entirely new environment that their children will love exploring. While this might seem like the least exotic feature on a bucket list, it can do a lot of change your family dynamics.
Live Ancient History
Ancient history is best appreciated in Sicily, Rome and Naples. These destinations will be best for older children aged 7 to 12. If you have a child that is a reluctant classicist, there is nothing like a trip to the source to change their mind.
While you are visiting the area, you can follow in the footsteps of the ancient Romans with child-focused itineraries in Pompeii and Rome. You can take archaeologist-led tours of the sites to get a full understanding of everything that happened in both places. You can then top all of this off with a few days relaxing in Sicily where a kid’s club can entertain the children while you enjoy some spa activities or golf lessons.
A Wildlife Bonanza
A lot of people forget that Borneo is a great holiday destination particularly for children aged 12 to 18. Borneo is actually one of the best places to wildlife watch and if this is your child’s last year at home, you might want to take them on a trip if a lifetime. Borneo has a lot to offer from cactus forests to stark lava formations, turquoise bays, tropical beaches and lush green highlands.
The best thing about Borneo is the wildlife which you can view at almost every turn. You will often come face to face with the curious and strangely fearless animals that live on the island within minutes of landing.
A Self-Drive Safari
Going on safari in Canada is something that you might want to consider if you have children aged 13 to 18. Canada has some of North America’s most spectacular landscapes and you will be able to drive through the Rockies and past glittering lakes. You can start in the cosmopolitan Vancouver before heading to Wells Gray Provincial Park and Lake Louise.
In these locations, you can search for grizzly bears, bald eagles and moose. There are also plenty of mountain biking trails, white water rafting experiences and horse riding opportunities.