Where to go on family holiday? Ideas for tours with children

Family holidays - what should you know?

Start with your child's needs and choose the destination afterwards. With a baby, a short transfer and quiet surroundings may matter most. A preschooler will benefit from space to play, while an older child will be happy to help select the trips. Are they more interested in animals, experiments, playgrounds, or water attractions?

When comparing ideal holiday destinations, look beyond the hotel's facilities. The following are also important:

• The door-to-door journey - include the journey to the airport, the wait for your flight and the transfer to the hotel.

• Beach and pool conditions - check the type of surface, entry into the water, availability of shade and local swimming conditions.
• Location of your accommodation - staying close to restaurants and attractions can reduce daily travel.
• Weather during your trip - high temperatures make sightseeing more difficult.

Do not plan every day from morning until evening. Start with one main attraction and leave time for a meal, a nap, or a rest. A shorter trip that ends with everyone in a good mood often works better than a packed schedule.

Looking for ideas for a day out? Cruises, guided tours, and skip-the-line museum tickets await you on SeePlaces.

Holiday essentials

If you are wondering what to take on a family holiday, divide packing into two parts: luggage for the entire stay and a small backpack for the journey and trips. Anything you need on the way should be accessible without having to open a large suitcase.

Include the following on your list:

1. Documents and booking confirmations - the child's travel document, insurance details, tickets, and vouchers.
2. Clothing for different conditions - a hat, swimwear for the pool and an extra layer for a cooler evening or an air-conditioned coach.
3. Toiletries and sun protection.
4. A basic first-aid kit - plasters, a thermometer, and medication.
5. Food and drink accessories - a reusable water bottle and snacks.
6. Things that make rest easier - a favourite cuddly toy, a book, or board games.
7. A pushchair or carrier - if you use one every day and it suits the planned route.

Pack water, a hat, tissues, a spare set of clothes and a charged phone in your day-trip backpack.

The question 'what should you take on holiday with children?' does not have to lead to a long shopping list. First, establish what your accommodation provides and what you actually use.

Destinations for family holidays in 2026-2027

Where should you go on a family holiday to combine beach time with sightseeing? The Canary Islands, Greece, Egypt, and Spain offer different possibilities, including access to pools, lakes, beaches, cycle routes or saunas. You need to know what you enjoy doing together to choose the right places.

Greece - seaside holidays

Greece may appeal to families who want to combine the sea with history and relaxation. In Crete or Rhodes, it is worth alternating beach days with shorter walks around towns and visits to selected monuments. Children find it easier to engage with a place when they have a specific task: find a gateway in the walls, spot a boat in the harbour or pick the most interesting detail on a building.

A cruise is an exciting idea for a family holiday - you board a boat and sail through Greek waters, admiring places such as Shipwreck Bay along the way. Such trips often offer an audio guide, helping you learn more about the country's history.

Check out the cruise to Navagio Beach >

When planning trips with children in Greece, pay attention to journey times and how far you will need to walk. A short route may be a better place to start than a full-day excursion.

Egypt - all-inclusive family holidays

Would you like a seaside holiday when it is cold? Egypt is ideal!

In Egypt, one of the most interesting options for a family trip is the Red Sea. In the Hurghada and Marsa Alam areas, available attractions include glass-bottom boat trips, which let you see the underwater world without entering the water. This option is worth considering if your child does not yet use snorkelling equipment.

Older children interested in ancient history may want to visit historical sites. A tour to Luxor or the Pyramids of Giza is a live history lesson. You can see places your child has read about in books. Remember, however, that travelling from a seaside resort may involve a long and less comfortable journey.

When planning a family holiday in Egypt, consider the weather: temperatures are very high from May to August, while October to March is quite pleasant.

The Canary Islands - amusement parks for children

The Canary Islands are an option for families who like variety: beaches, volcanic landscapes and attractions centred on fun.

Tenerife lets you combine relaxation with a visit to Siam Park, while Gran Canaria offers attractions such as Angry Birds Activity Park and the Elder Museum of Science and Technology. On Lanzarote, volcanic landscapes inspire trips.

However, do not try to see the entire island during one trip. Choose a few attractions within a reasonable distance of your accommodation.

Take care when swimming in the ocean, as the waves and currents in the Canary Islands are much stronger than in the Baltic Sea.

Discover attractions for children in the Canary Islands >

Spain - holidays with children

If you want to combine the sea with city sightseeing, consider the area around Barcelona. A hop-on hop-off bus lets you travel between attractions and see sights such as the Sagrada Família and Gaudí's buildings along the way.

You can encourage children to look for unusual shapes on facades. Instead of starting with the architects' names, ask what the balconies and roofs remind them of. This way of looking at a city requires no prior knowledge.

Another good destination for holidays with children is Costa Blanca, home to Terra Mítica - an amusement park themed around ancient Mediterranean civilisations. A visit can combine fun with a conversation about Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

When choosing accommodation, check how you will get to the attractions. A seaside hotel may be a good base for relaxation, but it will not necessarily be close to the city you plan to visit.

TOP 6 ideas for trips with children

The best ideas for trips with children suit their interests and abilities. Treat the suggestions below as inspiration for planning a day, not as a list of attractions you must visit during a single holiday.

Amusement parks and playgrounds

An amusement park can be a good holiday choice if your child enjoys movement and play.

Angry Birds Activity Park is located on Gran Canaria. Children's activities include trampolines, climbing areas and mini golf. It is an example of a park where physical activity is an important part of the visit, and there is no chance of getting bored.

Disneyland

Disneyland is a separate idea for a family holiday in France, especially if your child is interested in fairy-tale characters. A visit can include shows, parades, rides, and various forms of entertainment. The parks are huge, and it is easy to get lost, so having the official app is worthwhile.

Choose a few priorities for the day instead of assuming you will do everything. Start with a short list: an attraction your child wants to experience, one chosen show and time for a relaxed, comfortable meal. Add other activities afterwards. This prevents the most essential part of the visit from getting lost in constant movement.

Water parks

A water park is an idea for a day centred on fun in the water. A ride on an inflatable raft, a wave pool and water playgrounds for the youngest children let you alternate calmer attractions with more exciting ones. When choosing a park, check whether it offers paddling pools and areas for younger children as well as large slides.

On Tenerife, it is worth visiting Siam Park, home to the 28-metre Tower of Power slide. There are also calmer attractions, such as a raft trip along the Mai Thai River, as well as the chance to relax on a charming, man-made white-sand beach beside a huge wave pool.

Visit Siam Park in Tenerife >

You will also find water parks in Turkey near Kusadasi or in Antalya, in Greece on Corfu, and in Spain's Costa Blanca.

Museum

Where should you take children who never stop asking 'why'? A science and technology museum can give them the chance to look for answers themselves. Choose a place with interactive exhibits rather than one where visitors can only look at displays.

On Gran Canaria, you can visit the Elder Museum of Science and Technology, while Tenerife is home to the Museum of Science and the Cosmos.

At the museum, give your child time at the exhibit that interests them. Repeating an experiment and discussing the results can be more valuable than rushing through every room.

For an older child, museums where they can see masterpieces may be a good choice, such as the Musée d'Orsay or Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris.

Zoo

A zoo can be a good choice for children interested in animals, especially exotic ones such as elephants, lions, or monkeys. In addition to the flora and fauna, there are often other attractions, such as information boards and quizzes. To make the visit more engaging, you can try drawing a chosen animal together or learn a few facts about it.

Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna is a good choice for families with children and is well-suited to a short city break. Mark a few places on the map that particularly interest your child. Animals may be in a less visible part of their enclosure, so it is worth keeping the plan flexible. After the visit, you can compare which species surprised you most and why.

Hop-On Hop-Off bus

A hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus lets you get off and get back on at designated stops. You can see part of the city from the bus, take a break at a chosen attraction and then continue along the route.

This option is convenient in large cities with numerous attractions, such as London, Milan, or Cádiz. Treat the bus as a way to connect a few places, rather than trying to visit every stop.

With a child, you can select two or three stops: near monuments, museums, and a place to relax. Plan tickets to the attractions along the route separately unless the offer clearly includes them in the package.

Tours with children on SeePlaces

Choose an attraction that suits the way you travel. On SeePlaces, you can explore local tours, cruises and museum admission tickets, and check their itineraries, duration and available dates.

When comparing offers, pay attention to three things:

1. travel time,
2. what is included in the price,
3. participation conditions for the youngest children.

Check whether the transfer from the resort is included, where the pick-up point is and whether the itinerary involves additional charges. Check the cancellation conditions for each individual offer.

Explore excursions with children on SeePlaces and select an idea for a day together outside the hotel.

Summary - which attractions are suitable for families with children?

Good destinations for a holiday with children are those that let you adapt the pace to the whole family.

The Canary Islands may appeal to fans of active fun, Greece encourages you to combine the beach with history, Egypt offers relaxation by the Red Sea, and Spain invites you to discover cities and amusement parks.

The best destinations for trips with children are those where it is easy to follow your plan. Choose a few places you are looking forward to and leave room for rest. An attraction experienced together offers more than a long list of places visited.