Getting Away — Fun Vacation Activities For Families

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A vacation is one of the main times of the year when a family can forget all their woes and get together for a week or two with a firm emphasis on fun. Normally, it’s just a beach and a pool vacation in a holiday hotspot, but if you widen your horizons there’s much more to do out there and you don’t have to leave yourself penniless to do it.

Getting sporty

There are a huge number of sports activities to enjoy that as well as being fun, allow you to explore more of your destination. If you’re taking family holidays to countries that have their own national or state parks you can go kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking or, in the winter, maybe even head for a ski resort and take to the slopes. Most of the parks will have their designated scenic trails and admission will usually be free; costs are simply for equipment hire. Take a picnic and spend a day exploring some of the most beautiful parkland beauty spots, and remember to take your camera.

Getting cultured

Most major cities, if not all, will have a few museums and many are worth checking out for their architecture alone. Children will find the exhibits fascinating and it will give the family a chance to learn some of the history of the country they’re visiting (and blow the teacher away in history class!). However, it’s not all about history, and cities will have science museums as well as film, art and transport museums. Often you need to make a small donation to the upkeep of the museum, rather than pay an entry fee. When the rains come, it’s a good way to spend the afternoon.

Checking out the ruins

It will depend on the country that you’re visiting but many destinations — think Greece, Turkey and Rome —ancient ruins and temples galore for history buffs and the merely curious to get their teeth into. In fact it’s pretty hard not to trip over an archaeological site wherever you travel in Europe, Asia or South America. For instance, a short trip from the beach resorts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula will take you to ancient Mayan city ruins such as Tulum or head into the jungle and explore the famous Chichen Itza ruins. No matter where you’re vacationing, there are usually intriguing historical sites only a short trip from your hotel.

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Hitting the water

If you’re on a beach holiday then water sports can become part of daily life. Water sports in hot weather countries such as those in the Mediterranean are usually a low cost activity and can include jet-skiing, surfing and snorkeling. Scuba-diving is another very popular sport and beginners can take classes abroad, which will provide a skill that can be enjoyed on many holidays. Boat-hire is one of the most enjoyable holiday activities for the entire family and provides the opportunity to journey along the coastline to find secluded beaches for picnics.

The family activities you enjoy will depend on the location you are traveling to but most popular tourist destinations offer a plentiful range of low-cost activities. Sports, sightseeing and exploring are generally available no matter where you go and can make a great alternative to another day at the beach. You can leave those buckets and spades at home!

Comments

  1. great tips! what a fun trip

  2. These are all great ideas. When we go on vacation we try to do a little bit of everything you listed. There is always something new and different to do and see where ever you go. I think the best way to see a location is to try and take in some of all that it has to offer.

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