9 Bucket List Travel Destinations for Families

Road trips and theme parks are a classic choice when it comes to the annual family vacation but when you’re ready for something truly out of the ordinary, look no further than an expedition. A voyage with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions is the ultimate family adventure, with activities that will delight guests of all ages and fitness levels and a team of dynamic experts leading the way. 

You’ll sail aboard small ships uniquely equipped with state-of-the-art tools designed for exploring remote and remarkable places up close. Together, you can kayak among iridescent icebergs, Zodiac cruise past cliffs teeming with seabirds or snorkel with curious sea lions. Stand on the ship’s bow watching humpback whales bubble-net feeding or walk among 100-year-old tortoises grazing in lush fields of green.

The National Geographic kids and teens programs, available aboard select destinations across the fleet, makes learning fun for even the most school-adverse child. Certified field educators use nature as their classroom, illuminating the wildlife, cultures and landscapes through hands-on activities that range from making ice cream sundae glaciers to identifying whale flukes and recording them in a souvenir field notebook. 

An expedition will take you to truly epic parts of the planet, from Galápagos and Antarctica to Iceland and Alaska, where you’ll make indelible memories that will last long after your children have left home. Here are nine incredible destinations to add to your family bucket list this year.

1. Galápagos

Kids will never forget the moment they spot their very first tortoise in the wild. Photo: Ralph Lee Hopkins

No kid can resist the chance to make a splash in sea lion-filled waters. In the magical Galápagos Islands, charismatic wildlife is unfazed by human presence, setting the stage for stellar close encounters and incredible photos. As you explore among the varied landscapes, from volcanic black lava beaches to lush, green highlands, you’ll spot fascinating endemic animals including giant Galápagos tortoises, blue-footed boobies, dino-like marine iguanas and diminutive Galápagos penguins. These incredible islands that Darwin put on the map offer pure, isolated wildness guaranteed to inspire and ignite young minds. 

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2. Antarctica

To create truly epic holiday memories this November or December, head for the ultimate winter wonderland. Aboard world-class, fully stabilized polar expedition ships, you'll sail among Antarctica's massive sheets of sea ice, be dwarfed by exquisite ice forms—some more than 50 stories high—and leave footprints where few ever have. The wildlife that thrives in this frozen kingdom is as equally thrilling as its surroundings. Kids will squeal with joy when they spot the continent’s main attraction: boisterous, waddling, charismatic penguins. Certified field educators (aboard select Antarctica itineraries) will help decode all the fascinating behaviors going on in the penguin colonies, as well as shed light on other polar animals you might encounter like leopard, elephant and fur seals, plus six species of whales.

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3. Iceland

Kids will immediately fall in love with a country that believes in fairies and trolls; and true tales of Vikings will spark young imaginations. Add the amazement of watching explosive geysers, hiking to a volcano and feeling the spray of thundering waterfalls, and you’ve got yourself one of the best international travel destinations for families—with nonstop flights to and from cities across the U.S. and a special limited-time offer for young explorers, it’s easier to access than ever before. There’s plenty of room to run in wide open landscapes, and kids are only too happy to stay up late for the possibility of witnessing the aurora borealis. Lastly, let’s not forget wildlife: whales, arctic foxes and enormous numbers of nesting seabirds, including adorable puffins, inhabit this magical land of fire and ice.

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4. Mediterranean

Ancient history, archaeology and mythology will come alive for kids on the shores of the Mediterranean as they discover famed UNESCO sites like Delos or Ephesus alongside two National Geographic Experts. National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions ventures to this storied region between May and September on weeklong expeditions aboard the National Geographic Orion, making for an ideal summer-break adventure. In between visits to medieval towns, iconic isles and fascinating ruins, the whole family can experience the refreshing turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea while swimming, paddleboarding and kayaking. As a bonus, back on board parents can savor the best regional wines curated by Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine magazine.

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5. Alaska

Alaska’s majestic spectacle of colossal glaciers, humpback whales and endless lush forests creates a domestic destination unlike any other. In this pristine, wild place where nature reigns, families can spot eagles soaring overhead or pods of orcas in the sea, plus kayak through dazzling fjords and quiet coves where bears might come to feed on the shoreline. Think your kids wouldn’t be interested in plankton? Budding scientists will be telling you all about this vital ocean food source after they zip around in a Zodiac to gather a sample and examine it under a microscope. Alaska most definitely offers some of the best summer activities for families.

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6. Costa Rica

Kids won’t miss their screens while spotting monkeys, sloths and toucans in a rainforest or walking past bubbling volcanic mud pools on their way to a steaming caldera. In one of the best travel destinations for family fun, stand on a remote Caribbean black sand beach where 14,000 green sea turtles have been counted or cross a suspension bridge high over the cloud forest canopy for a literal bird’s eye view. With help from eagle-eyed naturalists, kids will be introduced to unique animals they’ve likely never heard of, let alone seen, like caimans, coatis, tapirs and tanagers. They’ll come back with all sorts of bragging rights, from swimming in the pool of a jungle waterfall and snorkeling over a coral reef to ziplining over a rainforest.

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7. Baja California

Whether kids in Baja California are eye level with whales, sliding down sand dunes or gazing into a starry night sky, they'll experience a true sense of wonder about the natural world. Who wouldn’t be in awe of super pods of dolphins, leaping mobula rays and waters filled with playful sea lions? In fact, a third of the planet’s marine mammals inhabit this region that Jacques Cousteau called “the world’s aquarium.” Venture into protected lagoons for extraordinary encounters with gray whale mothers and their calves. Check out their baleen plates up-close, observe the barnacles speckling their rubbery skin and learn about their migration patterns. There are extraordinary things to see on land as well, like forests of giant cacti on deserted islands, towering cliffs alive with seabirds and a beach adorned with beautiful sand dollars.

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8. Amazon

Those picturesque photos your kids see in their textbooks come to life in the Amazon, where an endless array of wildlife abounds in lush rainforests and winding river networks. As you set out together in kayaks or skiffs into the vast wilderness of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, your family will have the chance to observe vibrant scarlet macaws flying overhead, pink dolphins gliding by in the river and brown-throated sloths lounging in the canopies. Kids will wake up to awe-inspiring sunrises in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and spend days learning about the region’s unique ecosystems and how local ribereños, the people who live in the reserve, are helping protect it. To make your trip to this region even more epic, combine your Amazon experience with a visit to mystical Machu Picchu, stepping back thousands of years to discover a once-thriving Incan city.

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9. Arctic Svalbard

Kids will return with the coolest ‘what I did on my summer vacation’ story when you sail among the spectacular icy landscapes of Arctic Svalbard. Exploring at the top of the globe, you’ll have a rare opportunity to witness iconic creatures in their natural habitat. Search the shorelines and sea ice for massive polar bears and whiskered walruses along with beluga and bowhead whales, reindeer, arctic foxes and ringed seals. Take in the breathtaking fjords of this High Arctic archipelago, cruise among icebergs in a Zodiac and kayak to the foot of tidewater glaciers. Perhaps discover whale bones or an abandoned hut on a walk along a pebbly beach and then cap the adventure off meeting friendly sled dog huskies in the world's northernmost permanent settlement, Longyearbyen. 

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These are just a sampling of the more than 40 remarkable geographies that National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions has been exploring for decades. Whether you choose penguins or gray whales, spectacular icescapes or lush tropical islands, your bucket list family vacation will be exciting, educational, stress-free and very memorable.