Indulging can be one of the best parts of vacation, but staying active while you travel will make that indulgence feel all the more deserved, while simultaneously keeping your family busy and entertained. Physical activity is an excellent way to really engage as a family and it will tire your kids out by the end of the day, ensuring peaceful vacation nights.
This may feel somewhat daunting as you try to plan a trip that will keep all your kids entertained and get them exercising, so we’ve put together a list of destinations and activities that will be breathtaking in more ways than one and suitable for all ages.
Happy Hiking:
Aspen, Colorado
Aside from being gorgeous, Aspen, Colorado is an excellent place to enjoy a ton of outdoor activities. With over 25 miles of paved hiking and biking trails, your family can adventure by foot through some of Colorado’s most scenic wilderness. Check out their Parks and Recreation page for a complete guide.
Trail Tip: Aspen is at altitude, so while you’ll be sure to get in some good exercise and work up a sweat in the thin air, don’t forget to bring water for everyone and stay hydrated along the way.
Asheville, North Carolina
For a more urban take on active vacations, experience the comfort of the city Asheville with its renowned art scene and excellent restaurants, all within driving distance of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. For a great kid-friendly itinerary, check out this post on Asheville and Everything You Need to Know for Awesome Family Fun.
Trail Tip: For a guide to hiking the North Carolina Arboretum, located just 20 minutes outside of Asheville, check out a complete list of their 10 miles of trails, ranked by difficulty.
Worried your kids will get bored hiking? The Arboretum offers geocaching, free interactive exploration loaner backpacks, and an Ecolab to keep kids excited about the outdoors. Check out their page specially designed for planning a visit with kids.
Hiking in the Arboretum in Asheville, NC.
Best of Biking:
Portland, Oregon
Portland is one of the United States’ most bike-friendly cities with its city-wide bike share program, to an extensive list of bike tours and rental companies suited to all ages, you can rent bikes for kids From Everybody’s Bike Rentals & Tours as well as kid’s buggy trailers for those who are too young to bike. You’ll be sure to find easy access to a bike in this beautiful city with over 300 miles of bikeways that make it easy to safely take a day trip exploring the city without worrying about getting lost or dealing with the hassle of street crossing in an unfamiliar place.
This list of 5 family-friendly bike rides around this Oregon city offers a good listing of which bike trails to take your kids on and ranks them by difficulty.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Internationally, Denmark is known for being easily traveled by bike. Due to a large number of commuters and families alike who bike through this Danish city, cycling there is safe and easy.
The city even has an entire page dedicated to planning your family vacation by bike. They offer bike and trailer rentals so even if your kids can’t bike yet, you can pull them along behind you. They also offer links to routes that will pass by amusement parks, zoos, and other attractions, so you can take breaks at the best times.
Paris, France
While perhaps better known for its decadent food and fabulous sightseeing, Paris is also home to some excellent cycling. Take the hassle out of planning routes and sights in a foreign city with one of Paris’ many tour companies that will take you on a trusted and carefully selected tour of the famous city.
Fat Tire Tours Paris is a flexible option, allowing you to select both age ranges and activity levels and filters results from there.
Sweet Ski Spots:
Whistler Blackcomb, Canada
Whistler Blackcomb Resort, located just 75 miles from Vancouver is considered one of the top ski resorts in the world. You’ll be sure to stay busy and active – without having to acclimate to altitude – on the 35 beginners runs and 110 intermediate runs that these two mountains have to offer. A gondola connecting the two ski areas makes it easy to travel from one to another.
Read this mom’s Tips for Family Skiing at Whistler Backcomb for a guide to the mountain, ski schools, accommodations, and good food.
Breckenridge, Colorado
Breckenridge is one of Colorado’s best-known ski resorts, and for good reason. Boasting over 40 percent of its terrain as intermediate and beginner, Breckenridge is also able to groom almost 30 percent of its total terrain, making for excellent snow conditions all season long.
Get some great tips and an honest review of visiting Breckenridge as a family from mom and blogger, Brave Ski Mom,
A First-Time Family Guide to Skiing Breckenridge, Colorado.
Northstar, California
This California ski resort is located near Lake Tahoe and provides access to friendly terrain for all skill levels, with 13 percent of the 100 trail mountain devoted specifically to beginners. Northstar also offers a variety of lesson packages so your family can hit the slopes together for a group lesson.
Read a full review of Northstar with kids and all it has to offer.
Water Wonderlands:
Costa Rica
Costa Rica offers tons of kid-friendly water sports options from learning to kayak on mellow rivers to stand up paddle boarding, rafting, and surfing. You can stay right on the ocean or more inland, but you’ll never be far from world class water sports.
If you’re interested in snorkeling, take a guided tour the Manuel Antonio National Park coastline with Manuel Antonio Snorkeling Tours. They provide expert and bilingual tour guides who will describe common birds and sea life to you on the boat ride out and then guide you through your snorkel tour, provide you with lunch or snacks, and take you home at the end of the day. No experience is necessary and there is no minimum age making it perfect for beginners and little kids. Looking to explore the national park itself? Manuel Antonio National Park guided tours will take your whole family through beaches and rainforests alike, describing the lifecycles and abilities of local wildlife.
If you’re looking for a more fast-paced adventure, consider Costa Rica’s many guided rafting trips. While you may be hesitant to take your younger children out on a raft, anywhere.com has well-reviewed rafting tours such as their Pejibaye River Class I-II professionally guided trip that is suitable for ages 5 and up. These tours will be sure to get your hearts racing and fill a whole day with activity.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Lake Michigan
This gorgeous national park in the Northwest portion of lower Michigan is an incredible place to visit for both the miles of beaches it runs along and its lush forests and hiking trails that offer endless opportunities for adventure outdoors. The hiking trails range from beginner friendly to very steep, giving even the fitness gurus the option to work up a sweat.
Kids can scramble up the Sleeping Bear Dune and enjoy a view of Lake Michigan and the neighboring Glen Lake, or they can brave the clear freshwater and go for a swim or kayak ride in the calm waters. There is also a maritime museum, an observatory for star gazing, and countless options for camping if your family wants to go a little further off the grid. Experiencing the Great Lakes as a family no matter what activities you participate in is a breathtaking experience as the huge freshwater body seems endless and ocean-like, especially for younger children who will find it incredibly easy to occupy themselves in this secluded part of nature.
For ideas on how to spend your family vacation in Sleeping Bear Dune, check out Family Focus Blog’s post on the magical lakeside vacation spot. Their kids especially enjoyed running up and down the dunes and then jumping and tumbling their ways down, providing a day full of exercise and entertainment.
No matter where you and your family choose to go, this list of active family vacation ideas will leave you breathless in more ways than one. Enjoying your family and getting outdoors is an excellent way to unplug and reconnect with the people around you. Use this list—along with loads of other helpful links on The Family Backpack—to start planning a trip that will leave you tired in the best of ways, keeping you on track with your fitness goals and introducing your kids to ways they can enjoy being active for years to come.
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