Top 10 Family-Friendly Travel Destinations for 2014: Lonely Planet Picks
Family travel shines brightest with welcoming locals and children's unbridled joy in discovery. These top child-friendly destinations, curated by Lonely Planet experts, promise unforgettable adventures for all ages.
Tivoli Gardens fair ride in Copenhagen, Denmark. Image by Frank Fell / Robert Harding World Imagery / Getty Images.
Denmark
Denmark is a compact, family paradise despite modest costs. Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, an enchanting amusement park since 1843, offers free music, nightly fireworks, and excellent cuisine. Nearby in Billund, Legoland features a 20-million-piece Miniland recreating global landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Star Wars scenes—named after the Danish phrase leg godt ('play well'). Rides suit preteens perfectly.
Book the four-star Hotel Legoland for after-hours access and early entry advantages.
Thailand
Thais adore children, showering them with affection from street vendors to tuk-tuk drivers—perfect icebreakers. This exotic haven blends temples, delectable food, monkeys, and pristine beaches. Start in Bangkok for glittering temples and boat rides, then relax on Ko Chang with calm beaches, kayak excursions, elephant camps, and volunteering at the Koh Chang Animal Project.
Aladdin Dive Cruise (www.aladdindivecruise.de) on Ko Chang offers PADI courses and live-aboard dive safaris.
Belize
Belize delivers affordable Caribbean bliss for families, with English widely spoken. Spot howler monkeys and crocs onshore, sea turtles and nurse sharks snorkeling offshore. Kids can drum on beaches or tube underground rivers, explore jungle lodges, and boat to Mayan ruins.
Cabanas with kitchenettes near Placencia's beach and dive center run about US$50 nightly, just hours south of Belize City.
'Sadya', or 'banquet' - a colorful Keralan feast appealing to all ages. Image by Rameshng / Flickr / Getty Images.
Kerala, India
India's vibrant chaos thrills families with elephants, palaces, beaches, jungles, and wildlife. Kerala tempers the intensity: laid-back, lush, slower-paced, with milder coconut-infused cuisine, national parks for elephant spotting, palm beaches, and serene backwater boat trips.
Wayanad’s Tranquil Resort offers a plantation house with trails, tree houses, and a pool.
New York City, USA
NYC transforms reality into cinematic magic with yellow taxis, iconic skyline, museums, Central Park, High Line, hot dogs, and pizza. In 2014, One World Trade Centre (onewtc.com) opens atop Ground Zero for panoramic views. Bronx Zoo boasts a butterfly garden with 1,000 species and a 6.5-acre Gorilla Forest.
Hawaii
Hawaii's volcanoes, snorkeling, turtles, sands, and subs challenge choice paralysis. Big Island offers lava flows and Thurston Lava Tube at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Kahalu’u Beach Park suits beginners. Maui's Ocean Center dives deep; Oahu's Polynesian Cultural Center showcases traditions.
Rent gear at Kona Boys (www.konaboys.com) on Big Island—spot dolphins en route to marine wonders.
Horse-drawn carriages in Prague's Main Square. Image by Corinne J Humphrey / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images.
Prague, Czech Republic
City breaks thrive with kids in compact Prague—walk or tram easily. Fairy-tale architecture, hilltop castle, buzzing Old Town Square, and Charles Bridge enchant. Ride the funicular to Petrin Hill for an observation tower and vintage mirror maze. Wooden toys abound for treats.
No 46 (www.no46prague.com) provides glamorous, spacious apartments with chandeliers.
Italy
Italians embrace families, welcoming kids everywhere—even upscale spots. Late dinners suit young night owls. Marvel at Colosseum, Pompeii under Vesuvius, pizza, gelato, beaches, lakes, caves, mountains, and villas in verdant hills for play.
July-August peaks with crowds, festivals, and fun.
Iceland
Iceland thrills with geysers, mud pots, massive waterfalls, Vatnajökull glacier, volcanoes, thermal pools, northern lights. Activities include horse riding, elf hunts, rafting, glacier walks, caving, kayaking, whale watching. Post-crisis rates make it budget-friendly.
Wow (wowiceland.co.uk) offers cheap Europe flights.
Befriending a husky in Pielinen, Finnish Lapland. Image by Will Gray / AWL Images / Getty Images.
Lapland
Winter Lapland feels storybook: Santa's home, dog sleighs, skiing, reindeer races, ice-fishing, snowmobiles. Polar nights yield aurora borealis; summer's midnight sun lights parks and rafting.
Lomarengas (www.lomarengas.fi) provides wilderness cottages, many with fishing boats.
Plan your travels with Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014—the ultimate guide to must-visit spots.
