When people think of family travel, their mind often goes to the usual pick of well known and well loved family destinations. We’re here to encourage you to stretch those limits with a list of our top eight unusual family vacations.
Big Ambergris Cay, Turks and Caicos
There’s something magical about the Turks and the Caicos at the best of times – somehow it manages to be a magnet for vacationing celebrities and yet also feels coveted.
Despite it being a known secret that celebrity’s holiday there for years now, it still feels as though you are exploring uncharted territory.
You can turn this feeling of discovery up a notch by staying on Big Ambergris Cay, TCI’s very own Caribbean private island.
You and your family can explore Ambergris Cay as though you discovered it, partaking in nature walks, water sports, and boating trips around the island, all the while taking in the stunning backdrop of the azure Caribbean coast.
Dude Ranch Vacations, Various Locations
Talk about unusual family vacations, how does spending a week or two living in the wild west?
Dude ranch vacations have long been a popular vacation idea – since the early 1900s, to be exact – but are still as visited as ever, with dude ranch vacations popping up all over the US, with many in Texas, Wyoming, and Montana.
With many dude ranch vacations being Wi-Fi-free, you and your family can experience a digital detox, while immersing yourself in an authentic cowboy ranch.
Horse riding is the main draw, but there are also a wealth of other activities that take place on dude ranch resorts, including watersports, fishing, and line-dancing.
Castle Accommodation, Scotland
When you think of Scotland, you probably think of mountains, lochs, and whiskey, but when you go there, it’s difficult to find accommodation that lives up to your romanticized vision of the country.
Luckily, there are several old castles located throughout the country, that you and your family can rent out to feel like lords, kings, and queens of the manor, and experience the Scotland of a bygone era.
Some of the best castle accommodations include Inverlochy Castle in Fort William, and Aldourie Castle Estate, near Loch Ness – where you can go monster hunting!
Istanbul, Turkey
If you want to experience an unusual family vacation that amalgamates the best of eastern and western values, head to Istanbul, Turkey, which rests right on the European and Asian border – separated only by a river!
Istanbul is a safe means of giving your family a bit of a culture shock and giving them a love and appreciation for a culture that is totally different from what they’ll find in the U.S. From the food to the architecture, to its sheer density, Istanbul definitely stands out as a city break unlike any other.
Vilnius, Lithuania
If you want your family destination to be currently little-known but has the potential to one day be a tourist magnet, hit up Lithuania’s ancient capital of Vilnius, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With winding cobbled streets, there is an untouched quality to Vilnius and a place that we really do encourage you to visit before the tourism boom hits this northern European city.
With castle complexes lining the city, Vilnius is a great stop for those history obsessed children of yours, and with most museums and attractions offering free admittance, there is certainly plenty to keep you busy.
Iqaluit, Canada
Many vacationers write-off ever visiting the Canadian territory of Nunavut, and for good reason too: it’s a boundless terrain of tundra, and despite being the biggest territory in the country, it is also the least populated – but that’s exactly why it makes our list of unusual family vacations.
It is truly a destination like no other, with an entirely different culture going on, influenced by its complete remoteness.
Kids of all ages are sure to love all the defining activities that go on throughout Nunavut, including dog sledding, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and hiking into the icy tundra.
Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
For being so beautiful, the Faroe Islands are rarely visited by standard vacationers, mainly due to how difficult they are to reach: you have to fly with Scandinavian Airlines or Atlantic Airways, either from Bergen, Edinburgh, or Reykjavik – but if they were easy to reach, they wouldn’t have made it onto this list of unusual family vacations!
With scenic hiking, which passes by beautiful waterfalls, rugged mountaintops, and rolling valleys, an extensive puffin population, and several great northern lights viewpoints, the Faroe Islands is the kind of place you visit and brag about relentlessly afterwards.
Port Louis, Mauritius – the Most Unusual Family Vacation
The island of Mauritius is in the Indian ocean, and its capital, Port Louis, is regarded as being a very safe city.
Many of the resorts are built to accommodate all children, from toddlers to teenagers, with wide-ranging activities found in each.
Many resorts are located near La Pointe beach, which is where you’ll find a plethora of boat tours, as well as plenty of water-based activity, including snorkeling.
There is also the Caudan Waterfront, which boasts numerous casinos, shopping malls, restaurants, and cinemas. It is definitely an unusual family vacation, but with such extensive amenities, you’ll feel right at home on Mauritius!
Now is the time to plan your unusual family vacation – one that you and the kids will be talking about forever more!