Family travel
Family travel guides
Sights children genuinely enjoy and calm places to base a family.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
253 destination guides, grouped by region. Popular starting points: Paris, London, Rome and Barcelona.
Key facts
- Destinations
- 253
- Regions
- 7
Start here
France · best April–June and September–October
Paris
World-class museums, café terraces and walkable riverside quarters
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United Kingdom · best May–June and September
London
Free national museums, royal landmarks, West End theatre and riverside walks
Italy · best April–May and September–October
Rome
Ancient ruins, Vatican art, Baroque piazzas and long trattoria lunches
Spain · best May–June and September–October
Barcelona
Gaudí architecture, Gothic lanes, tapas bars and city beaches
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Netherlands · best April–June and September
Amsterdam
Canal rings, Golden Age art, brown cafés and a city made for bikes
Japan · best March–May and October–November
Tokyo
Neon districts, historic shrines, outstanding food and punctual trains
Europe
| Destination | Family base | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | Eiffel Tower and 7th arrondissement | Eiffel Tower |
| London | South Kensington | Natural History Museum |
| Rome | Prati | Colosseum |
| Barcelona | Eixample | Barceloneta beach |
| Amsterdam | Plantage and Oost | NEMO Science Museum |
| Istanbul | Sultanahmet | Bosphorus by ferry |
| Lisbon | Belém | Lisbon Oceanarium |
| Madrid | Retiro and Los Jerónimos | Retiro Park |
| Prague | Old Town | Prague Castle |
| Vienna | Landstraße | Tiergarten Schönbrunn |
| Berlin | Prenzlauer Berg | Museum für Naturkunde |
| Venice | Castello | Grand Canal by vaporetto |
| Florence | San Lorenzo and San Marco | Florence Cathedral (Duomo) |
| Athens | Koukaki and Makrygianni | Acropolis Museum |
| Budapest | Belváros and Lipótváros (District V) | Margaret Island |
| Dublin | Docklands | Dublin Zoo |
| Edinburgh | New Town | Edinburgh Castle |
| Copenhagen | Østerbro | Tivoli Gardens |
| Reykjavík | Laugardalur | Laugardalslaug geothermal pool |
| Seville | El Arenal | Plaza de España |
| Porto | Baixa and Aliados | Six bridges river cruise |
| Munich | Altstadt | Deutsches Museum |
| Milan | Magenta and Sant'Ambrogio | Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology |
| Naples | Santa Lucia and the Lungomare | Castel dell'Ovo |
| Nice | Promenade des Anglais seafront | Promenade du Paillon |
| Dubrovnik | Lapad | City Walls of Dubrovnik |
| Santorini | Kamari | Volcano and hot springs boat trip |
| Brussels | Sablon and Mont des Arts | Atomium |
| Bruges | Begijnhof and Walplein | Canal boat tour |
| Kraków | Stradom | Dragon's Den and Wawel Dragon |
| Warsaw | Powiśle | Copernicus Science Centre |
| Stockholm | Östermalm | Skansen |
| Oslo | Frogner and Majorstuen | Vigeland Park |
| Helsinki | Töölö | Suomenlinna sea fortress |
| Tallinn | Kadriorg | Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam) |
| Riga | City Centre | Mežaparks and Riga Zoo |
| Vilnius | Žvėrynas | Bernardine Garden |
| Zurich | Seefeld | Zurich Zoo |
| Geneva | Eaux-Vives | Natural History Museum |
| Lucerne | Tribschen | Swiss Museum of Transport |
| Interlaken | Matten and Wilderswil | Grindelwald First |
| Salzburg | Andräviertel and Mirabell | Hohensalzburg Fortress |
| Hamburg | HafenCity and Speicherstadt | Miniatur Wunderland |
| Frankfurt | Westend | Senckenberg Natural History Museum |
| Cologne | Südstadt | Chocolate Museum |
| Lyon | Brotteaux and the 6th arrondissement | Parc de la Tête d'Or |
| Bordeaux | Chartrons | Place de la Bourse and Miroir d'Eau |
| Marseille | Prado and the beaches | Château d'If |
| Valencia | Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences) | L'Oceanogràfic |
| Málaga | La Malagueta | Alcazaba of Málaga |
| Granada | Centro | Alhambra and the Nasrid Palaces |
| Palma de Mallorca | Platja de Palma and Can Pastilla | Bellver Castle |
| Ibiza | Santa Eulària des Riu | Cala Bassa |
| Tenerife | Los Cristianos | Siam Park |
| Bologna | Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore | Giardini Margherita |
| Verona | Piazza Bra and the Arena | Arena di Verona |
| Amalfi Coast | Minori and Maiori | Boat trip along the coast |
| Cinque Terre | Monterosso al Mare | Monterosso old town and Fegina |
| Palermo | Politeama and Via Libertà | Mondello beach |
| Split | Firule and Zenta | Bačvice beach |
| Ljubljana | Center | Ljubljana Castle |
| Bratislava | Danube Riverfront | Bratislava Castle |
| Belgrade | Vračar | Belgrade Fortress and Kalemegdan Park |
| Sofia | Lozenets | Muzeiko |
| Bucharest | Dorobanți and Floreasca | Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum |
| Mykonos | Ornos | Kato Mili windmills |
| Crete | Rethymno | Knossos |
| Rhodes | Faliraki | Palace of the Grand Master |
| Antalya | Lara | Old harbour boat trip |
| Cappadocia | Ürgüp | Kaymaklı Underground City |
| Bodrum | Bitez | Bodrum Castle and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology |
| San Sebastián | Antiguo and Ondarreta | La Concha beach and promenade |
| Lake Como | Menaggio | Central-lake ferry triangle |
| Sorrento | Via Capo | Piazza Tasso |
| Innsbruck | Innenstadt and Maria-Theresien-Straße | Alpenzoo |
| Hallstatt | Obertraun | Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine |
| Rotterdam | Centrum | Diergaarde Blijdorp |
| The Hague | Statenkwartier | Madurodam |
| Antwerp | Stationsbuurt and Diamond Quarter | Antwerp Zoo |
| Bergen | Nordnes | Fløibanen and Mount Fløyen |
| Tromsø | Sentrum | Polaria |
| Manchester | Salford Quays and MediaCityUK | Science and Industry Museum |
| Liverpool | Waterfront and Royal Albert Dock | World Museum |
| Bath | Kingsmead and Southgate | Roman Baths |
| York | Bootham and Clifton | National Railway Museum |
| Glasgow | West End | Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum |
| Belfast | Titanic Quarter | Titanic Belfast |
| Galway | Salthill | Salthill Promenade |
| Madeira | Funchal Lido | Monte cable car and toboggan ride |
| Algarve | Albufeira | Zoomarine |
| Azores | Ponta Delgada | Whale and dolphin watching |
| Corfu | Gouvia and Dassia | Aqualand |
| Thessaloniki | White Tower and the eastern seafront | White Tower |
| Valletta | Sliema | Upper Barrakka Gardens and Saluting Battery |
| Kotor | Dobrota | Cats of Kotor and the Cats Museum |
| Sarajevo | Ilidža | Baščaršija and the Sebilj |
| Zagreb | Donji Grad (Lower Town) | Maksimir Park and Zagreb Zoo |
| Hvar | Jelsa | Pakleni Islands |
| Strasbourg | Orangerie and the European Quarter | Astronomical Clock |
| Cannes | Pointe Croisette and Palm Beach | Île Sainte-Marguerite |
| Chamonix | Les Houches | Montenvers railway and Mer de Glace |
Asia
| Destination | Family base | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Ginza and Marunouchi | Ghibli Museum |
| Bangkok | Siam and Pathum Wan | Chao Phraya Express Boat |
| Singapore | Sentosa | Gardens by the Bay |
| Hong Kong | Tsim Sha Tsui | Star Ferry |
| Seoul | Jamsil | Lotte World |
| Kyoto | Kyoto Station area | Fushimi Inari Taisha |
| Osaka | Bay Area | Universal Studios Japan |
| Bali | Sanur | Waterbom Bali |
| Phuket | Kata and Karon | Big Buddha |
| Hanoi | Hoàn Kiếm Lake | Water puppet show |
| Ho Chi Minh City | District 1 (Đồng Khởi) | Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens |
| Kuala Lumpur | KLCC | KLCC Park |
| Taipei | Da'an | Taipei Zoo |
| Tbilisi | Vake | Mtatsminda Park and funicular |
| Baku | Seaside Boulevard and Neftchilar Avenue | Baku Boulevard |
| Yerevan | Cascade and Tamanyan Street | Cascade and Cafesjian Center for the Arts |
| Maldives | North Malé Atoll | Sunset dolphin cruise |
| Goa | Candolim and Sinquerim | Palolem Beach |
| Delhi | Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri | India Gate and Kartavya Path |
| Mumbai | Juhu | Gateway of India |
| Jaipur | Bani Park | Amber Fort |
| Agra | Fatehabad Road | Taj Mahal |
| Kathmandu | Lazimpat | Swayambhunath |
| Colombo | Galle Face and Kollupitiya | Galle Face Green |
| Chiang Mai | Tha Phae and Night Bazaar | Elephant Nature Park |
| Krabi | Ao Nang | Four Islands tour |
| Koh Samui | Choeng Mon | Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) |
| Siem Reap | Road to Angkor (Charles de Gaulle Boulevard) | Ta Prohm |
| Phnom Penh | Chroy Changvar | Sunset river cruise |
| Luang Prabang | Mekong riverfront | Mount Phousi |
| Da Nang | Non Nuoc and the southern resort strip | My Khe Beach |
| Hoi An | Tra Que and the rice fields | Lantern boat ride on the Thu Bon |
| Manila | Bonifacio Global City (BGC) | National Museum of Natural History |
| Cebu | Mactan Island | Mactan island hopping |
| Boracay | Station 1 | White Beach |
| Jakarta | Thamrin and Bundaran HI | Ancol Dreamland |
| Yogyakarta | Malioboro | Prambanan |
| Shanghai | Lujiazui (Pudong) | Shanghai Disneyland |
| Beijing | Wangfujing and Dongcheng | Great Wall at Mutianyu |
| Macau | Cotai Strip | Giant Panda Pavilion |
| Busan | Haeundae | Haeundae Beach |
| Jeju | Jungmun Resort | Hyeopjae Beach |
| Sapporo | Sapporo Station area | Sapporo Maruyama Zoo |
| Okinawa | Onna | Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium |
| Hiroshima | Hiroshima Station area | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park |
| Nara | Kintetsu Nara and Higashimuki | Nara Park and its deer |
| Fukuoka | Hakata Station | Ohori Park |
| Penang | Batu Ferringhi | Penang Hill |
| Langkawi | Pantai Tengah | SkyCab cable car |
| Ubud | Nyuh Kuning | Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary |
| Ha Long Bay | Tuan Chau Island | Sung Sot Cave |
| Palawan | Lio Beach | Puerto Princesa Subterranean River |
| Kerala | Fort Kochi | Backwater houseboat cruise |
| Pokhara | Lakeside | Phewa Lake |
| Almaty | Golden Square | Kok Tobe |
| Samarkand | Silk Road Samarkand | Siab Bazaar |
North America
| Destination | Family base | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | Upper West Side | American Museum of Natural History |
| Los Angeles | Santa Monica | Griffith Observatory |
| San Francisco | Fisherman's Wharf | California Academy of Sciences |
| Las Vegas | South Strip | Fountains of Bellagio |
| Miami | Mid-Beach | Frost Science Museum |
| Orlando | Walt Disney World Resort | Magic Kingdom |
| Chicago | Streeterville and the Magnificent Mile | Field Museum |
| Washington, D.C. | National Mall and Penn Quarter | National Museum of Natural History |
| Boston | Downtown and the Waterfront | New England Aquarium |
| New Orleans | Warehouse District and CBD | Audubon Zoo |
| Honolulu | Waikīkī | Waikīkī Beach |
| Toronto | Entertainment District | Ripley's Aquarium of Canada |
| Vancouver | Downtown and Coal Harbour | Stanley Park and the seawall |
| Montreal | Downtown | Montreal Biodôme |
| San Diego | Coronado | San Diego Zoo |
| Seattle | Queen Anne and Seattle Center | Seattle Aquarium |
| Portland | Downtown | Oregon Zoo |
| Austin | Zilker and Barton Hills | Congress Avenue Bridge bats |
| Nashville | Music Valley | Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum |
| Denver | Golden Triangle | Denver Museum of Nature & Science |
| Philadelphia | Old City | Liberty Bell Center |
| Atlanta | Downtown | Georgia Aquarium |
| San Antonio | Downtown and the River Walk | San Antonio River Walk |
| Dallas | Downtown and the Arts District | Perot Museum of Nature and Science |
| Houston | Museum District | Space Center Houston |
| Phoenix | Downtown Phoenix | Phoenix Zoo |
| Sedona | West Sedona | Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte |
| Charleston | Mount Pleasant | Fort Sumter National Monument |
| Savannah | Victorian District and Forsyth Park | Forsyth Park |
| Key West | Casa Marina and South Roosevelt | Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park |
| Maui | Kāʻanapali | Maui Ocean Center |
| Anchorage | Downtown | Anchorage Museum |
| Salt Lake City | Downtown | Natural History Museum of Utah |
| Quebec City | Montcalm and Grande Allée | La Citadelle de Québec |
| Calgary | East Village | Calgary Zoo |
| Banff | Tunnel Mountain | Banff Gondola |
Middle East
| Destination | Family base | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence) | Dubai Fountain |
| Abu Dhabi | Yas Island | Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi |
| Doha | West Bay | 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum |
| Tel Aviv | Beachfront and HaYarkon Street | Tel Aviv beaches and promenade |
| Jerusalem | German Colony and Emek Refaim | Old City walls and Ramparts Walk |
| Amman | Abdali | Amman Citadel |
| Muscat | Qurum and Shatti Al Qurum | Dolphin-watching boat trip |
| Riyadh | Al Olaya | Boulevard City and Boulevard World |
| Jeddah | Al Shati | Jeddah Waterfront |
| Petra | Visitor Centre area | The Siq |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Al Marjan Island | Al Marjan Island beaches |
Oceania
| Destination | Family base | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Darling Harbour and Pyrmont | Taronga Zoo |
| Melbourne | Southbank | Melbourne Zoo |
| Auckland | Parnell | Auckland War Memorial Museum |
| Queenstown | Frankton | Skyline Gondola and Luge |
| Brisbane | South Bank | South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach |
| Gold Coast | Broadbeach | Sea World |
| Cairns | Cairns City and Esplanade | Cairns Esplanade Lagoon and Boardwalk |
| Perth | Perth CBD and Elizabeth Quay | Kings Park and Botanic Garden |
| Fiji | Denarau Island | Mamanuca island day cruise |
| Christchurch | Central City | Margaret Mahy Family Playground |
| Wellington | Lambton Quay and CBD | Te Papa Tongarewa |
Latin America & Caribbean
| Destination | Family base | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| Cancún | Northern Hotel Zone | Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas |
| Mexico City | Condesa | National Museum of Anthropology |
| Rio de Janeiro | Leblon | Sugarloaf Mountain |
| Buenos Aires | Recoleta | Bosques de Palermo |
| San Juan | Isla Verde | Castillo San Felipe del Morro |
| Havana | Vedado | Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro |
| Punta Cana | Bávaro | Bávaro Beach |
| Nassau | Cable Beach | Atlantis Aquaventure |
| Montego Bay | Rose Hall | Doctor's Cave Beach |
| Aruba | Palm Beach | Eagle Beach |
| Barbados | Hastings and Rockley | Carlisle Bay |
| Cartagena | Bocagrande | Castillo San Felipe de Barajas |
| Medellín | El Poblado | Parque Explora |
| Bogotá | Parque 93 | Museo del Oro |
| Lima | Miraflores | Magic Water Circuit |
| Cusco | Urubamba | Sacsayhuamán |
| Santiago | Providencia | Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano |
| Quito | La Carolina | Ciudad Mitad del Mundo |
| São Paulo | Vila Mariana and Moema | Ibirapuera Park |
| Montevideo | Pocitos | The Rambla |
| Tulum | Zona Hotelera Norte | Playa Paraíso |
| Playa del Carmen | Playacar | Punta Esmeralda |
| Puerto Vallarta | Nuevo Vallarta | The Malecón |
Africa
| Destination | Family base | Top pick |
|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | Hivernage | Jemaa el-Fnaa |
| Cairo | Zamalek | Pyramids of Giza |
| Cape Town | V&A Waterfront | Table Mountain and the Aerial Cableway |
| Fes | Batha and Bab Bou Jeloud | Chouara Tannery |
| Casablanca | Ain Diab and the Corniche | Corniche Ain Diab |
| Zanzibar | Kendwa | Prison Island (Changuu) |
| Nairobi | Karen | Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage |
| Johannesburg | Sandton | Gold Reef City |
| Mauritius | Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy | Casela Nature Parks |
| Luxor | Khaled Ibn al-Walid Street | Mummification Museum |
| Sharm El Sheikh | Nabq Bay | Naama Bay promenade |
| Hurghada | Makadi Bay | Giftun Islands |
| Tangier | Corniche and Tanja Marina Bay | Caves of Hercules |
| Victoria Falls | Victoria Falls Safari Lodge area | Victoria Falls rainforest (Zimbabwe side) |
| Seychelles | Beau Vallon | Sainte Anne Marine National Park |