Top Winter Vacation Destinations for the Family

Here are the top winter vacation destinations for your Family trip. Hopefully you would enjoy choosing any of these as your destination.

Winter can be seen as synonymous to cold, unforgiving weather, but it can also be seen as a great time to go to the mountains for breath-taking scenery and fun activities that the entire family can enjoy. The beauty of winter lies in what you choose to do during this time, so it’s a good thing there a lot of winter destinations that you can take your family to. Here are some of the best in the world:

1. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia

A beautiful scene of Whistler Blackcomb

Offering 3,200 hectares of jaw-dropping scenery and terrain, these mountains in British Columbia is one of the winter destinations you should not miss. Ski lessons cater to all levels and all ages, but kids get a special Whistler Kids Snow School. Other attractions include the Coca-ColaTube Park, ice skating at the Olympic Plaza, zip trekking and snowcat tours.

2. Jungfrau, Switzerland

You can pay a visit to the highest railway station in Europe, for scenes that are guaranteed to take your breath away. After all, not many people can say they’ve been to the “top of Europe,” so this is a once-in-a-lifetime destination your family will surely enjoy. The Jungfrau ski region has a number of options for you to choose from – whether you’re looking for a skiing or sledging adventure. As a bonus, children ski free on Saturdays! The Snowli Kinderclub Bondmi is also the perfect wonderland for kids who are 3 years and above. I think in the list of top winter vacation destinations for the family, this one would be the most beautiful and attractive point. Many of us will desire to see the amazing beauty of Switzerland, especially in winter.

3. Lake Tahoe, California

Lake Tahoe has always been a favourite family destination, but even more so during winter when it transforms into a wonderland of adventures for all members of the family. Northstar at Tahoe gives thrill-seekers picturesque and adrenaline-filled ski slopes, while the kids can learn the basics at Kids School and have fun at the 2 adventure parks specially designed for kids. Other activities the whole family can enjoy include tubing, bungee trampoline, ice skating and pottery painting.

4. Aspen, Colorado

Up in the Rocky Mountains is Aspen Snowmass, which could be the perfect venue for your next family getaway. The Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Centre combines ski school programs with fun childcare facilities, making sure that you get everything you need in one go. While the adults are conquering the slopes, the kids can have the time of their lives as well.

5. Tremblant, Quebec

Nestled in the beautiful Laurentian Mountains is the Mount Tremblant Ski Resort, where family members of all ages can enjoy with spa treatments, dogsledding, tubing, Scandinavian baths and tours of the Quebecois villages. For skiers and snowboarders who want to go extreme, you can go down the slopes and feel a speed like no other and the rush of the mountain breeze. Just make sure that you get winter sports travel insurance beforehand.

For any of these winter destinations, getting winter sports travel insurance is important because it allows you to enjoy your winter adventure without having to worry about the unexpected. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

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I’m Julia and I’m very fond of travelling as well as photography. I`m very active and talkative girl who adores making new friends around the globe. Being also a travel writer at Globelink Travel Insurance, I’m trying to describe the most incredible travelling experiences in my stories.

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Family Fun and Adventure Activities in America

I don't know about you but I like nothing better than getting myself and my family outdoors and no matter what the time of year, there's nothing that beats spending time together having fun and keeping active in America.

As they say 'sharing is caring' so I thought I'd let you in on just a few of my family's favourite things to do when we're out and about so read on below and let's all hope that the weather cheers up soon.

Watersports

There are many beautiful lakes and rivers in North America, with a host of activities perfect for families. Our favourites are rafting or canoeing through the stunning mountain scenery on Lake Louise, sea kayaking past glaciers in the Alaskan wilderness, beating the heat by river tubing down the Virgin River in Zion, and surfing the coastline of Central America. A day on the water is sure to tire out the whole family!

Wildlife spotting

There are lots of fantastic parks and wilderness areas that are perfect for spotting wildlife. You can see wolves, caribou, marmots and grizzly bears in North America, while down south in Central America there are monkeys, toucans and sloths. Our favourite parks are Monteverde in Costa Rica, where the canopy of trees is a haven for hummingbirds and butterflies; and Yellowstone, which covers a huge area full of wildlife, thermal features and dramatic mountains. Wherever you go, the animal kingdom will always be a draw for the kids.

Camping

With endless wilderness and national parks, there are plenty of opportunities to pack up the car and head out into open space. Camping really gets you back to nature and sitting around a campfire, toasting marshmallows under the stars, is a family favourite. Our favourite trip is in Arizona, where you can explore Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon, as well as explore the Navajo Indian’s Monument Valley.

Horse riding

From cowboys to ranchers, America has a long history of life in the saddle. Although the era of the wild west has long gone, there are lots of opportunities to join in modern day cattle runs. Joining seasoned wranglers you can learn all about the environment and challenges of ranch life, as well as take you part in the team round-up. Our favourite spot for grand American adventures is in Arizona, where the family can ride through the amazing desert and mountain scenery before heading back for a hot-tub soak at the ranch.

Wild swimming

Wild Swimming

There is nothing so liberating and refreshing after a day hiking or horse-riding, as a quick dip in a swimming hole. Creeks, rivers, lakes and waterfalls are plentiful across North and Central America, and with the record summer temperatures, it doesn’t take much to convince the whole family to take the plunge! Some of our favourite places are Havaso Falls in Arizona – an amazing cascading blue waterfall, Sliding Rock in North Carolina – a 60-foot long natural rock slide that ends in a 7ft deep swimming hole, and Firehole River in Yellowstone, Wyoming. The churning rapids empty into a deep hole, with lots of kid-friendly shallow sections.

Hiking

Going for a walk may not sound exciting to the children, but get them out there and they will soon find out that there is more to hiking than meets the eye. A trek at sunset in the Great Dunes National Park, Colorado, offers the exciting opportunity to roll and slide back down 700 feet of sand, while the Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, offers a quarter-mile round trip through amazing cave scenery. Walking through the Rainbow Dome and Crystal Lake will fire up the creativity in any youngster.

Theme parks

Nature is wonderful, but we would be lying if we said that families could only have fun outdoors. There are some incredible theme parks across America - Universal Studios, Disney, Sealife… you name it. Most of the parks have been tailored to cater for families, with plenty of fun for the kids, but there is also lots to entertain the parents too (that is of course if you are not queuing for the rides with the kids!!).

Ruth Chapman loves taking the family out on adventures and her favourite thing to do at weekends is camp with the kids. Next year they plan to make camping the focus of the holiday and do a road trip through the Arizona parks.

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