Ready to plan the next big family adventure? Here are our top picks for guided tours around the globe, whether you're interested in those led by an educational institution, or trips led by tour operators who are experienced and committed to helping families see the world.
Educational Guided Tours
It has been, and continues to be, tough times for the travel industry, but we are delighted to announce that these family-specific, educational trips from major American museums and highly-recommended adult tour operators continue to be offered. Contact these organizations by phone or website for their inspiring brochures.
American Museum of Natural History Expeditions' Family Programs
Central Park West at 79th Street
NY, NY 10024
800/462-8687
These trips are run and guided by the experts at New York's American Museum of Natural History, with a focus on environmental and wildlife issues. Long time favorite trips include expertly guided visits to South America for "Galápagos: A Family Adventure;" the "China: A Family Expedition;" "Family Greece;" an exotic "Antarctica Family Adventure" for those intrigued by climate change; "Family Argentina & Patagonia" and their popular "Tanzania Family Safari." While fees may seem high, a portion of the revenue goes to support the museum's extraordinary work.
Lindblad Expeditions
96 Morton Street
New York, NY 10014
800/397-3348
From the purveyor of the finest small-ship cruising experiences comes a variety of trips to so-called "Kid Friendly Capitals of the Wilderness." Each offers superb guides, energy-burning activities and myriad wildlife. Lindblad is an official Conservation Travel Provider in conjunction with several conservation funds and societies and has also partnered with National Geographicto provide extra enrichment on its trips. Adults will be delighted with the attention to gourmet meals prepared with sustainable foods, and the carefully trained and enthusiastic tour leaders. Children of any age are welcome on all of Lindblad's deluxe trips, and travelers under 18-years benefit from a $500 discount on rates. You can also receive up to a $500 discount for booking your expedition well in advance. For 2008, some of the most popular family destinations include Alaska, Costa Rica/Nicaragua (this itinerary is sometimes altered to include Costa Rica and Panama), the Galapagos of Ecuador (perhaps their signature cruise because it's in an area where they support extensive environmental conservation efforts), and the charming islands of Greece.
Smithsonian Journeys
P.O. Box 23182
Washington, DC 20077
877/338-8687
These trips focus on culture and history, are guided by the experts at various branches of the Smithsonian Museums and are operated by the top tour companies. While the American Museum of Natural History trips often have an environmental, wildlife conservation, or biology focus, many of the Smithsonian Journeys highlight historical and cultural attractions. Some of their most popular itineraries for families with children include their "Family Odyssey through Greece," "Family Adventure in Jackson Hole" which focuses on the mountain's summer delights, the "Tanzanian Family Safari," an "Alaska Coastal Wilderness Cruise for Families" and "Family Adventure in the Galapagos Islands." Here too, a portion of the fees for each tour goes to support the museum's work.
Havaya International
92nd Street Y
1395 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10128
212/415-5414
New York's 92nd Street Y program, Havaya International, offers the opportunity to travel like a local in both Israel and across the United States, with a focus to make a positive difference in the world. Their four-week summer program takes fifteen American teens and fifteen Israeli teens who are going into 10th, 11th or 12th grades. The teens spend two weeks traveling through Israel with locals from the 92nd Street Y's sister city in Ramat Hasharon, near Tel-Aviv, and spend the remaining two weeks in the U.S. to share their lives with their new Israeli friends. The process allows participants the chance to experience a different culture through the eyes of other teens, instead of as tourists. Members stay with carefully selected host families and assists to inspire life-long friendships, leadership skills, and self-confidence. The 2008 program runs from July 22 to August 17, 2008, apply online.
Family-Oriented Adventure Tours
Similar family-friendly destinations can be seen with more active or recreation-oriented itineraries. Each has its unique features and guide-led sightseeing opportunities, as well as varying levels of luxury and roughing-it; contact the following tour operators for specific information.
Austin-Lehman
1935 Lampman Drive
Billings, MT 59102
800/575-1540
Austin-Lehman offers an active and educational, personally tailored vacation. They have more than 20 years of experience in the Americas, bringing families to breathtaking heights, exotic jungles and friendly wildlife. Families can choose from hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, rafting, boating, sailing and canoeing, in places such as Alaska, Montana, Costa Rica, Peru, South Africa, and British Columbia. Austin-Lehman is proud of the fact that they travel in small groups with a 6:1 guest to guide ratio, so everyone has a chance to ask questions and enjoy a new experience.
Backroads
801 Cedar St
Berkeley, CA 94710
800/GO-ACTIVE
Backroads brings 29 years of experience in active multi-sport touring to its Family Trips. Parents are sure to appreciate the Kid Coordinator who accompanies each departure to organize children's activities, and the sliding scale of discounted rates for kids of different ages. During the summer months, as well as during winter and spring break, Backroads offers Walking, Hiking, Biking and Multisport trips to many unique destinations, as well as to the more popular ones. Check out their itineraries in Prague, Tuscany, Croatia, Denmark, Morocco, South Africa, Glacier National Park, Hawaii and the Grand Canyon.
Butterfield & Robinson
70 Bond Street, St. 300
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 1X3
866/551-9090, 416/864-1354
This Canada-based, super deluxe tour operator has been leading lucky adults around the world for years, and has really refined its approach to kid clients. "Homebase" Trips cater to parents of infants and toddlers who are provided with professional childcare, while parents and older kids make day trips from one hotel base. Classic "With the Kids" tours, such as the popular France's Loire Valley (see photo at left) are 6 days/5 nights of biking through the garden regions of France. Other With the Kids destinations include both Eastern and Western Europe, New Zealand, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and South Africa.
Thomson Family Adventures
14 Mount Auburn Street
Watertown, MA 02472
800/262-6255
This company started in the safari business, and they understand how difficult it is to plan vacations around family's complex schedules. That's why they guarantee that your trip will depart, as scheduled, even if the trip is undersold. Additionally, the cost of each trip includes Travel Guard's ProtectAssist insurance, up to the trip's value per person, in case of emergency medical treatment, evacuation, lost, stolen or damaged baggage or travel documents, luggage delay, and other unforeseen emergencies. Thomson encourages your children to make new friends, both on the tours, and in the destinations they visit. With the "Pen Pal" Program, kids are matched by age and write letters to each other before they actually meet. To enhance the experience, Thomson suggests books and activities so that you can prepare your kids about their destination. They also have trips specifically designed for families with teens, like the trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. New for 2008 destinations include Portugal and Morocco.
Wildland Adventures
3516 NE 155th St
Seattle, WA 98155-7412
800/345-4453
The owners of this company take pride in immersing their guests in a truly personal encounter by providing an "authentic, in-depth and meaningful life-enhancing experience." Using local guides who are often teachers, they have been known to bring their own children along to enhance fun and cross-cultural opportunities. In addition to experiencing the knowledge of indigenous guides, you will spend your nights in locally-operated hotels and lodges, and sample local cuisine. Activities such as delivering school supplies to children in Panama's mountains, visiting animal rehabilitation programs in Africa, or delivering clothing to orphanages in Thailand will make your Wildland Adventure something you are not likely to forget. Special family trips include an authentic tropical vacation in Costa Rica with a visit to Arenal Volcano, a kayaking tour of mangrove forests, and wildlife watching.
Guided Tours for Families
GrandTravel
1920 N Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington DC 20036
800/247-7651
Creating lasting memories for travelers with grandchildren is the mission at this over 20 year-old company which pioneered the field of tours specific to grandparents and grandchildren. The range of annual itineraries has expanded since Grandtravel was purchased by the noted educational tour operator, Academic Travel Abroad. The 7 itineraries that grandparents will be able to enjoy range from eight to 12 days; Grandtravel's skilled counselors guarantee some downtime for grands while kids are actively engaged in learning about their destination. Wonderful journeys to the Galapagos; South Africa; Paris & London; Italy; New Zealand; Alaska; and Trains of the Wild West are offered during the major school holiday and summer season. These upscale tours incorporate deluxe accommodations, most meals, plane and motorcoach transportation, and admission to all scheduled attractions in a luxurious, high-priced but carefree package designed to celebrate that special graduation or birthday with the gift of travel. Airfare is not included in the price, but GrandTravel can help with making travel arrangements.
Tauck Bridges
10 Norden Place
Norwalk, CT 06855
800/788-7885
Many Tauck Bridges tours take off from the company's decades of experience leading adult clients to America's top attractions. Certainly unique among family trips is the one offering American history lessons through "Patriots of America," a tour beginning in Philadelphia, which includes a visit to the battlefield at Gettysburg. Or try "Red Rocks and Painted Canyons" to see geological fantasyland of Arizona and the natural wonders of the Grand Canyon. Tauck Bridges' trips have expanded to include destinations in Europe, Africa and Latin America, where guests are guided by local experts informed about history and culture. International tours include "Tanzania: A Grand Family Safari", "Italia Bella: Rome to Venice", and Spanish Adventure: Explorers Conquistadors.
