FamilyVacationist Travel Recommendation Methodology

At FamilyVacationist, we’re a team of professional travel journalists, editors, and fact checkers who use our expert judgment to evaluate and recommend travel experiences for families. Our family travel recommendations are based on real travel experiences, in-destination expertise and interviews, and detailed analysis of verified traveler reviews. Unbiased editorial judgment and insider travel knowledge is at the heart of everything we do.

How We Make Our Travel Recommendations

Our first criteria when recommending travel experiences such as family vacations, hotels, resorts, cruises, theme parks, activities, and attractions is always first-hand experience. We know that the best recommendations come from travelers who have actually visited the family vacation destinations and hotels they endorse, so these real-world lived travel experiences are critical to our recommendation methodology. 

We also utilize a wide network of travel reviews and independent traveler opinions to provide reliable, up-to-date, fact-checked and verified information about all of the hotels and destinations we recommend. Additionally, our top picks incorporate factors such as overall value, location, available activities, and family-friendly amenities for all ages to provide additional helpful context as you make your vacation decisions. 

FamilyVacationist provides family travel recommendations based on verifiable and objective criteria for the following vacation elements important to families:

Travel Booking Sites Methodology

We evaluate travel booking sites on a quarterly basis by conducting detailed tests and analysis to arrive at a ranking of the top booking sites for travel. We compare the quoted prices on the same travel experiences in the same destinations on the same dates to determine which booking sites are currently returning the most consistently helpful results. Additional factors in our recommendations include which booking sites offer the most useful filters, deals, and design elements. Finally, we make note of new functionalities and features uncovered in our testing and include that information as additional context in our reviews.

Using this methodology, FamilyVacationist maintains and updates verified recommendations for the following travel booking site categories:

Family Hotels and All-Inclusive Resorts Methodology

FamilyVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for family hotels and all-inclusive family resorts around the world by utilizing a combination of our own real-life travel experiences, opinions from our team of family travel experts, and aggregated review data from verified travelers. Additional factors important to traveling families are also considered. 

Family Hotel and All-Inclusive Resort Criteria

For a family hotel or resort to be recommended by FamilyVacationist, it must meet at least two of the following three requirements.

  • The hotel or resort must have been personally visited and evaluated by a member of the FamilyVacationist team, which includes our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributing parents.
  • The hotel or resort must maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Tripadvisor or 8/10 on Kayak, Booking.com, or Expedia, or otherwise be recognized with independent awards or accolades from travelers or travel industry trade groups.
  • The hotel or resort must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the specific needs of families, which may include a combination of overall value for the price, location, activities, dining options, children’s programming, adjoining room options, and loaner gear for babies and toddlers.

Family Hotel and All-Inclusive Resort Recommendations

Because the enjoyment of a family hotel or resort is a personal experience that relies on many factors, FamilyVacationist does not rank the hotels and resorts in a specific order. Every family and every family trip is different, and what one family may consider “the best” another may consider “just okay.” For this reason, we utilize the above hotel and resort recommendation criteria to arrive at a variety of options from which you can make your own decision based on the factors that are most important to your family’s personal travel style.

Using this methodology, FamilyVacationist maintains and updates verified recommendations for all of our family resort and hotel coverage, including:

Family Vacations and Destinations Methodology 

FamilyVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for family vacation destinations around the world by utilizing a combination of our own real-life travel experiences, opinions from our team of family travel experts, and aggregated review data from verified travelers. Additional factors important to traveling families are also considered. 

Family Vacations and Destinations Criteria

For a family vacation destination to be recommended by FamilyVacationist, it must meet at least three of the following four requirements.

  • The family vacation destination must have been personally visited and evaluated by a member of the FamilyVacationist team, which includes our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributing parents.
  • The destination must have a wide selection of family-friendly activities and attractions that maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Tripadvisor.
  • The destination must have a variety of family hotels or other lodging options (e.g., campgrounds or vacation rentals) that maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Tripadvisor or 8/10 on Kayak, Booking.com, or Expedia; or otherwise be recognized with independent awards or accolades from travelers or travel industry trade groups.
  • The destination must provide a specific and demonstrable value to families via affordability, seasonality, or a combination of overall value for the price, location, activities, and dining option.

Family Vacations and Destinations Recommendations

FamilyVacationist recognizes that every family has different needs and wants when it comes to family vacations. There is no one-size-fits-all vacation for families, so we do not rank destinations in a specific order. Instead, we utilize the above vacation recommendation criteria to arrive at a variety of options from which you can make your own decision based on the factors that are most important to your family.

Using this methodology, we maintain and update verified recommendations for all of our family vacation and destination coverage, including:

Family Cruise Vacations Methodology 

FamilyVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for family cruises and cruise ships by utilizing a combination of our own real-life travel experiences, opinions from our team of family cruise travel experts, and aggregated review data from verified travelers. Additional factors important to traveling families are also considered. 

Family Cruise Vacation Criteria

For a family cruise line or cruise ship to be recommended by FamilyVacationist, it must meet at least two of the following three requirements.

  • The cruise line or cruise ship must have been personally visited and evaluated by a member of the FamilyVacationist team, which includes our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributing parents.
  • The cruise line or cruise ship must maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Cruise Critic or be otherwise recognized with independent awards or accolades from cruise travelers or cruise industry trade groups.
  • The cruise line or cruise ship must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the specific needs of families, which may include a combination of overall value for the price, cruise regions available, onboard activities, dining options, children’s programming, adjoining room options, special pricing or sailings for children, private islands, kid-friendly shore excursions, onboard water parks, live shows and theaters, and other themed activities. 

Family Cruise Vacation Recommendations

As with other types of family vacations, we believe the enjoyment of a cruise vacation is subject to any number of individual factors, including but not limited to overall price, children’s ages, and your family’s general level of enthusiasm for different types of cruise activities. Instead of choosing a single “best” cruise line or cruise ship for families, we make recommendations and provide up-to-date information to help you choose the right cruise vacation for your family’s individual vacation style. 

Using this methodology, we maintain and update verified recommendations for all of our family cruise coverage, including:

Theme Park and Water Park Vacations Methodology

FamilyVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for family-friendly theme parks and water parks. As with our other travel recommendations, we utilize a combination of our own real-life vacation experiences, opinions from our team of theme park experts, and aggregated review data from verified travelers. Additional factors important to traveling families are also considered. 

Theme Park and Water Park Vacation Criteria

For a theme park or water park to be recommended by FamilyVacationist, it must meet at least two of the following three requirements.

  • The theme park or water park must have been personally visited and evaluated by a member of the FamilyVacationist team, which includes our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributing parents.
  • The theme park or water park must maintain an aggregate traveler review score of at least 4/5 on Tripadvisor or be otherwise recognized with independent awards or accolades from theme park travelers or theme park industry trade groups.
  • The theme park or water park must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the specific needs of families, which may include a combination of overall value for the price, a wide variety of age-appropriate rides and attractions, quick-serve and table service dining options, useful in-park apps to help with wait times, exceptional themed lands or areas, rest spaces for families with babies and small children, and sensory-sensitivity training for staff. 

Theme Park and Water Park Vacation Recommendations

Perhaps more than any other family vacation experience, theme park and water park vacations are dependent on the age and maturity level of your children, as well as your family’s general tolerance for long lines and big crowds. FamilyVacationist makes theme park and water park recommendations for families based on the above criteria and provides verified and up-to-date information to help you choose the best park to visit based on your family’s interest and budget. 

Using this methodology, we maintain and update verified recommendations for all of our theme park and water coverage, including:

We also maintain travel guides and how-to guides for popular theme parks and park areas, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal, Minion Land at Universal, Aquatica Orlando, Discovery Cove, Typhoon Lagoon vs. Blizzard Beach, and how to use Disney Genie and Genie+.

Group Tours and Tour Companies Methodology

FamilyVacationist regularly updates our recommendations for tour companies utilizing a combination of our own real-life tour experiences, opinions from our team of travel and tour experts, and aggregated data from travel industry associations. Additional factors important to traveling families are also considered. 

Group Tour Company Assessment Criteria

For a tour company to be recommended by FamilyVacationist, it must maintain active membership with the USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association), have a positive BBB accreditation or ratings, verified user reviews, and history of awards and recognitions. In addition, all tour companies we recommend must meet the following requirements.

  • The tour company must have been personally experienced or evaluated by a member of the FamilyVacationist team or that of our sister site, TourScoop.com, which include our writers, editors, fact checkers, and contributing parents.
  • The tour company must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the specific needs of its target demographic (e.g., families, seniors, etc.), which may include a combination of overall value for the price and a wide variety of age-appropriate itineraries.

Group Tour Company Recommendations

A multi-day guided tour is a major commitment in terms of money and time, so it’s vital to make sure you’ve found the right fit for your family’s interests, budget, and travel style. FamilyVacationist makes travel tour company recommendations based on the above criteria and provides verified and up-to-date information to help you choose the best tour companies based on your family’s interest and budget. 

Using this methodology, we maintain and update verified recommendations for all of our multi-day guided tour coverage, including:

If you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations regarding FamilyVacationist’s travel recommendations methodology, please contact us. We’re always adding new family vacation ideas to our list of recommendations and welcome your feedback.