Happy New Year! New Year’s is not really a holiday in our house anymore, but we try to make it festive—we do a “New Year’s Rockin’ Noon” celebration and drop a literal ball at noon in the yard with some noisemakers—otherwise, we’re snoozing at 7 PM like always.
I love the blank-slate feeling at the beginning of the new year, especially travel dreaming. This year our toddler is so much more independent walking and talking and generally being a real person (!!), so we’re starting to *do* more when we go places. We also have a ton of points built up from a lot of my husband’s work travel, which feels like a great prize for several weeks of solo parenting.
Which leaves the question, where to go next?
The Travel with Toddlers 2025 Destination Guide
I’m not sure yet where we’ll go next year that hasn’t been dictated for us by weddings and other obligations, so naturally, I asked some parents and caregivers who know what’s up. These are all vetted destinations from real parents who have taken their little ones:
1. For relaxation: Mexico
Sooooo many people I talked to love traveling to Mexico! I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never been, pre-kids or otherwise. What’s interesting is very few people said the exact same place in Mexico, which makes this the all-around pick for every type of family: Adventurous hiking folks, let’s-just-play-in-the-sand folks, and everyone in between.
“Mexico is so family-friendly. We spent 6 months in La Paz in Baja California Sur, which is basically heaven.” – Ashley R. Cummings from Life in a Backpack
“We go to a town called Bucerias, which is just like half an hour cab ride north of Puerto Vallarta. It’s one of the primary destinations for humpback whales in the winter, so it’s got awesome whale watching, and lots of kid-friendly beaches. It’s gorgeous just so easy to get there from the west coast.” – Lisa Sibbett from The Auntie Bulletin
2. For summer fun: Nantucket/Martha’s Vineyard/Cape Cod
New England summers are the best. If you’ve never been and are looking for a picture-perfect summer destination, I highly recommend one of these three spots. Each has a different flavor—I think of them kind of like the Cape ($), Martha’s Vineyard (),Nantucket($), but the beaches at all three are incredible.
“Nantucket. Once you get there, is a great place to go with kids! It can be tricky to set up all the logistics of travel (lodging, car rentals, flights/ferries to the island, etc.) but there are so many fun and low key things to do with kids.” – Carly Riordan from By a Thread
I haven’t done Nantucket but I *have* gone to Martha’s Vineyard and 10/10 would recommend.
“My favorite place with my son is definitely Martha’s Vineyard. We spend a lot of time there in the summer, but it’s been awesome with my son because going to the beach is is a lot of fun, but they have amazing libraries and playgrounds and so many places to sit outside and eat and be messy.” – Aliza Sir from Platonic Love
Cape Cod is great, too, though I’ll be honest and I haven’t actually stayed at any hotels there because I’d rather ask (beg) my friends to stay with them instead. One of my friends brings us to this adorable private beach club that is truly one of my favorite places on earth. (Moral of the story: Toddler aunties are the absolute BEST!)
3. For outside parents: Iceland
We visited Iceland in 2016 just as it was getting popular and it blew me away. Of all the international destinations that have floated through my head for this list, Iceland is the one I’m most seriously considering. We’re a big hiking family and it feels like the landscape there is built for the little wanderings perfect for toddlers.
“I was surprised how wonderful traveling to Iceland was with three kids. Walking around Reykjavik in the summer late at night was a magical adventure with kids who couldn’t believe the sun was still up at 11pm. We rented an incredible VRBO near the Golden Circle and the children loved all the various hot springs, hiking along waterfalls, and eating new cuisine (Icelandic pönnokökur are always a hit).” –Kaitlin Solimine (interview coming soon!!)
4. For international adventure: The UK
England, Scotland, and Ireland were destinations that came up again and again when I chatted with folks, mainly because there’s so much variety in what a trip looks like to these destinations. As a mom of a kid obsessed with castles/King Arthur I totally get this as an epic destination that fuels the imagination.
“This summer, we went to Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands. It was our whole family’s favorite part of that trip. We fed reindeer in Cairngorm National Park which was amazing. We also really enjoyed the Highland Folk Museum.” – Kelly Schultz
“I love The Lake District in England. Once you get there it’s so kid-friendly and easy to pop on the buses or trains to the various towns in the area (kids under a certain age are free!) There’s the Beatrix Potter House to visit and just a ton of kid-friendly activities in a really charming, nature-centric region.” – Bridget Shirvell
5. For the way life should be: Maine
I’m obsessed with Maine (my husband and I met at college there) so Maine in the summer is always on my list. Similar to the Cape and Islands in Massachusetts, Maine is just *the* perfect family summer destination. Great beaches, hiking, food, adventure. You’ve got a little bit of everything.
“We rented a house in Cape Porpoise, Maine, for a week last summer and it was perfect. There was plenty to do — go to the beach, take walks, go out to restaurants, cook meals together, etc — but we also had a home base where the kids could stay roughly in their routine. I find the super packed trips to be stressful and unnecessary at this stage; there will be plenty of time for that when they’re older and aren’t as beholden to nap schedules and routine.” – Julie Bogen (interview coming soon!!)
Plus, you can go to one of the best National Parks in the country: Acadia! West coasters have all kinds of incredible parks they can road trip to, but for us east coasters, it’s Acadia or bust.
“Our most recent trip to Acadia National Park was so great! From the beautiful hikes and bike rides to the cute town of Bar Harbor, we had a great time and were able to make this a road trip which seems to be our go-to travel style for this phase.” -Paris Athenian
6. For fun in the sun: Turks and Caicos
Look at this view!!! (From the Ritz-Carleton Turks and Caicos. We split our trip between the two properties and I’d recommend both, but Beaches is for sure more family-friendly.)
I’m definitely looking for a warm-weather trip this winter (the downside of living in a place where it’s so cold your face hurts for several months out of the year.) Last year, we went to Turks and Caicos and honestly, there’s a reason why Grace Bay Beach is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. I absolutely LOVED it. Beaches Turks and Caicos (c/o) was a real highlight.
The big draw at Beaches is their partnership with Sesame Street and omg, it really was so great. Our toddler did not want to leave the daycare, which literally never happens. They did snacktime and playtime with Elmo and friends, went to the pool, went to lunch, had naptime…it was great to feel like our kid could have fun while we went to the spa for massages. I could truly relax knowing he was going to be okay! We also went to the Sesame Street show, parade, and breakfast with the characters. WE WERE ALL IN. – from Toddler Friendly Hotel: Beaches Turks and Caicos
7. For a true family-friendly destination: Finland
The Nordic countries also came up multiple times as great family-friendly destinations for folks that can brave the long flight to get there. Unlike resorts or hotels billed as family-friendly where you’re dropping in to a curated experience, kids’ needs are built into the culture, so all those little aspects of moving around in public are just easier.
“One of the first things I noticed after moving to Finland is how children are included in every aspect of every aspect of society. It’s an extremely family-friendly destination. For example, on public transport (which is excellent) there is a special kids carriage on inter-city trains that has a play area with a slide, toys, and books. Children are pretty much welcome everywhere and accommodated. A typical Finnish summer holiday sees families going to their summer cabins by the lake, spending their days together swimming, having BBQs and saunas, and spending time in nature.” – Tanja from Almost Finnished
It sounds so fun:
“My native country of Finland is also a super convenient destination for families with kids. Most long-distance trains have a playground carriage with a little slide and some toys, Helsinki’s beautiful Oodi library has a wooden climbing area next to the kids’ play area and the Viking and Silja cruise ships that go between Finland and Sweden offer a ton of activities for children, from discos to treasure hunts and ball pits.” – Mirva Lempiainen
8. For old-fashioned nature play: The Adirondacks
I have a confession: I’ve never been to the Adirondacks. It’s SO close to where we are in New England but just far enough that I always just drive up to Maine when I’m thinking of rugged landscapes or lots of lakes. It’s definitely on my list this year!
“I recently spent a weekend visiting The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY in the Adirondacks with my daughter. The best way to describe the Wild Center is as a natural history museum, but it’s incredibly kid-friendly and educational. Most activities are based outdoors, so your kids will be exhausted from running around all day by the time you leave.” –Meredith Bethune from True North
9. For la dolce vita: Italy
I studied abroad in Italy and have been trying to find my way back there for almost a decade. I’ve thought seriously about it as a destination with my toddler because one of the only food groups they will eat reliably is pasta (and me too, kid, me too.)
I loved taking my daughter to Italy because it’s my favorite place in the world. To get to share that with her was extra special. I loved Tuscany with her because of all the open spaces, nature, and freedom to run that she had. It’s not a typical family-friendly vacation but we loved it. We stayed outside of town but were close enough in proximity to still get to explore. – Harmony Walton
10. For Magic: Disney
That just-checked-in feeling at Old Key West is my favorite. We spend our first day at Disney just chilling before all the park madness.
I’ll never not recommend going to Disney with little ones, especially because kids under 3 get free park tickets, so it’s the cheapest going to Disney will ever cost you. This is also the only destination that is *always* on my annual go list, because the magic is real at this age and it makes all the logistics and cost so worth it.
“Not only will you be surrounded by other families (hello, safe space), Disney bends over backwards to make sure there’s everything you need. There is *always* a high chair available. There are tons of rides that require no height limit that are a true delight. You can catch a breather at baby/toddler centers in every park. And it’s just fun.” – from Destination Guide: Walt Disney World
Thanks for being here.
I have high hopes for this year, because if I’m being honest, last year was hard, though not in the way I expected. I feel like I finally returned to myself after the black maw of postpartum and a really tough physical C-section recovery and then, being a mom to a Very Energetic Toddler—and with all of this new time, I was left with Who am I??? What do I want?? I do not know the answers, and I still don’t quite know.
But part of that flailing around trying to figure it out led me to start this column, so truly, thank you for being here, and for travel dreaming with me. Some of my favorite, favorite moments from this year came on trips with my toddler. The absolute JOY I feel showing him the world is one of the best parts of motherhood, and I hope you feel the same about your little one.
Here’s to brand new notebooks, the beginnings of travel plans, and a new year filled with adventure,
Kayla
If you liked this post, please consider supporting my work. I’m just a mom in the thick of the toddler years trying to create core memories for our whole family while minimizing meltdowns—I sincerely hope this helps you do the same.
This post was originally published on Travel with Toddlers. Subscribe for more real-talk travel advice, toddler-friendly itineraries, and tried-and-true gear recommendations.
