Family holidays

Christmas means family gatherings and let’s face it: as much as we love our families, they could be difficult sometimes (to say the least). Coping with family stress is one of the most usual problems during the holiday season, so why not go on a little Christmas adventure? A different environment may help and, well, if you have an argument with your mother/ father/ aunt/ cousin/ brother, you can always go for a walk afterwards and discover a new place!

Serengeti Balloon Safari

Flying over the Tanzanian Serengeti takes the adventure to a whole new level. Just try to avoid the temptation to throw your little annoying cousin overboard. You will see other families: the zebra families playing together while the giraffe families feed in the nearby trees. The tour starts at the break of dawn and ends with a refreshing toast of sparkling wine and a wonderful breakfast in the middle of the Serengeti.

Les roulottes de campagne

Eco-chic families out there, here you have the best option to go glamping! We wrote a whole post about it. Read it here.

Dunton Hot Springs

This old mining town is just across the mountain from Telluride and its original cabins have been restored as guest rooms. Book the General Store cabin for adults because it has its own hot spring out back for soaking and leave the teeppees scattered throughout the property for the children.

Antartic cruise

Cruising on an expedition style ship is really the only main way to get to Antarctica, one of the most spectacular regions you can ever experience. This trip could be the real test for your family: ten days surrounded by ice and water. Plenty of activities though! Not for claustrophobic families.

Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tours

New Zealand has become synonymous with Middle Earth and the Lord of the Rings. From tours to location scouting, pretty much everywhere you turn, you can find some hint from the famous films. None so true as Hobbiton. Placed in the central North Island in Matamata, the original set was destroyed after the conclusion of the trilogy but with the remake of the Hobbit, the set was rebuilt permanently and now is open for tours. Perfect for family costumes!

Blancaneaux Lodge

At Francis Ford Coppola’s former family retreat, Blancaneaux Lodge, your family can ride on horseback in search of gray foxes, have a picnic at nearby Green Hills Butterfly Farm, or survey jaguars with a conservationist…. everything while you relax at the Waterfall Spa and ignore them. I’m kidding… you can join them on all kinds of adventures. Or not. Maybe stay at the spa.

Filed under: Wanderlust