It’s not always simple to turn your family holiday plans into reality. Whether you’re organising a large multigenerational vacation with grandparents and cousins or a simple family trip with just your immediate family, it can be difficult to get all the messy details just right. However, guided family tours take care of all the planning, including choosing an itinerary, accommodations, and activities. They’re especially convenient once you’ve arrived at your location and can relax while your guide takes care of the logistics.
There are many fantastic family tours to pick from, ranging from action-packed road trips to slower-paced excursions for youngsters (and adults) who like to take it easy. The best guided tour operators that make family travel trips a breeze are listed below.
- Disney’s Adventures
Given that the company’s name contains the word “Disney,” it should not be surprising that Adventures by Disney is a top pick for family vacations. With its immersive guided excursions, Adventures by Disney allows families to fully experience the cultures of all seven continents. These trips are led by “Adventure Guides” with Disney training as well as by local authorities.
The size of the company’s Expedition Cruises and River Cruises varies depending on the destination, while its Land Adventures normally accommodate 30 to 40 passengers. Families can reserve a Private Adventure for up to 12 travellers for a more personalised experience. All of the company’s family trips offer “the Disney difference,” which offers exclusive access to regional attractions, family-friendly activities, and lodging options, as well as cherished surprises and the high calibre service for which The Walt Disney Company is renowned.
In addition to activities aimed at getting “Junior Adventurers” (children 12 and under) to have fun together while parents unwind or go on their own explorations, tour itineraries are made to encourage family unity. The price of an Adventures by Disney vacation includes transfers to and from your starting and ending locations, all transportation while on the tour, lodging, the majority of meals and snacks, scheduled activities and entertainment, and most gratuities.
- Thomson Family Expeditions
Since the 1990s, family travel excursions have been offered by small group tour operator Thomson Family Adventures, and this experience is clearly evident. The organisation takes pride in providing a “white-glove experience” that enables both children and adults to go beyond the essentials in a place in order to create lifelong memories. Itineraries are created with carefully researched lodgings and activities.
On each of its family trips, there are three to four families (and a maximum of 20 visitors). Some trips also have special advisers called “rafikis” (Swahili for “friend”) to help kids get to know each other and understand the local culture. Expert guides lead the way on these excursions. Popular family travel destinations provided by Thomson Family Adventures include the Galapagos Islands, Tanzania, Baja, Peru, and other must-see locations.
Accommodations, entry fees for attractions, ground transportation, guides, and the majority of meals and snacks are all included in tours. Some locations allow families the freedom to explore on their own. Families can also reserve specially designed trips that are made specifically for them to enjoy a private family vacation.
- Sidestreets
Families with children and teens (ideal for ages nine and up), families with older teens and 20-somethings, and families with adult children in their 20s and beyond are the three age groups that Backroads, an active travel company, offers family excursions for. By doing this, the organisation is able to cater the tour activities, programming, and travel times to particular age groups as well as bring people with similar hobbies and travel preferences together.
Popular family tours include Tuscany bike tours, adventure tours of Costa Rica, and hiking and biking in Alaska. Every trip emphasises family-friendly activities and separate kid- and adult-only times to foster intergenerational interaction (for example, the kids might all eat dinner together one night or the adults might go on a bike ride while the kids are amused).
