While I always say the best countries for you to visit depends on YOUR interests, I also know that it can feel overwhelming to decide where to go when you’re venturing to a new country, especially if it happens to be an international family trip with a toddler.
There are a few great places I think are overall great for a first family trip – ones that are relatively easy to access (depends a bit on your point of origin, of course!), that have familiar infrastructure and either have familiar driving patterns or comfortable & straightforward public transportation, lots of food options, etc. Here are some that some we love and would recommend for a first international trip with a toddler!
Tips for Traveling With Toddlers
Flying With A Toddler
Just the thought of flying with a toddler can feel really overwhelming if you’ve never done it before (and often even if you have!). It can definitely be challenging! I’ve definitely felt a bit of nervousness before that first flight when they got to the toddler stage. But between all of my 6 kiddos, we’ve now flown over a thousand flights with toddlers, so I hope sharing them helps you, too! I hope this flying with a toddler checklist helps you feel calm and prepared.
Plane Activities For Toddlers
One of the things I get asked a lot as a mom traveling with 6 kids is how we to entertain infants and toddlers while flying – from travel essentials with baby to toys for plane travel with toddlers. Having flown with all 6 of our kids since they were little babies, I’ve learned a ton about what actually works and what doesn’t when traveling with kids. It’s safe to say that after 13.5 years and 6 kids over literally hundreds of flights, we’ve gone through lots of options for airplane activities for toddlers. Here’s my list of the best airplane activities for young kids!
Getting Over Toddler Jet Lag
Jet lag is hard on anyone. But toddler jet lag or baby jet lag is hard for both little ones AND their parents! Especially when you’re flying to a different continent and there’s a big time change, it’s hard to readjust to the new time. Many, many traveling parents find themselves wondering how to overcome jet lag for toddlers.
Here are a few toddler jet lag tips and advice on how to get over jet lag with kids we’ve done over the years that have really helped with resetting to a new time zone quickly.
Getting Around Travel Destinations
We regularly take public transportation while traveling. It’s often the most convenient and affordable mode of getting around a lot of destinations. However, sometimes it’s best to have your own vehicle for flexibility and best access.
Getting Beautiful Family Photos
We absolutely love using Flytographer to get some beautiful family photos; despite having a camera and tripod, there’s something so special about having someone else capture your family in a way that you can’t. Plus, having another professional capture some shots means that we actually have some beautiful ones with me in them and that capture any squirelly toddlers! It’s a terrific option for getting photos together while traveling (they have photographers all over the world), and we’ve even used them in our home city.
Best International Trips With Toddlers
Belize
The gorgeous Caribbean waters are enough to prompt a visit, but Belize also has easy driving and interesting historical sites. Plus, English is the national language of Belize!
Belize with kids was somewhere that was on our bucket list for quite a while before we were able to actually go visit. The marine life, jungle, history, and adventure called to us – a variety of ecosystems and activities within a relatively close area. Plus, when we traveled to Guatemala previously, we really wanted to visit the ancient Maya site of Tikal, but it was a bit far from our base in the southern part of the country. We realized it would be a much shorter and easier trip to visit from Belize!
Here are some Can’t Miss Things To Do in San Ignacio Belize With Kids. And be sure to check out our full 1 week Belize itinerary, too!
Sweden
If I’m being perfectly honest, Sweden with kids wasn’t really on our radar. We knew we wanted to go to Scandinavia during one summer of travel since none of us had ever been. We were mostly thinking of visiting Copenhagen and the fjords in Norway, but had some friends who were living in Stockholm, and they’d mentioned to us before how Sweden is such a lovely place to visit. So we decided to take them up on their very generous offer to come stay.
BOY were we blown away. We had no idea how pristinely beautiful, historically interesting, and kid-friendly Sweden was. The museums were super interactive and kid-encouraging (not just tolerating), and several were focused specifically on things kids love (like storybooks!). Plus, several of the museums were either very inexpensive or sometimes even LESS expensive to visit with kids in tow than without. It was truly one of the very most family-friendly destinations of our entire trip.
Thailand
There are few places that my kids have fallen in love with like Thailand. Though our experience there was just under a week (we stopped over on our way back from India), we all connected so much and the kids immediately started asking to return. It was one of the best countries to visit with family.
From the rich cultural and religious history in Bangkok to the beautiful beaches and warm waters of southern Thailand, we loved it all. We’re anxious to go back and explore more of the country – it’s one of the best international trips for families.
Here’s a fun way to learn more about Thailand with kids, and be sure to check out our 1-day in Bangkok with kids itinerary below.
England
I may be a biiiit biased, but clearly we love it enough to have moved here! Endless activities, terrific playgrounds, fascinating history, free museums, family-friendly shows, and so much more make this an excellent place for a first family trip abroad.
London is hard to miss on any UK trip. Check out our One Week London Itinerary with Kids!
And here are some other London/England tips and itineraries:
- One Day Bath Itinerary with Kids
- Best London Day Trips with Kids
- Top 10 Must Do London Activities for Families
- Best Places To Stay In London With A Family
- Best Free Things to Do in London with Kids
Morocco
Morocco is one of those places that wasn’t really super high on our list, especially with kids. But we were taking a trip to Spain and Portugal, so decided to extend the trip to visit Morocco, as well. And we are SO glad we did! It quickly became one of our favorite international family vacations.
Morocco absolutely blew us away. It’s an incredibly diverse country with the kindest people. And there were so many incredible activities for the whole family. From staying in a bedouin camp in the Sahara Desert to wandering the old medina in Fez, we fell in love with it all. And one of the best parts was that kids were welcomed – and encouraged – absolutely everywhere. They’re very much expected to participate as a part of society and it’s lovely. Our guide, in particular, absolutely loved our then-toddler and carried him all around, and everyone else was so welcoming to him, as well. It was truly one of the best countries to visit with kids.
Here’s our guide to visiting Morocco with kids, as well as a 10-Day Morocco itinerary.
Iceland
Iceland has to be one of the most toddler-friendly places we’ve visited – and bonus that it was a delight for the whole family. From volcanic black sand beaches to icebergs to glaciers to majestic waterfalls, it’s nature’s playground – and welcoming to all ages. Our kiddos loved running along the shoreline, petting horses, and enjoying family-friendly thermal baths throughout the country. There are also plentiful accommodation options to cater to families of different ages and sizes; check out a farm stay for optimal space to run around. Driving is easy and straightforward, so I recommend renting a car for flexibility in exploring!
Here are a few posts to help you with planning a visit to Iceland with a toddler:
- One Week in Iceland with Kids (in winter!)
- Why You Should Visit Iceland with Kids
- Iceland Winter Packing List for Families
Indonesia
Indonesia is a great country to visit with toddlers because of its friendly locals, beautiful setting, and variety of family-friendly activities. The islands offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun, from gentle beach spots in Bali where kids can safely play in the sand, to easy nature walks through rice paddies or botanical gardens. Many hotels and resorts are also well-equipped for families, offering kid-friendly pools and activities. There’s plenty of tourism infrastructure, from self-guided activities to set tours, and a variety of accommodations at every level of service. Plus, the warm climate and laid-back atmosphere make it a great destination for traveling with little ones!
New Zealand
New Zealand brings stunning outdoors that are accessible to the whole family. To us, New Zealand felt like a magical fairyland with freedom to run and play in the most intense natural beauty. And it seems that gorgeous lakes and waterfalls and boat rides are a dime a dozen. There are so many adventures for kids of all ages – from babies to adults. Of course, the more adventuresome will find plenty of high-intensity activities, but even the youngest ones will find plenty of places to explore while surrounded by gorgeous vistas.
Here’s a fun way to learn a bit more about New Zealand with kids.
Switzerland
The endless opportunities to be outdoors was a big draw for us in visiting Switzerland. We had really high expectations, and it shockingly even surpassed those!! We visited the Jungfrau region, and were thrilled to discovered the epic playgrounds, family-inclusive cafes and restaurants, and super fun and varied transit options. Our kids loved the views from various gondolas and funiculars – having great public transit options in a variety of fun forms was a major draw. There were also plenty of places to climb, hike with beautiful views, explore glaciers, and to do other family-inclusive activities (like the super fun ball tracks in Wengen).
Ireland
You won’t be surprised to learn Ireland is bursting with gorgeous views and outdoor spaces, as well as plenty of cozy pubs that accommodate families. It’s also a country with the friendliest people who absolutely love kids! We were blown away by how friendly, helpful, and welcoming everyone was, and how much they included kids in everything. We loved exploring the ring of Kerry and the many gorgeous, green hikes – perfect for kids to run around and explore.
BONUS: Unites States
Ok, stick with me on this one. The U.S. is obviously quite large, but many places in the country make for great family-friendly destinations. A few things to consider before traveling to the United States with toddlers.
- Consider how much time you have: Some regions of the U.S., like the Northeast, offer the opportunity to see a lot in a fairly short amount of time (especially if you get a rental car). If you want to see larger regions like the Southwest or even the state of California, you’re going to need at least 10 days, lots of pre-planning with built in flexibility, and a rental car.
- Pick a region/state/city to focus on: If places New York City, Los Angeles, or San Francisco are on your list and you’re visiting for a week or less, it’s a great idea to pick 1-2 cities to explore more deeply, with perhaps a couple of day trips, as well. Know that interstate travel in most regions is difficult without a vehicle and driving distances can be quite far.
- Consider the activities you love to do as a family: If you love urban settings with museums, bustling activities, great playgrounds, and diverse food, pick a big city and let loose! If you love hiking and the outdoors, maybe a Utah or California National Parks road trip is for you. Or, if you plan on relaxing at the beach for a week, find a great family-friendly beach destination on the coast that’s easiest for you to fly into. There’s something for everyone, so think about what you’d love to do with your toddler and narrow down your choices from there.
IF YOU LIKED THIS POST ABOUT THE BEST INTERNATIONAL TRIPS FOR TODDLERS, YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE POSTS TOO:
- Family Vacation Packing List
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