Family Holidays for 2025 – Our Staff Picks

Our top picks family holidays 2025

I’ve just got back from Colombia with my daughter and just can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a place that’s emerged from a dark history and now is a great time to go, before everyone else decides to. It offers incredible variety within a single destination and it’s ideal year-round (much like its neighbour, Brazil). We particularly loved riding on the tailgate of a ‘willy jeep’ in the wax palm valleys, hiking in the jungle in search of howler monkeys, strolling the pretty streets of Cartagena, and riding the outdoor escalator up to Commune 13 in Medellin.

And it would be remiss of me to miss out my (16-year-old) daughter’s favourite activity: swinging gently in a hammock, watching an iguana make its lazy way along a branch overhead while contemplating what time should be the next swim o’clock.

We went on a one-on-one trip to celebrate the end of my daughter’s GCSEs. This seems to be a really popular thing to do at the moment and is perfect for getting some quality time together, particularly after the rigour of summer exams. All destinations are suitable for this kind of trip, but if you just have a week then Europe works really well – I recommend Norway, the Peloponnese, and Iceland.

I’ve never had as many wow experiences in one trip as I did in Zimbabwe. Hwange National Park is just amazing; it’s huge but has a fraction of the visitors that the Masai Mara and Serengeti have. Often you will have lion, wild dog, and leopard sightings all to yourself. There are also some incredible family-friendly activities; when I told my 11-year-old daughter about the Elephant Express and look-up hides at waterholes, she was most put out not to have been along for the ride with me!

Zim is also amazing for authentic cultural interactions, and the guides are world-class. Even better, you can spend time at Victoria Falls – perfect for adrenaline-loving teens with thrilling zip-line canopy tours, kayaking, rafting and cycling. It works really well for a shorter trip too – you could do May half term, for example.

Alternatively, a road trip through Namibia is brilliant for families who love the great outdoors. I adored the sensational scenery, fabulous hikes, fat-biking through the dunes, kayaking with seals, and much more. But be aware this is one you need to book early – it’s sparsely populated and accommodation is in limited supply.

Combining these two destinations, as I did with my teenage girls late last year, works brilliantly. There are no direct flights from the UK to Cambodia, so a stop in Singapore breaks the journey up nicely and gives kids a gentle cultural introduction to Southeast Asia ahead of the giddy cultural immersion of Cambodia. In Singapore, we loved the night show ‘Garden Rhapsody’ at Gardens by the Bay, and admiring the street art in Little India.

In Cambodia, you can’t quite appreciate the temples of Angkor Wat until you see it all in person. I don’t think my girls were prepared for the vastness of the temple ruins and the dedication of the Buddhist monks everywhere. And the locals are so warm and friendly – many still remembering the brutal dark times of the Khmer Rouge. It’s heartwarming to see how the lost are not forgotten but also the positivity with which people have rebuilt the country.

If you like the idea of a city stopover, you might think about a Kuala Lumpur city break on route to Borneo or Bali.

My younger son has been spoiled recently, accompanying me on trips to both Thailand and Japan. The two countries are so different, but absolutely brilliant for children and it was so great to see it all through his eyes. As soon as we touched down in Thailand, he was entranced by the variety and craziness of it all. He loved stopping for noodles on a street corner, tuk tuks whizzing past and a temple behind us, complete with a serene golden Buddha garlanded with marigolds, watching over it all.

Japan was completely different, but is the perfect destination with teenagers – ultra-modern mixed with ancient history. And for food! – the sushi, Wagyu steak, tonkatsu, teriyaki and ramen are all amazing and fresh. We loved travelling by bullet train, grabbing an Ekiben box to eat on the way and sitting back to enjoy the view. We also really enjoyed getting stuck into the different activities – learning how to wield a Samurai sword, trying our hand at manga drawing, cooking traditional Onomiyaki pancakes…

Both are highly recommended but for other great destinations with teens, see our feature.

I’ve always been an Asia girl, but I was blown away by my epic road trip through western Canada last year, from Vancouver to the Rocky Mountains. When our customers used to send us their holiday photos, I always wondered how they knew where to find those phenomenal mountain views. Well, now I know – they pull off at a roadside layby and there they are!

What is so interesting, and I think for children especially, is that we are so used to seeing Canada and the USA on TV or in films, but it’s so different IRL (as my kids would say). Yes, they really do have bright yellow school buses; letterboxes on a pole, and pancakes for breakfast, and bears just ambling across the road right in front of you. It’s culture without the culture shock.

In complete contrast, later this year I’m heading back to Asia, to discover a country I’ve wanted to see for ages – Vietnam. The feedback that we have had from families travelling there this summer has just been so fabulous, it’s clearly a winner and I’m beyond excited about trekking in Pu Luong, sailing around Halong Bay and cycling the Mekong Delta.

Over the years I have travelled to Morocco solo, with children and most recently with my father and sister on a special family bonding trip. Every visit has been different so Morocco is my pick for family holidays in 2025. It’s a country that gets under your skin and one I keep going back to, as do many of our past travellers.

I absolutely love the variety of mountains, cities, coast and desert (just 3 hours from the UK) as well as the genuine warmth of the local people. And as an economical destination, it’s a great choice for families – see our Morocco top 10 for ideas as to what you can do once you’re there.

I’ve stayed in gorgeous riads and basic refuges, enjoyed mint tea in a Berber village home and cocktails at a funky beach bar in Essaouira. Being an avid trekker, I was proud to watch my 6, 8, and 9-year-olds summit Mount Toubkal and am currently adding new routes to the lesser visited Anti-Atlas south of Agadir… active families stay tuned!

My one-to-watch for 2025 is Central America’s best-kept secret, Nicaragua. Where else can you sandboard down an active volcano, see lava explosions light up the night sky and snorkel thermal waters diving over volcanic vents? And sticking with the current trend for multi-country trips – how about a Guatemala/Honduras/El Salvador/Nicaragua/Costa Rica/Panama combo?!

Peru is my major tip for 2025. Going there recently was a South America first for both me and my husband. We went from one jaw-dropping moment to another. Every element – Lima, the Amazon, Sacred Valley, Cusco and Lake Titicaca – felt like a completely different trip, all rolled into one. Machu Picchu was of course amazing but we loved everything we did.

We had a particularly brilliant time with the indigenous Misminay community in the Sacred Valley. Somehow we ended up in a marriage vow renewal ceremony in traditional dress!! Not mandatory of course but we loved spending time with the villagers and helping to prepare food (for our impromptu ‘wedding banquet’), even though no one spoke a word of English. (Check out our Peru with Kids round-up)

Asia is my patch, though, and I’ve been delighted to see Sri Lanka go from strength to strength and think it’ll continue to be an all-round family favourite in 2025 too. Its diversity is sensational, from big animals and iconic treasures such as Sigiriya to glorious beaches and incredible food that’s not as hot as in other parts of the Indian subcontinent. It would be my top recommendation for a multi-generational family, or anyone new to Asia, as you have the same driver throughout and feel really looked after.

I think Egypt is absolutely the place to go in 2025. I went there recently with my now-grown-up children, having previously been more than 30 years ago. The ancient sites were even better than I remembered and the new Civilization Museum (with all the mummies) was a highlight. Probably our favourite activity was sitting on the roof of a Nubian family home, eating dinner whilst the call to prayer echoed all around us.

I also can’t recommend Tanzania enough – especially if you think the kids are in need of a digital detox. Although the more famous northern route to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater is amazing, I also recommend the more remote south. Here there are miles of unspoilt unexplored bush and you’ll enjoy animal sightings that you don’t have to share with hordes of people. I particularly love the small intimate camps that the animals roam through without being disturbed – one day an elephant put his trunk over the screen of my outside shower while I was in there!

Families will enjoy finishing up on the island of Zanzibar, where you can watch the fishermen bring in their daily catch and sell it on the beach, whilst local women farm seaweed at low tide and the village boys play beach football in the early evening.

Having travelled to Croatia with my family last summer – and having the BEST time – I was concerned that Crete this summer would not match up. I needn’t have worried – Crete was just as fabulous in its very own right.

While Croatia is stunning (crystal-clear water, gorgeous towns, fabulous activities, and we didn’t even mind the lack of sandy beaches – who actually likes sticky sand in every crevice?!), Crete has a more rustic beauty that captures the heart. With ever-friendly locals, amazing scenery and delicious food, as well as being much more affordable it’s a great destination where you can take a big breath and just relax (even if you decide to do many of the fun activities on offer). It’s certainly awakened an interest in my family for further Greek islands to explore in the future… and with a brand-new ferry linking Crete to an ‘insider favourite’ island, what’s not to look forward to?

Slovenia is also spectacularly beautiful – clearly without as much coastline as Croatia, but with plenty of mountain scenery to wow you. And to get the best of both worlds, why not combine Croatia with Slovenia?

Oh my goodness, I was living the dream earlier this year, sitting in a giant tube as I bounced between riverbanks teeming with wildlife and listening to the monkeys howl. Costa Rica has that laid-back lifestyle we all want, so it’s no surprise that this tropical hotspot is becoming more popular year after year. It’s a destination where you can tick off a whole host of bucket-list activities – sky-high ziplining, exhilarating white-water rafting, wildlife spotting from sloths to blue jeans frogs – and enjoy the lushest scenery, from rainforest to volcanoes and rugged beaches.

When you want somewhere a little quieter, you can be immersed in Costa Rican village life, tasting wild fruits and herbs and finding out what goes into making your favourite bar of chocolate. Or if you are feeling brave, head out on a nocturnal wildlife tour.

Don’t want to go quite so far? Other places I’d recommend for family holidays in 2025 are Iceland and Norway, both particular favourites of mine. In Iceland, I’m always just blown away by the geology and scenery and nowhere beats Norway for its array of exciting activities against a truly breathtaking backdrop.

Next steps for family holidays 2025

Wherever in the world you want to go, get in touch for the best family holiday advice for 2025 and beyond – ring us during office hours at 01728 752751 or use our website contact form. We’d love to hear from you.

You can also explore our round-up of all the best family holiday destinations we offer for the coming year.