Can’t-Miss Destinations When Planning a Family Trip (part 2)

This week we’ll continue on with Can’t-Miss Destinations When Planning a Family Trip (part 2).  Goa, India; Menorca, Spain; Paris, France; Vienna, Austria; Brittany, France; learn about these amazing cities & countries. If you haven’t had a chance to read part 1, here it is.  Next week I will be writing part 3.

Menorca, Spain

If you’ve become tired of the hustle and bustle of city life and are looking for a quiet place where you can spend some quality time together with your family, Menorca will be your best bet. Here, you can enjoy your holiday under the sun, sea, and sand in a far quieter manner compared to Ibiza and Majorca in its vicinity.

The lovely beach of Binibeca Nou and turquoise water of Cala Macarelleta are sure to win your heart. Some of the family activities you can enjoy here are a walk through the Cami de Cavalls coastal path, an archaeological adventure by jeep, visit Es Grau beach, and see different kinds of reptiles and birds at the Lloc de Menorca zoo. If the kids are in love with water, you should take them to Los Delfines Aquacenter. an amusing water park. Don’t forget to check the weather and book a direct flight, if possible.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is a city where the kids can enjoy different wonderful and weird buildings, like Gaudi’s Parc Guell, standing tall on a hill with its giant lizards and curving mosaics, La Pedrera with curving chimneys, and Parc de Ciutadella that boasts of a family picnic spot with a zoo.

If your kids don’t want to visit the zoo, they can enjoy their time indulging in row boating or visiting playgrounds and pavilions. The Tibidabo Amusement Park is a place where both younger and older kids can simply go crazy, as it offers excellent panoramic views of the city as well as beautiful hiking trails. If your children love science, you shouldn’t miss The CosmoCaixa Science Museum. Here, the kids can enjoy an Amazonian rainforest with piranhas, birds, and crocodiles together with the “room of matter” to learn physics and get educated about the other domains of science.

Montjuic Castle, the famous Barca’s Camp Nou Museum, and the stadium are worth paying a visit to with the kids. If all these fail to lift the spirits of the little ones, you’ll always have the option to enchant them by taking them to Barcelona’s Chocolate Museum. Finally, don’t forget to taste the seafood here and try speaking Catalan a little.

Vienna, Austria

Vienna offers lots of interesting places that would surely be loved by the entire family. From Wiener Prater, which is the oldest amusement park in the world with 250 different attractions and stands, and ZOOM Children’s Museum to Haus des Meeres, where everyone can discover flora and fauna, you will have no dearth of options. Vienna boasts of exactly the thing children look for – a mix of variety and entertainment. Schönbrunn Zoo, Imperial Palace, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral are some other family attractions.

If your kids love history, you should take them to Vienna’s city center to enjoy “Time Travel Vienna.” Kuffner Planetarium is the place where they can indulge in stargazing for hours. And don’t forget to visit Haus der Musik – the interactive sound and music museum that offers a playful and scientific approach to understanding music.

Goa, India

Though Goa is widely acclaimed for its amazing lifestyle, open-minded people, and vibrant culture, the city is a great destination for family vacations too. You can visit the umpteen beaches where kids can enjoy activities like surfing, sailing, and paragliding.

A dolphin tour is something that would wow the entire family for sure. Besides visiting some of the loveliest churches here (while making sure you don’t miss the Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral), you can pay a visit to Bondla wildlife sanctuary and Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary to experience wildlife.

Apart from these, some of the must-see places in Goa are Dudhsagar Falls, Chapora Fort, and Tiracol Fort. Goa Chitra is a place where you can peek through a window into the city’s past. Do pay a visit to the local flea markets, Naval Aviation Museum, and Sahakari Spice Farm as well.

Brittany, France

Brittany is the place if you want to enjoy your next family vacation at a soothing temperature while lazing back on soft, sandy beaches. Some of the best things you can enjoy with your entire family here include a visit to Océanopolis that boasts of an underwater world, Château de Fougères that is an impeccable fairy tale castle, Village de Poul Fetan, and Cité des Télécoms which is an exciting telecommunications center and consists of both educational and fun aspects for the kids, as well as the adults.

If the kids love wild animals, head straight to Parc de Préhistoire de Bretagne to get up close with stegosaurus and triceratops. Zoo de Trégomeur is another must-visit place with the entire family, as it boasts of 50 different species of animal. Some other places that you shouldn’t miss are St-Malo, Côte de Granit-Rose, and Quimper to enjoy a profusion of charm and history.

Paris, France

Perhaps Disneyland is the single most exciting place for kids to go to in Paris. The city of culture and fine food doesn’t end its offerings there, as the Disney park consists of attractions like Space Mountain and taking a ride with Pirates of the Caribbean just a few to name.

Apart from the Eiffel Tower, which is always a hit among everyone, other top family attractions here include the Louvre Museum and Notre Dame Cathedral. If the kids love history and nature, you must pay a visit to Arc de Triomphe, Natural History Museum (which dates back to the 17th century), Paris Catacombs to experience the French Revolution, Pompidou Centre to enjoy juniors cinema, Galerie des Enfants, and the Pantheon, which is a cathedral-like building in honor of the French heroes. And yes, don’t forget to experience the beauty of Paris at night.

If you enjoy reading about travel, here is an article by Brooke Cobb on popular expat cities in Chile.

Another great read is what you should know before moving to Costa Rica.

Conclusion

I do hope you enjoyed discussing my Can’t-Miss Destinations When Planning a Family Trip (part 2).  Goa, India; Menorca, Spain; Paris, France; Vienna, Austria; Brittany, France; we learned about these amazing cities & countries.

Author Bio:

In 2011, Gabriela White decided to change her life, retire early, and pursue adventures instead of comfort and possessions. Her goal is to discover new places, meet new people, and take the time to learn about them, their values, and their place on this tiny planet.

Link to next article in this series: Part 3