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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the perfect starter card for families looking to dive into the world of rewards travel. It offers easy-to-use benefits, flexible points, and exceptional transfer partners that make it ideal for family vacations. It was the first card that my husband and I both opened when we started out as rewards travelers, and we both still hold it in our wallets today! Here’s why it’s the card you need in your wallet.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Overview

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is currently offering a rare 100,000-point welcome bonus after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. With a reasonable $95 annual fee, it packs in powerful perks that make it one of the most beginner-friendly cards for earning travel rewards.

To earn the 100,000-point sign-up bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you need to spend $5,000 on the card within the first 3 months of opening the account. Once you reach this spending threshold, the points will be credited to your account. At our house, we strategically move our regular household spending to meet minimum spend requirements without overspending. I never recommend spending money you don’t already plan to spend just to earn a bonus, as this could lead to unnecessary debt.

This 100,000-point offer is a limited-time deal and the highest we have seen on this card. The standard bonus has more often been in the 60,000 to 75,000 range, so if this offer appeals to you, it is worth applying sooner rather than later. You can always call or stop in to a branch to find out what the current offers are, which can some times differ depending on your relationship with the bank.

Benefits Tailored to Families

The card offers a $100 hotel credit when you book through the Chase Travel℠ portal, which is doubled from the old $50 credit and now more than covers the $95 annual fee. Plus, you’ll earn:

• 5X points on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ (perfect for family flights and accommodations),
• 3X on dining (ideal for those family restaurant outings or even ordering takeout),
• 3X on select streaming services,
• 3X on online grocery purchases (excludes Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs),
• 3X on gas and EV charging (new),
• 3X on vacation home rentals booked through Airbnb, Vrbo, and other top brands (new),
• 2X on other travel (like rideshares or car rentals),
• 1X on all other purchases

When you book travel through Chase, you can get extra value from your points through a program called Points Boost. Select flights and hotels are marked with a Points Boost label, and on the Sapphire Preferred those bookings can be worth up to 1.5 cents per point, so 10,000 points could stretch to $150. Bookings without the label are worth 1 cent per point, and the boosted rate varies depending on what you are booking, so it is always worth checking the label before you redeem.

Chase also added a few more perks this year. You can now get up to $120 back every four years to cover the application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS, which is a benefit usually found on pricier cards. There is also a complimentary one-year Apple TV subscription if you activate it by December 31, 2026.

What Does X Points Mean?

The “X” refers to how many points you earn per dollar spent in a specific category.

• 5X points: Earn 5 points for every $1 you spend.
• 3X points: Earn 3 points for every $1 you spend.
• 2X points: Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend.
• 1X points: Earn 1 point for every $1 you spend.

Examples in Action

Here’s how many points you’d earn on $100 spent in different categories:

• Dining (3X points): Spend $100 at a restaurant, and you’ll earn 300 points.
  • Calculation: $100 x 3 = 300 points.
• Travel booked through Chase Travel (5X points): Spend $100 on a flight, and you’ll earn 500 points.
  • Calculation: $100 x 5 = 500 points.
• Gas and EV charging (3X points): Spend $100 filling up, and you’ll earn 300 points.
  • Calculation: $100 x 3 = 300 points.
• Other travel, like car rentals or rideshares (2X points): Spend $100 on a rental car, and you’ll earn 200 points.
  • Calculation: $100 x 2 = 200 points.
• All other purchases (1X point): Spend $100 at the pharmacy, and you’ll earn 100 points.
  • Calculation: $100 x 1 = 100 points.

Point-to-Dollar Ratio

When redeeming your points, the value depends on how you use them:

• Standard Redemption: Points are typically worth 1 cent per point when redeemed for cash back, gift cards, or basic travel.
  • Example: 10,000 points = $100.
• Travel Through Chase Portal (Points Boost): Chase now marks select flights and hotels with a Points Boost label. On the Sapphire Preferred, those bookings can be worth up to 1.5 cents per point. Anything without the label is worth 1 cent per point, and the boosted rate varies by booking.
  • Example: 10,000 points = $100 to $150, depending on the booking.
• Transferring to Travel Partners: The value can vary but often exceeds 2 cents per point, depending on how strategically you book.
  • Example: 10,000 points could be worth $200 or more for plane tickets or hotels.

This flexibility makes earning and redeeming points a powerful way to maximize every dollar you spend!

What Are Chase Ultimate Rewards Points?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns you what’s called Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most versatile travel and cashback rewards you can earn. Here’s why they’re valuable:

• Flexible Redemption Options:
  • Redeem points for travel, statement credits, gift cards, or merchandise.
• Travel Portal Bonuses:
  • Get extra value on select flights and hotels through Points Boost when booking with a Sapphire card. The exact rate varies by booking and by which Sapphire card you hold.
• Transfer to Travel Partners:
  • Convert points 1:1 to top-tier travel partners like United, Southwest, and British Airways for incredible value. Hyatt is the one exception on this card, and I explain that change below.
• Cash Value:
  • Redeem points as cash at a standard rate of 1 cent per point.

Whether you want to book a dream vacation, cover everyday expenses, or save for the future, Chase Ultimate Rewards points give you the flexibility to achieve your goals.

Built-In Travel Protection

The Sapphire Preferred® also offers essential travel protections:

• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance: Protects your family in case your trip gets cut short.
• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Save money on car rentals, knowing you’re covered.
• Lost Luggage Insurance: If your luggage gets lost, you’ll have peace of mind knowing Chase has your back.
• Emergency Evacuation and Transportation Coverage (new): If someone on your trip is injured or gets sick more than 100 miles from home and needs emergency evacuation, you can be covered for eligible medical services and transportation up to $100,000.

At least part of your trip must be booked using the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or your Chase Ultimate Rewards point for the trip to qualify for travel insurance benefits with a Chase. Eligible travel purchases include airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, cruises, activities, and tours.

Does Chase Sapphire Preferred Have Foreign Transaction Fees?

There are no foreign transaction fees, making this a perfect option for families while traveling abroad.

Eligibility

This card and rewards travel in general is ideally suited for those with good to exceptional credit, who can pay their bills on time each month, and can avoid getting into debt/manage a budget.

To apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you cannot currently hold another Sapphire Preferred. Thanks to a recent change, though, you can now hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and still be eligible to earn the welcome bonus on the Preferred. Additionally, if you’ve earned a bonus on the Sapphire Preferred in the past 48 months, you won’t be eligible for another. However, if it’s been over 48 months, you can downgrade to a no-fee Chase card, like the Chase Freedom Flex® or Freedom Unlimited®, and reapply for the Sapphire Preferred® to earn the bonus again.

Why Chase Sapphire Preferred® Shines for Family Travel

One of the key selling points of this card is its transfer partners. Chase has 11 airline and 3 hotel partners, and most still transfer at a 1:1 rate in increments of 1,000. This means you can transfer your points to airlines like Southwest, United, and British Airways, or hotels like IHG and Marriott, ideal for family trips, whether you’re visiting Disneyland, Hawaii, or exploring international destinations. Hyatt is the one exception on this card, and I break that change down below. Here is the full list of all of Chase’s current transfer partners:

With Hyatt, you can book family-friendly hotels at excellent value since Hyatt’s point rates are generally lower than other hotel chains. Additionally, Chase has the advantage of offering domestic airline partners, like Southwest, which makes it easier for families to find flights that suit their schedules and budgets. This exact combination is how we traveled to Hawaii for almost two weeks for less than $100 total out of pocket for flights and hotels. We booked that trip when Sapphire Preferred points still transferred to Hyatt at 1:1, so the Hyatt half of that math would take more points today, but the strategy itself still works, and it works exactly as well as it always did if you hold the Sapphire Reserve.

How to Transfer Points to Travel Partners

Step 1

Log into your Chase account and click Ultimate Rewards® under Rewards on the right side.

Once in the Ultimate Rewards® section, select “Travel”, then “Transfer points to partners” on the navigation.

Step 2

Scroll down to the partners section, and choose the partner to which you want to transfer points. For this example, we’re choosing Hyatt.

Step 3

Enter the details associated with the membership of the partner you want to transfer to. Here, you will enter your World of Hyatt number. World of Hyatt is a free program to join, like frequent flyer numbers but for hotels.

Step 4

Enter how many points you want to transfer.

Pro tip: Always make sure you’ve found the flights or hotel rooms you want to book before transferring points—once they’re transferred, they’re locked into the partner’s program.

Step 5

Review your transfer details before your submit.

Once you submit, it can take anywhere from instant to 72 hours for your points to appear in the partner account. If your points don’t transfer instantly, call the partner to get an idea of approximately how long it will take, so you know when to come back and book your travel.

A Change to Know About: Hyatt Transfers and the Sapphire Reserve

Starting June 15, 2026, Chase changed the transfer ratio from the Sapphire Preferred to World of Hyatt. It used to be 1:1. It is now 4:3, which means 1,000 Chase points become 750 Hyatt points instead of 1,000.

Here is the timing. If you apply for the Preferred on or after June 15, 2026, the new 4:3 rate applies to you right away. If you already had the card before June 15, 2026, you keep the 1:1 rate until October 1, 2026. The same change is coming to the Ink Business Preferred®, but not until October 1, 2026, and that date applies to both existing and new cardmembers.

Why does this matter for our family? We use Hyatt a lot, and Hyatt is one of the best reasons to hold a Chase card in the first place. Here is the part worth understanding: the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the top card in the Sapphire family, is keeping its 1:1 transfer rate to Hyatt. So if you mostly use your Chase points to transfer to Hyatt, you will get more value holding the Reserve than the Preferred, because the Reserve still transfers at 1:1.

The Reserve has a much higher annual fee at $795, though it comes with a $300 annual travel credit that brings the real cost down, so it is not an automatic yes. As a rough rule of thumb, the Reserve starts to make more sense once you are transferring somewhere around 60,000 points or more to Hyatt each year. If you only transfer to Hyatt occasionally, or you do not transfer to Hyatt at all, the Preferred and its low $95 annual fee is very likely still the better fit. And the good news is you can now hold both cards, so the Reserve can be added later if your Hyatt habit grows.

One more thing to flag for honesty: Hyatt also recently made changes to its own award chart, so some Hyatt redemptions cost more points than they used to. That is separate from the Chase transfer change, but it is worth knowing when you are running the numbers.

Earning More Points and Combining

You can also combine points earned from other Chase cards to increase your rewards, if you hold certain Chase cards that allow for combining points.

Eligible Premium Cards for Combining Points

You need at least one of the following Chase cards to unlock the ability to combine and transfer points:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred®
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Ink Business Preferred®

These cards allow points to:

1. Be redeemed for extra value through Points Boost in the Chase Travel Portal.
2. Transfer to travel partners like United, Southwest, or British Airways for outsized value. (Hyatt transfers now vary by card, see the Hyatt section above.)

If you have a Chase Freedom Flex®, Freedom Unlimited®, or any other Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards®, you can still combine them with points earned on your Chase Sapphire Preferred card to use them for travel. I personally also hold the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, and I love that it offers 1.5% back on all purchases.

How to Combine Points

Step 1

Combine points from different cards by logging into your Chase account and click Ultimate Rewards® under Rewards on the right side. Once in the Ultimate Rewards® section, select “Rewards details”, then “Combine points” on the navigation.

Step 2

Then, select the card from which you want to move points, and the card to which you want to move points. The number of points and names of the cards have been erased in the below examples, but yours will show your card names over the images, with the last four digits displayed, in addition to how many points you have to move. Keep in mind that you want to move your points to a card that earns Ultimate Rewards® points from a cashback card in order to redeem them for travel.

Step 3

Manually type in how many points you want to move from one card to another.

Step 4

Confirm that everything looks good before hitting submit. Your points should combine instantly.

Cards That Earn Ultimate Rewards Points

In addition to the Chase Sapphire Preferred, these cards give you Chase’s most versatile and valuable rewards, known as Ultimate Rewards points. They’re flexible and can be used for travel, cash back, or transferred to travel partners for outsized value.

Some Chase cards don’t earn Ultimate Rewards points directly. Instead, they earn cash back or partner-specific rewards. Some also come with annual fees, so make sure to check that the card benefits outweigh the fee costs for your family.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is still one of the most versatile and valuable cards for families looking to earn travel rewards, and with the bigger hotel credit, the new bonus categories, and the rare 100,000-point welcome offer, there is a strong case it is better than ever for casual and semi-frequent travelers. The one trade-off to weigh is the Hyatt transfer change, especially if Hyatt is your go-to.

Not sure if this or another card could be right for you? Sign up here for a free credit card consultation with me, and we’ll help you find your next best rewards travel card.

If you have any questions or need further advice feel free to email me or send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to share more tips and insights to help you.

_{Please note that this article contains affiliate links, and I may earn a referral commission if you choose to apply through my links. As a small business, these earnings help me to continue to bring you content like this at no extra cost to you. Thank you!}

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  Chase | Featured | Rewards Travel

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The Ultimate Family Travel Tool We Love

  ByMari July 13, 2026July 13, 2026

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the perfect starter card for families looking to dive into the world of rewards travel. It offers easy-to-use benefits, flexible points, and exceptional transfer partners that make it ideal for family vacations. It was the first card that my husband and I both opened when we started out as rewards travelers, and we both still hold it in our wallets today! Here’s why it’s the card you need in your wallet.

• 

  Advice | Best Moments | Caribbean | Family | Featured | How to | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Dreams Playa Esmeralda Review: A Brilliant All-Inclusive for Families

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Read this Dreams Playa Esmeralda review for families, including rooms, dining, kids activities, Hyatt points, all-inclusive details, and what to know before booking.

• 

  Abroad | Caribbean | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Review: Is This Family Escape Worth Every Point?

  ByMari May 7, 2026May 7, 2026

  The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is more than just a resort; it’s a massive playground in the heart of Nassau. While the stunning architecture and turquoise waters are a given, navigating a family vacation here requires a bit of strategy. In this review, we’re moving past the highlight reel to look at the service, the amenities, and the overall value. Here is everything you need to know about the family escape to decide if it’s worth spending your points or cash.

The post The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The Ultimate Family Travel Tool We Love appeared first on Mari on the Map.

Living up to the name “Dreams” is kind of a tall order, but TL;DR, Dreams Playa Esmeralda did it. I’m still dreaming about it, and I think it might be somewhere we plan an annual trip to… it’s that good! Located in the Dominican Republic, this new Hyatt all-inclusive property had it all: beautiful beaches, lovely pools, fantastic staff, and good food and drinks.

Of course, no resort is perfect, so I’ll spill the tea on some areas of improvement as well. This post covers everything you need to know before you go: how the resort works, what it actually costs, what to do with kids, and whether it lives up to the hype. If you are searching for a family all-inclusive that also gives the adults room to breathe, read on.

What Is Dreams Playa Esmeralda?

Dreams Playa Esmeralda is a new all-inclusive resort on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, in the Miches region. It opened in late 2025 and is part of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection, which means you can book it with World of Hyatt points. The sister property, Secrets Playa Esmeralda, sits right next door and is adults-only. As a Dreams guest, you have access to both.

One thing to know upfront: when people search “dreams playa esmeralda punta cana,” they are usually referring to the closest major airport, which is Punta Cana International (PUJ). The resort is actually in Miches, about 90 minutes from that airport. It is worth factoring in when you plan, but the drive is easy and the area is genuinely beautiful, far removed from the busier resort strips. You can easily set up a transfer from the airport through the resort, as we did. The ride is so easy and peaceful that most of us fell asleep both directions!

The setting is unlike anything we have seen at a Caribbean resort. The beach is largely untouched, the water is clear, and there are almost no other properties in sight. For families used to crowded resort beaches, it is a real change of pace.

Getting to Dreams Playa Esmeralda

Fly into Punta Cana International Airport and arrange a transfer from there. The resort can organize transportation through their partner Amstar. Private transfers and group transfers are available. Whatever you book, plan for about 90 minutes on the road.

My advice: book your transfer before you arrive. With kids and luggage, this is not the moment to improvise at the airport.

Booking Dreams Playa Esmeralda on Points

Dreams Playa Esmeralda is part of Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection, which means it is bookable with World of Hyatt points. It sits in Category B, so standard rooms on off-peak nights start at 17,000 points for two, and about 32,000 for four at the all-inclusive rate, with premium suites on peak nights running up to 46,000. Considering the all-inclusive rate includes meals, drinks, and activities, the value here is real.

If you’re building your Hyatt points strategy, read about why Hyatt is my favorite hotel brand for family travel and all-inclusive properties like this one are a big part of that. When your room covers food and drinks for the whole family, the points redemption math gets even better. My boys especially loved the virgin piña coladas!

The Rooms

Dreams Playa Esmeralda has 500 rooms and suites, many of which are swim-out, with direct access to the pool from your terrace. The rooms are bright, modern, and well designed, with plush bedding, spacious bathrooms with rain showers and double vanities, and a Bluetooth speaker system. Connecting suite options are available for larger groups, which is worth asking about when you book.

If you are considering the Preferred Club upgrade, it gets you butler service, personalized check-in, and access to exclusive pool and lounge areas including the Windows restaurant for a la carte breakfast and lunch. We went with this option, as we were traveling for my birthday, and our personal butler, Angelo, was very attentive. It felt a little indulgent to use his services, which included unpacking our room, but he was insistent that we should rely on him. His services included 24/7 chat service on WhatsApp, and the best use was to make all of our reservations at the various restaurants on the first day.

One note on the swim-out rooms: depending on which direction your terrace faces, the pool access area may not get much direct sun. Worth asking about orientation when you book if that matters to you. We prefer to not book a swim-out room when our kids are present, since I don’t love the risk of them having direct access to a pool. Even though they are both great swimmers, you can never be too safe around the water. Our third-floor balcony room had a lovely view and a hot tub on the balcony, and I’d recommend it.

Is Dreams Playa Esmeralda All Inclusive?

Yes, and that is one of the biggest draws. Unlike the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, which I reviewed separately and where everything is charged individually, Dreams Playa Esmeralda covers meals, drinks, activities, and entertainment in your room rate. That changes the math significantly for families.

Ten restaurants and seven bars are included, and as a Dreams guest you also have full access to the Secrets side for dining and amenities, which effectively doubles your options. Kids under 13 cannot access the adults-only Secrets pools and certain spaces, but adults can move freely between both properties.

A few things that are not included in the base rate: spa treatments, certain premium excursions, and Preferred Club upgrades. The Preferred Club pools and lounges are also separate. Budget for those separately if you want them.

The Water Park and Pools

If you are looking for resorts with water slides, Dreams Playa Esmeralda delivers. There is an on-site water park with slides for different ages and a dedicated splash zone for younger kids. It is not on the scale of a standalone water park, but for a resort, it is genuinely fun, and the kids spent a significant amount of time there.

Beyond the water park, the resort has four pools including a dedicated family pool and a Preferred Club pool. The family pool area has a swim-up bar, which is a practical feature when you do not want to go far with kids. Pool temperatures ran on the cooler side during our visit, which is worth knowing if you are traveling in winter months.

The beach is the real standout. Wide, soft sand, clear water, and very few people. You can walk along the shore for a long stretch without running into another resort. The waves right in front of the property can be a bit rougher on certain days, but a short walk in either direction finds calmer, swimmable water. Kayaks and snorkel gear are available at the beach hut at no extra charge.

Dining at Dreams Playa Esmeralda

Ten dining options cover a lot of ground: Dominican, South American, Mexican, Italian, and a teppanyaki restaurant called Himitsu. Watching chefs flip and toss food at the table works every time. There is also a buffet that runs breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which is the practical choice when you are feeding multiple kids at different paces.

Make your restaurant reservations before you arrive, or as soon as you check in. Some of the a la carte restaurants fill up quickly, and walk-in availability is not guaranteed at peak dinner times. Poolside food and beach grill options are always available without reservations, which helps on low-key days. The resort also did special pool-side dining some of the days, that was included.

Activities and Things to Do with Kids

Punta cana with kids often means finding a resort that keeps everyone busy without requiring constant parental coordination, and Dreams Playa Esmeralda does that well. The Explorer’s Club for Kids runs programming for ages 3 to 12, staffed by Red Cross-certified staff, with real activities: beach games, sandcastle building, treasure hunts, arts and crafts.

Teenagers have their own space at the Core Zone Teens Club with separate programming, which is useful for families with a wider age range. And for younger kids, nursery services are available for an additional cost.

Beyond the kids clubs, daily activities across the property include tennis, snorkeling, kayaking, dance classes, Spanish lessons, and evening entertainment in the Public Square, a shared village-style area between Dreams and Secrets where both properties come together for music and shows. The nightly programming in the theater spaces gives the kids something to look forward to after dinner.

The Miches region is also worth exploring off-property. Montana Redonda, with its panoramic hilltop views. Samana Bay has humpback whale watching from January through March. Los Haitises National Park is close and impressive. The resort can help organize excursions, though I would recommend doing some research in advance on providers and pricing.

The Spa

The Secrets Spa is shared between both properties and is impressive: massage cabins, a hydrotherapy circuit, sauna, steam bath, and a full beauty salon. It is not included in the base rate, but if you are going to splurge on one extra while you are there, this is the one. Book ahead, especially during busier periods.

Final Thoughts

Dreams Playa Esmeralda is a strong option for families who want the ease of all-inclusive travel without sacrificing quality. Since the resort is still relatively new, it is worth going in with realistic expectations around things like restaurant consistency, service flow, and a few small room details. None of those issues derailed the trip for us, but a resort in its first year of operation will naturally feel different from one that has been running for a decade.

What really makes Dreams Playa Esmeralda stand out is the location. Miches offers a quieter, more remote Caribbean experience while still giving you full resort amenities, an all-inclusive structure, and a beautiful beach that feels very different from the more developed resort areas. The Hyatt points angle also makes it especially compelling, if you are holding points and have been waiting for the right redemption, this is worth looking at seriously.

If you have questions about planning a trip or figuring out the points strategy, send me an email or a DM on Instagram. I am always happy to help you travel more for less!

• 

  Advice | Best Moments | Caribbean | Family | Featured | How to | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Dreams Playa Esmeralda Review: A Brilliant All-Inclusive for Families

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Read this Dreams Playa Esmeralda review for families, including rooms, dining, kids activities, Hyatt points, all-inclusive details, and what to know before booking.

• 

  Abroad | Caribbean | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Review: Is This Family Escape Worth Every Point?

  ByMari May 7, 2026May 7, 2026

  The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is more than just a resort; it’s a massive playground in the heart of Nassau. While the stunning architecture and turquoise waters are a given, navigating a family vacation here requires a bit of strategy. In this review, we’re moving past the highlight reel to look at the service, the amenities, and the overall value. Here is everything you need to know about the family escape to decide if it’s worth spending your points or cash.

The post Dreams Playa Esmeralda Review: A Brilliant All-Inclusive for Families appeared first on Mari on the Map.

Whether you’re planning your first trip or next trip to Maui, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out what’s actually worth your time, especially when you’re traveling with kids.

The good news is that Maui one of those rare destinations that really does have something for everyone. One day you can be watching the sunrise from above the clouds, the next you’re swimming at a beach with sea turtles, hiking through a bamboo forest, or grabbing shave ice after a morning adventure. The best part is you don’t have to cram everything into one trip. Read: How we went to Hawaii for two weeks for only $67.20 total for flights and hotels.

After exploring Maui as a family, these are the experiences we’d recommend over and over again. They’re the ones that made our trip unforgettable, and they’re all doable with kids in tow.

Below you’ll find our favorite things to do in Maui, along with tips to help you plan each one. If something catches your eye, I’ve also linked our detailed guides with everything you need to know before you go.

Flying to Maui with a Companion Pass and Points

We flew Southwest because the Companion Pass changes the math for families. Both my husband and I had active passes, which meant each of our boys flew as companions for only the taxes and fees. For our entire route (one mainland leg to Oahu, then Oahu to Maui, then Maui home), we paid $67.20 total in taxes and fees for the four of us. The base fares came from Southwest points we earned while working toward the passes and from Chase Ultimate Rewards we moved to Southwest.

The practical result is that you can say yes to another activity or nicer accommodations without feeling like flights swallowed the budget. If you’re building your own must do in Maui plan, running the numbers on the Companion Pass plus flexible points is worth the time, especially for a family of four. Need help with a points strategy? Join my Points and Miles Masterclass, or sign up for a consultation.

Where We Stayed and Why It Helped the Whole Trip

We based ourselves at Wailea Ekahi Village in South Maui through Hyatt’s Homes & Hideaways program. Having a two-bedroom condo changed our pace in the best way. The kitchen made breakfasts and simple dinners easy, which cut decision fatigue and kept everyone fed when the day ran long. This is also a great money saving trick, since meals out on an island like Hawaii can be pricey. Multiple pools and garden paths gave the kids an outlet on days when we asked them to sit in the car more than they wanted. If you like one activity per day with a slow afternoon, this setup supports that rhythm.

The Best Things to Do in Maui

From our time in Maui with the kids, we found six great activities that every family should try. These experiences are fun, engaging, and perfect for making your trip to Maui unforgettable.

ʻĪao Valley State Monument: A Short, Satisfying Half Day

ʻĪao Valley is a little bit of a different experience since it’s focused around a mountain and river, but it earns a spot on your must do in Maui list for so many reasons. You walk into a green valley with the ʻĪao Needle ahead and clouds moving across the peaks. The paved path to the viewpoint is short. There are stairs but nothing tricky, and the signs along the way make it simple to share a bit of history with kids. It’s a great first-morning outing if you’ve just arrived and want to do something real without pushing tired little ones.

After the viewpoint, we went down the stairs to the water and took the narrow side trail to the ʻĪao Stream. Even on warm days the water is cool, so we kept our time outside brief and packed dry clothes for the ride back. Water shoes helped on the slick rocks.

Reservations are required for non-residents, and the lot is small. We booked ahead, arrived early, and packed snacks and water because there’s nothing for sale once you’re there. Cell service fades on the way up, so we downloaded our reservation and an offline map. If the Needle plays hide and seek with clouds, be patient; breaks often come in waves. For more information you can read this post: Visiting Maui’s Sacred ʻĪao Valley with Kids.

Garden of Eden Arboretum: A Flexible Stop on the Road to Hana

If you’re building a family version of the Road to Hana, or you want a single scenic stop without committing to the entire drive, the Garden of Eden is the answer. This stop was my favorite on the Road to Hana. The property allows you to drive sections, while kids nap, and still enjoy the adventure. When someone wakes up ready to explore, you can park and walk short paths to overlooks, a small waterfall, and the rainbow eucalyptus trees. That flexibility is why it’s on our must do in Maui list. You don’t have to force a schedule or fight the clock to get some good time outdoors.

We all enjoyed the overlook connected to Jurassic Park history, but the chance to see the famous rainbow eucalyptus trees was the main reason I wanted to visit the Garden of Eden. We moved slowly and used the map from the entrance to choose flatter paths. The garden is open daily and doesn’t require a reservation. If you want a family-friendly nature break that will not turn into an all-day hike, this is it.

Bring a light rain layer even if the forecast looks friendly, and choose shoes that can handle wet gravel. Strollers can work on the smoothest stretches, though you’ll still carry on the small slopes. For more information you can read this post: Visiting the Captivating Garden of Eden Arboretum.

Hana Lava Tube: A Wild Underground Adventure

The Hana Lava Tube was my kids’ absolute favorite stop on the Road to Hana. The place gives the opportunity to be an authentic explorer without a tour group or a long approach. You pay the entry fee at a simple check-in table, receive flashlights for everyone, and walk a clear self-guided loop through the tube. The inside is cool, dark, and damp in places, but that’s part of the fun! Anyone who is stable walker, like those beyond the toddling phase, can handle it well. This is not a stroller friendly activity, thought because of the uneven terrain and stairs.

We moved slowly and stopped to read the plaques that explain what you’re seeing. If you’re sensitive to drips on the head, wear a hooded jacket or cap. The walk itself takes about forty minutes is an easy, unique addition to your must do in Maui plan. It offers something the rest of the island doesn’t: an underground adventure to balance the beaches and lookouts.

If your family wants the Road to Hana flavor without committing to every classic stop, you can combine the Garden of Eden and the Lava Tube and then turn back toward Wailea with no guilt. For more information you can read this post: Our Adventure into the Hana Lava Tube.

The Road to Hana with Kids

The Road to Hana is famous for a reason. The coastline is dramatic, and the stops can be wonderful. It’s also long, narrow, and full of curves. With kids in the car you can make it work by choosing a few stops, setting time limits, and letting go of the idea that you need to see everything. We built our route around places that solved basic needs first: bathrooms, simple food, a short walk, and then added one or two extras that felt right.

We liked starting with Twin Falls because it’s early, the walk is short, and the water feels like a small reward after being in the car. Pua‘a Ka‘a was a good reset midday, with room to move around. Hāna Farms gave us a great dinner spot, whether you’re taking it to go for the ride back or settling in Hana for the night. If the hours line up, Hana Bowls is a fun treat. When everyone needed space to breathe without tickets or reservations, Hana Bay Beach Park did the job.

Motion sickness is real on this drive. Our younger son struggled on the return. If your family is prone to it, bring what works for you and plan your timeline so you’re not rushing through the curviest sections in the dark. Download maps before you start, fill the gas tank in Pā‘ia, and keep valuables out of sight at every stop. The Road to Hana is really the ultimate must do in Maui and not to be missed, even if you only drive it for a short bit.

For a full guide you can read this post: Best Road to Hana Stops for Families with Kids.

Haleakalā National Park: Summit Views Without the Sunrise Stress

Haleakalā is often marketed as a sunrise hike, but we aren’t morning people, so we skipped the early alarm and drove up in the middle of the day. That choice fit our kids’ energy and gave us the same feeling of being above the clouds. The road climbs steadily, and the landscape changes enough that the drive itself becomes part of the experience. We stopped at the Headquarters Visitor Center to use the restroom and pick up a map, then continued to the summit where we found parking and walked short paths to different viewpoints.

It was cold at the top, forties when the shoreline was in the eighties, so we layered every jacket we had and kept our time outside brief. Our boys liked climbing the small hills and watching the cloud line shift below us. We spent time both in the observation area and outside. This day earned a place on our must do in Maui plan because it gives you a national-park-level payoff without a long hike or a complicated reservation window.

If you love sunrise and want that light, note that sunrise entry requires a separate reservation through recreation.gov (released 60 days in advance and they go fast), so book it early and pack heavier layers. If your priority is calm, clear logistics, the midday window works best.

Driving down is where fear of heights can show up. If that’s you, build in extra time for a slower pace and bright daylight. Bring snacks, water, and one extra warm layer per person, even in summer. For more information you can read this post: Visiting the Breathtaking Haleakalā National Park with Kids.

Te Au Moana Luau: An Unforgettable Experience

We picked Te Au Moana for my birthday because a luau had been on my bucket list for years. Kids five and under are free, which allowed us to choose premium seating without pushing the budget. The pre-show activities matter more than you’d think because they kept the wait fun instead of restless. Our boys liked the temporary tattoo station and the chance to try a bit of hula dancing before dinner. The buffet offered enough variety that we didn’t have to worry about picky eaters or our choice to avoid pork.

As the sun dropped, the setting turned into a ready-made family photo. Staff helped take pictures and even brought a small birthday dessert, which was lovely. The kids were invited onstage at one point and treated the moment like a small personal victory. If you’re looking for a must do in Maui that doubles as a family celebration, this is the one we’d book again.

Parking was straightforward, but we still aimed to arrive early to give ourselves time to walk in with small legs and settle at the table. Light layers helped once the breeze picked up after sunset. For more information you can read this post: Te Au Moana Luau: The Best Luau for Kids in Maui.

What to Pack for These Six Activities

The packing list for these must do in Maui activities is simple and based around staying dry and comfortable. Bring shoes that handle wet ground for the valley, the garden, and the lava tube. We have pairs we like for me, my husband and the kids. Add water shoes if your kids will splash in the stream. Pack a light rain jacket for quick showers (women’s, men’s, and kids’) and one set of dry clothes to keep the ride home comfortable.

For Haleakalā, you need real warmth at the top, so plan for a jacket and a maybe a hat, even in summer. For the Road to Hana, prepare like you might not find exactly what you want when you want it. Snacks, refillable water bottles, wipes, and a small trash bag cover most of what will come up. If motion sickness is part of your reality, medicine, sick bags, and a change of clothes will go a long way.

Safety and Respect

• ʻĪao Valley is sacred. Talk with your kids about staying on marked paths and leaving everything as they found it. The streams can rise fast with rain; use caution around the water and avoid it if storms are nearby.
• On the Road to Hana, watch for one-lane bridges, blind curves, and people stopping in unsafe spots.
• At the lava tube, shine your flashlight on the path and hold hands where footing is uneven.
• On Haleakalā, cold and wind are part of the deal, so let the weather set the time limit rather than pushing through.

Final Thoughts

The best version of a must do in Maui plan is the one that fits your family, not the one that tries to cover every famous stop. For us, the six above hit the sweet spot.

You can choose three or four, and leave space for the pool and the beach at your hotel. If you miss something, it’s the start of a list for next time. For more detailed information on each activity, be sure to read our full posts linked above!

If you have any questions or need further advice feel free to email me or send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to share more tips and insights to help you.

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  Best Moments | Family | Featured | Hawaii | North America | United States | USA

  6 Fun Must Do in Maui with Kids

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Whether you’re planning your first trip or next trip to Maui, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out what’s actually worth your time, especially when you’re traveling with kids.

  The good news is that Maui one of those rare destinations that really does have something for everyone. One day you can be watching the sunrise from above the clouds, the next you’re swimming at a beach with sea turtles, hiking through a bamboo forest, or grabbing shave ice after a morning adventure. The best part is you don’t have to cram everything into one trip. Read: How we went to Hawaii for two weeks for only $67.20 total for flights and hotels.

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  Family | Featured | Hawaii | North America | United States | USA

  5 Fun Must Do in Oahu with Kids

  ByMari November 28, 2025November 28, 2025

  You might be wondering … is Oahu good for families? After visiting with our family of four, we can confidently say that Oahu is an exceptional destination for in Hawaii for families! Known as “The Gathering Place,” Oahu offers a mix of natural beauty, cultural experiences, and diverse activities for visitors of all ages. Families can explore everything from rainforests and stunning beaches to historical landmarks. If you’re want to know what to do in Honolulu with kids, we’ve got kid-friendly things to do in Honolulu and beyond, if you’re up for a little adventure! Oahu is an ideal choice for families looking to create unforgettable memories together. Here are 5 Must Do in Oahu with Kids.

The post 6 Fun Must Do in Maui with Kids appeared first on Mari on the Map.

I’ll be the first to admit it: if I’m planning a trip, there is a 90% chance I’m trying to figure out how to get back to Italy. And Rome is the quintessential Italy experience that every family needs to have at least one (and maybe more than once!) It is the kind of city that just feeds your soul: the history, beautiful, and food are all ideal for core memory making.

Taking the kids to an ancient, big, bustling city can feel like a massive undertaking, but that is exactly what this guide is designed for! From dodging the tourist traps to finding the best spots for kids among the ruins, I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. I’m sharing all my best tips and favorite stops so you can skip the stress and get straight to the magic. Andiamo!

Before You Go: A Few Things to Know About Rome

Book Everything in Advance

I cannot stress this enough: The Colosseum, the Vatican, and most major sites run on timed entry tickets. Lines without a reservation can stretch for hours, and that is not a situation you want to be in with a kid in the summer heat. If you are planning to visit Rome with kids, book any must-do popular tourist attractions ideally 60 days ahead of your visit.

The Cobblestones Are Real

Rome’s historic center is almost entirely paved with uneven cobblestones, and they will test your feet and stroller situation fast. Ladies, I know the Italians are super fashionable, but this isn’t the place to wear your best heels. Everyone in your party needs a flat walking shoe to avoid turning an ankle.

As for wheels for the kids, we use the Graco Modes Aventura for all of our Europe trips, and it is a lifesaver: wide enough wheels to handle the cobblestones without a fight, and both kids could ride when little legs gave out. Plus, it’s not wide, so you can get down even the tightest sidewalks. A carrier is also worth packing for the spots where strollers simply can’t go, like St. Peter’s Basilica or any underground tour.

Best Time to Visit Rome with Kids

• Autumn (September through October): My absolute top choice for families; I just love Italy in the fall! Temperatures drop to a very pleasant range, the summer crowds thin out, and the city has a beautiful golden quality in the light. September especially feels like Rome at its most livable.
• Winter (November through February): The least busy time of year, which has real appeal if your kids are in school and you’re traveling over holiday breaks. Christmas in Rome is magical, with markets and lights throughout the historic center. January and February are cold and quiet, which some families love.
• Spring (March through May): The weather is mild, flowers are everywhere, and the crowds are manageable compared to summer. Long days out are comfortable, and your kids won’t be melting on the walk between gelato stops.
• Summer (June through August): Doable, but genuinely brutal heat-wise, especially July and August. If this is your only window, plan for very early mornings, a long midday break at your hotel, and lighter afternoon outings. Hydration and shade become your whole strategy.
• Important Note about August & December: These are prime holiday months for the entire country of Italy, and many shops, restaurants, and attractions will close completely during these months. If you must travel then, check that what you want to do is available before booking.

Where to Stay

Your neighborhood choice will shape your whole trip. Staying close to the historic center means you can walk back to your hotel for nap time without losing half the day to a taxi.

• The Pantheon and Piazza Navona area is a great base: central, charming, and with enough cafés nearby that you will never be far from a snack.
• The Trastevere neighborhood is another solid pick for families, with a relaxed village-like feel, beautiful streets, and good restaurants with outdoor seating.
• If you want to be close to the Vatican, the Prati neighborhood is quieter and very walkable.
• One our last trip, we stayed at The Tribune using Hyatt points. We were thrilled with our stay there and highly recommend it.

The Best Things to Do in Rome with Kids

The Colosseum and Roman Forum

This is the big one, and young kids will definitely be amazed. My kids had no real frame of reference for ancient Rome before we arrived, but standing inside the Colosseum gave them something to grab onto. Gladiators. Giant arenas. Stories. It clicked in a way that a museum probably would not have.

Practical Tips for Visiting the Colosseum with Kids

Book skip-the-line tickets in advance or go one better and book a family-friendly guided tour that includes skip-the-line access. Tours designed for kids often use a scavenger hunt format, which is genuinely the difference between a 20-minute attention span and a kid who is engaged for the full visit. The Colosseum has elevators for families with strollers, so you can get to the upper level without navigating stairs. The underground and arena floor access require a carrier rather than a stroller, so keep that in mind when choosing your ticket type.

The Roman Forum is right next door and included in most Colosseum tickets. My honest advice: if your kids are on the younger end of the 3 to 6 range, do the Colosseum and save the Forum for when they are a little older. It is a large, largely open-air site with a lot of “look at these ruins” energy, which is harder to make exciting for a little kid.

PRO TIP: I always book a professional photo session on our family trips, and Rome was no exception. We had ours at the Colosseum and the photos are honestly some of my favorite we have ever taken as a family. It’s non-negotiable for me whenever we travel. This is the photo shoot that we did. Highly recommend adding it to your Rome with kids plans.

The Trevi Fountain

No list of things to do in Rome with kids is complete without this one, and for good reason. The Trevi Fountain is genuinely spectacular, and the coin-throwing tradition is an instant win with little kids. Give each child their own coin, explain the tradition (one coin means you’ll return to Rome, two means you’ll fall in love, three means you’ll get married), and let them do their own wish.

What to Know About the New Ticketing System

Rome introduced a paid entry system at the Trevi Fountain starting February 2026. Non-residents now need to buy a 2-euro ticket to approach the fountain and toss their coins. That’s just over two dollars per person, so for a family it’s a small but real line item to factor in.

Tickets can be purchased online on the official website, at the Civic Museums, at Tourist Infopoints, at affiliated sales points, or at the entrance by card only. The ticketed hours run every day from 9am to 10pm. Children under five get in free, and there are no time limits once you’re down at the basin level, which is great news with kids because you’re not being rushed through the moment.

The good news is that the crowd management system has made the basin area noticeably less chaotic, which honestly makes the experience better for families. The coin-throwing moment lands differently when you’re not elbow-to-elbow with 400 strangers. Keep in mind that you can still view the fountain from the street level (as pictured above) without paying the fee, but you’ll be too far to throw a coin if that’s important for you.

When to Go

Early morning is still the most pleasant time to visit. The fountain is lit beautifully, the crowds are thin, and you can linger without the ticketed rush starting. If early mornings don’t work with your kids’ schedule, late evening after 10pm is lovely and free. Midday in peak season is the one window I’d avoid. If you’re coming from the U.S. take advantage of the time change the first few days and hit it during a window your kids are still on their home time zone.

Villa Borghese Gardens

This park is one of the best things to do in Rome with kids, full stop. Think of it as Rome’s Central Park, but arguably more charming. There is a playground, a small zoo called the Bioparco, pedal boats you can rent on the lake, electric bike rentals with kids’ seats, and a little train that loops through the park when small legs are done walking.

How to Spend a Day at Villa Borghese

A good approach is to start the morning with a bike rental and ride through the park before it gets busy. Most rental spots require an ID, so keep that handy. After a couple of hours of exploring, the park cafés are a solid option for a relaxed lunch before letting the kids loose at the playground.

For families who love animals, the Bioparco is worth building into the day. It’s compact enough to do in a couple of hours and has a good mix of animals without being overwhelming. The pedal boats on the lake are another hit with young kids, and the little train that loops through the park is a great option when small legs are done walking.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Rome with kids, but it earns a spot on the list every time. It is one of the most beautiful squares in Italy, with Bernini’s famous Fountain of the Four Rivers right at the center, but for young kids, it’s basically a giant outdoor living room.

There’s space to run, street performers to watch, gelato carts, and if you time it right, bubble vendors near the fountain.

The square is pedestrian-only and the energy at dusk is wonderful. It’s also an easy walk from most hotels in the historic center, so it became our natural endpoint for the day.

A Scavenger Hunt ArtLab Tour

Instead of just walking past Rome’s legendary landmarks like the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona, we booked a private 2.5-hour Scavenger Hunt ArtLab Tour with AJ’s Little Artists. AJ is a local art historian, who expertly turns the historic city center into an open-air laboratory.

Our kids were given a scavenger hunt sheet to track down hidden animal sculptures carved into fountains, churches, and buildings. My five-year-old was totally locked in tracking down everything from lions and turtles to unexpected ones like an armadillo and an elephant.

While the kids tracked animals, the adults got the deep-dive history. My husband loved the anecdotal stories behind the architecture, like how Bernini deliberately faced his elephant statue’s backside toward a rival priest’s front door in Piazza della Minerva. Even though I’ve been to Rome three times, we were noticing gems hidden in plain sight that I had completely missed before.

What makes this truly unique is that it’s sightseeing meets art-making. AJ brings art supplies and cushions, finding perfect shady spots directly in front of the landmarks, so the kids and adults can sit and color their own custom masterpieces. My mom loved how effortlessly AJ brought the children into the experience while making the history fun for all three generations. By the end, it felt less like sightseeing and more like a core family memory.

Golf Cart Tour of Rome

One of the most unexpectedly fun things we did in Rome was a golf cart tour, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of the whole trip for families with young kids. Instead of navigating taxis (and the car seat question that comes with them) or walking long stretches between sights, you load everyone into a covered golf cart with a local guide and cover a huge amount of the city in a relaxed, low-effort way.

We passed through neighborhoods and past landmarks we might have skipped on foot, and the kids loved riding around town. No car seats required, no stroller logistics, just a comfortable way to see the city together.

Tours typically run a couple of hours and cover the main highlights of the historic center. Look for family-friendly options that let you customize the route or make stops along the way.

The Pantheon

Nearly 2,000 years old and still standing with its original dome intact. The Pantheon is arguably the best-preserved ancient building in Rome, and walking through those bronze doors puts the scale of Roman engineering right in front of you.

The oculus is a 9-meter wide opening at the top of the dome that lets in natural light and, when it rains, water falls straight through onto the marble floor below. To handle it, Roman engineers designed the floor with a slight convex curve sloping down from the center, with 22 hidden drainage holes built in to move the water out efficiently. A 2,000-year-old drainage system that still works today. That’s the kind of detail that makes the Pantheon worth explaining to your kids before you walk in.

What to Know Before You Visit

Tickets are required and must be booked in advance. There’s no stroller access inside, so plan to fold yours or wear your youngest in a carrier. The visit itself is relatively short, maybe 30 to 45 minutes, which is perfect for the attention span of young kids. Pair it with a gelato stop just outside and you have a happy post-visit situation.

Castel Sant’Angelo

Castel Sant’Angelo looks like a castle, functions like a fortress, and has enough spiral ramps, towers, and old cannons that kids treat it like a giant adventure playground. There’s a small playground within the castle grounds, too, which is handy if you need a break mid-visit. The views from the top over the Tiber and back toward St. Peter’s are genuinely beautiful.

Visiting with a Stroller

The ramps inside are manageable for most strollers, though some sections are steep. I’d recommend leaving the stroller at the entrance and wearing your child if they’re not walking confidently yet, or keeping close hold on little ones who might sprint toward the ramparts.

Monument to Victor Emmanuel II

Romans call it the Vittoriano, and visitors have a few less flattering nicknames for it, the Wedding Cake and the Typewriter being the most common, which gives you a sense of how divisive this building is among locals. But for families visiting Rome with kids, it earns its spot on the list for a simple reason: the rooftop view is one of the best in the entire city, and getting up there is genuinely fun for kids.

A panoramic glass elevator takes you to the top terrace, where you get sweeping views over the Imperial Fora, the Pantheon, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Via del Corso. It’s the kind of panorama that helps young kids start to piece together the geography of everything they’ve been seeing at street level.

The monument itself is enormous: 135 meters wide and 70 meters tall, built from white marble with Corinthian columns, grand stairways, and bronze statues crowning the top. It was built to honor Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy, and since 1921 it has also housed the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded day and night by two sentinels. The changing of the guard happens every hour and is worth timing your visit around.

Practical Tips

• Entry to walk around and climb the stairs is free.
• The panoramic elevator to the top terrace has a small fee.
• If you’re just heading up for the view, about 30 minutes is plenty.
• The monument sits right at Piazza Venezia, which makes it an easy add-on if you’re already heading toward the Roman Forum or the Pantheon.

Explora Children’s Museum

When you need a break from sightseeing, Explora is the answer. Located on Via Flaminia 82, within walking distance of Piazza del Popolo, it’s Rome’s children’s museum built entirely around the idea that play is a tool for learning and discovery. The exhibits cover science, nature, technology, and hands-on sensory experiences, and the whole place is designed to feel more like an adventure than a classroom.

Visits run on a timed schedule across four daily sessions: 10:00 to 11:45, 12:00 to 13:45, 15:00 to 16:45, and 17:00 to 18:45. Each session lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. Tickets need to be booked in advance, as spots fill up, especially during school holidays. The museum is closed on Mondays. Worth packing your own snacks just in case. If you hit a hot afternoon or a rainy day, this is where to go.

A Pizza or Pasta Making Class

This is the kind of thing to do in Rome with kids that they will talk about when they get home. Hands-on cooking classes designed for families are widely available and they are genuinely fun, not just for the kids but for everyone. Most run for a couple of hours and end with eating what you made, which is the best part.

Trastevere Neighborhood Wander

Trastevere sits just across the Tiber from the historic center and feels like a completely different city. Cobblestone alleys, ivy-covered facades, laundry strung between windows, and a pace that has nothing to do with tourist itineraries. It is the kind of neighborhood that rewards slow walking and no particular plan, and it also happens to be one of the best places in Rome to sit down for a real meal.

What Makes It Good for Kids

Piazza San Cosimato has a playground that is perfect for burning off late-afternoon energy before dinner. The outdoor trattorias here are relaxed and unhurried. For gelato, look for shops labeled “gelato artigianale,” which signals it is made in-house with real ingredients rather than the puffed-up brightly colored versions near the major tourist sites. Google Maps ratings are your friend here.

Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica

Vatican City is technically its own country, which is one of those facts that lands surprisingly well with curious kids. There are no passport controls and no real border crossing to worry about, so for practical purposes you simply walk in from Rome. The area breaks down into a few distinct parts, and how much you tackle depends entirely on the age and energy of your kids.

St. Peter’s Square

St. Peter’s Square is a massive pedestrian-only space with plenty of room to move around, impressive columns on all sides, and vendors nearby if you need snacks to keep things moving. This is genuinely the easiest part of the Vatican to enjoy. No tickets, no queues, no time pressure. Just an enormous beautiful square with one of the most iconic facades in the world in front of you.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Entrance to the Basilica is free, though no tickets are required to get in. Some skip-the-line tickets are available and worth considering, since everyone still passes through security regardless. Arrive early, ideally before 9am, to keep the queuing to a minimum. The Basilica is enormous and the decoration is elaborate enough to hold a young child’s attention in a way that most museums do not.

A few practical things to know before you go: strollers are not allowed inside, so plan to check yours at the cloakroom or use a carrier. Food and drinks are also not permitted inside, so feed and water everyone beforehand. The dress code is strict and applies to kids, too: shoulders and knees covered for everyone, no exceptions. Pack a light scarf or layer in your bag to avoid being turned away at the entrance after waiting in line.

The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

This is where you need to be honest with yourself about your kids. The museums involve slow-moving crowds, a lot of walking, and a sheer volume of art and artifacts that is genuinely overwhelming for young children. If visiting the museums is important to you, the best approach is to book a family-friendly guided tour with skip-the-line access. Some tours include interactive kids booklets with activities and quizzes that keep younger visitors engaged through the galleries, the Raphael Rooms, and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling. Without a guide, it is a long and disorienting experience even for adults.

Vatican Museums tickets are released 60 days in advance and sell out fast, so book as early as possible once your travel dates are confirmed.

Tips for Getting Around Rome with Kids

Rome is mostly a walking city, especially in the historic center. Taxis and ride-shares are easier than buses when you have a stroller because buses require you to fold everything up in a crowd. The metro has limited coverage in the historic areas (ancient underground infrastructure gets in the way), so don’t count on it as your primary way around. However, it can be useful in some areas, but you will be carrying your stroller up and down the stairs to enter and exit, if you bring one.

Keep your days flexible enough to walk back to your home base for downtime. One big activity in the morning, a slow lunch, a rest, and then something lower-key in the afternoon is a schedule that works really well. Rome is not a city you need to race through, and the pressure to see everything in one trip is the fastest way to make everyone miserable. Italians are all about slowing down and enjoying life, so embrace that part of the culture.

A few coins for bathroom entry are worth keeping in your bag. Many public restrooms in tourist areas charge a small fee, and scrambling for change with an urgent kid is its own kind of adventure.

Things to Do in Rome with Kids: Packing Tips

Beyond your usual travel gear, a few things can make your trip noticeably easier. A sturdy-wheeled stroller over an ultra-light umbrella stroller for the cobblestones. A carrier for the stroller-restricted sites. A small day bag with snacks, water, and a change of clothes for the inevitably messy gelato moments.

Final Thoughts

Rome rewards the families who slow down, and that is really the secret to making Rome with kids so memorable. The city has a way of delivering its best moments between the sights: a piazza stumbled upon at dusk, a gelato eaten on the steps of a fountain, a side street that leads nowhere in particular but looks like a painting. Build in the downtime, keep the days flexible, and let the city do some of the work. That is the trip worth planning.

If you’re working on your Italy itinerary and want ideas beyond Rome, I also have a full post on things to do in Positano with kids that’s worth reading before you book. And if you’re thinking about using points to cover the flights or hotels, check out my guide on the Capital One Venture Rewards card, which is what I use to make trips like this actually work on a real budget.

Have questions about our trip or want to know more about any of these spots? Send me a message or DM me on Instagram. I’m always happy to help

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  Abroad | Best Moments | Europe | Family | Featured | Italy

  Best Things to Do in Rome with Kids

  ByMari July 6, 2026July 7, 2026

  I’ll be the first to admit it: if I’m planning a trip, there is a 90% chance I’m trying to figure out how to get back to Italy. And Rome is the quintessential Italy experience that every family needs to have at least one (and maybe more than once!) It is the kind of city that just feeds your soul: the history, beautiful, and food are all ideal for core memory making.

  Taking the kids to an ancient, big, bustling city can feel like a massive undertaking, but that is exactly what this guide is designed for! From dodging the tourist traps to finding the best spots for kids among the ruins, I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. I’m sharing all my best tips and favorite stops so you can skip the stress and get straight to the magic. Andiamo!

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  Abroad | Advice | Europe | Family | Featured | How to | Italy

  How to Plan Genealogy Trips: Free Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Your Roots

  ByMari June 30, 2026July 7, 2026

  I will be honest with you: some of the most meaningful travel I have ever done had nothing to do with a famous landmark or a bucket-list city. It happened in tiny towns most people have never heard of, standing in the exact spot where my family started. That is the magic of genealogy trips. You are not just sightseeing. You are walking into your own story.

The post Best Things to Do in Rome with Kids appeared first on Mari on the Map.

I will be honest with you: some of the most meaningful travel I have ever done had nothing to do with a famous landmark or a bucket-list city. It happened in tiny towns most people have never heard of, standing in the exact spot where my family started. That is the magic of genealogy trips. You are not just sightseeing. You are walking into your own story.

This is the second genealogy trip I have planned for my family. A few years ago we traced my mom’s side back to England and Scotland, and it was such a powerful experience that I knew we would do it again. This time, we traced my dad’s side of the family to Italy, specifically the Avellino area.

Here is the part I want you to hear, especially if you are an American whose family came from somewhere else a few generations back: you can research and plan a trip like this yourself. You do not need an expensive service or a professional genealogist to get started. A lot of the research is readily available, and most of the tools are free. You just need to know where to look! Let me walk you through exactly how we figured out where our family came from, and how we turned it into an actual trip.

What Genealogy Trips Actually Are (and Who They Are For)

You will see a few different names for this kind of travel. Some people call it heritage travel, some call it ancestry travel, and some call it roots travel. They all point to the same idea: visiting the places your family came from to understand where you come from.

There is a bit of a spectrum here. On one end, heritage travel can simply mean visiting the country or region your family is from, soaking up the culture and the food and the general feeling of the place. On the other end, genealogy trips can get quite specific. You are visiting the actual village, finding the church where your great-grandparents were married, maybe even standing in front of the house they lived in or meeting long-lost family members. How deep you go is completely up to you.

For us, it was important to see the actual small towns our family members lived in. They are not tourist destinations, bBut that is exactly the point. The value is not the place itself. It is the connection. So this guide is as much about how you can find your own places as it is about where we went.

How to Trace Your Roots Before You Go

Before you can plan, you need to know where you’re actually going. This is the research part, and it can be genuinely fun to discover your roots, but I also have to admit that sometimes it’s a little frustrating if you don’t have much information to start. It feels like detective work. Here’s how to uncover your family history without spending a dime.

Start with the Relatives You Already Have

Before you touch a website, talk to your oldest living relatives. Grandparents, great-aunts, the cousin who always seems to know everyone. Ask them for full names, maiden names, approximate dates, and any town names they remember, even if the spelling is fuzzy. Write it all down. This is the foundation everything else builds on, and these stories have a way of disappearing if nobody asks for them.

Use Free Online Tools to Find Your Ancestral Town

This is the step that surprises people. You do not need a paid subscription to make real progress. A few free resources do most of the heavy lifting:

FamilySearch

FamilySearch is run by a nonprofit organization. It’s completely free and holds billions of historical records from all over the world. This is usually where I start. You can build a family tree and search census, birth, marriage, and death records that often list the exact town your ancestors came from.

Ellis Island / Statue of Liberty Records

If your family immigrated to the U.S. between the late 1800s and early 1900s, the passenger arrival records are searchable for free. These manifests frequently list the town from where the person left, which is gold when you are trying to pin down a starting point.

Find A Grave

Find a Grave is a free, volunteer-built database of cemetery records. It is a great way to confirm names and dates, and sometimes to find relatives you did not know existed buried near each other.

Antenati

This website is specifically for Italian roots. It offers free access to digitized civil records from the Italian State Archives, including birth, marriage, and death certificates. If you already know your ancestor’s hometown, you may even be able to view scans of the original documents.

The goal of this step is to get from “somewhere in Italy” to the actual name of a town. Once you have that, everything gets easier.

How to Visit These Tiny Towns

So you have a town name. Now what? When the place is too small to have a tourism website or a single hotel, you have to get a little creative.

Find the Town’s Facebook Group

This is my favorite tip because it works almost every time. Search Facebook for the town’s name. Most small towns, even ones with a few hundred people, have a community group or a “you know you’re from here if…” page. Join it. These groups are full of locals and, very often, descendants of people who emigrated. You can post that your family came from there, share the surnames you are researching, and ask if anyone recognizes them. People are usually thrilled to help.

Reach Out to Local Churches and Town Offices

In a lot of these towns, the church holds records that never made it online. A polite email or message ahead of time, letting them know you are coming and sharing the names you are looking for, can open doors. The same goes for the town hall or local records office. Give them plenty of notice, and be patient. Many of these small towns don’t staff these local offices daily. It helps a lot to Google Translate your message before sending as well, since some of the staff in smaller towns will be older and not fluent in English.

Map the Actual Places You Want to See

Once you know where you are going, drop pins in Google Maps for every meaningful spot: the house, the church, the cemetery, the piazza. It helps you see how close together everything is, plan a realistic route, and make sure you are not driving two hours each way for a five-minute stop. Consider also that some of these towns will not have a hotel or a restaurant, so you’ll need to have a plan for where to eat and stay in relatively proximity.

What We Actually Found in Our Three Towns

For our genealogy trip, the research led us to three small towns in the Avellino area: Atripalda, Aquilonia, and Santa Paolina. I want to be honest about what each one was like, because it shows you that not every stop delivers the same thing, and that is completely okay.

Aquilonia was the one with the most to see in terms of our family history. The town has a tragic past. A devastating earthquake destroyed it in 1930, and there is now a museum and the ruins of the old town you can walk through. For me, this stop was deeply personal. My great-great-grandmother died in that earthquake, and her name is on the memorial in the cemetery. My dad, who had heard stories about his grandfather’s mother from him found the memorial quite moving.

This tragedy is actually the main reason we were able to find such a rich history on our family in this town. Because of the earthquake, the museum was created, and along with it came curators and historians, who recorded our family’s history. I was able to connect with them via the town’s Facebook page and get an English speaking tour scheduled. Due to this town’s tiny size, we weren’t able to stay nearby, and our tour guide had to arrange for the only restaurant in town to open especially for us for lunch.

Atripalda and Santa Paolina were different. We knew our family came from these towns through our research, but there was not a specific house or grave waiting for us. What we did instead was visit the things that were there when our ancestors were, the Roman ruins, the old churches, the streets they would have walked. And felt special enough. You do not always need a big discovery. Sometimes just standing where they stood, seeing what they saw, is the whole point.

Being that Atripalda is a bit of a larger city (Atripalda: ~ 10,172 residents; Aquilonia: ~ 1,485 residents; Santa Paolina: ~ 1,122 residents), there was much more to do there in terms of “being a tourist”, including restaurants, well-preserved town history, and even a gelateria. In Santa Paolina, the highlight was speaking to some of the current residents, who were delighted to see travelers visiting their town. In Italian, an older gentleman told us he hadn’t seen tourists in the town in “many moons”, while inquiring the reason for our visit. He was delighted we were there, and invited us to dinner at his home.

Turning the Research Into a Real Trip

Here is something I learned the first time around, on my mom’s England and Scotland trip: a roots trip works best when it is not only about the research. These tiny towns are often near places you would genuinely want to visit anyway, so build the trip around both.

For our family, the genealogy portion is paired with a bigger Italy trip, and we have spent plenty of time in the must-see spots too. If you are bringing kids along and want a sense of how we balance the meaningful family moments with the typical vacation spots, my guide to the best things to do in Rome with kids is a good example.

A few things that make genealogy trips smoother:

• Give yourself buffer time. Small-town visits never go exactly to plan, and the best moments are usually the unplanned ones. Leave time to wander, explore, and chat with locals if you can.
• Bring copies of old family photos and a simple family tree printout. Showing a photo to a local is a kind of magic. Names and dates translate across any language.
• Document everything while you are there. Take pictures of records, gravestones, and street signs. Keep a few notes each night so the details do not blur together.
• Be flexible about language, and try to learn at least some basic things. Google Translate is a great tool.
• Try to arrive in the morning or late afternoon. Many small towns close for a few hours after lunch during the midday break, so you don’t want to arrive when everything is closed.

What About the Cost?

If you are wondering how a family pulls off an international trip like this without going broke, you are asking the right question. There were eleven of us on this one, and for my parents and my sister’s family, it was their very first time using points and miles to travel. The short version: we covered a huge chunk of it with rewards travel, and it is absolutely something you can learn to do, too. I teach families how to use points and miles to travel for pennies on the dollar in my MAD Miles Masterclass course. Join me here.

Final Thoughts

Of all the trips I have planned, genealogy trips are the ones that stay with me the longest. There is something about standing where your family stood, in a town you had never heard of until you went looking, that reshapes how you see yourself. And the best part is that the planning is within reach for anyone willing to do a little digging. Talk to your relatives, lean on the free tools, find that Facebook group, and go.

If you have been curious about how to trace your roots and turn it into a trip, consider this your sign. Your family’s town is out there waiting, and finding it is more than half the adventure. As always, if you have any questions or want more tips, send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to help make your family’s trip unforgettable.

• 

  Chase | Featured | Rewards Travel

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The Ultimate Family Travel Tool We Love

  ByMari July 13, 2026July 13, 2026

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the perfect starter card for families looking to dive into the world of rewards travel. It offers easy-to-use benefits, flexible points, and exceptional transfer partners that make it ideal for family vacations. It was the first card that my husband and I both opened when we started out as rewards travelers, and we both still hold it in our wallets today! Here’s why it’s the card you need in your wallet.

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  Advice | Best Moments | Caribbean | Family | Featured | How to | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Dreams Playa Esmeralda Review: A Brilliant All-Inclusive for Families

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Read this Dreams Playa Esmeralda review for families, including rooms, dining, kids activities, Hyatt points, all-inclusive details, and what to know before booking.

The post How to Plan Genealogy Trips: Free Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Your Roots appeared first on Mari on the Map.

Chattanooga with kids turned out to be one of those trips where I kept thinking, why did we wait so long to come here? I had heard good things, but I did not expect a city this walkable, this packed with things for families to do, and this easy to navigate with two boys in tow.

We came to Chattanooga for a few days because I was attending WITS Summit 2026, and even though I did not get to everything on my list, we still managed to fill our days from the riverfront downtown all the way up to Lookout Mountain. I am breaking this guide down by area so you can plan around where you are staying, and I am being honest about what we actually did versus what made our list for next time.

If you are planning a family trip to Chattanooga, here is everything that earned a spot in our days, plus the spots locals and the tourism board kept telling us we could not miss.

Downtown Chattanooga With Kids

Downtown is where we spent most of our time, and honestly, you could fill an entire trip here without ever getting in the car. Everything sits close together along the river, the sidewalks are wide, and there is something for kids around almost every corner. If this is your first time visiting Chattanooga with kids, base yourself downtown and you will not regret it.

Walk the Riverfront at Ross’s Landing

The riverfront at Ross’s Landing was one of our favorite parts of the whole trip. We covered so much ground here, walking past historic post Civil War buildings, the Aquarium, and all the way up to the Bluff View Art District. The paths are easy, stroller friendly, and there is plenty of room for kids to run.

Ross’s Landing is also a deeply significant historical site. It marks the start of the Trail of Tears, and I made sure to take a moment to talk with the boys about its history as we walked through.. The Trail of Tears was the forced removal of about 16,000 Cherokee people from their homelands in the southeastern United States to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma in 1838 and 1839. Ross’s Landing was one of three main departure points, and the first groups left from here by river in June 1838.

Rent a Rydable and Explore on Wheels

This was hands down a new family core memory. We rented a giant motorized stuffed animal (yes, really) through Rydables and zipped through downtown on a unicorn and a seal. They give you a quick training session, and it is genuinely easy to get the hang of driving them on the sidewalks and bike lanes.

We rode past historic buildings, Ross’s Landing, the Aquarium, and all the way to the Bluff View Art District. It is one of the best things we have done all year, and if your family would love this, it is a must do. Just know kids have to be eleven to ride solo, so my boys rode along with us.

Tennessee Aquarium

The Tennessee Aquarium is a Chattanooga icon, and it earns the hype with families. We loved exploring the rivers, oceans, and the river otters, and the macaroni penguins were a massive hit with the boys. My oldest had just finished a school project on penguins, so he knew all about them, which made it even more fun to watch in person.

Good to know for families: the Aquarium has a new Scuttlebutt exhibit that is designed specifically with kids in mind, so it is worth building your visit around. Plan for a slow morning here. It is the kind of place where little ones want to linger, and it’s one of the easiest wins for anyone doing Chattanooga with kids.

Play in the Fountains Outside the Aquarium (Free)

Here is a tip nobody tells you: right outside the Aquarium there are water fountains and stairs where kids can play, and it is completely free. We let the boys burn off energy here. Bring a towel and a change of clothes and let them go.

Creative Discovery Museum

The Creative Discovery Museum is a downtown staple for families with younger kids, and it is one Visit Chattanooga recommended to us. It is a hands on children’s museum built for exploring, making, and getting a little messy. We did not make it inside on this trip because of time, but it is at the top of our list for our next visit and worth planning around if you have little ones.

High Point Climbing

High Point Climbing offers day passes, which makes it an easy add for active kids and a great backup if the weather turns. It is right downtown, and the climbing walls range from beginner friendly to challenging, so the whole family can get on the wall. This one was on the recommended list for us, and I would plan around it next time for a rainy afternoon.

Chattanooga Choo Choo

The Chattanooga Choo Choo is a piece of history right in the city. The historic landmark has been welcoming travelers since 1909, and today the grounds are full of restaurants, gardens, and the famous train cars. It is a fun, low key stop where kids can wander and you can grab a bite or a coffee. We popped in and the boys loved exploring the old trains.

Where to Eat Downtown With Kids

Honeyseed was our go to for kid friendly food downtown. They do pizza and bagels, which is basically a guaranteed win with my crew, and the vibe is relaxed enough that nobody is stressing about the kids being kids.

For a rooftop meal, High Rail is also kid friendly and serves pizzas, so it is an easy choice when you want a view without sacrificing a menu the kids will actually eat. We didn’t make it there ourselves, but it was one of Visit Chattanooga’s recommendations.

Frothy Monkey was our quick lunch break spot, and it is an easy, casual place to refuel between activities. Good coffee for the adults, a menu that works for kids, and a laid back feel.

Calliope was also recommended to us, and while we didn’t get to try it, it looked delicious. I’m not sure how kid friendly it is, so this might be one to save for a date night if you can swing a sitter.

North Shore Chattanooga With Kids

Just across the river from downtown, the North Shore has a completely different feel. It is a little more local, a little more laid back, and it is where you go for parks, boutiques, and ice cream. Most of the best things to do here are free, which makes it an easy area to build a relaxed afternoon around when visiting Chattanooga with kids.

Coolidge Park and Renaissance Park (Free)

Coolidge Park and the neighboring Renaissance Park are both free and both perfect for letting kids run. Coolidge Park has open green space, a historic carousel, and splash fountains that kids can play in during warmer months. Renaissance Park is more of a nature spot with walking paths and wetlands. Together they make an easy free morning or afternoon. Pack swimsuits if the fountains are running and let the kids cool off.

Shop the Boutiques on Frazier Avenue

Frazier Avenue is the heart of the North Shore, lined with local boutiques and shops. It is a fun, walkable street to wander after the park, grab a coffee, and poke into a few stores. It pairs perfectly with a stop at the ice cream shop just down the way.

Clumpie’s Ice Cream

Clumpie’s Ice Cream is locally made and a North Shore favorite. This spot came highly recommended by so many locals and travelers, and it completely lived up to the hype. It is the perfect sweet treat to wrap up an afternoon of playing in the park and wandering Frazier Avenue.

The Book and Cover (Free)

About five minutes away is The Book and Cover, a local bookstore with a fun kids book section. It is free to browse, and it makes a great low key stop, especially on a hot afternoon or when you just need a quiet break with the kids. Let them pick out a book for the rest of the trip.

Stringer’s Ridge Hike

If your family wants to stretch their legs, Stringer’s Ridge is a North Shore hiking and trail area with views back over the city. It came recommended to us as a family friendly option close to downtown. We did not get to it this trip, but it is on our list for next time if you want an easy nature break without driving far.

Kayaking With Outdoor Chattanooga

One of the highlights of our trip was an afternoon kayak tour on the Tennessee River with Outdoor Chattanooga. The river is the absolute heart of life here, and getting out on the water was peaceful and surprisingly family friendly. It is a great way to see the city from a completely different angle.

St. Elmo and Lookout Mountain With Kids

A short drive from downtown, the St. Elmo neighborhood sits at the base of Lookout Mountain, and this is where you go for the big iconic Chattanooga attractions. If you only have one day to head up the mountain, you can pack in a lot. Here is what we did and what we wish we had time for.

Rock City

Rock City was the ultimate outdoor experience with kids near Chattanooga, and for us it was non negotiable. Every single corner of the enchanted path reveals a new discovery that kept the boys completely captivated. They navigated narrow stone mazes, squeezed through massive boulders at Fat Man’s Squeeze, and crossed the bouncing 180 foot Swing-A-Long suspension bridge.

Standing out on Lover’s Leap next to a soaring waterfall gives you a panoramic view where you can see seven different states at once. That view was my favorite part. The grand finale for the kids was walking through the secret underground Fairyland Caverns, where classic fairy tale scenes glow under vibrant blacklights.

Parent cheat sheet: this trail has tight rock crevices and steps, so leave the strollers behind and opt for a baby carrier if you are traveling with tiny toddlers. Grab lunch or a snack at Cafe 7 right on top of the waterfall ledge, where the southern food is delicious and the views are unmatched.

Ruby Falls

Ruby Falls is a 145 foot underground waterfall deep inside Lookout Mountain, and it is one of the most famous family attractions in Chattanooga. We did not get to it on this trip, but we have done the cave walk on a previous visit and it is one of the most unique things we have done.

The whole experience starts with an elevator ride 26 stories down into the mountain, then a walk through the cave to the waterfall, which is lit up and genuinely breathtaking. It pairs naturally with Rock City since they are right next to each other on the mountain.

I wrote a full guide to the experience, including ticket prices and tips for visiting with kids, in my Ruby Falls cave walk post.

Ride the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is one of the steepest passenger railways in the world, climbing right up Lookout Mountain. It is a classic Chattanooga experience and an easy one with kids since they just get to ride and take in the view. This was on our recommended list, and it is an easy add to a Lookout Mountain day.

Jeni’s Ice Cream

Quick tip if you ride the Incline Railway: Jeni’s Ice Cream is in the same building as the ticket booth, so it is the perfect stop right after your ride. It is an easy reward for the kids and a built in break before you head to your next stop.

Glen Falls Hike

For a free outdoor option, the Glen Falls hike is a waterfall trail that runs about 30 to 45 minutes and works well for families. It came recommended to us as a way to get out into nature on the mountain without a big time commitment. We did not get to it this trip, but it is on the list for next time.

Use Visit Chattanooga as Your Planning Resource

One resource I want to flag for anyone planning Chattanooga with kids is Visit Chattanooga, the local tourism company. Most of the recommendations in this guide that we did not get to ourselves came straight from them, and they know the city inside and out.

They also have a welcome center downtown right by the Aquarium that is worth a stop when you arrive. It is a great first stop to grab maps, ask about events happening during your visit, and get the lay of the land.

Final Thoughts

Chattanooga with kids completely won us over. Between the walkable downtown, the riverfront, and the easy drive up to Lookout Mountain, it is one of the most family friendly cities we have visited, and we barely scratched the surface. The fact that so much of it is free or low cost makes it even easier to recommend.

If you are planning your own trip to Chattanooga with kids, start downtown, spend a relaxed afternoon on the North Shore, and save a full day for Lookout Mountain. And do not skip the things we ran out of time for, because they are clearly worth it. We will be back to check off the rest, and I have a feeling this will not be our last visit. As always, if you have any questions or want more tips, send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to help make your family’s trip unforgettable.

• 

  Chase | Featured | Rewards Travel

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The Ultimate Family Travel Tool We Love

  ByMari July 13, 2026July 13, 2026

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the perfect starter card for families looking to dive into the world of rewards travel. It offers easy-to-use benefits, flexible points, and exceptional transfer partners that make it ideal for family vacations. It was the first card that my husband and I both opened when we started out as rewards travelers, and we both still hold it in our wallets today! Here’s why it’s the card you need in your wallet.

• 

  Advice | Best Moments | Caribbean | Family | Featured | How to | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Dreams Playa Esmeralda Review: A Brilliant All-Inclusive for Families

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Read this Dreams Playa Esmeralda review for families, including rooms, dining, kids activities, Hyatt points, all-inclusive details, and what to know before booking.

• 

  Best Moments | Family | Featured | Hawaii | North America | United States | USA

  6 Fun Must Do in Maui with Kids

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Whether you’re planning your first trip or next trip to Maui, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out what’s actually worth your time, especially when you’re traveling with kids.

  The good news is that Maui one of those rare destinations that really does have something for everyone. One day you can be watching the sunrise from above the clouds, the next you’re swimming at a beach with sea turtles, hiking through a bamboo forest, or grabbing shave ice after a morning adventure. The best part is you don’t have to cram everything into one trip. Read: How we went to Hawaii for two weeks for only $67.20 total for flights and hotels.

The post Chattanooga With Kids: The Best Family Travel Guide appeared first on Mari on the Map.

The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is more than just a resort; it’s a massive playground in the heart of Nassau. While the stunning architecture and turquoise waters are a given, navigating a family vacation here requires a bit of strategy. In this review, we’re moving past the highlight reel to look at the service, the amenities, and the overall value. Here is everything you need to know about the family escape to decide if it’s worth spending your points or cash.

What Is Baha Mar?

Baha Mar is a massive beachfront resort complex on Cable Beach in Nassau, Bahamas. It is made up of three hotels: the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, the SLS, and the Rosewood. The Grand Hyatt is the biggest of the three and the most family-friendly, sitting right in the center of the property with easy access to the pools, beach, and the Baha Mar water park.

If you are traveling with kids, Grand Hyatt is the obvious choice. The SLS leans more party-forward, and the Rosewood is quieter and more boutique. Grand Hyatt hits the sweet spot.

Getting to Baha Mar

The resort is about 15 minutes from Lynden Pindling International Airport. That is one of the things I appreciated: the airport transfer is painless. The hotel offers an official car service. Alternatively, you can grab a taxi for around $25 to $40 each way depending on your group size. If you want something booked ahead and seamless, a private SUV through a local service runs around $75 round trip and is completely worth it with kids in tow.

Booking the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar on Points

This is where things get interesting, and there is some genuinely important context right now. If you have been collecting World of Hyatt points, the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar has historically been one of the better redemptions out there. Standard rooms have run around 35,000 points per night, against cash rates that can easily hit $800 or more depending on when you go. I have written about why Hyatt is my favorite hotel brand for family travel, and a trip like this is a good example of why.

But here is the update you need to know: Hyatt is moving from 3 pricing tiers to 5 tiers starting May 2026. On high-demand dates, that means some rooms could jump by 33% to 67% in points. A Category 4 stay that used to cost 18,000 points could hit 25,000 at peak. Anything booked before May 20, 2026 locks in at the old rates, so if Baha Mar is on your list, sooner is better.

A few other things worth knowing: if you hold a Category 1 to 4 Free Night Certificate from the Hyatt card, those are still valid even if a hotel is priced at the new top tier rate. And if you are looking at points plus cash options, keep in mind that when points pricing peaks, cash rates are usually peaking, too, so check both before you decide.

If you are a Hyatt Globalist, your perks at this property include late checkout, free breakfast, and no resort fees, which adds up to real savings over a few nights. Hyatt also has a Family Plan Rate where you can sometimes get up to 50% off a second room when traveling with kids. You usually need to call to ask about it. And if you are still building out your hotel strategy, I have a full post on hotels where kids stay free that is worth bookmarking.

One thing worth knowing that saved us a lot of money: you do not have to be a Globalist yourself to access some of these perks. Hyatt Globalists can gift a Guest of Honor certificate to someone else, which passes along benefits like free breakfast. That is exactly what happened for us. A friend who holds Globalist status gifted us the certificate, and we got daily breakfast for two adults and two kids at the Regatta Buffet covered. The buffet runs until noon on weekdays, which means if you pace it right, it covers both breakfast and an early lunch. For a resort where food adds up fast, that is a meaningful saving.

The Rooms

The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar has 1,800 guestrooms, including 230 suites ranging from one to three bedrooms. Rooms are newly renovated and feel fresh and modern, with open layouts and contemporary furnishings. Most rooms have a balcony, and while the ocean view is not a straight-on panorama since the towers face slightly to the sides, you get enough of it to feel the Caribbean mood.

Worth noting for bigger families or groups: the West Tower just launched four newly renovated family suites that sleep up to six guests comfortably. Each two-bedroom suite has a king bed, bunk beds, and a living room with a pullout couch. These are now bookable online and are a genuinely good option if you are traveling with multiple kids or combining families for a trip.

One smart feature at check-in: everyone gets waterproof wristbands that work as your room key and are linked to your credit card. No wallet needed at the pool or beach. This sounds like a small thing until you are chasing your child through a water park and realize you left your room card at the towel stand.

A few practical details worth knowing before you arrive: check-in is at 4pm and checkout is at 11am. At check-in, the hotel places a $200 per night incidental hold on your card on top of the room rate, so use a credit card rather than a debit card if you can. Microwaves are not standard but can be rented for a one-time $50 charge if you need one. Babysitting is available but requires 24 hours notice, so if you are planning a dinner on your own, book it as soon as you arrive. Guests are all given branded reusable water bottles in the room and encouraged to follow environmentally-friendly practices throughout their stay.

The Baha Mar Waterpark (Baha Bay)

Access to the Baha Bay waterpark is included for Grand Hyatt guests, and it was one of our favorite parts of the stay. This is a full water park: wave pool, lazy river, water slides, a surf simulator, and a separate splash zone for younger kids. You can pop in for a short time on every day of your hotel stay, or you can spend the entire day there.

We spent a lot of time here, both entire days and parts of days. The lazy river alone is worth mentioning because it is genuinely one of the better ones for kids: long, with enough current to keep things going, but no waterfalls or waves that splash little kids in the face. The wave pool is a hit with kids of all ages.

If you want an upgraded experience within the water park, there is the Baha Bay Beach Club, a private section with infinity pools and reserved loungers. Chairs include a food and beverage credit that largely offsets the cost, so if you plan on eating lunch and ordering drinks anyway, it is worth looking into. Just know that the best spots book out months in advance.

The Pools

Outside of the waterpark, the Grand Hyatt alone has six pools with different vibes. The standout is the Dean’s Blue Hole pool, which has a cliff jumping spot and a cave-like grotto with windows looking directly into an aquarium. You can swim up and watch sharks and sea turtles from inside the pool, which is genuinely cool and our kids loved it.

There are also adults-only options if you need a break from the family energy. Loungers can fill up early at peak times, so getting out before 9am helps if you have a spot in mind. However, the staff has a guideline that if a lounge chair is empty for one hour (meaning a person hasn’t sat in it), they will relate the belongings on it so other guests can use them. If you’ve ever been to a resort where chair saving is a competitive sport, you’ll understand how refreshing this was. It meant that we could always approach a staff member that would make sure chairs were available for individuals actually at the pool.

The Beach

Cable Beach is absolutely stunning. The water is warm, calm, and that shade of Caribbean turquoise that does not exist anywhere in the world. It is very swimmable, which matters when you are traveling with young kids who do not want to get knocked over by big waves.

The free beach area has chairs and umbrellas, and we never had a hard time finding a spot, even traveling during peak holiday timing. Towels are available at beach huts, and you can order food and drinks nearby without having to walk back into the hotel. The kayaks and floats are complimentary for hotel guests, which is a nice added touch. The pools and beach close at sunset, so plan your last water session accordingly.

Dining at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

There are 45 restaurants and bars across the entire Baha Mar property, and as a Grand Hyatt guest, you can dine at all of them. That variety is genuinely impressive and means you are unlikely to get bored. The downside is that the prices are high across the board. Budget accordingly.

A few notes on specifics: Kids 5 and under eat free at several restaurants, but there are a few conditions: a full priced adult entree is required, and only items from the children’s menu are covered. The participating restaurants are Café Boulud, Carna, Cinko, Cleo, Costa, Drift, Katsuya, Marcus, Out Island Bar, The Palms, Regatta Buffet, and Stix Noodle Bar. It is a decent list and worth planning around.

Most bills include a service charge automatically, so read your receipt before you add a tip or you will end up paying far more than you intended.

Make your dinner reservations as early as possible, ideally before you arrive. A few weeks out and you will find several of the better restaurants fully booked during prime hours. Some standouts across the property: Marcus for a splurge dinner if you can get a table (worth it, especially with outdoor seating on the beach), Pizza Lab for quick casual dinner (plus they have a takeout option), and the Swimming Pig for casual food done well. Sugar Factory is a full sensory experience and the kids will love it once, even if you come out slightly overwhelmed. If you go to Katsuya, ask for the chef’s table, so your kids can watch them make the sushi.

Breakfast as a Globalist is covered at the Regatta buffet or, more recently, at Cafe Madeline and Palms Cafe.

Activities and Things to Do

Beyond the beach and waterpark, there is genuinely a lot happening. The flamingo parade runs daily at 9:30am at Flamingo Cay and is free. The Sanctuary has sea turtles, stingrays, and nurse sharks with hands-on options at different price points.

The Explorers Kids Club is available for ages 3 to 12 at around $130 for a 7-hour session, or shorter blocks for less.

There is also mini golf, tennis and pickleball, arcade games (they run $3 to $5 per game so set a budget before you walk in), a jazz bar, and a nightly dancing water fountain show that is free and runs from 6pm to 10pm.

The resort also deliveries a printout of daily activities to your room each day (you can also find this on the app). The activities are kid-friendly and mostly planned around holiday happenings. We were there at Christmastime and genuinely enjoyed the daily themed events.

ESPA at Baha Mar is excellent if you have a chance to make it there. Beautiful space, great staff. If you are going as an adult or taking a trip like this solo with the kids, put the spa on the list and do not skip it.

The Casino

It’s worth noting that the entire lobby floor level of the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is based around a casino. This was genuinely surprising to me considering that it’s a family-friendly resort. You can walk around the casino (there are walkways on either side), but since the resort is huge, and the casino is prominent, walking through it is the fastest for little legs. While no one stopped us and our children from walking through the casino floor, our son was scolded for stopping with genuine interest to watch a table game. The dealer made it clear that minors even watching was illegal, and that we could not linger.

Is the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar All Inclusive?

No, the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is not all inclusive. Everything beyond your room rate is charged separately: meals, drinks, activities, spa treatments. This is one of the most important things to understand before you book, because it is easy to assume that a resort with this many amenities bundles them together.

Budget for at least $150 to $200 per adult per day on food and drinks if you are eating at the restaurants and having drinks. More if you are doing excursions or upgraded pool experiences. Going in with realistic numbers makes the trip more enjoyable. The Bahamas is expensive in general, and Baha Mar reflects that.

The water park access is included for Grand Hyatt guests, which is a real perk given that day passes for non-guests run around $160 per person. If you are a family spending multiple days here and using the water park daily, that is significant value built into your room rate.

My Honest Take

This trip delivered exactly what I needed: warm, fun, the kids were occupied and happy, and I got to sit in the sun.

The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is a genuinely great family resort. The amenities are lovely, the food is delicious, there are activities around every corner, and the fact that everything is all on the property means you can relax without feeling the need to be on the go.

Is it expensive? Yes. Go in preparing for that. If you are holding Hyatt or Chase points and have been looking for a tropical, reasonably priced redemption, this is a great one.

Final Thoughts

If Baha Mar is on your radar, my honest advice is to move on it sooner rather than later, especially if you are planning to use points. With the pricing changes coming May 20, 2026, what you lock in now is going to look a lot better than what you pay later.

If you have questions about planning a trip to Nassau, send me an email or a DM on Instagram. I am always happy to help you travel more for less!

• 

  Chase | Featured | Rewards Travel

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The Ultimate Family Travel Tool We Love

  ByMari July 13, 2026July 13, 2026

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the perfect starter card for families looking to dive into the world of rewards travel. It offers easy-to-use benefits, flexible points, and exceptional transfer partners that make it ideal for family vacations. It was the first card that my husband and I both opened when we started out as rewards travelers, and we both still hold it in our wallets today! Here’s why it’s the card you need in your wallet.

• 

  Advice | Best Moments | Caribbean | Family | Featured | How to | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Dreams Playa Esmeralda Review: A Brilliant All-Inclusive for Families

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Read this Dreams Playa Esmeralda review for families, including rooms, dining, kids activities, Hyatt points, all-inclusive details, and what to know before booking.

The post Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Review: Is This Family Escape Worth Every Point? appeared first on Mari on the Map.

If you’re dreaming up your family’s next international trip, you’re in the right place. Planning travel with kids can feel overwhelming at first, but the right destination makes everything click into place. This list of the best countries for family travel is based on my experience and what’s trending for 2026, but these picks work any year. Think easy arrivals, minimal stress, and days filled with the kind of experiences your kids will actually be excited about.

Why I Choose These Countries for Family Travel in 2026

• Their culture genuinely love kids, not just tolerates them.
• You can usually find direct flights from the U.S. (or at least easy one-stop routes) without turning the trip into a multi-day travel marathon.
• English is widely used in tourist areas, and it is still easy to practice a few local phrases.
• You can visit in multiple seasons and still have a great trip.
• Hotels and apartments commonly sleep four, which matters more than you think.
• They are places where family travelers typically feel comfortable moving around.

Portugal

Portugal is one of my favorite picks when someone asks for the best countries for family travel, especially for a first Europe trip with kids. It has the mix families need: beach time, city sightseeing, and culture.

Why Portugal Works Well for Family Travel

Portugal is an easy country to mix city sightseeing with beach time, and the logistics stay manageable as long as you group your days by area.

Portugal tends to be a good monetary value compared to many Western European countries, which helps when you are paying for meals, transit, and attractions for your whole family. The pace is also flexible, so you can build a full itinerary or keep it simple with one main activity each day.

It is also a great destination when it comes to food, even for picky eaters. Kids can usually find familiar favorites like grilled chicken, rice, fries, and fresh fruit, while also trying some traditional Portuguese pastries like pastel de nata (egg custard tarts).

Best Places to Visit With Kids in Portugal

Lisbon

Lisbon may see like a big international city, but it’s actually quite manageable with kid-friendly public transit options. Kids will love the iconic yellow trams, quick stops at hightop viewpoints, and the nonstop snack options. Read my top 20 things to do in Lisbon with kids.

Sintra

Sintra is one of the easiest day trips from Lisbon for families. There’s a direct short train ride there, and it feels like you’re been transported into a fairytale. Between palaces, gardens, and forest paths, you’ll all feel like explorers who have gone back in time. Go early, and leave space for wandering, so you are not racing a clock all day. Read my guides to Sintra here.

Belém

Belém is a perfect add-on to a Lisbon itinerary, and one of my favorite stops in Portugal because you can see a lot without doing a ton of walking. It is a great mix of big sights, open spaces for kids to move around, and of course a snack stop at Pastéis De Belém. Plan it as a half day, then head back to Lisbon before everyone hits the late-afternoon slump. Get my full Belém guide here.

Algarve

The Algarve is perfect for families who love beach vacations with fun option activities. It is easy to slow down here with sandy mornings, quick lunch breaks, and pool afternoons, and you can choose to explore the little towns or get out on the water on kayak or boat tours. It is also one of the better areas to find family-friendly hotels and apartment-style stays. If you want a trip that feels like a real vacation, this is where to put your longer stretch.

If Portugal is on your radar, you’ll find all my posts (itineraries, tips, and real-life advice) right here.

Practical Tips for Portugal Family Travel

Pick a Region and Slow Down: Portugal is compact, but you’ll enjoy it more if you focus on one main area at a time.

Expect Hills (especially in Lisbon): Lisbon is beautiful but very hilly. Comfortable walking shoes are essential. If traveling with younger kids, plan routes thoughtfully or use trams, tuk-tuks, and ride-shares to save energy.

Choose Central, Walkable Neighborhoods: Staying central reduces transportation time and makes spontaneous stops for snacks, playgrounds, or ice cream easy. In Lisbon, areas like Baixa or Chiado are great homebases.

Rent a Car for Coastal Exploration: If you’re heading beyond Lisbon, especially to the Algarve, having a car gives you flexibility for beach hopping, grocery runs, and nap schedules.

Pack Layers Year-Round: Even in summer, coastal winds can cool things down quickly. Light layers keep everyone comfortable.

Costa Rica

If your kids love animals, they’re going to love the abundant wildlife in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is one of the best countries for family travel when you want your trip to feel like an adventure without complicated logistics.

Why Costa Rica Is a Great Family Travel Pick

Costa Rica is built for eco-tourism, and families really benefit from that. It is easy to find guides who are used to traveling with kids, pointing out wildlife, and explaining what you are seeing in a way that holds their attention.

Nature does the heavy lifting, so kids stay engaged without you having to coerse them into every activity. Add in the strong family vibe that’s part of the culture, and it’s a win for everyone.

Best Things to Do With Kids in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, wildlife spotting is the headline. Monkeys, sloths, colorful birds, and tiny frogs can turn an ordinary walk into something your kids will talk about for years, and it is one of the easiest ways to keep everyone engaged.

For bigger moments, waterfalls, swimming holes, and hot springs are all over the country and are a great stop after jungle exploring. If your kids are big enough, many areas also offer ziplining with options designed for families, so you can add a little adventure.

Practical Tips for Costa Rica Family Travel

Choose One or Two Regions Max: Costa Rica looks small on the map, but travel times can be longer than expected due to winding roads and rainy or cloudy weather. Instead of hopping all over the country, pick one main region (like beach + rainforest nearby) and settle in before moving on.

Rent a Car (and Plan for Drive Time): Renting a car gives you flexibility for naps, snack stops, and early mornings. Build realistic drive times into your schedule and avoid planning big activities on transfer days.

Book Family-Friendly Lodging: Look for eco-lodges or small hotels with pools, breakfast included, and rooms that comfortably sleep four plus. Having space to unwind in the afternoon makes a big difference.

Pack Smart for the Climate: Lightweight clothes, quick-dry outfits, water shoes for kids and adults, bug spray, sunscreen, and ponchos (especially in rainy season) are essentials. Weather can shift quickly, especially near the rainforest.

Embrace the “Pura Vida” Pace: Things move slower here, and that’s part of the charm. Restaurants may take longer, tours may start a little late, and wildlife sightings require patience. Adjust expectations and lean into the relaxed rhythm.

Ireland

Ireland is a fairytale come to life for families, offering storybook castles and emerald landscapes that ignite the imagination of both children and parents. With its compact size and warm hospitality, the “Emerald Isle” makes international travel easy and approachable, welcoming visitors of all ages, with a perfect blend of mythical adventure and stress-free navigation.

Why Ireland Works for Family Travel

Ireland works so well for family travel because it feels welcoming from the start. The Irish are warm with kids, and you’ll find local families out together everywhere from tourist stops to pubs.

It is also a great country for a low-stress road trip. You can keep drives short and build in frequent stops. The castles, ruins, and folklore give kids something to latch onto even if they are not “museum kids.”

Best Things to Do With Kids in Ireland

The best way to navigate Ireland with a family is to anchor your trip with a few standout landmarks and leave plenty of room for active discovery. By balancing historic sites with rugged coastal walks and open gardens, you give kids the freedom to move and explore rather than just moving between tourist stops.

Alternatively, focus on interactive heritage sites that allow children to engage directly with their surroundings instead of following a rigid history lesson. Mixing small-town charm with wide-open outdoor spaces keeps the pace manageable and ensures that every stop, from a castle ruin to a cliffside path, feels like a genuine family adventure.

Practical Tips for Ireland With Kids

Rent a Car (Even if You Start in Dublin): While Dublin is walkable and easy without a car, you’ll want one to explore castles, coastal drives, and countryside towns. Roads can be narrow, so choose a manageable car size and take it slow.

Don’t Overpack Your Itinerary: Distances look short, but rural roads and scenic stops add time. Plan for 1–2 homebases instead of constantly moving hotels.

Mix Castles with Playgrounds: Visit castles and historic sites but balance them with open spaces, beaches, and parks. Ireland has endless green areas where kids can just run freely.

Prepare for All Four Seasons in One Day: Layering is everything. Even in summer, pack light rain jackets and sweaters. Weather shifts quickly, and being prepared is essential.

Choose Family-Friendly Accommodations: Look for guesthouses or small hotels offering family rooms. Many places are used to hosting families and will go out of their way to help.

Let the Landscape Be the Entertainment: Ireland’s magic isn’t in theme parks; it’s in sheep-filled fields, dramatic coastlines, castle ruins, and spontaneous roadside stops. Kids often remember these simple moments most.

Japan

Japan is a masterclass in family travel, blending high-tech wonder with a culture that makes safety and convenience a top priority. Whether you are navigating the seamless transit systems or exploring vibrant theme parks and interactive museums, the country offers a perfectly organized yet endlessly exciting environment for all ages.

Why Japan Is Great for Family Travel 2026

Japan is especially strong for family travel 2026 because getting around is so straightforward. Public transportation is reliable and easy to use, which takes a lot of stress out of traveling with kids, and the cities are clean and organized in a way that really helps when you are juggling the whole family.

It also feels approachable once you arrive. English signage is common in major tourist areas, so you can navigate without feeling lost, and the overall culture is polite and family-oriented, so kids are welcomed as part of everyday life.

Best Things to Do With Kids in Japan

One of the easiest ways to make Japan exciting for kids is to treat the high-speed trains like an attraction, not just transportation. When you are sightseeing, keep temple and shrine visits in short bursts and balance them with playground stops and kid-friendly neighborhoods so the day does not turn into nonstop walking.

It also helps to let kids choose one themed experience, like character shopping or an interactive museum and theme parks, so they feel invested in the itinerary. A lot of families love the Pokémon Centers, which can be a great reward after a morning of sightseeing.

If your family loves Disney, Tokyo is an fun place to add a theme park day without derailing your whole itinerary. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are both very popular with families. If you can, plan it on a weekday, arrive early, and pick a short list of must-dos so it stays fun instead of feeling like a marathon.

Practical Tips for Japan Family Travel

Stay Near Major Train Stations: Japan’s public transportation is excellent, especially in cities like Tokyo and Kyoto. Choose hotels within walking distance of a main station to minimize transfers and long walks.

Pack Light (Really Light): Train stations often involve stairs, platforms, and quick transfers. Compact luggage makes everything easier. Consider using Japan’s luggage forwarding service (takkyubin) if moving between cities.

Plan Around Convenience Stores: Japanese convenience stores are a lifesaver for families. Fresh snacks, simple meals, fruit, yogurt, and drinks are everywhere, perfect for preventing hangry moments between sightseeing stops.

Mix Cultural Sites with Kid-Focused Stops: Balance temples and shrines with interactive experiences like arcades, themed cafés, parks, or hands-on museums.

Consider a Rail Pass Strategically: If you’re traveling between cities, high-speed trains (like the Shinkansen) are efficient and fun for kids. Calculate whether a rail pass makes sense based on your route before buying.

Expect Compact Hotel Rooms: Rooms in Japan are often smaller than in the U.S. or Europe. Look specifically for family rooms, apartment-style hotels, or accommodations that clearly list square footage.

Prepare for Cultural Differences: Bring easy slip-on shoes (you’ll remove them often), teach kids basic etiquette (quiet voices on trains), and learn a few Japanese phrases: even small efforts are appreciated.

Denmark

Denmark is arguably the most kid-friendly country in the world, where “family-friendly” is a lifestyle rather than just a travel category. From world-class museums designed specifically for play to seamless public transit and walkable cities, it offers a low-stress, high-quality experience that makes traveling with kids feel genuinely effortless.

Why Denmark Works for Family Travel

Denmark stands out for family travel because it combining a safe, highly organized environment with a focus on low-stress logistics. The cities are designed for effortless walking, biking, and transit, allowing you to skip the car rentals and enjoy a cozy, family-centered atmosphere that naturally accommodates much-needed downtime.

Best Things to Do With Kids in Denmark

In Denmark, the easiest kid win is building your trip around Copenhagen. Along with lots of sightseeing options, Tivoli Gardens is the obvious choice for a fun day right in the city. If you are planning with younger kids, it also helps to know that children under 3 can enter for free with a paying adult, and kids ages 3–7 have a reduced ticket. For the rest of your Copenhagen days, the whole family will love classic stops like a Nyhavn a boat tour (we loved Hey Captain) and Torvehallerne Market.

If your kids are into LEGOs, LEGOLAND Billund can absolutely carry an entire Denmark trip. Just keep height limits in mind when you are deciding if it is worth the travel day, since many attractions use height restrictions, and you will want to know what your kids can realistically do. Even if you skip Billund, Denmark is great for low-key kid time because parks and playgrounds are everywhere, and you can add a day trip outside Copenhagen if you have more than three days.

Grab my Copenhagen itinerary for families here: The Ultimate 5-Day Copenhagen Itinerary for Families.

Practical Tips for Denmark With Kids

Base Yourself in Copenhagen: Copenhagen is compact, walkable, and packed with kid-friendly spaces. You can explore a lot without changing hotels.

Use Bikes: Copenhagen is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Many rental shops offer cargo bikes that can carry younger children. It’s both practical and part of the local lifestyle.

Prioritize Outdoor Time: Denmark is built for outdoor living. Expect playgrounds everywhere, harbor swimming areas, parks, and open spaces where kids can move freely.

Plan for Theme Park Days: If your kids love amusement parks, you’re in the right place. Tivoli Gardens is centrally located within the city. And for LEGO fans, LEGOLAND Billund can be worth the short domestic flight or train ride.

Expect Higher Prices: Denmark is expensive compared to much of Europe. Budget for dining and activities, and consider accommodations with breakfast included or access to a small kitchen.

Dress for the Weather: Even in summer, temperatures can be mild or chilly. Layers, light jackets, and comfortable walking shoes are key.

Denmark stands out for how naturally children fit into daily life, cities are designed with them in mind, which makes family travel feel less stressful and more intuitive.

How to Choose the Best Countries for Family Travel for Your Family

A good list of best countries for family travel is helpful, but choosing the right one depends on what your kids actually enjoy and what kind of trip you want.

Here are a few quick questions that make the decision easier:

• Do you want nature or cities?
• Do you want a car or public transportation?
• Do your kids do better with one home base, or do they like switching hotels?
• Is your top priority food, beaches, animals, or castles?
• Do you want this to be a slow trip or adventurous one?

Quick Decision Guide for Family Travel Destinations

If you want cities + beaches: Portugal
If you want jungle, wildlife, and adventure: Costa Rica
If you want castles, cozy towns, and a friendly pace: Ireland
If you want a “big international” trip with incredible transportation and theme parks: Japan
If you want a bikable, play-integrated trip where kids are treated like citizens: Denmark

You can also pair two stops into one bigger trip, like Portugal and Denmark, if you want a mix of beaches and easy city time without adding a lot of extra planning.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a vetted shortlist of destinations that deliver on both ease and excitement, these five are the gold standard. They consistently top the list for family travel because they balance genuine hospitality with the practical infrastructure and high-interest activities that keep kids engaged.

As always, feel free to email or send me a message on Instagram. I am always happy to help other families plan their travels!

• 

  Chase | Featured | Rewards Travel

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: The Ultimate Family Travel Tool We Love

  ByMari July 13, 2026July 13, 2026

  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the perfect starter card for families looking to dive into the world of rewards travel. It offers easy-to-use benefits, flexible points, and exceptional transfer partners that make it ideal for family vacations. It was the first card that my husband and I both opened when we started out as rewards travelers, and we both still hold it in our wallets today! Here’s why it’s the card you need in your wallet.

• 

  Advice | Best Moments | Caribbean | Family | Featured | How to | Hyatt | North America | Rewards Travel

  Dreams Playa Esmeralda Review: A Brilliant All-Inclusive for Families

  ByMari July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

  Read this Dreams Playa Esmeralda review for families, including rooms, dining, kids activities, Hyatt points, all-inclusive details, and what to know before booking.

The post Best Countries for Family Travel in 2026: 5 Kid-Friendly Picks appeared first on Mari on the Map.

The Algarve is one of those places that can be as relaxed or as busy as you make it. You can spend four days doing nothing but beach mornings and pool afternoons, or you can build a fun little loop through the Algarve region that keeps kids entertained without turning the trip into a constant car-seat shuffle.

This 4-day Algarve itinerary is built around short drives, kid-friendly stops, and downtime that actually feels relaxing. I love it as an add on if you are also visiting Lisbon as part of a larger Portugal trip.

Before You Go: Quick Planning Notes for the Algarve Region

Best Time to Visit Algarve with Kids

The best time to visit Algarve depends on what you want your days to look like. If your goal is beach time without the busiest crowds, shoulder season is usually the easiest. If you’re traveling in peak summer, plan for earlier starts and more breaks. Here’s how the seasons typically feel in the Algarve, Portugal:

• May–June (Shoulder season): Warm beach weather without peak crowds.
• July–August (Summer): Classic summer, but busiest (and hottest) time in southern Portugal.
• September (Shoulder season): Still sunny, water is warmer, prices often go down.
• November–March (Autumn, Winter): Quiet and calm. Great for cliff walks, towns, and playground breaks, but not “all-day beach” weather.

Getting from Lisbon to Algarve

If you’re doing Lisbon to Algarve, you have three main options:

• Car: The most flexible choice. You control breaks, snacks, and timing. It’s also really useful once you’re in the Algarve region because so many things to do in Algarve are spread out along the coast and inland, so a car makes getting around much easier.
• Train: A good low-stress option. It works best if you’re staying in one town as opposed to hopping around the region.
• Bus: usually the cheapest. It can be convenient on a direct route, but you’re locked into a schedule and it’s harder to take breaks when you need them.

No matter which option you choose, it helps to arrive early enough to keep the first afternoon light.

Where to Stay in the Algarve Region with Kids

Most families are happiest picking one base sticking there or mixing in some day trips. If you have 4 days, you can easily stay in one town and explore others during the day or not. The Algarve region is easy to road trip in small pieces, and staying put can make your days much more relaxing, which is a huge bonus if you’re coming off of a few days in Lisbon touring the city.

Lagos

Best for cliffs, coves, a walkable old town, and beach hopping. This is a great choice if you want that classic Algarve, Portugal coastline feel with plenty of things to do in Algarve close by. Parking can be tricky in peak season, so we choose the train when we stayed here.

Tivoli Lagos is our top pick for a family hotel, and you can also consider a homestay. We use HomeExchange for this.

If you only have 3 to 4 days, I usually prefer one base. I’d usually pick Lagos (or just outside of it) for the best mix of beaches, scenery, and dinner options. Plus, my family loves that the beach is right next to an old walled city. It’s the best of both worlds: relaxation and a bit of adventure.

Faro

Best for easy airport access and nature days. Faro works well for shorter stays, especially if you want to explore the lagoon area and nearby islands. It is practical, but it has less of the dramatic cliff-and-cove vibe right in town.

Albufeira

Best for resorts and pools. If your kids are happiest with a predictable beach and hotel routine, Albufeira makes planning simple. The tradeoff is that it can feel busy, especially in summer.

Grande Real Santa Eulalia Resort & Hotel Spa is our top pick for a family hotel in Albufeira.

Sagres

Best for rugged scenery, surfing, and sunsets. Sagres feels quieter and more open, and it is a fun base if your family likes big views and west coast beaches. It is windier, and some beaches are better for watching waves than for calm swimming with little ones.

Alvor

Best for a relaxed beach town feel. Alvor is a good middle ground if you want somewhere calmer than the big resort areas but still convenient for day trips. It also works well for families who like walkable evenings and a simple beach routine.

Wyndham Residences Alvor Beach is a solid family pick in Alvor because you can book it through Wyndham (a Capital One partner) and transfer your Venture miles to cover the cost. This hotel offers bigger apartment-style rooms, which are great for bigger families.

Vilamoura

Best for a polished resort feel, flat walkable streets, and easy logistics. Vilamoura is a purpose-built resort town, which makes it incredibly stroller-friendly and easy to navigate compared to the hilly, cobbled streets of Lagos. Everything centers around the large Marina, where you’ll find endless dining and shopping options.

The new Hyatt Regency Vilamoura Algarve is my top pick for a luxury family stay in Vilamoura. It’s a coastal property that sits just a 5-minute walk from the beach. This is a great “path of least resistance” choice because it is only 25 minutes from the airport. Since it’s a Hyatt, it’s also a perfect spot to use your Chase Ultimate Rewards or World of Hyatt points to cover your stay.

Algarve Itinerary

Here is how we like to organize our time in Algarve:

• Day 1: Arrive and settle into the hotel
• Day 2: Caves and cliffs on a boat tour
• Day 3: West coast beaches and a sunset viewpoint
• Day 4: Add a little adventure at a waterpark or theme park

Day 1: Arrive in the Algarve, Portugal and Get Settled

Since you’ll likely leave the Lisbon area in the morning, this itinerary assumes you’ll arrive after about 3-4 hours of travel. We like to settle into the hotel first, and then explore nearby. Most of the hotels will have a beach within short walking distance and a pool, so you can choose either option. We usually choose the beach option on foot, so we can see what’s around and scope out an ice cream stop for after dinner!

Later, do an early dinner close to your lodging or even at the hotel. If everyone still has energy, add a short sunset walk. In southern Portugal, sunsets are an easy and memorable way to end the day, and you can typically get a great view from any beach or cliff above.

Best Beaches for Families

Many of the region’s beaches are accessed via long walks down ramps or stairs from the cliffs above, which aren’t very friendly to strollers or little walkers. If you want to keep your beach days easier, choose one of these options that avoid hiking your way down to the sand and surf.

• Praia da Luz (Luz, Lagos): A calm, sandy bay with easy access and a short walk from the parking area. Great for a first beach afternoon because it’s simple and low-effort.
• Meia Praia (Lagos): A wide, open stretch of sand where it’s easy to spread out. The walk in is short and flat from the parking area.
• Praia da Rocha (Portimão): The largest beach of the region. It’s full of activities during the summer.
• Praia de Alvor (Alvor): Long sandy beach that extends for over 3.5km. It has boardwalk access over the dunes and parking nearby. Great with little kids because it’s stroller-friendly.
• Praia da Falésia (Albufeira): A classic long sandy beach with easy access. Praia da Falésia at Açoteias has lifeguards on duty, which makes it a safe beach choice for families with kids.

Day 2: Caves, Cliffs, and One of Classic Algarve Activity

After you’ve gotten your bearings, use this day to take in the iconic coastline moments that make the Algarve region special.

Morning: Take a Short Boat Tour

A short boat tour is one of the easiest ways to see caves and rock formations with kids. It’s one of the most memorable things to do in Algarve, and it usually feels manageable even with younger children. If you have older kids who love adventure and you know everyone handles ocean movement well, a kayak tour can be a great option, too.

A few notes that help this morning go smoothly:

• Bring a light layer, even on warm days. Algarve region is windy and on sea temperatures are lower than in the land.
• Pack water and snacks for right after the tour
• Have a motion sickness plan if anyone in your family needs one

Midday: Beach Time

After the boat tour, head straight to the beach. Pick a beach that’s close to where your tour ends, so you’re not spending a lot of time moving around. Find a casual lunch spot nearby or pack something ahead.

Afternoon: Wander Around a Quaint Town

This is a good afternoon for a short town wander, gelato, and a playground stop. Here are some town centers that work well for an afternoon of exploring as a family:

Lagos: Start in the old town and explore the winding streets, then aim for Praça do Infante D. Henrique, where you can see the small Slave Market Museum (Mercado de Escravos). You can keep this “history stop” brief and age-appropriate since the museum is quite small. If your kids are still going strong, pop into the Igreja de Santo António and the adjacent municipal museum for a quick look before you head back toward the marina.

Faro: Faro is easy for a low-key loop inside the old town walls. Walk in through the Arco da Vila, passing through the historic center, and then finish at the marina for an open, stroller-friendly stretch, where kids can reset while you all grab a snack.

Albufeira: Do a short old town loop, then use the beach boardwalk connection to get down to the sand without turning it into a big walk. If you want an easy evening plan, the marina area is a good pick for a traffic-free promenade and an ice cream stop.

Sagres is more about appreciating the charm. A great family afternoon is a short walk through town, then a stop at the fishing harbor or Praia da Mareta before you head to the fortress and viewpoints.

Alvor is perfect when you want a calm town center with a nature option. Take a short wander near the harbor, then hop onto the Passadiços de Alvor boardwalk through the Ria de Alvor area. It’s flat, kid-friendly, and easy to turn around when little legs get tired.

Day 3: Praia do Camilo in the Morning, Lunch in Lagos

Morning: Praia do Camilo

Start the day at Praia do Camilo before it gets busy. It’s one of the best beaches with a “wow” factor near Lagos because the water is protected by the rock formations. The walk down is on a long wooden staircase, so this is a better beach for a morning visit when everyone has energy. You’re not going to want to make this a full-day stop, since you’ll want to avoid carrying lots of items up and down the stairs.

One of the fun little details here is that the beach is split into two small coves, connected by a short tunnel through the rock. If your kids are into “secret spots,” walking through to the second cove will be a highlight. Plan to arrive early in high season, since this beach does get crowded, and bring your own snacks and water since there are usually no venders here.

Midday: Lunch in Lagos

After the beach, head into Lagos for lunch. Lagos Old Town is great for families because it’s made for wandering. You can stick to a short loop through the pedestrian streets, then let the kids reset with ice cream and a quick stop at a small square or open area.

If you want a lunch spot that feels doable with kids, look for somewhere casual in the center where you can eat without rushing. Fortunately, Portuguese culture really appreciates and adores children, so it’s not usually noticed or minded if little ones get up or are noisy during lunch.

Late afternoon: Sunset at Cabo de São Vicente

Cabo de São Vicente is one of the most memorable sunset spots in southern Portugal. It can be windy, so bring layers. With kids, keep a close hand-hold near viewpoints and stick to the more obvious walking paths.

Day 4: Adventure Day

On your fourth day in the Algarve region, add in a little adventure and true “kid time”. Follow your family’s energy and choose from these options based on how they’re feeling and where you’re headed the next day (home or to explore another area of Portugal!).

Option 1: Waterpark Day

Slide & Splash is one of the easiest “everyone’s happy” days in the Algarve region, especially if you need a break from beaches and stairs. It’s a seasonal waterpark near Lagoa with a mix of bigger slides for older kids and dedicated children’s areas for younger ones, plus practical basics like parking, food on-site, and lockers. It can be a smart choice for the hottest days in southern Portugal, and it also works well if your trip includes different ages and you want one place where everyone can do their own thing for a few hours.

Address: E.N. 125 Vale de Deus, 8401-901 Estombar, Lagoa

Option 2: Theme Park Day

Zoomarine Algarve is a full-day family theme park in the Algarve region with a mix of animal habitats and presentations, plus rides and water attractions. It works well as a one-stop day when you want a break from the beach. It’s located in Guia, and it also offers optional dolphin interaction programs.

Address: Estrada Nacional 125, KM 65, 8201-864 Guia, Albufeira

Option 3: Adventure Park

Parque Aventura is a good pick in the Algarve region if your kids need to burn off energy and need a change or scenery from the beach. It’s an outdoor adventure park with treetop high ropes courses and zip lines in a few Algarve locations, plus paintball options at some parks, so it works well for school-age kids and teens who want something active.

Addresses:

• Parque Aventura Albufeira: Estrada de Santa Eulália, 215, 8200-381 Albufeira
• Parque Aventura Lagos: Rua Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, Meia Praia, 8600-295 Lagos
• Parque Aventura Vila Real de Santo António: Complexo Desportivo, 8900 Vila Real de Santo António

If you want a mix of water park and theme park all in one place, consider Aquashow, which has a little bit of everything, including a hotel.

Final Thoughts

The Algarve, Portugal is easy to love as a family destination because you can build your days around the things most families love: beaches, natural beauty, the sea, and strolling through charming towns.

If you are planning a Portugal trip with kids, I also recommend checking out my other posts for more itinerary ideas and practical tips.

As always, feel free to email me or send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to help other families plan their travels.

• 

  Abroad | Asia | Central America | Costa Rica | Denmark | Europe | Family | Featured | Ireland | Japan | Portugal

  Best Countries for Family Travel in 2026: 5 Kid-Friendly Picks

  ByMari April 30, 2026May 3, 2026

  If you’re dreaming up your family’s next international trip, you’re in the right place. Planning travel with kids can feel overwhelming at first, but the right destination makes everything click into place. This list of the best countries for family travel is based on my experience and what’s trending for 2026, but these picks work any year. Think easy arrivals, minimal stress, and days filled with the kind of experiences your kids will actually be excited about.

• 

  Best Moments | Europe | Family | Featured | Portugal

  Algarve, Portugal Itinerary With Kids: 4 Days of Beaches, Caves, and Family-Friendly Stops

  ByMari March 25, 2026May 3, 2026

  The Algarve is one of those places that can be as relaxed or as busy as you make it. You can spend four days doing nothing but beach mornings and pool afternoons, or you can build a fun little loop through the Algarve region that keeps kids entertained without turning the trip into a constant car-seat shuffle.

  This 4-day Algarve itinerary is built around short drives, kid-friendly stops, and downtime that actually feels relaxing. I love it as an add on if you are also visiting Lisbon as part of a larger Portugal trip.

The post Algarve, Portugal Itinerary With Kids: 4 Days of Beaches, Caves, and Family-Friendly Stops appeared first on Mari on the Map.

Lisbon is one of those cities that works beautifully for families when you pair it with a slower pace. It’s compact, colorful, full of viewpoints and snacks, and there’s always something new to look at. The key is building your days around neighborhoods, so you’re not zig-zagging over hills nonstop.

If you’ve been searching what to do in Lisbon, and you want a list that actually fits a family trip, this is it. These are my 20 must do in Lisbon activities, with kid-friendly notes and the little logistics that will make your trip unforgettable.

20 Fun Activities to Do in Lisbon With Kids

1. Start With a Guided Tour in the City Center

When visiting a new city, It’s great idea to start with a guided tour through the center. It helps you understand the significance of what you’re seeing, not just take photos and move on. For kids, it’s even better because the story of the place will stick with them. A guide can connect big moments like the 1755 earthquake and the city’s rebuild, and suddenly plazas and churches feel like part of an ongoing story instead of another building. There are different options to do:

Walking Tour

A walking tour is the simplest, most classic way to start. You’ll cover the core areas like Baixa and Chiado at a steady pace, and it’s easy to pause for pastries or a bathroom breaks. This is a good option when you want a real sense of the city’s layout, because you’re on foot seeing the hills, the streets, and the little details you’d miss from a vehicle.

If you’re traveling with kids who can handle walking but need frequent breaks, this still works well as long as you pick a shorter route and do it earlier in the day. It sets the tone for the rest of your trip, because after the tour you’ll recognize landmarks and neighborhoods instead of feeling like you’re constantly checking your map. If your kids are still really little, make sure to bring along our favorite stroller for Europe. It’s an inline design that’s easy to get through narrow European streets has large tires to glide over cobblestones more easily.

Hop on Hop Off Bus

A hop on hop off bus is a good fit if you want a broad overview without committing to lots of walking right away. It’s also helpful when you’re traveling with kids who get tired quickly, or if you want to “see” more of Lisbon in a limited time. We like to treat these like our transportation for the day and truly utilize the hope on hop off experience. Ride for a few stops, hop off for a viewpoint or a snack, then hop back on when little legs start to fade.

This option is especially useful when you’re trying to connect areas that are farther apart, like getting a feel for the city before you decide which neighborhoods you want to explore more deeply on foot.

Tuk Tuk Tour

If you’re choosing one guided option that feels the most fun for kids, a tuk tuk tour is hard to beat. It’s open-air, it moves quickly enough to keep kids engaged, and it can climb steep streets that are exhausting on foot. It also lets you see a lot in a short amount of time, which is perfect early in your trip when you’re still figuring out what you want to come back to later.

Tuk tuks are great for viewpoints because you can stop, hop out for a quick look and photos, then keep going before anyone gets restless.

Family Tip

Choose a shorter tour if you have younger kids, and schedule it earlier in the day when everyone has the most patience.

2. Wander Praça do Comércio

Praça do Comércio is a must-see area in Lisbon because it has of the city’s most iconic views. It’s also one of the easiest family stops because it’s open, flat, and right by the water. It’s the perfect place to let kids move around for a few minutes after narrow streets and sidewalks.

What to Do Here

Take photos under the arches, look out over the Tagus River, then continue on toward Rua Augusta.

3. Go Up the Arco da Rua Augusta for a “Big Picture” View

If your kids love looking down on cities, this viewpoint is an easy win. The Arco da Rua Augusta sits right at the edge of Praça do Comércio, so you don’t need extra planning to add it. The view helps you visualize Lisbon.

Family Tip

This is a great activity early in your trip. It helps everyone understand how the neighborhoods fit together.

4. Visit Lisbon Story Centre

The Lisbon Story Centre is a great stop with kids because it’s interactive, modern, easy to fit into your day, and it gives everyone real context for the city. It’s right in Praça do Comércio, so you can pop in while you’re already exploring downtown. The visit is designed as a one-hour experience with an audio guide, and it’s not the kind of museum where they’re bored in five minutes.

The highlight for most families is the section about the 1755 earthquake, which the museum presents as an immersive experience. After this, the places you’re walking through, especially Baixa and the big squares, make more sense, and kids tend to remember what they learned because it’s told like a story instead of a lecture.

Lisbon Story Centre prices (as of early 2026): the standard 60-minute ticket is €7.50 per adult (16+), €5.50 for seniors (65+) and students, €3.50 for kids ages 6–15, and free for children 5 and under; there’s also a family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) for €18.50. If you’re using the Lisbon Card, the Lisbon Story Centre is included.

Why it Works with Kids

It breaks up walking days and gives you a planned indoor stop if the weather is hot or rainy.

5. Ride a Classic Lisbon Tram

Riding Tram 28 is one of those classic what to do in Lisbon moments because it squeezes through some of the city’s narrowest, steepest streets and passes big-name sights like Alfama, the Santa Luzia viewpoint, the Lisbon Cathedral (Sé), Chiado, and Bairro Alto.

The only catch is that it’s also a real commuter tram for locals, and the crowds can get intense, especially in peak season. If you’re visiting during busy months, ride it very early in the morning or choose a different tram line so you still get the Lisbon tram experience without the packed cars. If your timing doesn’t work out or you had your heart set on Tram 28, just plan to wait in line a bit and to ride without a seat.

Family Tip

Ride early in the morning, or choose a less famous tram line to get the charm without the stress.

6. Explore Alfama

Alfama is one of the most memorable parts of Lisbon because it feels like old Lisbon. It’s full of narrow lanes, tile-covered buildings, and tiny corners that make you want to keep wandering. But it’s also steep, so this is where pacing matters.

Family Tip

Pick one route, do it slowly, and plan a viewpoint stop as your reward.

7. Visit Lisbon Cathedral for a Quick, Classic Stop

The Lisbon Cathedral is one of the easiest historic landmarks to add to your day because it’s right in the flow of exploring Alfama. It’s old, striking, and doesn’t require a long time commitment.

Why it Works

It’s a “short but memorable” stop that adds variety to a walking day.

8. Take a Boat Ride on the Tagus River

One of the prettiest ways to experience Lisbon is from the water. A Tagus River cruise gives you a totally different perspective of the city, and it’s an easy win with kids because it feels like an activity, not another museum or viewpoint. You get fresh air, built-in sitting time, and those big “wow” views of Lisbon’s waterfront, plus the fun of passing under the 25 de Abril Bridge, which many Americans will liken to the Golden Gate Bridge.

The best part is that there are several ways to do it as part of what to do in Lisbon, depending on your budget, how much time you have, and what kind of vibe you want.

Family tip

If your kids are prone to getting chilly, bring a light layer even in warmer months. It often feels cooler on the water, especially later in the day.

9. Miradouro da Graça

If you’re deciding what to do in Lisbon and you want a viewpoint that feels worth it, Miradouro da Graça is a great pick. The views are wide, the setting is relaxed, and it’s one of those places where you can sit for a moment instead of constantly moving.

Family tip

Go in the morning for fewer crowds and softer light.

10. Miradouro de Santa Luzia for The Postcard Moment

Santa Luzia is one of the most photogenic viewpoints in Lisbon. It’s the combination of the river view, the rooftops, and the tile details that makes it feel special. This is a great quick stop while you’re already in Alfama.

Kids usually like pointing out rooftops, boats on the river, and spotting landmarks from above.

11. Stop at Miradouro das Portas do Sol and Actually Sit Down

This viewpoint is close to Santa Luzia, and it’s worth it because it’s one of the easiest places to pause. When you’re doing Lisbon with kids, small pauses matter. This is a good spot for a drink, a snack, and a few minutes where no one has to climb stairs.

Family Tip

This is an easy place to reset before you keep wandering.

12. Walk Rua da Bica and Ride the Funicular

Rua da Bica is a quick but fun stop in Lisbon because the Elevador da Bica is so iconic. It’s a funicular-style tram that climbs the steep hill like an elevator on tracks, connecting the upper and lower parts of the neighborhood and making life easier for locals and visitors. Even if you don’t ride it, it’s worth seeing in person because this little yellow car rolling up the postcard-perfect street is one of the most recognizable Lisbon scenes (and yes, it’s a big favorite on social media).

13. Visit the Oceanário de Lisbon

If you need a spot any kid will love, the Oceanário is one of the easiest choices. It’s the kind of place where kids stay engaged without you having to “sell it” too much, and it’s also a great mid-trip reset when everyone needs a break from hills, viewpoints, and history.

If you can, buy tickets online, so you’re not adding an extra line to your day. Ticket prices are structured by age: ages 0–2 are free, ages 3–12 are 15€, ages 13–64 are 25€, and ages 65+ are 17€.

The Oceanário is open daily from 10 am to 8 pm, with last entry at 7 pm.

14. Eat at Time Out Market

Time Out Market Lisboa is a food hall inside the historic Mercado da Ribeira. It’s a great spot in Lisbon when you want an easy meal with lots of options all in one place. The market brings together a curated mix of restaurants, bars, and food stalls, with Portuguese favorites and international choices, so everyone can get what they want.

It also has real history. The original market opened in 1882 and was a major spot for locals to buy fresh food. Today it’s more modern, but it still feels like a market, just with better variety and a very convenient setup for families visiting Lisbon with kids.

Family Tip

Do one lap first, decide what you want, then split up orders. It’s much easier than standing in each line while kids wait.

15. Castelo de São Jorge

Castelo de São Jorge is classic Lisbon, especially if you want a big payoff view without needing a full-day plan. The castle sits on the hilltop above Alfama, and just getting there feels like part of the experience as you wind up through narrow streets and suddenly reach the top.

Once you’re inside, it’s easy to see the appeal. You can walk along sections of the walls, look out over the city and the Tagus, and let kids explore in a way that presents history without a museum. If you’re doing Lisbon with kids, this is a great spot for imaginations to run wild because it feels like a real fortress.

If you have time, check out the camera obscura in the Black Chamber for a live, 360-degree view of Lisbon, and keep an eye out for the peacocks wandering around. There are also archaeological remains and exhibits that tie the site to Lisbon’s history, including damage from the 1755 earthquake. Lines can get long, so this is one place where buying timed or skip-the-line tickets can make your day run much smoother.

16. Telecabine Lisboa in Parque das Nações

If you want a break from hills but still want big views, add the Telecabine Lisboa to your list of what to do in Lisbon with kids. It’s a cable car ride over the Tagus estuary in Parque das Nações, and it feels like an activity instead of transportation, which is why kids usually love it. You’re up almost 100 feet above the water, and the route runs for about 1,230 meters, with views over the modern waterfront, the Oceanário area, and landmarks like the Vasco da Gama Bridge.

The ride itself is short enough to fit into a busy day. It typically takes between 8 and 16 minutes, so it works well as a quick highlight, especially if you’re already planning an Oceanário day.

Tickets costs are presently (as of early 2026): Adults 7,50€ one way or 9,50€ round trip. Kids ages 3–12 5,50€ one way or 6,50€ round trip. Kids 0–2 are free.

Opening hours change by season, so make sure to check the schedule here.

17. Day Trip From Lisbon: Sintra

If you’re building your list of what to do in Lisbon with kids, and you have one extra day, make it a day trip to Sintra. It’s an amazing quick side trip from Lisbon, and it’s easy to understand why families love it. You get palaces, big views, gardens to wander, and that fairytale feeling that keeps kids interested even when they’re tired.

Sintra can be as simple or as packed as you want. If your kids do best with fewer stops, pick one main palace and one “wander” spot, then call it a day. If you’ve got older kids, and everyone is moving well, you can layer in more sites. Either way, plan to start early because Sintra gets busy.

For full details and a very practical plan, use my Sintra guides:

• Visit Sintra: Everything You Need to Know for a Perfect Day Trip
• One Magical Day in Sintra, Portugal

18. Plan a Belém Half Day

Belém is a neighborhood just on the outskirts of Lisbon, where you’ll find some of Lisbon’s most famous landmarks. Since it’s a little farther from the city center, you’ll need to plan a bit of time to get there and be there. You can use my guide to Belém for planning.

Family tip

Start early so you can beat crowds at the big sights.

19. See Torre de Belém

Torre de Belém is iconic and absolutely worth seeing from the outside. Going inside can be tight and slow, especially with kids, so I treat it as an “outside first” stop and decide on the spot if it’s worth the line.

Best way to do it with kids

Take photos outside, talk about the river and the explorers, then move on if needed.

20. Sample Pastéis de Nata

Trying pastéis is a must do in Lisbon, and the most famous place to do it is in Belém. Pastéis de nata are small flaky pastries filled with creamy custard, usually finished with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon. They’re simple, but when they’re fresh and warm, they are the perfect Lisbon treat.

Belém is where this pastry became iconic back in the 1800s, and the original recipe is still closely guarded at the classic Pastéis de Belém bakery. The outside is crisp and buttery, the inside is smooth and not overly sweet.

Expect a line, especially at peak hours. The good news is the place is huge and the line usually moves faster than it looks. If you’re doing Lisbon with kids, I like treating this as a planned stop. Grab a few, find a spot to sit, and let it double as a snack break before you keep exploring Belém.

When to Visit Lisbon with Kids

Lisbon works year-round, but the best time to visit depends on how your family handles crowds, heat, and how much you want to do on foot. Since so much of what to do in Lisbon involves walking, viewpoints, and neighborhoods with hills, comfort matters more here than in flatter cities.

Spring

Late March through May is one of the sweetest spots for Lisbon with kids. The weather is usually mild, days feel bright without being brutally hot, and it’s easier to enjoy long mornings outside. You can do yourLisbon sightseeing without feeling like you need constant indoor breaks. It’s also a great season for a day trip to Sintra, because you can enjoy the gardens and palace grounds without the peak-summer crowds.

Fall

September and October are another great window. It’s still warm enough to feel like summer in the sun, but the city is generally more comfortable for walking than July or August. If your kids love playground time and outdoor exploring, this is a great season because you can stay out longer without melting. It’s also a nice time to add coastal trips if you want beach time as part of your Lisbon plans.

Summer

June through August can be a great family trip, but it requires smarter timing. Lisbon gets busy, and the heat plus hills can turn a simple afternoon into a struggle. If you’re visiting in summer, plan your biggest walks and viewpoints early in the morning, then do an indoor activity midday, like the Oceanário or Lisbon Story Centre. Save things like Time Out Market and viewpoints for later in the day when it cools down a bit.

Winter

November through February is often calmer and can be a surprisingly good time for a city trip with kids. You’ll likely get fewer crowds at major attractions and a more relaxed pace overall. The tradeoff is that you might have rainy days and shorter daylight hours, so it helps to mix in indoor-friendly stops and keep your daily plan flexible. If you’re traveling with kids who do better with less chaos and fewer lines, winter can be a really nice choice.

Final Thoughts

If you’re trying to decide what to do in Lisbon with kids, the biggest thing to remember is that Lisbon is at its best when you slow down and let the day breathe. Pick a neighborhood, choose a few must-do stops that make sense together, then leave room for snack breaks, viewpoints, and the little moments of discovery that happen in between.

A guided tour on day one helps everything click, the Oceanário and the river cruise give you built-in downtime, and Belém plus a Sintra day trip are a great way to make your trip one that kids actually remember.

If you want a simple way to structure it, think like this: one guided experience, one viewpoint, one kid-friendly food stop, one flexible wander block. Repeat.

And if you have any questions, feel free to send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to share more tips and insights.

• 

  Abroad | Asia | Central America | Costa Rica | Denmark | Europe | Family | Featured | Ireland | Japan | Portugal

  Best Countries for Family Travel in 2026: 5 Kid-Friendly Picks

  ByMari April 30, 2026May 3, 2026

  If you’re dreaming up your family’s next international trip, you’re in the right place. Planning travel with kids can feel overwhelming at first, but the right destination makes everything click into place. This list of the best countries for family travel is based on my experience and what’s trending for 2026, but these picks work any year. Think easy arrivals, minimal stress, and days filled with the kind of experiences your kids will actually be excited about.

• 

  Best Moments | Europe | Family | Featured | Portugal

  Algarve, Portugal Itinerary With Kids: 4 Days of Beaches, Caves, and Family-Friendly Stops

  ByMari March 25, 2026May 3, 2026

  The Algarve is one of those places that can be as relaxed or as busy as you make it. You can spend four days doing nothing but beach mornings and pool afternoons, or you can build a fun little loop through the Algarve region that keeps kids entertained without turning the trip into a constant car-seat shuffle.

  This 4-day Algarve itinerary is built around short drives, kid-friendly stops, and downtime that actually feels relaxing. I love it as an add on if you are also visiting Lisbon as part of a larger Portugal trip.

The post What to Do in Lisbon With Kids? 20 Fun Activities appeared first on Mari on the Map.