Family adventure vacation activities

Few things will have you grinning, guffawing and then just simply gagging to go again than white water rafting together as a family. Don’t be scared. You nearly always have a qualified guide with you in the boat taking control of the paddles. From Catalonia to Colorado, Croatia to the Grand Canyon, you just got to ride those rapids.

Kayaking in the likes of Montenegro, Turkey and Croatia has also moved from the realm of experts to family fun, with sit on kayaks so that you don’t feel nervous about being too enclosed, and double kayaks if you'd prefer your child to paddle with you or an instructor. Although you might think that kayaking with kids is stressful, it actually has the opposite effect. With a professional instructor it’s best to hand over the parental reins, and let them do what they do best. Sea kayaking is also great for all ages, so if you are bringing grandparents, don’t leave them out of the fun.

Although an annual ski trip is like a religion for some families, the amount of winter adventures to be had out there in the big white world are growing big time. Many of which are much more responsible than piste bashing anyway. In the Alps you can go snowshoeing, climb a frozen waterfall, go zip wiring, build an igloo or, if you are over eight, even go paragliding.

And if Santa no longer visits your house, you could regenerate some of the seasonal magic in Finnish Lapland, driving a sled with a team of huskies, tobogganing down Finnish fells, learning about traditional Sami culture, or going on sleigh rides pulled by reindeer. The High Tatras Mountains of Slovakia are another such winter wonderland, far off most skiers’ radars. Here you can not only do all the frosty frolics above, you can also jump into hot, steamy thermal springs afterwards.

There was a time when children were not exactly welcomed on wildlife vacations but times have changed. Thankfully. And with vacation opportunities that combine adventure with animals, such as cycling in Tanzania, wild camping in Yosemite or whale watching in Scotland, the conservationists of tomorrow have plenty to inspire them.

The cool down moments of an adventure vacation can be made even cooler by totally immersing yourself in local culture. Such as camping and camel riding with the Bedouin in Morocco’s Sahara, or comprehending Catalan language and culture on a cycling vacation. A responsible tourism tour operator will always engage with local cultures and communities in some way or other. It’s part of the gig.