Traveling with children needn’t mean choosing less-adventurous and culturally blander destinations. We’ve analyzed data from Tripadvisor to reveal which countries offer the most immersive cultural vacations for families to inspire bolder decisions for your next big adventure. Below, our specialists explain why these locations are so popular with culture-seeking families, and how you can get the most from your visit.
Best destination for cultural family vacations: India
By India specialist Carol
India is a melting pot of cultures, religions, tastes, sights, and sounds. But, far from being overwhelmed by sensorial overload, I find children seem to revel in the colourful sights — it tends to keep them engaged in their surroundings. They’re also treated like royalty wherever they go. And, with plenty of things to do for all ages along with expert driver-guides leading you seamlessly from place to place, visiting India with your family is often far easier than you might think.
Experiences I like to recommend for families include tracking tigers in the national parks, sleeping on a houseboat on Kerala’s backwaters, riding tuk-tuks through the heart of Jaipur, and experiencing the different street foods of Old Delhi with a guide.
Because India has so many religions, it also gives you an opportunity to learn more about each one and celebrate their traditions. You can help prepare community food in a Sikh gurdwara, marvel at intricately carved Hindu temples, or listen out for the Muslim call to prayer.
Younger children might appreciate riding the Shimla Toy Train through the Himalayan foothills, or winding through the Chandni Chowk Bazaar in Old Delhi on a cycle rickshaw. Older teens, meanwhile, often love wandering Calcutta with a professional photographer, in search of the ultimate influencer shot.
Wildlife safaris leave cultural snapshots in everyone’s minds, as open-topped vehicles wind you through traditional villages where you might see women carrying water pots on their heads, their saris blowing in the warm wind, and dhoti-clad men herding goats. Then, you’ll explore Jungle Book-worthy national park settings — think abandoned forts, chattering monkeys, and elusive big cats.
Best destination for food and drink activities: Italy
By Italy specialist Shannon
Italy has a distinct culinary culture, so in my eyes, food experiences are a highlight of any family trip there. Each region of Italy has a diverse speciality when it comes to food. You can discover Tuscan cuisine and learn the art of pasta making with a professional chef in Florence, try making your own pizza in a Roman palazzo, or sit down to a private lunch with a nonna (grandma) in Bari.
I’ve found that a popular experience with teenagers combines viewing pioneering street art with market stall tasting sessions at the Muri Sicuri in downtown Rome, before whizzing through the city streets on a guided Vespa tour. Younger children might enjoy truffle hunting in Tuscany with an expert and their well-trained dog, baking a hazelnut cake at a family-run farm in Piedmont, or spending time with local shepherd Silvio, who’ll teach them how to make pecorino cheese.
Alternatively, your family may choose to all cook together at the home of professional chef Laura Niccolai in Sorrento — she’ll walk you through creating a three- or four-course meal of traditional family recipes. Or, with a private guide, you could visit small scale producers in the village of Sant’Angelo Muxaro, Sicily, to learn more about their craft.
Best destination for family wildlife activities: Kenya
By safari specialist Scott
Logistically, Kenya is one of the easiest places for first-time safari goers thanks to direct flights, and I find its variety of child-focused camps and lodges make it an ideal family-friendly vacation choice. Children from the age of six upwards are welcome on safari drives here and the sheer abundance of wildlife makes it easier for children to spot the big five. Plus, in many reserves you’ll get the chance to go off-roading — there’s nothing quite like the thrill you get as you follow fresh animal tracks to try and pinpoint their whereabouts.
I love how much variety there is between the national parks in Kenya, too. From the wild open plains of the Masai Mara — the big cat capital of the world where the Great Migration of huge wildebeest herds takes place — to the acacia forests and open grasslands of Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where rhinos are flourishing under a pioneering conservation project. You could also visit Amboseli National Park in the south of the country, where the vast herds of elephants are a huge draw.
Kenya has a deep cultural commitment to its conservation efforts, which makes it an educational destination for children. You can visit the Daphne Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant orphanage that works to rehabilitate its residents, where children can watch the keepers bottle-feed elephant calves and learn about the threats to their survival. Or, at Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre, get the chance to observe endangered Rothschild giraffes up close before they’re eventually released into the wild.
Best destination for historical tours: France
By France specialist Seb
In France is undoubtedly a historically rich country, and I can arrange experiences for your family that can help you take a walk back in time, following in the footsteps of our ancestors. You might go with a guide to see the Lascaux cave artwork, which dates back over 20,000 years, or visit Mont Saint Michel, a towering island village that wraps around the original church, which was built in 708.
My clients have often said how their children loved the visible history of France. They can board a little train that takes them into the caves of the Dordogne, climb the Eiffel Tower, or imagine what life was once like inside the castles of the Loire Valley. The history here is educational but accessible, with a lot of fun to be had along the way.
If you’re visiting with teenagers, I suggest learning about the history of the perfume industry in Paris, which gives you a chance to make your own scent. Or, you could head to the two American D-Day beaches of Normandy, Omaha and Utah, with an expert guide who can tell you about the events of that day. Afterwards, pay a visit to the gravestones at the American Cemetery, where the sheer scale of loss is a potent historical education.
Younger children, meanwhile, may like exploring the Roman Pont-du-Gard aqueduct, or deciphering the Bayeux Tapestry with the help of a guide who can tailor the experience to their age and interest (though it’s worth noting that the Bayeux Tapestry exhibit is closing in September 2025 for two years). My personal favorite, though, is joining a class where you learn how to make macarons, a sweet delicacy introduced to France in the 16th century.