The end of the year is a fitting time to reflect on your travels—as well as look ahead to what’s to come, including the travel memories yet to be made with your family. Whether your group loves the outdoors or prefers to wander around museums, there’s a destination and itinerary that will fit the bill. To get your and your loved ones’ wanderlust ignited, Afar tapped the expertise of travel advisors for which destinations they’re recommending for families in 2025. Among their top picks: a perennially popular Florida city preparing for a major opening, castle-rich islands in Europe, and an outdoorsy state beckoning for wide-open adventures.
Scotland
Majestic castles, the mighty Scottish Highlands, and the mysterious Loch Ness Monster: There’s much for families to love about Scotland, whether they opt for a city-centric trip or nature-based excursions. The island nation boasts additional advantages, according to Christie Holmes, owner and lead travel designer of Mi Familia Internacional Travel. “Flights from New York City are still on the shorter duration of about six and a half hours,” she points out. “The climate is cooler in the summer than mainland Europe, which is a plus, and the plethora of outdoor activities will keep the most active families engaged.” Some of the country’s best excursions include a trip to Loch Ness and hiking through Cairngorms National Park.
The Amazon rainforest makes up half of the world’s tropical forests.
Photo by Gustavo Frazao/Shutterstock
Brazil
For Virtuoso advisor Kimberly Denison, founder of luxury travel agency Denison Travel, South America’s largest country tops her list for family travel in 2025. Denison says Brazil’s cultural hot spot of Rio de Janeiro and its dramatic outdoor offerings like Iguaçu Falls and the Amazon offer a “dynamic combination” of experiences, and (bonus!) “families from the U.S. will appreciate the similar time zone, minimizing jet lag concerns for younger children,” she explains.
Slea Head offers spectacular coastal views of the Dingle Peninsula.
Courtesy of Chris Hill/Tourism Ireland
Ireland
The Emerald Isle has long been a favorite destination for families, thanks in part to its welcoming locals, vibrant festivals, and rich culture of folklore and music. But according to New York City–based travel advisor Anthony Berklich, Ireland has another draw that often catches visitors by surprise: its beaches.
“During summer months, many don’t know how rich Ireland is with beautiful beaches,” explains Berklich, who’s the founder of Inspired Citizen, a membership-based luxury travel agency. His favorites include Keem Bay in County Mayo (“for its crystalline waters and green, grassy backdrop”) and Sherkin Island, located off the southwest coast, for quiet beaches, clear water, and proximity to the mainland.
Universal Studies will get a lot more exciting for families next spring.
Photo by Viaval Tours/Shutterstock
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is prepping for a blockbuster year, especially for theme park fans—most notably with the highly anticipated opening of Universal’s 750-acre Epic Universe on May 22, 2025. It will nearly double Universal’s acreage in central Florida, with dozens of experiences across five new themed lands, including Super Nintendo World and How to Train Your Dragon.
Beyond amusement park action, there’s plenty else to choose from. James Mannings, cofounder of property rental platform Top Villas, says his clients are often pleasantly surprised by Orlando’s cultural side, including museums and galleries. “The Orlando Museum of Art, which turned 100 [in 2024], offers a range of fine art exhibitions that will appeal to the whole family, along with family-friendly art classes,” he explains. For older kids who appreciate art and history, other museums include the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (renowned for its extensive collection of Tiffany glass) and the Mennello Museum of American Art, which offers a permanent collection of paintings by Earl Cunningham.
For spectacular Icelandic scenery, families should consider Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in the Westfjords.
Courtesy of Dirk Bleyer/age fotostock
Iceland
While the northern lights made headlines in 2024 for appearing in unexpected destinations across the globe, nothing can compare to seeing the breathtaking phenomenon in the dramatic landscapes of the Land of Fire and Ice. That’s where Kazandra Lewis, a travel advisor for Travelmation, an agency based in Fort Lauderdale, is sending adventurous families this year. “My clients are seeking a unique outdoor experience for their families, and Iceland is a gorgeous location thanks to the stunning waterfalls, glaciers, volcanos, and tons of hiking,” she explains. “[Seeing] the northern lights in Iceland during the winter months is a total bucket list adventure.”
Families can get away from the crowds in Glacier National Park, which is more than three million square miles in size.
Photo by Courtesy of Beier C./Unsplash
Montana
The Big Sky State is a big hit for outdoorsy families who love active vacations—and it’s a destination Berklich is sending plenty of clients to lately. “There’s an authentic quaintness families enjoy there, while they take in the stunning scenery, lakes, mountains, and outdoor activities,” he says.
Cities including Bozeman, Missoula, and Whitefish make great home bases for back-to-nature trips, and throughout the state, plenty of top-notch, ranch-style digs are available to choose from. Since the Resort at Paws Up opened in 2005, several other luxury wilderness properties have followed suit, such as the Ranch at Rock Creek and J Bar L Ranch, noted for their horseback riding opportunities.
A Danube river cruise with Viking is the perfect starter European river cruise.
Courtesy of Viking
The Caribbean—on a cruise
According to a recent report by industry group Cruise Line International Association, cruising is booming—and especially among extended families. In fact, more than 30 percent of families traveling on cruises go with at least two generations (and 28 percent go with three to five generations). Megaships, like those from Royal Caribbean and MSC, whose itineraries often include stops at their own private islands, are in particular having a moment with families, say travel experts: “The increase in demand is unlike anything I have ever seen in the cruising space,” Tim Elrod, vice president of Travelmation, tells Afar. “There are so many activities for all ages on these ships, plus the private islands are a huge draw. I find that clients often prefer the private island to getting off the ship at an unfamiliar destination.”
While the larger ocean cruises are well suited to families with younger children, river cruises, especially those in Europe, are a great fit for older children, Elrod says. “A higher-end cruise, like with Viking, has everything included, so you are still getting that all-inclusive feel, but you get to see multiple destinations,” he says.
