Best and Worst Family Spring Break Vacation Spots of 2024

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dubai was fantastic. Stayed at Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach. It was our second time in Dubai and first with kids and really an over abundance of stuff to do for families. It’s very popular with Europeans. Desert ATVs, beach time, Dubai Mall for indoor skiing/snowboarding, Burj. Will definitely go back for SB in next few years.

We also went to Dubai for spring break (but last year). We loved it! So much to see and do. I was amazed that we could walk around at 1am or 2am and feel perfectly safe (many women walking around solo at that time too!) Kids loved petting the camels at the beach, going up Burj Khalifa, taking a boat ride on Dubai canal, shopping at the souks in the old part of the city, etc. Lots of fun! The only down side is the long flight to get there (over 14 hours but thankfully it’s a nonstop flight).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a great time in St. Kitts and Nevis. Split your week between the two islands and enjoy. The weather was fabulous, and the people are much friendlier than some of the other Caribbean Islands.

I've been considering this - where did you stay? I have points I could use at the Park Hyatt on St. Kitts and it looks nice but maybe a little sleepy?

[Anonymous]

Just had a great spring break in San Diego and Orange County (also did one day in Disneyland)!

[Anonymous]

We brought three little ones (under 5) to Cancun all inclusive resort and it’s awesome!

Anonymous wrote:Please share family Spring Break vacation spots you recommend, or don't recommend, that you experienced in 2024.

[Anonymous]

We had an awesome spring break trip to Italy. Stayed in Rome for a few days, then drove to a small village in Tuscany. Weather was perfect in Rome; Tuscany was a bit breezy/rainy but not bad enough that we needed to stay indoors. DH and DS (10) had never been to Italy, and I hadn’t visited in 25 years, so it was like seeing it for the first time all over again. I splurged on private tours of the Colosseum/Roman Forum and the Vatican (through Context Tours, recommended here!), which were completely worth it. Held DS’s attention for hours! Everything went smoothly and I was glad we went before the summer crowds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Had a great trip to Barcelona. Easy direct flight, weather was good (mostly warmer than here with just a few drizzles), people are very friendly, food was great, many tourist attractions (Gaudi architecture is unique and beautiful), not too crowded, food is cheaper than here (!!), produce was amazing (fresh and flavorful), easy day trips by train including to beaches, great shopping (other than several days closed for Easter week), lodging was reasonable, felt safe everywhere. Overall a perfect spring break destination (and less crowded and hot than in summer).

I’ve heard that Barcelona is a hotbed for pickpocketing and theft. Did your family notice anything or feel the need to take extra precautions than you would here at home in DC?

Not at all. I’d heard the same from a FB travel group and was cautious, but it felt no different than any other city. Kept my wallet and phone in my front jacket pockets or in a cross body belt bag I wore across my chest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:We also went to Curacao and adored it. Took the Amtrak to NYC the night before leaving then direct to Curacao from JFK. Highly recommend. I have never seen such blue water as I saw at Grote Knip. It is a cliche actually but my jaw legitimately dropped.

We (me, husband + DS8) stayed at the Lions Dive essentially on Mambo Beach. We really enjoyed it-beautiful views and easy access to lots of dining options. I do think the Lions Dive wouldn't be for everyone as you can definitely hear the night scene from Mambo Beach on certain nights. It didn't bother us but I can see where others wouldn't be fans. A car rental is essential especially if you stay near Mambo Beach or Jan Theil as many of the beaches are 25-55 minute drives from there. Staying closer to numerous dining options was very important since we didn't want to have a vacation where we needed to cook. I feel like closer to some of the beaches that are mentioned in YouTube travel videos means fewer dining out options.

There wasn't a lot of information on here when I was trying to decide on things to do in Curacao so I watched a lot of the travel videos on Youtube. They were helpful but it still felt very overwhelming trying to decide where to stay, what to do, where to go, etc. If anyone wants additional info I will happily respond. I really loved the country, hope to go back, and hope others get a chance to see it as well.

We’re considering a family vacation to Curacao, thank you for your information about it. Did you happen to pass by the Marriott resort there? If so, is it in a good area?
How did your family like the food on the island?
Was the ocean safe for swimming?
Were the locals friendly?

-We didn't see the Marriott so I can't speak to it. From the map, it looks like it is probably 15-20 mins from where we stayed so similar drive times to various beaches.
-Plenty of really great food options. No issues there. Honestly, the hardest part to get used to is that they take the concept of "island time" to the next level. You just need to mentally prepare yourself for AT LEAST a 1.5 hour dining experience for every meal. We started factoring it in like ok, we'll be hungry around xx time so we should get there at xx time to wait for drinks, water, etc. wait an additional 1/2 before servers return to take your order, etc, etc. This was everywhere.
-The ocean was amazing. We encountered no riptides. Perfectly calm waters and felt super safe snorkeling with the 8yo. I did buy and pack a snorkel vest for him just to be extra cautious but really no significant waves to speak of and many beaches had none at all. The only warnings around were to pay attention for jellyfish.
-Locals were super friendly.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disney was awful this week. Will be our first and last time doing that, I didn’t want to do it in the first place.

What days were you there? We only did three days over the weekend as the crowds started to diminish and it was really great. We aren't regular Disney people but have been before so had a good sense of what to expect. And the weather was spectacular so we lucked out. If you are there at the peak of spring break crowds, I can see how its a bad first and last experience.

[Anonymous]

Marrakech. Weather a bit nutty and cooler than expected but amazing trip! Kids loved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just had a great spring break in San Diego and Orange County (also did one day in Disneyland)!

was Disneyland extremely crowded?

[Anonymous]

I’m really surprised how far some of you are willing to go for a 7 day vacation. We went to AZ and that was too far for me, time-zone wise. I decided from now on spring break trips will be same time zone or at most one hour difference. I’m saving far trips for summer when we have more time to travel and recover! I guess we are weak!

[Anonymous]

New poster- loved Curacao and Aruba. The whole family loved De Palm Island near Aruba- we got the Flamingo cabana and were hanging with the flamingos all day and also did snuba and the small water park there. Stayed in a nice condo at Blue Residences. Took a 30 min $100 flight to Curacao for remaining 4 days. We loved Curacao- went snorkeling with turtles and also loved the Dolphin Academy. They let the dolphins out in the open ocean and they come back. We stayed at the Corendon Mangrove beach all inclusive. Not the most amazing beach but we liked the water park a lot and the food

[Anonymous]

We went to Arizona with kids 11 and 6 and loved it. We stayed in a condo in Mesa for all but 1 night. The condo had a nice big pool and hot tub so we did activities most mornings then pool in the afternoon. It was warm but not hot. For our 1 night outside of Mesa we drove up to the Grand Canyon and spent the night at an eco retreat near Page. We stayed in a Hogan which is a Navajo shelter made of logs and mud. It was cold outside but we were very snug with a wood burning stove and it was in very beautiful surroundings - highly recommended . The next day we did an Antelope Canyon tour which everyone loved, much more fun for the kids than the Grand Canyon.

In the Phoenix area we did a hike at a state park through lots of cacti, the botanical gardens, and the musical instrument museum which were all awesome. The museum of natural history was tiny compared to DCs so l don’t recommend that.

[Anonymous]

I’m not OP but am loving all the details. Definitely will consider PR or Mexico City for next year.

[Anonymous]

Loved Yosemite. We went the first week in April and were super lucky with the weather. Yosemite Valley was crowded but we stayed at a lodge right outside the park and it was amazing. We went to parts of the park with hardly any people after we saw the “big” sights in Yosemite Valley.

We also had a good couple days in San Francisco before our flight home but that seems to trigger a number of PPs.