Your Best Family Travel Activity, Guide, or Experience

[Anonymous]

I'm interested in letting fantastic experiences with my family guide my travel destination. For example, we did a cooking class in Cairo in December that made our 2 days in the city so much richer, interesting, and fun (link to class here-https://www.travelingspoon.com/hosts/19411-egyptian-cooking-in-cairo-with-a-local-family). Have you done any activities, worked with any guides, or had any experiences that were fantastic? I'm looking less for 3 days at a dude ranch (though I'll take that, too), and more for the truly memorable one off experiences that your family still reminisces about. Links or names of companies or individuals are welcome!

[Anonymous]

Not an extra pay thing, but the Chenonceau chateau experience in the Loire Valley was above and beyond any other … fabulous interior + ornamental and working gardens, great stories that make the history really come life, beyond gorgeous flower arrangements made from the propriety, excellent signage and tour guides throughout. Just overall an exceptional experience - and my kids LOVED it.

[Anonymous]

Dogsledding in Iceland.

[Anonymous]

We've done cooking courses in multiple countries as a family, usually through viatour. Other amazing trips include swimming in the bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico, climbing glaciers in New Zealand and Alaska, scuba diving around lots of different Caribbean islands, zip lining in Costa Rica, skiing the alps, kayaking along the ice in Sweden in the winter, snow mobiling on a glacier in Iceland, also the black diamond sand beach there is pretty amazing.

[Anonymous]

Love all of these. If there are particular people or companies you've used, I'd love that, too. In my experience, that can make all the difference, especially with kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not an extra pay thing, but the Chenonceau chateau experience in the Loire Valley was above and beyond any other … fabulous interior + ornamental and working gardens, great stories that make the history really come life, beyond gorgeous flower arrangements made from the propriety, excellent signage and tour guides throughout. Just overall an exceptional experience - and my kids LOVED it.

Thanks! Is it this: https://www.chenonceau.com/en/? Did you do a tour directly through this site?

[Anonymous]

We did a Context kids private tour of the Louvre. Not only did skipping all the lines help make it more enjoyable, but the guide was so engaging that My 10 and 13 year old loved the museum. They learned a lot and genuinely came away with an appreciation for the art. No whining and complaining at all. It was a splurge but so worth it. I recommend it to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Swimming with whale sharks in Mafia Island Tanzania

[Anonymous]

These are great! Keep em coming. I’m making a bucket list for future family trips!

[Anonymous]

Tours in Rome with MariaClaudia Cristofano. We did 3 different tours and she made them so fun and informative.
The pizza and gelato making class outside of Florence was also a hit. It’s in a farm in the hills and just beautiful. We picked fresh produce for the pizza and gelato and then learned to make both in a gorgeous setting while grown ups enjoyed wine. A magical and relaxing evening as well as delicious.

[Anonymous]

Spent an afternoon and evening in the Agafay desert outside of Morocco. We did dune buggies, camel rides, a beautiful tent dinner and fire eater show with our two elementary aged boys. Also, the side car tour in Marrakech is wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Dolphin activities at Hawk’s Cay, Middle Keys, FL

Farm stay, Lancaster, PA

Pre-opening tour with Museum Director, Picasso Museum, Paris

[Anonymous]

Reserving the King's Apartments tour at Versailles is an excellent way to avoid the long lines. This is a guided tour and it is excellent -- much better than the just the regular unguided tour in super-crowded rooms that are open to everyone. At only 10 Euros a person (and free for children), it is a must-do. You have to book this in advance online and report to a different entrance.

And my very favorite thing at Versailles is renting a golf cart to drive around the gardens! You can also drive it out to Marie Antoinette's hamlet at the Trianons. They give you a map and you have to stick to the paths (the cart will turn off automatically if you try to drive onto the grass). The golf cart plays classical music the whole time, and a GPS-controlled recorded guide "talks" to you about what you are seeing! It is so much fun, we have done it (and the King's Apartments) twice.

[Anonymous]

The ATM cave in Belize was pretty darn spectacular. I'd recommend it.

We also loved camping in the White Desert in Egypt--most memorable trip of my life. Absolutely amazing, but check travel warnings. We risked it at the time, but I don't know if I would today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spent an afternoon and evening in the Agafay desert outside of Morocco. We did dune buggies, camel rides, a beautiful tent dinner and fire eater show with our two elementary aged boys. Also, the side car tour in Marrakech is wonderful.

Did you use a particular company?