Can't add anything but congratulations and admiration for your approach to parenting and the gifts you are giving your children. The things that we learn and experience can never be lost.

National Geographic has some good travel books with lists of best trips. I'm not sure I'd agree with some of their recommended best places to go, but you could look at some of the books with your kids and see what piques their interest.

I'm from Europe, but I was really impressed with some of the national parks here in the US. You should go to the Grand Canyon if you haven't been there, and what about the dinosaur park in Utah?

Morocco is a great place to go. You can do a mountain trek, then do a jeep trip in the Sahara, go to the beach and surf, and then head to Marrakech for the market and great food. I thought Japan was really interesting, and Thailand is a great place to visit with kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Why not ask your kids then? Do they have any interests that naturally lend themselves to a destination?

Are any of your high schoolers taking a language? Go to a country where he or she could speak it!

I love this suggestion. Your kids will be so much more invested in it if they get to help pick.

Get a bunch f travel books with lots of pictures from the library and let them find stuff that looks appealing. Do they have favorite books where the characters travel or are from somewhere else?

Finally, do you know where your ancestral roots are? Go to those places.

Antigua Guatemala and Tikal was a great family trip for us (and its not listed here). We went during holy week when they have processions practicially around the clock.

Easter Island, the Gallapogus Islands, Alaska, New Zealand. I'm totally drawn to natural environments that are completely different from our own (in DC).

All great ideas, because they were all destinations with real educational and entertainment value. A good family rule is to always avoid theme parks.

My suggestions would be Grand Canyon -- simply amazing. might consider multiday rafting trip with commercial company where they bring food and you sleep under stars.

And I 2nd or 3rd Egypt (even now, they need tourist dollars)...simply amazing to see the Pyramids and other temples/tombs.

Then I'd ask kids what history they would like to see (Europe, London, Panama Canal, Rome/Greece)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We'd probably only do Africa if it was a safari (no Egypt), and think Australia is just too far away for a week or two. As for Asia, we'd do Japan again, but would skip China, Korea and India.

Why? Do you just not have an interest in these countries?

We love Japan and (because?) we have good friends there. DH travels a ton and got the food poisoning of his life in Korea so it's jaded me and his stories of India are not at all endearing (except of course the Taj Mahal).

My DH is from India and I've been probably ten times. True, it's not for everyone, but for people who are adventurous, love history, culture, and AMAZING food, India is incredible. I've traveled all over, North and South India, and keep going back. I highly recommend it for people who truly love travel and discovering incredible places. Rajasthan and Kerala were my favorite places so far - recommend strongly!

We love US National Parks. The southwest and Alaska are real favorites for us.

I'm 22:08 and also the poster that posted previously about visiting her brother in China. I hope I didn't sound too negative about China, or like it's not worth visiting. Visiting the Great Wall was amazing, and I wish we had time to go to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors (my brother visited, of course, as he was there a whole year...I was just there about 10 days to visit).
China is a place that I am very glad I went once, but am not sure I would go to again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We'd probably only do Africa if it was a safari (no Egypt), and think Australia is just too far away for a week or two. As for Asia, we'd do Japan again, but would skip China, Korea and India.

Why? Do you just not have an interest in these countries?

We love Japan and (because?) we have good friends there. DH travels a ton and got the food poisoning of his life in Korea so it's jaded me and his stories of India are not at all endearing (except of course the Taj Mahal).

Anonymous wrote:We'd probably only do Africa if it was a safari (no Egypt), and think Australia is just too far away for a week or two. As for Asia, we'd do Japan again, but would skip China, Korea and India.

Why? Do you just not have an interest in these countries?

We'd probably only do Africa if it was a safari (no Egypt), and think Australia is just too far away for a week or two. As for Asia, we'd do Japan again, but would skip China, Korea and India.

Anonymous wrote:Egypt - the tombs and temples in Upper Egypt are more amazing than you can even imagine. Could be combined with a trip to Jerusalem - so much history, regardless of your religious leanings.

(not the OP)-- I think Egypt would be awesome, I wouldn't go there right now given the current political climate/instabilty there.

Australia. Beautiful country, friendly people, cool animals...far away but totally worth it.