There’s no need to wait until the summer to enjoy a family holiday, you can make the most of the school holidays and travel with kids in winter. Leave the winter blues behind at home and head off for an adventure, you might want to escape the cold weather and choose a beach holiday or perhaps you want to embrace the snow and go on a family skiing holiday. If you are looking for some inspiration I have some ideas of top destinations to travel to with kids in winter, some are budget-friendly too.

Top Destinations To Travel To With Kids 

Valencia

Valencia is a Spanish city that is just perfect for families, there’s a wealth of activities and attractions that kids and adults will both enjoy. The weather is cooler during January and February, still warm enough to sit outside during the day but not too hot for the little ones. The tourist website VisitValencia lists lots of ideas of places to visit that are ideal for families, Valencia Bioparc for the animal lovers, and Aquopolis water park for the thrill-seekers amongst them.

If it’s just a short break you want to take then you can still pack in so much in 3 days in Valencia because it is a city you can know deeply in a few days. There are guided tours available if you want to learn all about the history of the city, or the amazing Oceanografic – the largest aquarium in Europe and plenty of beautiful beaches. Planning is essential if you want to make the most of a short stay.

If you are planning on visiting any of the attractions then you can save yourself some money with a Valencia Tourist Card for children. The card comes in three formats, 24,48, and 72 hours and includes free transport on the metro, buses, and trams, free entry to public museums, and discounts of up to 50% on leisure activities too. But the kids are not the only ones with those benefits as adults and parents can get their own Tourist cards.

Costa Rica

If you want to enjoy some sunshine this winter and don’t mind a long-haul airplane trip with kids then Costa Rica is the place to be. Winter in Costa Rica in the dry season making it the perfect time to visit if you want to enjoy lots of family time lounging on the beaches or exploring the rainforests.

There are lots for families to see and do including the Arenal Volcano National Park, the children’s museum – Museo de Los Ninos, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Costa Rica is full of family-friendly resorts and is an ideal beach holiday destination for some winter sun.

Austria

If you fancy a snowy holiday packed with lots of winter activities for the kids then Austria is your destination. Many of the family-friendly ski resorts offer baby ski courses, toboggan runs, heated swimming pools, and lots more. There are also lots of fun attractions that kids will love outside of the resorts like the Arena Coaster, Innsbruck Alpine Zoo, the Natural Ice Palace at Hintertux Glacier, and the Highline179  which is the longest suspension footbridge in the world.

Skiing holidays don’t have to be expensive either with some planning and budgeting and shopping around for the best packages can make the trip more affordable.

Tenerife

With its year-round warm temperatures, family-friendly accommodation, and water parks it’s the perfect place for some winter sun. It’s just a 4-hour flight from the UK and has some of the most family-friendly beaches of the Canary Islands. There’s the Blue Flag Las Vistas in Las Christianos with its golden sands and shallow waters or the calm flat waters of  Fañabe, a protected bay.

There are lots of fun attractions for the whole family to enjoy like Aqualand outdoor water park and dolphinarium, Siam Park, a Thai-themed adventure park, and for a little bit of culture, there’s the Museum of Science and the Cosmos. Entry to some of the museums and national parks is free and there are lots of great value places to eat too. Tenerife is a fantastic budget-friendly destination for a winter holiday.

There are so many other great options for a winter break with kids but I hope I’ve given a few ideas to start with. With some planning and research, you can easily find a holiday to suit whatever budget you have.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post, see our disclosure policy for more information.

FOR MORE POSTS LIKE THIS SEE OUR FAMILY LIFESTYLE ARCHIVE.