We explore exciting international destinations in this episode of our 2025 Family Vacation Travel Trends and Ideas Series.
We’ve compiled the top 2025 travel lists from Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Fodor’s, Thrillist, and other leading travel sites to highlight the best international destinations for creating unforgettable family memories this year.
For more family vacation inspiration, check out all the podcast episodes. Adventure Awaits!
2025 Vacation Ideas: Africa
Marrakech is generating lots of excitement in 2025. Thrillist notes that “when in Marrakech, Marrakech IS the main attraction.” They describe it as “an electric blend of color, scent, and sound, where the lively medina contrasts with the tranquility of hidden riads.” Travel + Leisure adds that the city will become even more accessible in 2025 with “new non-stop flights on United from Newark.”
Check out our Family Travel Podcast and articles on Marrakech and Morocco.
Travel + Leisure recommends Luxor, Egypt, if you’re looking for cultural immersion.
Condé Nast Traveler highlights the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania as a must-visit destination for families seeking something extraordinary. They note, “one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas has long been a top-tier safari destination with great new camps & lodges opening in this stunning location.” The best time to visit is “during the dry season, from June through October.” Consider combining this with a beach break in Zanzibar.
Check out the Podcast Episode on Tanzania for more details.
BBC has Botswana on its 25 Best Places to Travel list. Botswana has been hailed as Africa’s leader in green safari tourism. Its natural beauty includes the “Elephant Capital of the World”, Chobe National Park, and the Unesco-listed Okavango Delta, a vast wetland in the Kalahari Desert that is one of the world’s last havens for cheetahs and the black rhinoceros. The Okavango Delta will also see several new openings, including the 100% solar-powered Mbamba Camp, a luxury lodge offering a blend of comfort and family-friendly wildlife adventures that’s slated to open in April 2025.
For something truly unique, Fodor’s suggests Hermanus, South Africa—”two hours outside of Cape Town, a charming seaside city on the Western Cape, the best land-based whale watching in the world between June and December.”
See our Podcast Episode with the South Africa Tourism Board, which talks about how great it is for families. A common first-timer route would include Johannesburg, Cape Town, and a Safari experience. One of the best itineraries for families is the Garden Route, an epic road trip along the southern coast of the African continent.
Condé Nast Traveler suggests it as a “cheap place to travel in 2025,” including South Africa, where favorable exchange rates help your travel dollars go further.
2025 Vacation Ideas: Europe
Travel + Leisure highlights Rome on its Where to Go List this year. It will be extra special as “the Jubilee, which occurs every 25 years, is on the Catholic calendar for 2025.” We have lots of information on Rome Family Vacations for you.
Forbes has Amsterdam on its Top 25 List for 2025. The city celebrating its 750th anniversary on October 27, 2025, and kicked off a year of parties, festivals, concerts, and art exhibits in October 2024. One of the big events is taking place on Saturday, 21 June, the longest day of the year, on a 15-kilometer car-free Ring A10. We also have lots of great Amsterdam Family Vacations.
For something off the beaten path, Fodor’s recommends Camargue, France – “a rugged corner of Provence, complete with wild bulls and cowboys.” They paint an enchanting picture: “Black-tipped flamingos soar over a shimmering landscape where longhorn bulls and white horses with flowing manes run semi-free.”
Travel + Leisure also suggests Lisbon and the Algarve, Portugal, for its “great city and some of Europe’s most beautiful beaches and charming towns.”
Malta is another Mediterranean gem gaining attention. TravelZoo notes that it is featured in Gladiator II and offers “historic cities, quaint villages, hidden coves, and coastal cliffs.”
For a unique Nordic adventure, Fodor’s recommends Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, describing it as “a sanctuary of puffins and stunning cliffs.” They explain that “the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago—also known as the Westman Islands—is a chain of islands formed by underwater volcanic eruptions over 11,000 years ago. Heimaey is the largest of the islands and the only inhabited one, reachable by a 40-minute ferry.”
If you’re traveling to Europe this year, new entry requirements apply to the UK and mainland Europe.
- UK—An ETA is now required for entry or a layover in the UK. It’s easy to apply for, costs approximately $13, and is valid for two years.
- Europe—An ETIAS visa application for short-term stays in Europe is expected to launch in May of this year. The application costs $7, covers multiple entries into countries for 90 days, and is valid for 3 years.
2025 Vacation Trends Ideas: Asia
Japan is getting special attention in 2025. TravelZoo notes that while exploring Japan can feel overwhelming, “the destination lends itself better to immersion than efficiency.” They specifically recommend “planning a trip to coincide with the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, running from spring to fall.”
2025 Vacation Ideas: South America
Condé Nast Traveler highlights an interesting alternative to traditional Peruvian destinations: “While Machu Picchu gets most of the attention, over 60 percent of Peru is blanketed by the Amazon rainforest. It’s here, in the lungs of our planet, that you’ll find new adventures to plan a trip around in 2025.”
Fodor’s also recommends Colca Canyon, Peru. They note that it is ” often missed for its renowned neighbor, Machu Picchu,” but it is “one of the deepest canyons in the world with soaring condors and Inca terraces.”
Check out our Peru Podcast with Giardino Tours for more on family vacations in Peru.
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For more family vacation inspiration, tune in to all the podcast episodes. Adventure Awaits!