If you travel with kids, then you may have found cheap family vacations more difficult to arrange in recent years. The price hikes for trips during school breaks are well documented, but there’s also the steady upward trajectory of the costs of food, accommodation and entry to attractions — all of which add up when you are traveling as a family.
But it’s not all doom and gloom: thankfully there are ways to make your hard-earned cash go further while you explore the world together. Here are 10 tips for planning a family holiday on a budget.

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Master the art of off-peak travel when possible © Elizaveta Galitckaia / Shutterstock

1. Timing is everything
Last-minute deals don't tend to exist during the school holidays, and those that do are usually to less desirable places. If your kids are in school then you’ll know their term dates far in advance; use this information to book months or even years ahead, when prices are still relatively low due to the lack of demand. If your kids aren’t in school yet or you educate them at home, make the most of traveling outside the peak periods, when costs are low and crowds fewer.
2. Use your parenting networks
Baby groups may have kept you sane through the newborn haze — but that collective wisdom extends beyond moral support and diaper-changing techniques. Quiz fellow parents about trips they’ve taken, how much they cost and what they would do differently to save money next time. Likewise in the online world there are plenty of forums and family travel bloggers ready and willing to give you their budget tips on destinations they have visited.

Find your own path on your next family vacation © Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

3. Take your family off the beaten track
It’s basic economics: the higher the demand, the higher the price. One solution? Get off the beaten track. Avoid tourist hotspots and opt instead for somewhere less trendy or famous; think rural Lazio over Tuscany, Adelaide over Sydney and Maine over California. With a bit of research, you’ll find fun things to do with the kids and enjoy the luxury of not having to battle through masses of other people to get ice cream or a family selfie. Plus, you’ll acquire the kudos that comes with being just that bit more adventurous.
4. Turn the journey into an adventure
Save money on a night’s accommodation and create memories you will all treasure by traveling to your destination (or between two points on your itinerary) in a different way. Taking an overnight train or ferry (or even bus if you’re brave enough) is a huge event for kids and a story they will retell again and again when back home. Alternatively, a family road trip using your own vehicle avoids the cost of hefty air fares and rental cars.
Read more: How to plan the perfect big family holiday

Contact your apartment hosts to see if they’re kid-friendly © Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

5. Make the most of other people’s toys
While staying in a hotel certainly removes the strain of cooking and cleaning, self-catering options such as HomeAway, Love Home Swap or Airbnb are often a much more cost-effective option for families. Renting a house or apartment also provides more space for those who need it (teens in particular welcome extra privacy). You can often find places with toys, games, high chairs or whatever else your family may need. Youth hostels with family rooms are also an affordable alternative to hotels and will introduce kids to other travelers.
Read more: 7 best US national parks to visit with kids

The best things in life are free – and often beautiful © Natalia Deriabina / Shutterstock

6. Embrace the great outdoors
Kids tend to love spending time in the fresh air, which is great news for penny-pinching parents. Plan day trips that involve nature walks rather than expensive attractions; find the local playground so your little ones can meet other children and take a picnic to avoid restaurant prices. Another great way to save money while exploring the great outdoors is to camp. It allows kids to be truly immersed in nature while also getting involved with some basic chores (e.g. post-BBQ clean-up) so it’s a win-win really — and worth trying at least once, even if you think you won’t like it.
7. Family discounts are your friend
While you can’t necessarily take advantage of big group discounts, there are many little ways families can use the power of numbers. You may be able to get a discount pass for local transport, find family coupons online for the attractions you want to see and take advantage of marketing campaigns such as kids-go-free weeks for theatres or big exhibitions that don’t charge entry for children.

Plan ahead to catch special events and festivals like the Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai © Pat138241 / Getty Images

8. Stick to the essentials
Anyone trying to save money knows it’s those little extras that really add up and the same applies when you are traveling with kids. Take refillable water bottles, buy ice creams by the pack in a local supermarket and read up on the sites you are visiting before you go to avoid paying extra for audio guides, activity packs or special exhibitions. Having an "eyes only" policy for gift shops can also help keep extra spending at bay.
Read more: The 10 best sustainable trips for families

Eat up kids, the BBQ’s on Grandpa! © Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

9. Change your family’s travel habits
Instead of trying to get away every time the kids have a break from school, consider going less frequently but for longer, thereby consolidating the cost of getting away in the first place. If you’re able to work remotely, you could travel for months, rather than weeks. Alternatively, consider the much-hyped "staycation". Switching off and pretending you are on holiday while exploring your local area can be a fun family challenge. You could also try reconnecting with forgotten aunties who might just love to have your whole family descend on her for a week, or convincing grandparents that the perfect way to spend quality time with their grandchildren (and help you out in the process) is to join you on holiday.
10. Manage your expectations
If an all-inclusive luxury resort or long-haul trip is beyond your bank balance, then it’s time to rethink what you really need to have an incredible experience when you travel. Could you swap a pricey villa with an infinity pool for cheaper digs and the beach or public pool? Remember — kids are pretty easy to please and most will embrace any adventure you take them on, big or small. While it may take more planning and patience to travel on a shoestring with kids in tow, it is certainly doable and the collective challenge will benefit the whole family.

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10 tips for planning an affordable family vacation

Escaping to the Caribbean for Christmas and swapping snow for sun, sand and tropical drinks sounds like a great way to bring some joy to the holiday season.
December weather in the Caribbean is particularly dry, with a “Christmas breeze” that locals wait for all year. From proximity and nonstop flights to affordable lodging, unique cultural festivities and an ideal party/relaxation balance, here are five Caribbean destinations to spend Christmas this year.

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Trade-in snow for sand and warm waters during this holiday season © SW Kunst / Getty Images

1. Jamaica: fresh sorrel, fruit cake and reggae fests
The best part of Christmas in Jamaica is the food. The markets are livelier than ever with the season's favorite fruit – sorrel – in high demand. Feast on seasonal specialties like curried goat or ham with rice and beans, fruit cake and sorrel juice made with a hint of ginger and rum.
Top 15 beaches in Jamaica

Introducing the Dominican Republic

2. Dominican Republic: waterfalls, free concerts and nightlife
The season is particularly festive in the Dominican Republic, where Christmas holidays are celebrated through music, shopping and food. In Santo Domingo, shopping malls are beautifully decorated and host indoor arts and crafts markets featuring locally made products.
In the Zona Colonial, you’ll find live music daily, with free concerts beside Plaza Espana ’s giant Christmas tree every weekend evening.
In Puerto Plata, beaches and resorts are less crowded and outdoor adventures are plentiful. Hike to waterfalls in the countryside, tour a chocolate factory and witness the Christmas Eve tradition of pig roasting overnight. Dancing merengue and bachata until sunrise is also tradition so head to a few local bars or nightclubs for a little practice.
Sample Christmas dishes on or off your resort — pasteles en hoja are like tamales, made with plantain dough, stuffed and wrapped in a green plantain leaf. And don't forget to sample Dominican ponche.

Tobacco Caye is a perfect destination to escape the colder temps © Simon Dannhauer / Getty Images

3. Belize: rainforests, culture and cayes
Christmas in Belize is a chance to experience some of its unique cultural events, while island hopping and hiking in rainforests. Lodging also remains reasonably priced, as more tourists visit in January and February.
Stay at a riverside lodge in Burrell Boom or in Crooked Tree Village, outside Belize City, for a traditional Kriol Christmas dinner of turkey with cranberry jelly, rice and beans, ham, potato salad, black cake and rum popo. On Boxing Day, head to the Burrell Boom horse races or to the Brukdong Bram celebration in Gales Point.
In Dangriga, Christmastime draws junkanu and charikanari dancers to the streets. Charikanari is a hunting dance; participants wear headdresses resembling a cow’s head, with real horns, and hunt a  “two foot” cow, dancing and teasing the crowds in the street.
Afterwards, hop to affordable Tobacco Caye for snorkeling and relaxation along Belize’s Barrier Reef.

Head to the Bahamas during the holidays to celebrate the country's biggest festivals of the year © Marc Guitard / Getty Images

4. The Bahamas: Junkanoo, shopping and seclusion
The Bahamas’ annual Christmas Junkanoo Festival on Boxing Day is one of the best reasons to visit. The colorful parade in Nassau, the largest of all on the archipelago, welcomes everyone on the islands to dress up and dance in the streets.
Christmas shopping attracts arts-and-crafts vendors from around the islands to Nassau. Visit Festival Place at Prince George Wharf for locally made items. Port Lucaya Market on Grand Bahama also just reopened. When you’re ready to escape the crowds, hop over to Eleuthera, Bimini or any of the Out Islands except for the Abacos, which remain closed after Hurricane Dorian.
Add proximity to the US, numerous nonstop flights, plus the chance to contribute to The Bahamas’ recovering tourism industry and Christmas in the Bahamas is a no brainer.
Top 5 road trips in The Bahamas

Christmas is a major holiday in Puerto Rico © TexPhoto / Getty Images

5. Puerto Rico: parties, old world charm and wild beaches
For either parties or seclusion at an affordable price, head to Puerto Rico. It’s an easy flight from the US, with no passport required for US citizens.
Overnight in Old San Juan explore its charming streets for shopping, history and food and dance away to live salsa or bomba.
Vieques is an easy hop on the ferry from Fajardo; arrive early to ensure availability. You should also book your rooms and car rentals in advance. Continue the holiday party vibe on the busier side of Vieques in Esmeralda, or escape into the hills near wild black sand beaches.

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Every year people throughout the US mark National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, when the contributions of Hispanic countries to the making of American art and identity are celebrated.
People whose families and ancestors came from South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Spain and Mexico celebrate their part in creating the rich and diverse culture of the US. Their work and influence is felt all over America, in every aspect of life from music to literature to sport, art and food.
The month has many significant dates starting on September 15, the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. This date commemorates these countries' declaration of independence from Spain in 1821. Mexico celebrates independence day on September 16 and Chile on September 18. Throughout the US and specifically in Hispanic communities there are special celebrations throughout the month. Here are some places with big plans over the next four weeks.

GALA Hispanic Theatre in Washington, DC produces a wide range of performances for the Latino community © Tommy Barrios / GALA Hispanic Theatre

GALA Hispanic Theatre – Washington, DC
Founded in 1976, this bilingual theater company has thrived in DC. The theatre has put on more than 200 productions, from contemporary Latin American plays to original musicals and more.
While many productions are more geared towards adults, GALA also offers GALita — a program of bilingual productions for younger audiences. The theatre also has a matinee program for students, with affordable ticket prices, study guides for students and teachers, script printouts, and a post-performance talk sure to shed light on any questions from the kiddos.
For the month of September 2022, the theatre is staging Revoltosa, The Troublemaker a play from Spain about upturning traditions.
Plan your trip to DC with your kids

The Domino Park in Little Havana sees locals gather every day to play dominos © Fotoluminate LLC / Shutterstock

Little Havana – Miami
For a solid education on a variety of Latinx cultures, a trip to Miami is a must. But if you’re hoping to educate yourself on Cuban culture, you’ll want to head straight for Little Havana. This small, vibrant neighborhood is home to several popular Cuban places of interest, such as the Cubaocho Museum, Maximo Gomez (Domino) Park, and the Latin Walk of Fame.
You can also stop into any number of eateries in the neighborhood (including the ever-famous Versailles) so your little ones can experience authentic Cuban cuisine (delicious Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Honduran eateries are also present here). And finally, if you’re able, definitely visit during Viernes Culturales, a free art walk down Calle Ocho where your family can enjoy live music, dancing, galleries, and more.
Spend the perfect weekend in Miami

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El Museo del Barrio is located in Harlem © Dan Herrick / Lonely Planet

El Museo del Barrio – New York
There are few places where one can view over 800 years worth of Latinx art, but one such place is El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem. Created out of a collective frustration at the lack of Latinx representation in mainstream museums, the museum now features a permanent collection of more than 6500 objects that serve to spread awareness of the history and culture of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The museum’s next large-scale exhibition Reynier Leyva Novo: Methuselah virtually reproduces the 6000-mile migration of a single monarch butterfly. The exhibit will begin online September 22 and open in person October 27, 2022 through March 26, 2023.
Aside from their exhibitions, El Museo also offers bilingual programs, workshops and public lectures you can attend with your kids to further their education. Stay local afterwards and head to Cascalote Latin Bistro and make sure to order a glass of fresh watermelon juice - made on the premises, you will want to bottle it and bring home.
Plan a great New York City getaway

The architecturally beautiful National Hispanic Cultural Center in New Mexico © Alamy

National Hispanic Cultural Center - Albuquerque
This center, in one of New Mexico 's most architecturally imaginative buildings, is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of Hispanic culture and arts. Located in the historic Barelas neighborhood, the center holds three galleries used for fine arts exhibitions, performances and salsa classes.
Visitors can currently appreciate a selection of work including the Tempo y Tiempo: 4 Photographers in New Mexico exhibit, featuring photographs from Frank Blazquez, Bobby Gutierrez, Pico del Hierro-Villa, and Ximena Montez. Stop off at Pop Fizz for an all-natural and organic Paleta, the cherry lemonade flavor hits the spot.
You don't have to be in New Mexico to appreciate the exhibitions from the NHCC. The center's many virtual offerings can be found here.
Maybe find a museum sleepover in one of these great cities

Chicano Park murals in San Diego telling the story of the local Colombian community © Barrie Logan / Getty

Chicano Park – San Diego
Located in Barrio Logan, Chicano Park is a location of great significance to the Mexican-American community of San Diego. In the early 1900s, this area was a thriving, middle-class Latinx neighborhood, but because of a number of changes (including the construction of a major freeway), the barrio began to lose its appeal.
The land where the park now stands was once slated to become a highway patrol station, but local Chicanos put a stop to that and had the government create the park instead. Today, the park is home to numerous murals telling the story of Chicanos from Pre-Colombian times to the present, as well as the location for Chicano Park Day — a free celebration featuring music, art, food, cars, vendors, and more that is held in April.
Where will you go to San Diego with your kids?

With one of the largest collections of Mexican art in the country, Chicago's National Museum of Mexican Art is worth a lengthy visit © Jeff Greenberg / Getty Images

National Museum of Mexican Art – Chicago
Located in the predominantly Mexican Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art is one of the top art museums in the nation spotlighting the work of Mexican and Chicano artists from Mesoamerica to the present.
You’ll have to spend a few hours (if not days) to take it all in; the artifacts from Michoacan, the posters of the Chicano Movement, the classic paintings and contemporary photography by Mexican and Mexican-American artists. Moreover, the museum offers learning opportunities for families, including a bilingual summer camp, weekend and after-school art programs, workshops and more.
Chicago is a great city to take your kids

Balmy Alley in the heart of San Francisco's The Mission © Enrique Moran / 500px

Calle 24 Latino Cultural District – San Francisco
While a trip to San Francisco’s Mission District would in and of itself provide a great education on Latinx culture, if you’re short on time, head straight to the Calle 24 sector. This 12-city-block-wide slice of the Mission is run by an all-volunteer group that aim to preserve the rich, cultural Latinx heritage of the area by advocating for local Latinx small businesses and speaking out against gentrification. After take them to La Espiga De Oro for a famous Mission burrito.
Take a tour of the area and you’ll run into several notable spaces like Cafe La Boheme (a Palestinian-founded cafe and now an artistic hub for Central American immigrants), the Brava Theatre (a company promoting theatrical works by women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA community) and Galeria La Raza (an art gallery and event space for workshops, poetry readings, and more).
It’s also home to Acion Latina (a nonprofit showcasing Latinx performing, literary and visual arts), plenty of p anaderías (Latinx bakeries), restaurants (with cuisine from Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and more), parks, shops and vibrant murals.
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Packed with iconic museums and monuments, together with low-key treasures cherished by locals, Paris is a city that emanates"la belle vie" (the good life).
Away from the highlights – the Louvre, Notre Dame and Eiffel Tower – Parisian life ticks along with a coffee on a terrace, a bike ride along the Seine, and wine-fueled lunches with friends in noisy bistros. Blending the blockbuster experiences with these local delights is the key to experiencing the best of Paris. Here are the top things to do.

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1. See the Eiffel Tower at night
Dodge the habitual daytime crowd zig-zagging up the Eiffel Tower ’s southern-pillar staircase or cruising by lift to the top-floor champagne bar, and experience Paris’ signature spire after dark instead.
Planning Tip: Gastronomic dining in the company of the most beautiful city panorama at Le Jules Vernes, ensnared within Eiffel’s hypnotic metal web on the 2nd floor, is Michelin-starred and magical. But for smoldering, eyeball-to-eyeball views of the so-dubbed Dame de Fer or Iron Lady herself – illuminated at night – enjoy a date night beneath the stars at the summer rooftop bar atop La Shangri-La Paris. Afloat on the Seine, take in the Eiffel Tower views from boat bar Chez Mila or fine-dining bateau Ducasse sur Seine.
2. Be surprised by the artworks at Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
There’s a secret to exploring the city’s latest blockbuster art venue, that opened in May 2021 in an 18th-century rotunda where the city’s grain market and stock exchange once were. Reserve tickets online, book lunch in the top-floor Halles aux Graines restaurant run by legendary French chefs Michel and Sébastien Bras, and keep your wits about you when admiring the contemporary art in this world-class collection by French billionaire François Pinault.
The exquisite "marble" replica of a late-Renaissance Giambologna sculpture in the central hall (actually a gargantuan, slow-burning wax candle by Swiss artist Urs Fischer), the pesky "pigeons" perched on the balustrade above, the "cushions" strewn on the occasional chair throughout are not what they seem. This mischievous new gallery has been designed to shock and surprise.

Marché des Enfants Rouges is packed with food stalls © Elena Dijour / Shutterstock

3. Sample local life at Paris' markets
Nothing reveals the backstreet grit and grind of local life quite like Paris’ stash of intoxicating markets. Most neighborhoods have one and Bastille’s morning street marché on Blvd Richard Lenoir is a brilliant introduction. When hunger strikes, swing through the inconspicuous green metal gate on rue de Bretagne, 3e, in nearby Le Marais to uncover Marché des Enfants Rouges. This is the city’s oldest covered market, dating from 1615, with a maze of food stalls cooking up Moroccan couscous, Japanese bento, Thai curries and other world cuisines. Order a stuffed- and sizzled-to-order toasted sandwich or galette (savoury crêpe) from gregarious Alain at Chez Alain Miam Miam, then grab a pew to lunch with locals around communal tables.
To peek into the makings of a Parisian home, ride metro line 13 north to Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen. A village in itself, this gargantuan nine-hectare flea market – Europe’s largest – is where thrifty Parisians gravitate at weekends to hunt down chintzy Louis XVI lamps, rare and wondrous vinyl, avant-garde fittings and furniture, antiques and other second-hand treasures for their city-sleek apartments.
4. Wander through Paris' history at Musée Carnavalet
With its photogenic twinset of hôtels particuliers (private mansions) smacking of 17th-century Parisian aristocracy and labyrinth of lavish rooms spanning time, the Musée Carnavalet in Le Marais is an enchanting rendezvous with history. The architecture alone at Paris’ oldest museum, open since 1880, plunges you straight into the Renaissance.
Thanks to a four-year redesign costing more than €55 million, visiting the Musée Carnavalet is a sharp, immersive, chronological waltz through the glittering story of Paris, from prehistory to the terrorism-troubled 21st century. Some 3800 of 625,000 historical pieces – paintings, sculptures, furniture, signs, posters, models, coins, toys, musical instruments, erotica – adorn rooms perfectly styled to reflect each era. The most spectacular – the lavish painted ceilings, gilt and stucco of the Salons La Rivière (1652–56), Hôtel Wendel’s Art Deco ballroom, Fouquet’s Art Nouveau jewelry shop – are the Real McCoy, uprooted from their original location to the museum for safekeeping.
Planning Tip: Admission to the permanent collection is free and doesn't need to be booked in advance. End in the museum cafe, with tables enchantingly scattered in the manicured courtyard garden.

Turn your visit to the Louvre into a treasure hunt © Pigprox / Shutterstock

5. Go on a treasure hunt at the Louvre
It would take nine months to simply glance at all 35,000-odd masterpieces at the Musée du Louvre, home to one of the world’s finest collections of western art. Join a ThatMuse scavenger hunt to make best sense of the overwhelmingly gargantuan palace-gallery, built as a fortress for Philippe-Auguste in the 12th century and rehashed as a swish royal residence in the mid-16th.
Planning Tip: Hunts are themed, a huge hit with families, and lead you into quieter rooms well beyond the over-crowded likes of Da Vinci’s celebrity Mona Lisa or Michelangelo’s Dying Slave. Count between two and three hours to track down, and snap a photo as evidence, up to 30 artworks – the "pieces of treasure". Decamp afterwards to Café Le Nemours, one of Paris’ most mythical cafes with an elegant terrace beneath arches, for a coffee or organic Alain Millat peach juice and classic Parisian jambon et fromage baguette sandwich (or something fancier).
6. Tour the historic Cimetière du Père Lachaise
Gawping at ornate tomb art while paying your respects to 70,000 rich, famous and infamous buried in the world’s most-visited cemetery is a riveting urban walk. The historic graveyard, open since 1804, is one of central Paris’ biggest green spaces, with 5300 trees and shrubs, and magnificent 19th-century sculptures by artists such as David d’Angers, Hector Guimard, Visconti and Chapu. Visit on a sunny day after the rain to experience this unexpected green oasis at its most lush.
Planning Tip: To scout out the iconic graves of 1960s rock star Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf et al, scan the QR code inside the cemetery’s Blvd de Ménilmontant entrance to access a map; or hook up with entertaining cemetery historian Thierry Le Roi. His two-hour guided tours are legendary in their own right.

You can explore Monet's paintings at several museums in Paris © Kiev.Victor / Shutterstock

7. Explore Monet's artworks at museums across the city
Which art lover can resist Monet’s signature water lilies? Exhilaratingly gargantuan and immersive, his lilies fill two oval rooms – designed by Monet himself in the 1920s – at the Musée de l’Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuileries.
More Monet masterpieces rub shoulders with paintings by Cézanne, Degas, Renoir and Van Gogh in the Musée d’Orsay, displaying world-class art from 1848 to 1914 in a resplendent 1900-built train station by the Seine. But the real gold lies off the trodden tourist trail, at the unsung Musée Marmottan Monet. Quietly at home in an intimate, Empire-style hôtel particulier in the residential 16e arrondissement, this is where the world’s largest collection of canvases by Monet can be found.
8. Look up at Paris' iconic rooftops
Talk of inscribing Paris’ iconic rooftops on Unesco’s World Heritage List has been rumbling for years. Begin your rooftop foray at ground level on place des Vosges, laid out as Place Royale in Le Marais in 1612. It's the city’s oldest square – and the most handsome. This is an ideal spot to admire Paris’ signature roofs from below, originally tiled in slate from the nearby Loire Valley and, from the mid-19th century, with cheaper sheets of shiny seagull-grey zinc.
Local Tip: A 10-minute walk away on trendy Rue Vieille du Temple, 3e, fashionistas hobnob over cocktails, barbecued meats and weekend brunch at Au Top, a hidden rooftop with an insane 360-degree panorama. Le Perchoir Marais is the other unmissable rooftop in the neighborhood.
Other Parisian-packed venues to swoon over the city’s romantic skyline: the viewing terrace of department store Galeries Lafayette, Perruche above Le Printemps, cocktail and DJ hub Le Perchoir in the 11e, and farm-to-fork Le Perchoir, at home on Europe’s largest urban farm in the 15e on – guess what – a rooftop.

Taking slow walks through the city is part of the Paris experience © LUMIKK555 / Shutterstock

9. Take a leisurely stroll like a Parisian flâneur
When 19th-century town planner Georges Eugène Haussmann bulldozed the medieval city’s cobweb of dank, narrow alleys in the 1850s to create an elegant, light-filled capital of broad tree-shaded boulevards and squares, he clearly had Parisian flânerie (strolling at leisure) in mind. Left-bank St-Germain des Prés, right-bank Le Marais and Jardin du Luxembourg are classic areas for slow, indulgent walks. Or hook up with Explore Paris on a wildly creative themed walking tour such as operatic strolls with a singer in Montmartre, Chinese Belleville, or gourmet walks in Goutte d’Or.
Planning Tip: For monumental grandeur around every corner, kick off on the viewing platform of Arc de Triomphe, stroll shop-lined Champs-Elysées to obelisk-pierced Place de la Concorde, and cut through Jardin des Tuileries to arch-pierced Place du Carrousel. Admire the Louvre, with its striking glass pyramid, then duck beneath the arches to Place Colette with its flashy metro-station entrance threaded with 800 Murano glass beads.
Continue into Jardin du Palais Royal to frolic around Daniel Buren’s signature black-and-white striped columns, browse its upmarket boutique-clad arcades, chill over freshly roasted coffee at hidden Café Kitsuné, and flop on a park bench to watch Paris go by in gorgeous slow motion.
10. Experience village life in Montmartre
Gorging on the spectacular Paris vista that unfolds from the steps of the pearly-white domes of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica – or atop the 300 more steps spiraling up inside the church dome – is a veritable Montmartre moment. But to get under the skin of this fabled quarter of ivy-clad cottages, windmills and artist cafes, it pays to duck down hidden alleys and squares, and explore less-visited streets on the backside of the Butte (as the Montmartre hill is known).
Planning Tip: Reserve a table at clandestine cocktail bar Le Très Particulier, with walled summer garden, in a 19th-century mansion on Ave Junot. Mooch a couple of doors downhill to Villa Leandré at No 23, one of the picturesque cul-de-sacs in Paris with flowery cottage gardens fronting 1920s, terraced brick houses. Another 15 minutes brings you to La Cité Pilleux (45 rue Ganneron, 18e), an equally bucolic dead-end lane with old industrial workshops re-spun as pretty little dwellings.

The platform on the Arc de Triomphe offers some of the best views of Paris © StockBrunet / Shutterstock

11. Take in the views from Arc de Triomphe's viewing platform
The Arc de Triomphe 's sky-high viewing platform is dramatically less crowded than the Eiffel Tower, but with views to rival. The 50m-high (164ft), Roman-style, triumphal arch commemorating Napoléon’s 1805 victory at Austerlitz is also the best spot to get your head around Paris’ Axe Historique (Historical Axis) – a line of historical monuments forming a perfect east-to-west axis through central Paris.
Admire astonishing vistas stretching from the Louvre, Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées (all east), to the Arc de Triomphe’s modern counterpoint, 1980s-built Grande Arche de la Défense (west). Peer down to watch cars twirling around the city’s busiest roundabout encircling the arch and spinning off along one of eight leafy Haussmannian avenues.
12. Eat quality local produce at grassroots restaurants
Grassroots produce – seasonal, locally grown, invariably organic and so freshly harvested that earth still clings to the roots – has never been so important in French cuisine. Chefs in Paris are working harder than ever with small regional producers to elevate taste and quality to even greater heights (not to mention supporting local economies).
Planning Tip: The untouristed 10th arrondissement is becoming increasinly foodie with wildly successful, bistronomie addresses such as Les Résistants and L’Avant Poste.

Take a scenic cruise along the Seine, the heart of Paris © rclassenlayouts / Getty Images

13. Cruise the Seine
Paris’ geographical and spiritual heart is the Seine – it all began on its island twinset after all, with early settlers arriving on Île de la Cité around the 3rd century BCE. Cruising the river with Bateaux-Mouches or aboard a hop-on-hop-off Batobus river boat – part of the city’s public transport system – is a memorable experience. Admire scenic Unesco World Heritage-listed riverbanks, islands, summertime beaches and 37 bridges spanning every architectural era.
Planning Tip: Hopes are high that parts of the river will be clean enough to swim in by 2025. Until then, cool off on hot summer days at floating outdoor pool Piscine Joséphine Baker. Sunset drinks are a rite of passage at floating bar and guinguette (dance hall), Rosa Bonheur sur Seine – as is a dose of contemporary street art a short walk west along the quay to bohemian barge-gallery Fluctuart. To stay on the Seine 24/7, check into floating hotel, Off Paris Seine.
14. Be intoxicated by Paris' cocktail culture
From glam hotel bars to clandestine speakeasies and upcycled hostess bars in South Pigalle, the craft-cocktail scene in Paris is intoxicating. Paris Cocktail Week, held each year in January, is a brilliant introduction. Otherwise, DIY your initiation with a signature Serendipity at Bar Hemingway in the Ritz – a teeny, chic, wood-paneled space where British-born bartender Colin Field has mixed cocktails for more than 25 years. Legend says Hemingway, wielding a machine gun, helped liberate the hotel bar during WWII – following which he knocked back 51 consecutive dry martinis.
Local Tip: Forgotten French liqueurs, zany homemade infusions and inventive syrups are at their finest at Le Mary Céleste, one of Paris’ first bars to pair cocktails with modern French tapas dishes. For summer cocktails, follow a clued-in crowd to Le Pavillon Puebla, a guinguette -styled party space in a rambling 19th-century mansion in beautiful offbeat city park Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

You'll find pieces by independent designers as well as mainstream fashion at shops through Paris © DKS Style / Shutterstock

15. Go shopping at boutiques and fashion stores
Be it your own made-to-measure Louis Vuitton trunk, a heavenly fragranced candle from the world’s oldest candlemaker, or the season’s latest from eco-conscious fashion store Sézane, shopping in Paris is exuberant and exotic. Pick your quartier depending on personal style and goût (taste): Le Marais for workshop boutiques of independent upcoming designers and mainstream fashion, or around Canal St-Martin in the edgier 10e for concept stores, pop-ups and alternative design boutiques.
After 15 years of restoration, to the tune of €750 million, historic department store La Samaritaine is breathtaking in size and beauty. Drooling over the Seine-side building’s original art nouveau and art deco features, including the glass-topped central hall – all impeccably restored by Pritzker Prize–winning Japanese firm Sanaa – is completely fine.
16. Watch movies beneath the stars in summer
Paris is one of the most cinematic cities on earth. Film buffs can poke behind the scenes of art deco movie theater Le Grand Rex, lose their soul in a silent B&W movie accompanied by a live pianist music at the Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, or follow in the footsteps of screen star Amélie Poulain in Montmartre.
Summer raises the curtain on romance with movies beneath the stars – deckchairs are scattered on the grass in Parc de la Villette during free film screenings mid-July to mid-August. MK2’s ground-breaking cinema hotel, Hôtel Paradiso in the 12e has designer rooms sporting private cinema screens and a lush green rooftop garden hosting screenings after-dark.
Local Tip: Films screened on a 24m-long screen in the Louvre’s magnificent 16th-century courtyard during July’s four-day Cinéma Paradiso Louvre open-air film fest are always a rip-roaring success.

16 top things to do in Paris: experience the best of this unforgettable city

From forested mountains to windswept shores, historic cities to picture-perfect small towns, Massachusetts packs a lot of beauty and interesting sites into a relatively small area.
If you’re lucky with traffic (by no means a guarantee), you can drive from Boston to the Berkshires or the tip of Cape Cod in a little over two hours, but where’s the fun in hurrying?
Take your time to meander along backroads and byways, admiring the ever-changing views. Stop to savor the state’s bounty, from farm-fresh fruits and vegetables to seafood straight from the ocean.
Wherever you go in Massachusetts, you’ll be surrounded by echoes of the state’s dramatic history and evidence of its endless spirit of creativity and innovation. Here are six great driving routes that showcase the best of the Bay State.

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The Battle Road Byway
Best road trip for history and literature
Arlington-Concord; 15 miles; allow 1-2 days
This short but jam-packed drive follows the approximate route British soldiers took on April 18-19, 1775, as they marched from Boston intending to seize a rumored stash of weapons stored by colonial militia in Concord. Along the way, they met with unexpected resistance in a series of armed clashes that marked the start of the American Revolution.
The route runs through the towns of Arlington, Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, passing historic sites like the Lexington Battle Green where the first shots were fired and Concord's North Bridge, where a larger skirmish took place.
Other attractions in the area include the homes of the 19th-century authors Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott, as well as the Concord Museum and the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln.

Autumn fog in the village of Tyringham in the Berkshires, Massachusetts ©DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

The Berkshire backroads
Best road trip for a mix of nature and culture
Williamstown-Great Barrington; minimum 40 miles; allow 2-4 days
The Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts are one of the state’s most popular year-round recreational destinations. From summer hikes to winter skiing, brilliant fall foliage to world-class arts and culture, the region reveals something interesting around almost every turn.
Pack a picnic of local goodies from the Williamstown Farmers Market and hit the trail. In the summer, there are great events in and around Lenox, including Tanglewood Music Festival and Jacob’s Pillow dance festival, else you can explore some top-notch museums like the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown or the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.
Route 7 is the main north-south road through the Berkshires but there are also worthy side routes leading to natural areas like Mount Greylock State Reservation – home to Massachusetts' highest point – and Hancock Shaker Village, a living history site in Lee.
If you're arriving in or leaving in the region along the Massachusetts Turnpike, get off the highway to travel the roughly parallel 33-mile Jacob's Ladder Scenic Byway (historic Route 20) between Russell and Lee.
Best state parks in Massachusetts

Cross the French King Bridge between Erving and Gill in the Pioneer Valley - but don't forget to stop for photos too © DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

The Mohawk Trail
Best road trip for dramatic views
Williamstown-Orange; 63 miles; allow 1-2 days
Stunning mountain views, rushing rivers, dense forest, rolling farmland, and idyllic small towns all unfold along the Mohawk Trail, New England’s oldest scenic byway. As you descend from the Berkshires to the Connecticut River Valley, panoramic vistas reveal themselves around almost every bend, including a dramatic hairpin turn at Clarksburg.
Highlights along the route include Natural Bridge State Park, the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, and the panoramic vistas of the Connecticut River from French King Bridge. Scenic at any time of year, the drive is particularly spectacular in the fall. Be prepared to share the road with many fellow leaf peepers on an October weekend.
Best lighthouses in Massachusetts
Pioneer Valley ramble
Best road trip for college towns and rural scenery
Northfield to Springfield; approximately 60 miles; allow 1-3 days
New England’s longest waterway, the Connecticut River, meanders through Pioneer Valley, a scenic region of rolling farmland and college towns.
You could zip through on Interstate 91, but getting off the highway reveals an abundance of cultural and historical delights, as well as opportunities to sample the region’s agricultural bounty from some of the valley’s many farmstands.
Visit more than 800 prehistoric dinosaur footprints in Holyoke, swing by the preserved 18th-century village Historic Deerfield, and tour museums dedicated to everything from basketball (invented in Springfield) to beloved children's book illustrators like Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle).
As you travel through the valley, the forest-covered summits of Mount Sugarloaf and the Mount Holyoke and Mount Tom ranges rise on either side of the river. All have excellent hiking trails leading to panoramic viewpoints.
If you have time, detour east of the Pioneer Valley to admire the scenic Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts’ largest source of drinking water. Access via Quabbin Park, at the reservoir’s south end, for trails and an observation tower.

Cape Cod is a great destination for a road trip (even when the weather is wet) © g&l images / Getty Images

Classic Cape Cod
Best road trip for families and coastal pleasures
Bourne-Provincetown round-trip; 128 miles; allow 3-7 days
A renowned summer playground, Cape Cod draws visitors with its spectacular beaches, picturesque lighthouses, and seaside towns. Visitors can savor fresh seafood and browse through quirky local bookstores, antique shops, and art galleries.
Starting at Bourne, this road trip takes you past the elbow to the outer Cape where things become wilder – a world of big skies and sandy dunes sloping down to an endless sea. Route 6 takes you to the Cape’s tip but Route 6A is a more scenic alternative between Sandwich and Orleans. For a quintessential Cape Cod summer experience, pull into a drive-in theater or catch a free outdoor movie on a village green.
If you've got more time, catch the ferry from Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard or Hyannis to Nantucket ( advance ferry reservations are essential for both) and tour the delightful spots on what locals call simply The Islands.
Top things to do in Massachusetts

Salem, on the north coast of Massachusetts, is famous for its witch trials in 1692 and many visitors stop off at the Burying Point Cemetery  © Dan Hanscom / Shutterstock

Around the North Shore
Best road trip for a bit of everything
Salem-Newburyport; 52 miles; allow 1-2 days
Rich in history and gorgeous ocean views, this coastal region north of Boston is an easy day trip from the city. The trick here is to take your time, stopping to stroll along sandy beaches and rocky shores, admire stalwart lighthouses and discover the work of local artists.
Winding along the shore from Lynn, just north of Boston, to Salisbury on the New Hampshire border, the Essex Scenic Coastal Byway – a linked series of secondary roads – passes through many of the most interesting and scenic communities.
Immerse yourself in historic Salem, then follow the coast to Cape Ann, where fishing has been a principal way of life in the Gloucester and Rockport communities for four centuries. Be sure to stop at one of the many clam shacks to sample a New England original – the fried clam, which originated in neighboring Essex.
As you make your way north, you'll find great beach walks and birdwatching opportunities at Halibut Cove in Rockport, Crane Beach in Ipswich, and Plum Island in Newbury.

Top 6 road trips in Massachusetts 

An emerald shore receding behind, a sea breeze in your face, a dolphin surfing the bow wave as escort. The magic begins as soon as you board the ferry from Scotland’s rugged west coast and head for Scotland 's Hebrides islands.
This scattering of more than 50 inhabited and uninhabited islands, islets and skerries is like a world unto itself – thrillingly isolated, wind-battered, sea-smashed  and with a beauty that is off the charts. From the ragged mountains of Skye to the snow-white beaches and cerulean seas of Harris, the mysterious standing stones of Lewis to the whisky heaven of Islay, these islands lift spirits in every possible sense of the expression.

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Some of Europe’s most alluring beaches are on these Scottish islands (but you’ll need to be made of stern stuff to brave the waters and don’t expect to return home with a tan), while remoteness and underpopulation mean that wildlife displaced elsewhere still flourishes. You’re almost guaranteed to see seals and whales; otters, dolphins and porpoises are also regularly sighted.  Seabirds – gannets, fulmars, puffins and more – thrive on jagged coasts, and geese of various species often outnumber residents. That very same isolation – Edinburgh seems another world, and London is outside the Hebridean solar system – means that life has traditionally been a tough, self-reliant affair.
Visiting the Hebrides is about being outdoors. Throughout the islands, there’s great walking, from pacing the sublime sandy beaches of Barra, Tiree or Harris to tackling the rugged challenge of Skye’s Cuillin Hills or the Paps on Jura. To get out on the water, sea-kayaking is a great option on Barra, Skye and other islands. Bicycles are easily taken on ferries, though high winds can make for tough pedaling at times. So lace up the hiking boots, grab binoculars or a paddle, fortify yourself with a local dram and throw yourself into the wilds no matter what hand the weather deals you.

Islay is known for its spectacular scenery as well as the world's best whiskies © Draper White / Getty Images

Visit Islay & Jura to try some of the world’s best whiskies
Mellow, relaxed and so friendly that even passing strangers stop for a wee chat, Islay (‘eye-la’) is the home of several of the world’s best whiskies – many famed for their peatiness – whose names reverberate on the tongue like a pantheon of Celtic deities: Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Kilchoman, Bruichladdich, Bowmore.
Wilder and more rugged, the adjacent island of Jura likes long, dark and low off the coast like a Viking longship and provides a tremendous hit of scenery, with its brooding twin hills, the Paps, providing habitat for an enormous deer population. The ferocious Corryvreckan whirlpool churns away at the north of the island, near where George Orwell wrote 1984. The author summed it up neatly as “a very un-get-at-able place”.
What to do
Top billing goes to the distilleries on Islay and Jura, which have whisky enthusiasts in raptures, among them Ardbeg, with its magnificent 10-year-old, Bowmore, which malts its own barley, Laphroig, where you can taste famously peaty whiskies, and the Isle of Jura Distillery. All welcome visitors and run tours and tastings. More expensive tours throw in more malts and take you further behind the scenes. It’s worth booking in advance online or by calling ahead.
Cracking seafood (langoustines and crabs fresh off the boat, hand-dived scallops, and tasty mussels and oysters), days spent roaming machair-fringed bays lapped by turquoise seas and brilliant wildlife watching (keep an eye out for grey seals, white-tailed sea eagles, barnacle geese and otters) ramp up Islay’s appeal beyond the dram. Hop on Islay Sea Safaris to spot all of Islay and Jura’s distilleries in a single day. Their customized tours from Port Ellen also include birdwatching trips and visits to Jura’s remote west coast and the Corryvreckan whirlpool, one of the most notorious tidal whirlpools in the world.

Whisky barrels stacked at the Bunnahabhain distillery with Jura misty in the background © Matt Gibson / Getty Images

Where to stay
Accommodation is like gold dust on Islay and Jura for the number of visitors they receive in spring and summer, so always book ahead. Get the best of Islay seafood and whisky, as well as seriously comfortable Victorian accommodation, at the Port Charlotte Hotel, or camp or stay in a self-catering cottage at Kintra Farm amid the dunes at the southern end of Laggan Bay.
How to get to Islay
Loganair flies up to three times daily from Glasgow to Islay, and Hebridean Air Services operates twice daily on Thursday from Oban to Colonsay and Islay. There are two ferry terminals: Port Askaig on the east coast, and Port Ellen in the south. Ferries are run by CalMac.
A car ferry shuttles between Port Askaig on Islay and Feolin on Jura. There is no direct car-ferry connection to the mainland. From April to September, Jura Passenger Ferry runs from Tayvallich on the mainland to Craighouse on Jura.
Islay & Jura might be for you if: You’re a fan of whisky and wilderness.
Islay & Jura might not be for you if: You’re looking for serious mountains.

Around only 170 residents permanently reside in Iona, Scotland © keithsutherland / Getty Images

Find mountain drama and holy marvels on Mull and Iona
All of the islands are ravishing, but Mull really hits the scenic high notes, with wild mountains and spectacularly eroded dropping abruptly to startlingly turquoise waters. From great crags of black basalt to blindingly white sands, this is an island for slowing the pace for a spell and wholeheartedly embracing nature.
Birds of prey glide above the highest peaks, otters can be spotted along the shore, while the west coast is good for watching whales, dolphins and porpoises. You’ll for sure see seals, too, both the Atlantic gray (look for its Roman nose) and the common seal (recognizable by its doggy face).
What do do
Mull’s characterful main town, Tobermory, is an instant heart-stealer, with its row of colorful houses, Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust spotlighting local marine life, bijou distillery, excellent restaurant serving sustainable seafood and good old-fashioned pub, near the pier on the harbourfront. Even here, the focus is on the wild outdoors, with hillwalking, whale-watching excursions and boat trips to weird Fingal’s Cave, a 60m-deep chasm of hexagonal pillars, on uninhabited Staffa.
If you’re up for more, you could clamber up 966m Ben More, Mull’s highest peak, and the only island Munro outside Skye, for stirring views out across the islands. Or grab your hiking boots for the adventurous eight-mile return stomp to the phenomenal rock formations of the Carsaig Arches at Malcom’s Point.
A five-minute ferry ride from Fionnphort on Mull, the holy island of Iona weaves its own spell. St Columba sailed from Ireland and landed here in 563, establishing a monastic community with the aim of Christianizing Scotland. Its scriptorium produced some of the most important illuminated manuscripts of the period, including, allegedly, the Book of Kells now in Dublin’s Trinity College. Dotted with majestic stone crosses and monastic ruins, this emerald teardrop of an island is now a place for solitude seekers and pilgrims. The heavily restored abbey is the island’s spiritual heart.
Where to stay
There’s plenty of charming places to stay on Mull, from back-to-nature campsites to B&Bs and luxurious small hotels. For something fancier, Highland Cottage in Tobermory is enchantingly intimate, with antique-filled rooms and a hearty welcome. On a working sheep croft at Iona’s northern tip, the Green Shed is lovely, with eco-friendly self-catering digs decorated with flair and upcycled furniture and riveting sea views.
How to get to Mull
CalMac has three car ferries that link Mull with the mainland: Oban to Craignure (the busiest route), Lochaline to Fishnish and  Tobermory to Kilchoan.
Mull & Iona might be for you if: You love wildlife, mountains and ancient abbeys.
Mull & Iona might not be for you if: You want to just rock up without booking ahead.

Hiking on a trail towards The Old Man of Storr on the Trotternish peninsula © Thomas Janisch / Getty Images

Getting a natural high on the Isle of Skye
The Vikings called it sky-a, or ‘cloud island’, in old Norse, alluding to the clouds that often hovered above the menacing Cuillin Hills, which entice hardcore hikers and mountaineers with some of Scotland’s gnarliest peaks and dizzying views. But even seen from ground level, the Isle of Skye is just stunning. An ethereal light squeezes through the clouds and bathes a rugged splendor that stretches across heather-brushed moors, glittering lochs and sea cliffs razoring above pounding surf.
Skye delivers the kind of big wilderness for which Scotland is so famous – and all neatly packaged into one island. But it’s no secret, so dodge the biggest crowds (and midges) by visiting in spring or autumn. That said, most visitors stick to Portree, Dunvegan and Trotternish – you can always find peace if you’re willing to venture further afield.
What to do
Bring your boots. Hikers are in their element with some of the roughest, toughest and most soul-stirring trails in the country. Ease yourself in gently on short hikes through the remote, boggy, loch-speckled, strikingly beautiful glens of Strath Mor, keeping an eye out for red deer and otters, or on moderately challenging ramble to the Old Man of Storr, an iconic pinnacle of crumbling basalt on the Trotternish Peninsula. Or throw yourself in at the deep end with a pulse-racing, nerve-jangling five-mile trek up 992m Sgùrr Alasdair, the loftiest peak in the Black Cuillin, where dark, fierce fangs of rock punch above the sea. Its summit has sensational views all the way to the isles of Rhum, Eigg and Canna. For rock climbers, the Inaccessible Pinnacle (In Pinn) is the Holy Grail. You might need a guide.
The secluded coves and sparkling sea lochs indenting Skye’s coast are best seen with your bum in a kayak and a paddle in your hand, some say. Whitewave Outdoor Centre and Skyak Adventures get you out on the water.
The outdoors is the big draw, for sure, but when the mist descends or the dreich weather blows in, there’s still plenty to do, from castles like mighty Dunvegan on the vast MacLeod Estate to the fascinating Skye Museum of Island Life, zooming in on the island’s crofting heritage, and jolly pubs where you can shelter from the drizzle with a pint.
Where to stay
Skye is insanely popular and accommodation is therefore plentiful, from camping and glamping to backpacker hostels and high-end hotels. Nevertheless, you should book ahead. Harborside Portree is Skye’s largest and liveliest town, with options ranging from simple, homely B&Bs to the luxe Cuillin Hills Hotel, with broad views out to sea and up to the mountains.
Housed in the old village school, Skyewalker Hostel in Minginish has a cool mix of rooms, glamping huts and a glass-domed outdoor seating area.
How to get to Skye
Skye became permanently tethered to the Scottish mainland when the Skye Bridge opened in 1995. The crossing is free. There are buses from Glasgow to Portree and Uig via Crianlarich, Fort William and Kyle of Lochalsh, plus a service from Inverness to Portree.
Despite the bridge, there are still a couple of ferry links between Skye and the mainland. Ferries also operate from Uig on Skye to the Outer Hebrides. The CalMac ferry between Mallaig and Armadale is very popular on weekends and in July and August. The Glenelg–Skye Ferry runs a tiny vessel (six cars only) on the short Kylerhea to Glenelg crossing.
Skye might be for you if: You are mad about big mountains and hardcore hiking.
Skye might not be for you if: You want to totally escape the crowds.

Spot puffins and more wildlife on the Hebrides islands © Mark Caunt / Shutterstock

Give the world the slip in the Outer Hebrides
When the sun breaks through the clouds on Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles), illuminating the velvet pleats of mountains, bracken-cloaked moors and machair-draped dunes that drop to frost-white sands fizzing into a sea of exquisite turquoise, it’s like witnessing the dawn of creation. Far removed from civilization, there are times you will feel like the last soul on earth here, especially if you come in the hush of spring or autumn. Times when you will forget the century we live in, walking barefoot on mile-long beaches made afresh by the tides, looking for otter footprints, witnessing a fiery sunset after a storm, or foraging for cockles and mussels in rocky bays.
These glorious isles – some just wee specks of rock – are  isolated, windswept, treeless places that have traditionally subsisted on fishing, weaving and livestock, though renewable energy is increasingly big business. You’ll hear the gentle lilt of Scottish Gaelic everywhere here as it’s still a working language.
What to do in the Outer Hebrides
The principal island, its northern half called Lewis and its southern Harris, is a terrific starting point, with out-of-this-world coastal scenery, traditional turf-roofed blackhouses, lonely peat bogs dimpled with lochans and the famous Harris tweed.
Mountainous and virtually roadless, North Harris is the hiking dream. South Harris by turn beguiles with staggeringly lovely white-sand beaches like Luskentyre and Scarista, swirling into jade waters. They are all the more enchanting for often being deserted.
Heading to the far northern tip of Lewis brings you to the lighthouse-topped Butt of Lewis, battered by the North Atlantic. The hinterland is largely desolate peat moorland, glittering with lochans. The island is littered with mysterious prehistoric sites, most famously the late-Neolithic standing stones of Callanish, weighing in at some four and a half millennia, roughly contemporary with the Great Pyramid of Giza, and Dun Carloway, a 2000-year-old, dry-stone broch.
To the south, the lonely Uist islands are prime nature-watching territory and connected by a causeway, while little Barra offers memorable sea-kayaking and the chance to watch the Glasgow flight land on the beach.
Where to stay on the Outer Hebrides
Given how remote they are, there’s a surprisingly great assortment of places to stay in the  Outer Hebrides, from basic campsites and hostels to B&Bs, sleek, architect-designed hotels and eco-friendly beach houses. A lot of accommodation swings with the seasons, closing down during the dark, rainy months from October to March. For hostels with a dash of history and incredible views, check out the Gatliff Hebridean Hostels Trust. Or if you fancy staying in a conserved village of traditional blackhouses on the Isle of Lewis, with the crashing Atlantic as your wake-up call, try Gearrannan Holiday Cottages.
How to get to the Outer Hebrides
Loganair flights operate to Stornoway from Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow. There are also flights (weekdays only) between Stornoway and Benbecula. There are daily Loganair flights from Glasgow to Barra, and from Monday to Saturday to Benbecula. At Barra, the planes land on the hard-sand beach at low tide, so the schedule depends on the tides.
There are two or three CalMac ferries a day to Stornoway, one or two a day to Tarbert and Lochmaddy, and one a day to Castlebay and Lochboisdale (always weather permitting – it can get wild out here!).
The Outer Hebrides might be for you if: You love wild scenery, beaches and prehistory.
The Outer Hebrides might not be for you if: You want more action – it’s remote and quiet here.

The ultimate guide to Scotland's magical Hebrides islands

The Pittsburgh tourism office doesn't call it “KidsBURGH” for nothing. Whether they're exploring local museums or crossing one of the area’s 446 bridges – the most of any town in the world – your kids will love this unique Western Pennsylvania city.
From cruising down where the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers famously meet to screaming for dear life on a zipline 40ft in the air to cheering on the black and gold all year round, your Steel City to-do list will be overloaded with options. These are the best things to do in Pittsburgh with kids.

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Go birdwatching at the National Aviary
At the country’s largest aviary, your kids can see African penguins, Andean condors, bald eagles and more. Whet their appetites by watching the chicks on the peregrine falcon livestream while you travel to the aviary. For an extra-special experience, book an animal encounter at the National Aviary to get one-on-one time with a sloth, hawk, owl and more.
Go on a scavenger hunt at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
See animals from all over the world and teach your kids about conservation at the zoo and aquarium. Check the zoo’s social channels before you head over – you can often find a fun activity advertised, such as an animal-themed scavenger hunt. Also, buy tickets in advance to avoid long lines.
13 free things to do in Pittsburgh
Splash in the fountain in Highland Park
After the zoo, mosey into Highland Park, which surrounds the zoo. It has a playground where kids can unwind and spots for hiking, swimming and, if you brought your bikes, cycling. Kids will appreciate the fountain near Highland Avenue, where they can cause a little mischief as they splash about while you sit down for a well-deserved post-zoo rest.

Enjoy a laser show at the Carnegie Science Center © JHVEPhoto / Getty Images

See the laser show at the Carnegie Science Center's planetarium
Your kids will think they’ve entered a real-life Star Wars with the Buhl Planetarium Laser Show at Carnegie Science Center. Set to music, the lasers seem to shoot around you for an exciting three-dimensional effect. The shows are themed, so you can choose from bands such as Queen and Pink Floyd or even the TV show Stranger Things. (Make reservations beforehand.)
If your kids dislike or have sensitivity to loud music, skip the planetarium and try one of the other experiences at the center, such as exploring a submarine used during the Cold War or walking through the Robot Hall of Fame, where you can find replicas of the world’s most famous robots, like C3PO. ( Star Wars comes full circle!)
Play games at Pinball Perfection
Whether your kids are pinball wizards or novices, they'll adore Pinball Perfection, a museum and arcade with 300-plus pinball machines from all different eras, including a 1933 World’s Fair machine. Do your kids love Star Wars? Then head to the “Star Wars” and “Empire Strikes Back” sections to play games with Force-focused themes. Visit on Friday nights for discounted prices on museum entry and arcade play.
Watch the sunset at North Shore Riverfront Park
Visiting the water steps at North Shore Riverfront Park at dusk is a must. Pack a picnic dinner or grab some takeout, and watch the sun set along the river while your kids explore the steps. They will want to take off their shoes to get their feet wet – it’s OK, everyone does it!

Who knew learning about ketchup could be so much fun? © Chris Hondros / Getty Images

Get hands-on at the Senator John Heinz History Center
An affiliate of the Smithsonian, the Heinz History Center is a great place for parents to take a much-needed timeout. Relax with a coffee in the cafe while watching your kids play on the closed-circuit TV that streams from Kidsburgh.
This interactive station lets kids “milk” a replica cow, design a downtown using models of buildings and stadiums, and serve each other from the play deli. Older kids will appreciate the Heinz history exhibit with the 11ft-tall ketchup bottle and loop of vintage Heinz TV ads.
Learn about a pop-culture icon at the Andy Warhol Museum
With its bright colors and pop-culture references, Andy Warhol’s art speaks to kids, and they can experience it in a new way at the Andy Warhol Museum. Warhol grew up in Pittsburgh, and his museum includes interactive exhibits aimed at kids, such as making a screen test to star in a movie.
Soar above the trees at Go Ape North Park
Does your family like outdoor adventure? At the Treetop Adventure at Go Ape North Park, the ziplines measure up to 440ft long, and you can clamber up platforms up to 40ft high. The park is open to kids 10 and older who are at least 4ft-7in, and kids ages 10 to 15 must be accompanied by at least one adult. Give yourselves at least two to three hours to tackle the park.

Enjoy the Pittsburgh skyline while riding the Duquesne Incline © Jack Elka Photo / Getty Images

Take a funicular up Mt Washington to see the skyline
No visit to Pittsburgh is complete without visiting the Monongahela or Duquesne Incline, two funicular railways that ascend and descend the steep hill to Mt Washington. The inclines originated in the late 1800s to help residents of Mt Washington get around town.
These days, they’re the best way to see a skyline view of the city. They run every 15 minutes so that you can go any time of day. Both views are spectacular, but the Duquesne Incline ride is a bit shorter for younger kids who get fidgety.
Get out on the water with a Gateway Clipper River Cruise
The Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers famously meet in Pittsburgh, and you can ride down all three when you take a Gateway Clipper cruise. It lasts an hour, the perfect amount of time for children, and gives you a full tour of the city, including views of the famous sports stadiums.
Check out the Pittsburgh sports scene
Speaking of the stadiums: no matter what time of year you visit Pittsburgh, it’s always sports season. You can attend a Steelers football game at Heinz Field, watch the Pirates play baseball at PNC Park or cheer on the Penguins during a hockey game at PPG Paints Arena.
All the teams have strong fanbases and loud cheering sections. Not up for a game? You can still enjoy the food and atmosphere near the stadiums and arenas, where you’ll find restaurants galore, including two kid favorites – Federal Galley, which serves sugary Pop Rocks floats, and Threadbare Cider, a cidery for adults with excellent pizza and an oversized Lite-Brite wall for kids.
Get a dose of adrenaline at the amusement parks
Whether you choose Kennywood Amusement Park, Sandcastle or Idlewild Park & SoakZone, your kids will love flying high on the rides. For preschoolers and younger, Thomas Town at Kennywood features the iconic train and all his pals, while Idlewild has Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
Sandcastle is best for steamy summer days when you all want is to cool down on the waterslides and in the wave pool. Try the Cliffhangers, where the slides lead to “sky ponds” (pools suspended in the air).
See cheerful art at Randyland
You can’t beat free, and Randyland is a “museum of happiness” that's fascinating for all ages and charges no admission fees. The artist behind Randyland, Randy Gilson, invites people to walk through his yard and house, where he displays his exuberant art, mostly found objects he paints with cheerful colors and patterns.
There’s space for tired kids to sit, relax and enjoy a snack (bring your own!). In the summer, the courtyard adds a giant sandpit where kids can dig.
What else should I know about visiting Pittsburgh with kids?
Access to bathrooms is always a top concern for parents of younger children, and it can be difficult to find public facilities on the South Side and in the Strip District. Plan ahead, so you don’t go too long without a restroom. (The riverfront trail near the Highline on the South Side has clean public restrooms, for example.) The North Shore and Morningside neighborhoods offer more plentiful restroom options.
You can find hotels offering babysitting, though availability varies widely depending on when you visit. Even if you see childcare mentioned on the lodging website, confirm on the phone before booking.
Heading to a baseball game, the zoo or the aquarium? Local grocery chain Giant Eagle has discounted tickets for all of the above.

14 fun things to do with kids in Pittsburgh

Snuggled into Alberta ’s majestic Canadian Rockies, Banff and Lake Louise are among the most exquisitely beautiful places on Earth. It’s also one of the most popular destinations for travelers from around the world, but you can avoid the crowds by visiting in winter – especially near Christmas.
Once Old Man Winter settles in, something magical happens – the land turns into a wintry wonderland, bringing with it a seasonal shift of adventures best enjoyed with snow. Banff National Park is home to three world-class ski resorts, Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort, and Mt Norquay, but there are plenty of other ways to keep yourself entertained. Cross your fingers for a good northern lights forecast, pack your warmest layers and head to Banff and Lake Louise to see how much frosty fun you can have.
Canada's best national parks

The incredible views of Alberta's Rocky Mountains from the Sulphur Skyline Trail, Jasper National Park © Moritz Wolf / Getty Images

Sulphur Mountain summit
Perhaps the best way to acquaint yourself with the lay of the land is to summit Banff’s Sulphur Mountain (7486ft / 2281m). Climb the six-mile alpine switchback trail, which begins at the Upper Hot Springs parking lot and emerges at the summit. Or ride the Banff Gondola to the top, which takes less than ten minutes. As you stroll around the rooftop observation deck, you’ll see six snowy mountain ranges and have sweeping views of the Bow Valley and the town of Banff below. Between mid-November and Christmas, you’ll find Santa’s workshop in full swing at the summit of the Banff Gondola.
Do I need a visa to visit Canada?

When the waterfalls of Johnston Canyon freeze over, it becomes a winter wonderland just right for ice hiking and climbing © Matthew Skubis / Getty Images

Johnston Canyon ice walk
A local outfitter will supply you with ice cleats and hiking poles for the moderate trek to the must-see cerulean blue waterfalls in Johnston Canyon. On the three-mile round trip journey, you’ll be treated to dramatic views of frozen waterfalls and snow-covered trees inside the towering canyon walls. Johnston Canyon is also a popular place for ice climbing, so you may see climbers making their way up the icefalls as you hike along the icy trails and catwalks. If this inspires you to try ice climbing, you’ll find Johnston Canyon has an excellent range of routes from beginner to expert.
How to get around in Canada

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Forest bathing is really guided meditation, and there's nowhere better for it than Moraine Lake © Josiah Holwick / properfilms

Moraine Lake forest bathing
Don’t worry – this is a fully-clothed activity. Forest bathing originated in Japan and is known there as shinrin-yoku, which means "taking in the atmosphere of the forest." Hire a guide from Forest Fix to lead you through a guided meditation and take a hyper-conscious slow walk in the woods, listen to the birds, smell the trees and breathe in the crisp mountain air. Over the past few years, this form of nature therapy has caught on everywhere, and Moraine Lake’s solitude makes it the perfect location to try it out.
North America’s most spectacular winter destinations: the great outdoors are the place to be this winter

Exploring Rat's Nest Cave is an exciting spelunking adventure any time of year © Josiah Holwick / properfilms

Cave exploration
Open year-round, the Rat’s Nest Cave near Canmore has more than two miles of tunnels and plenty of geological features to keep it interesting. Once you reach the Grotto, you’ll be more than 180ft underground. Your guide from Canmore Cave Tours will give you a lesson in natural history as you delve into this subterranean safari and worm your way through the Challenge Squeeze. If you’re there between December 20 - 23, wriggle your way to the cave’s Grand Gallery for a holiday concert unlike any other.
21 epic experiences to supercharge your Canadian adventure

Alpine Helicopter Tours offers an up-close and personal experience with the peaks of Banff and Lake Louise © Alpine Helicopter Tours

Winter whirlybird
The best way to appreciate the staggering grandeur of the Canadian Rockies is to fly high above them, getting a close look at the snow-capped peaks and marveling at the dazzling turquoise-hued lakes in the valleys below. Alpine Helicopter Tours will whisk you away in a helicopter, piloted by an expert aviator, for 12 - 45 minutes of glorious sightseeing and have you exclaiming “Heli-yeah!” as you soar among the clouds.
The 14 best road trips in Canada

Posing for photos at Banff Upper Hot Springs in the old-fashioned bathing suits will be a highlight of your trip © Matt Corliss

Banff Upper Hot Springs
After a day of cold adventures, relax in the steamy Banff Upper Hot Springs while watching the sun go down behind snowy peaks. Banff National Park’s only hot springs pool is also the highest operating hot spring in all of Canada (5200ft) and has a sustained water temperature between 98 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Forget your swimmers? No problem – rent a 1930s-inspired heritage bathing suit for less than $2, absolutely worth the price considering you’ll walk away with some of the best photos of your trip. The suits are properly sanitized between uses, so it’s not that weird.
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The local plants and trees have healing powers at the day-use area called Cascade Pond © Breanne Kiefner

Medicinal walk
Learn about ancient plant-based remedies with a Mahikan Trails medicine man or woman on a snowshoe tour through the woods at Cascade Pond. Your guide will educate you about the various Indigenous plants and trees and their secret healing powers at this day-use area inside Banff National Park, which also has arguably the best views of Mount Rundle and is a good place for spotting wildlife.
When to visit Canada: the best festivals, activities, and weather through the year

Christmas at the Fairmont Banff Springs is a highlight of the season © George Rose / Getty Images

Holiday happenings
The Banff and Lake Louise holiday season kicks off with the annual Santa Claus Parade of Lights in November, when everyone gathers around the fire at Banff Avenue Square to welcome Kris Kringle to town. Find fairytale activities throughout the town including browsing locally made artisan gifts at the Christmas Market, celebrating Christmas traditions at the Fairmont Banff Springs “castle” and taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride to Brewster’s Barn for a cozy holiday dinner.
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Chicago is practically tailor made for family getaways, offering a wealth of interactive museums, fabulous parks and jaw-dropping architecture.
Is Chicago good for kids?
From tots to teens, there’s something for every child in the Windy City – without the aloof attitude or supersized footprint that make some big cities feel like no-fly zones for tiny tourists. Research the many kid-friendly happenings in town at Chicago Parent and Chicago Kids. Discovering the city as a family is easy on the budget, too: children under age 7 ride free on the L train and public buses, while those ages 7 to 11 pay a reduced fare.

From tots to teens, there’s something kids of all ages to enjoy in the Windy City © Rebecca Nelson / Getty Images

Best things to do in Chicago with kids
Ferocious dinosaurs at the Field Museum of Natural History, an ark’s worth of beasts at Lincoln Park Zoo, lakefront boat rides and sandy beaches are among the top choices for visiting Chicago with kids. Add in magical playgrounds, fun tours and family-friendly food, and it’s clear that Chicago is a kid’s kind of town.

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Get a bird’s-eye view at Chicago’s skyscraper viewing decks
An up-close encounter with Chicago’s legendary architecture is a can’t-miss for visitors of all ages. Wee daredevils will delight in the city’s pair of high-altitude viewing decks: 360° Chicago on the 94th floor of the 875 N Michigan Ave building and the 103rd-floor Skydeck at the Willis Tower . As if the observatories’ heights weren’t dizzying enough, glassy viewing alcoves reward brave little ones with the sensation of being suspended over the city. Not sure which to pick? Skydeck scores points for sheer loftiness, while lakeside 360° Chicago has the edge in the panorama department.
Top things to do in Chicago

Hop on a boat tour on the Chicago River to see the city from a new perspective © Iris van den Broek / Shutterstock

Gaze up at the skyline on a Chicago boat tour
For a ground-up view of the skyline and a fun boat ride to boot, treat tweens and teens to the Chicago Architecture Foundation ’s river tour, which delivers an overview of the city center’s most important buildings from aboard a double-decker cruiser. If your children are too young to know their Burnham from their Mies, forego the formal tour and hop on the Shoreline Sightseeing water taxi. In addition to serving up spectacular lakefront scenery, the service links two of the most popular ports of call for visiting families: Navy Pier and the Museum Campus.
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Little art historians in the making will love the Art Institute of Chicago
Over at the Art Institute of Chicago – free for under-14s – a real-life audience with some of the most recognizable paintings in the Western canon (think American Gothic , Nighthawks and A Sunday on La Grande Jatte ) may stir your child’s inner Picasso. Dollhouse fans will be enchanted by the tiny universe of the Thorne Miniature Rooms. The Ryan Learning Center provides art-making activities and interactive games, such as puzzles featuring famous works. Even the most jaded teen will crack a smile for selfies with the iconic stone lions that stand sentry on the museum’s front steps.
25 best free things to do in Chicago

Kids will love the dinosaur fossils on display at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History © Trina Dopp Photography / Getty Images

Go Jurassic at the Field Museum
Bring on the dinosaurs. The sprawling Field Museum of Natural History captures little imaginations with colossal fossils. The Crown Family PlayLab on the ground floor lets kids excavate bones and make loads of other discoveries. The Field Museum houses some 30 million artifacts – beetles, mummies, gemstones, Bushman the stuffed ape – all tended to by a slew of PhD-wielding scientists (the Field remains an active research institution). The collection’s rock star is Sue, the largest Tyrannosaurus rex yet discovered. (She even gets her own gift shop.) The museum is vast, so get a map at the desk and make a plan of attack before you set out.
Learning gets seriously fun at the Museum of Science and Industry
For an interactive experience to suit a broad range of ages and interests, it’s hard to top the Museum of Science and Industry . Families could spend a week here and not see it all. Big kids will get a kick out of descending into a coal mine, transmitting secret messages in the whispering gallery and playing astronaut at the Henry Crown Space Center, while little ones will love peeping at the adorable hatchery chicks and catching their reflections in the mirror maze.
Encounter a delightful menagerie at Lincoln Park Zoo
Wildlife enthusiasts are in for a treat at Lincoln Park Zoo , where chimps swing from the trees and Japanese macaques chill in hot springs. With its relaxed pace, the adjacent Farm-in-the-Zoo is geared to the littlest visitors. Be sure to stroll the boardwalk that links the two, where you’ll find an otherworldly honeycomb-like pavilion that makes the ultimate Chicago family photo op. Perhaps best of all for parents, the whole experience is free – even parking, if you’re lucky (or patient) enough to score a spot on Stockton Dr, just steps from one of the zoo’s main entrances.
Just up the street, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum earns high marks with youngsters for its butterfly haven, a light-filled indoor garden that’s home to 1000 winged beauties.

Rope bridges and climbing walls beckon at Chicago’s Maggie Daley Park © f11photo / Shutterstock

Let little ones let of steam at Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park
When the kids are looking to let loose, Chicago is at the ready with miles of lakefront and a plethora of parks. With its vertiginous crow’s nests, climbing wall and wintertime skating ribbon, the Loop’s Maggie Daley Park is a crown jewel in the city’s park system – though parents of tiny tots should note that an abundance of boisterous big kids and hiding spots can make it a bit nerve-jangling. The wide-open spaces of nearby Grant Park, best known for pretty Buckingham Fountain , may be a better match for small ones. Millennium Park , home to the super-photogenic interactive sculpture Cloud Gate (better known as “the Bean”), is a winner with kids of all ages.
Top 12 parks in Chicago

Along Chicago’s glittering lakefront, families will find lifeguard-patrolled beaches that are fabulous come summer © Chris Tobin / Getty Images

Make a splash at Chicago’s many beaches
Come summer, more than two dozen lifeguard-manned beaches beckon. Waves are typically pint-sized – perfect for petite swimmers. Tucked behind the Museum Campus, 12th Street Beach gets props for its manageable size, proximity to the Loop and cool view of the Adler Planetarium. At North Avenue Beach , gutsy teens can test their balance on a stand-up paddleboard. This beach is the most crowded, since its selling point is the location near both downtown and Lincoln Park Zoo. The steamboat-shaped beach house is totally kid friendly, with bathrooms and lockers plus a concessions stand serving ice cream and burgers.
The 9 best beaches in Chicago
Experience nature under a glass roof at Garfield Park Conservatory
When the weather tanks, Garfield Park Conservatory offers a year-round burst of balmy air and verdant greenery. Built in 1907, these two acres under glass are a lovely spot to while away a few hours sauntering around rooms of palms, ferns, orchids and koi-filled ponds. Between May and October 10 acres of outdoor grounds include a lily pool, a carnivorous-plant bog and the Monet Garden, which is based on the Impressionist painter’s flower patch at Giverny, France. Kids can get down and dirty with roots and seeds in the indoor Children’s Garden.

Navy Pier is one of Chicago’s most popular visitor attractions © Stephen B. Goodwin / Shutterstock

Life is always a carnival at Navy Pier
Amusements abound on Navy Pier, a half-mile-long wharf. Families will love the giant whirling swing, sky-high Ferris wheel, hand-painted carousel, remote-control boats, fountains to splash and more. Popcorn, ice cream, burgers and other treats add to the carnival atmosphere. The pier is also home to Chicago Children’s Museum as well as several boat-cruise operators. Polk Bros Park, at the pier’s entrance, has a fountain little ones can splash in, plus performance lawns for free concerts and movies.
Where to eat with kids in Chicago
Just about all but Chicago’s most exclusive restaurants will accommodate children without batting an eye, though for your family’s own comfort you might find it best to have your doggie bags in hand by 6:30pm, when dinner crowds can make maneuvering strollers and high chairs awkward. Adventurous eaters will love slurping noodles beneath the pagodas of Chicago’s Chinatown and digging into enormous dosas amid the sari shops and Indian candy stores of Devon Ave: both neighborhoods offer numerous dining spots that are casual and easy on the wallet.
Certain restaurants go the extra mile to welcome little guests. Lincoln Park’s retro RJ Grunts soothes post-zoo fatigue with kid-sized shakes and burgers along with a complimentary stroller valet, while over in hip Ukrainian Village, Quad Cities–style pizza spot Roots encourages tiny diners to play with their food, distributing dough balls to be squashed and stretched while dinner’s in the oven. Grown-up topping options like duck sausage and a lengthy Midwestern beer list will keep parents happy, too.
Kids get the royal treatment each afternoon at the Drake Hotel ’s Little Prince and Princess Tea, an elaborate spread of dainty nibbles served up in the hotel’s grand Palm Court. Fanciful decorations and carolers make holiday season visits here particularly magical. Parents and rugrats alike will be sweet on the inventive ice cream at West Town’s Black Dog Gelato and the rich hot chocolate at Logan Square’s Katherine Anne Confections.
Where to stay with kids in Chicago
Home-sharing sites offer rental apartments scattered around Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods. If self-catering is not your family’s thing, you’ll find a bevy of boutique hotel options, as well as all the usual chain suspects, clustered around the Loop, Streeterville and River North neighborhoods – all good bases in terms of proximity to many of the city’s top kid-centric attractions.
Some hotels make a point of rolling out the red carpet for little ones. Up in quirky-cool Andersonville, the lovely Guesthouse Hotel offers spacious kitchen-equipped suites and a thoughtful menu of free-to-use kid essentials that run the gamut from car seats to sippy cups.
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It’s both easy and fun to get around Chicago with your family on the L © Heather Wilson / EyeEm / Getty Images

How to get around with kids in Chicago
Taxis and ride-sharing services are readily available – but rather than scrambling to stash strollers and secure child seats in an unfamiliar vehicle, consider riding the L, Chicago’s system of elevated trains and subways . Most major sights are within an easy walk from an elevator-equipped station, indicated on system maps by an accessible icon. Tickets can be purchased at station kiosks.
Attractions tend to be quietest first thing in the morning. Some spots, like the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History, have designated stroller and wheelchair entrances where lines are often significantly shorter. If you plan to hit more than a couple of signature attractions, consider a CityPass , valid for admission to your choice of five out of seven major sights. In addition to saving your brood a few bucks, it also includes fast-track entry to spots like the Willis Tower’s Skydeck – no small thing when little legs grow tired and crankiness looms.

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