The world is big and there to be explored. Every little corner of it has something beautiful to be unearthed and at Globalmouse we believe that there are some amazing sights that children will just love. If you’re looking for places to take kids or the best places to visit with kids there will be something here. Our list of places to take the kids around the world is a fun and varied mix. All the best places to travel with kids in one easy list. So with no further ado, here’s our roundup of 50 places around the world to take your kids before they grow up.
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Table of Contents
Pompeii, Italy – 50 places around the world to take your kids before they grow up
1. Pompeii, Italy – one of the world’s best preserved Roman towns. Pompeii is a wonderful place to take your children and show them history first-hand.
Let them pour water from Roman fountains, walk in the grooves made by countless chariots passing over the cobbled streets and jump across the slabs of the world’s oldest crossings.
🔎 Read more: Visiting Pompeii with kids
Kayak in the Colorado River, USA
2. Realise how small we are and how beautiful the world is by kayaking down the Colorado river.
This is such a great way to see this area, have some fun in the rapids and marvel at the Rockies all around.
The Great Wall of China
3. There’s so much to see in China but walking a stretch of the Great Wall of China has to be top of the list.
Our favourite part is at Jinshanling where you can really see the magnitude of this undertaking, gaze over the watchtowers and look on as it climbs and dips, snaking away into the countryside beyond.
If you’re feeling particularly brave have a go at sliding down the Great Wall at Mutianyu. This is so much fun, if slightly fast at times but the kids will love it.
The Tower of London
4. Find out stories and secrets from the Beefeaters at the Tower of London.
To understand the Tower of London is to, at least in part, understand the history of England.
From the markings of prisoners on the walls of the towers to the Crown Jewels and even the tools used to behead one of Henry VIII’s wives. This is a fascinating place to visit and spark children’s imaginations.
🔎 Read more: Visiting the Tower of London with kids
Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge – great places around the world to take your kids
5. It has to be done, even if like me you don’t like heights.
Children will love the thrilling experience of climbing to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
This is one for the over 10s and something to definitely get the heart pumping and a view to remember.
Eat chocolate in Brussels, Belgium – one of the places around the world to take your kids
6. One thing I know is that most children like chocolate, so go to the spiritual home in Belgium to really savour it.
Drinking hot chocolate in Brussels is an experience to enjoy. And the only dilemma will be over which chocolate shop to try.
Maybe sample a few to make sure you get the best.
Stay on a ranch in Texas
7. Horse-riding with kids is great fun but one of the best experiences is to stay on a ranch in Texas.
Children will get so much out of the opportunity to talk and ride with real cowboys and cowgirls. And find out more about the history of this tradition.
See whales & seals in the Shetland Islands, Scotland
8. See the whales in the Shetland Islands, Scotland.
Forget SeaWorld, see these beautiful creatures where they should be seen, diving and arching in the waters off the coast of Scotland.
🔎 Read more: Our family trip to Shetland
Get shipwrecked in the Cook Islands
9. Children dream of being shipwrecked on a desert island so spark their imagination by doing just that – for a day.
In the Cook Islands, you can hire a boat to take you to one of the deserted islands within Aitutaki lagoon.
Although far from being properly shipwrecked you can be left with a fantastic picnic and the boat owner will come and pick you up a few hours later.
There’s something about being alone on an island that is unlike any other experience.
See geysers in Iceland
10. Watch the geysers in Iceland
Throw out those science books (temporarily) and learn about volcanoes and geothermal activity. Bring your child to the land of ice and fire and watch their pure delight as the geysers in Iceland spout their boiling water high into the air.
Visit the Colosseum in Rome – places around the world to take your kids
11. Imagine the horror of being thrown in to the arena to fight with lions, the crowds cheering and jeering and a certain death awaiting you.
The Romans are endlessly fascinating to kids and visiting the Colosseum in Rome, Italy is an awe-inspiring experience.
See first-hand how large the space is and how well preserved and while you’re here take a wander up the Forum – with so many intact buildings it’s like stepping back in to history.
🔎 Read more: Visiting the Colosseum with kids
Marvel at the penguins in South Africa
12. Seeing the penguins at Boulders Beach in South Africa is really a spectacle to treasure.
Just beyond Simon’s Town is the beautiful stretch of white sand with huge boulders. It’s a wonderful place to see these endangered creatures.
Eat dim sum in Hong Kong – top places around the world to take your kids
13. Delighting in the experience of eating dim sum in Hong Kong is something kids will love.
All of the little buns and treats. They’re a great way to bond as a family, trying all of the food together and dining with other families in this vibrant city.
🔎 Read more: The best things to do in Hong Kong with kids
Go rock pooling
14. Every child should have the opportunity to go rock pooling. It’s one of our favourite things to do and we love searching for crabs and shrimps in Cornwall. But any beach with a few rocks will do.
Don your wellies in winter or carefully clamber barefoot in summer. Childhood memories should always contain rock pooling.
🔎 Read more: The best things to do in Cornwall with kids
Meet Father Christmas in Lapland
15. Visiting Father Christmas in Lapland is magical for children. There is nothing like seeing your child’s face when meeting the big man himself.
Tracking through the snow in Lapland to find the log cabin where Father Christmas is waiting is a real one off experience and completely unforgettable.
🔎 Read more: Our ultimate guide to Lapland with kids
Enjoy the spectacle of the Amazon River
16. There’s something about seeing the world’s largest river, the Amazon. Experiencing it flowing free and beautiful through Brazil allows such a unique insight.
This river is hugely important to our planet and with such unique biodiversity it is a sight to behold.
See the orangutans of Malaysia – best places around the world to take your kids
17. Having an opportunity to visit the forests of Malaysia and see the resident orangutans first hand is the best way to see them.
The Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary is an ideal place for children to see these beautiful creatures in the wild and in their natural habitat.
Visit the home of the brick
18. Lego is timeless and something that bridges generations.
Take a trip to the home of Lego in Denmark to really say you’ve been to Legoland. As well as the famous park there are often limited tours available to see the factory and talk to the designers.
🔎 Read more: Our trip to Jutland, Denmark with kids
Glimpse the past at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
19. To understand immigration both today and the history of this issue which is as old as time, a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is a great way to help children.
The Statue of Liberty is just breathtakingly beautiful and standing so tall and proud, it needs to be seen by children’s own two eyes.
Walk Giants Causeway – places around the world to take your kids
20. Walk the Giants Causeway in Ireland for something really spectacular. And understand why this dramatic coastline has inspired artists, started scientific debate and create awe in everyone who see these basalt columns.
Eat pizza in Naples
21. Pizza is probably the most child-friendly food in the world and originated in Naples, Italy.
You can visit one of the world’s oldest pizzerias here and try the best pizza you will ever have tried.
The classic Neapolitan using the colours of the Italian flag: tomato sauce (red), mozzarella (white) and fresh basil (green) is really the only way to taste it.
Once you’ve tried pizza in Naples it will never taste quite as good again.
🔎 Read more: Visiting the world’s oldest pizzeria in Naples
Drink orange juice in Marrakech
22. Morocco is a country of colour and spice and life.
It’s a great child-friendly country with so many sights, sounds and smells to keep little ones spell-bound.
Drink fresh orange juice in Jemaa El Fna Square in the centre of Marrakech and people watch. It’s a fantastic experience.
🔎 Read more: Our family trip to Morocco
Ice skate in spectacular surroundings
23. Go ice skating in the open air at Christmastime. Our favourite spot is to ice skate in the 1000 year old moat at the Tower of London. But anywhere you can feel the cold air in your hair, holding hands with your child as the blades glide through the ice is magical.
🔎 Read more: The best things to do in London at Christmas with kids
Climb Palenque, Mexico – places around the world to take your kids
24. The history of the Maya people can be really felt by climbing the Maya ruins in Palenque, Mexico.
This important ancient city is well-preserved and you can clamber the steps to the temples set amongst the jungle.
Feel the history at the beaches in Normandy
25. The dark history of the Second World War can be hard for children to relate to.
A trip to the beaches at Normandy can be a good location for children who are starting to understand a little about what happened during these years across Europe and the World.
Hang out in Moscow’s Gorky Park
26. {While the political situation remains as it does, Russia is understandably off the cards for visits. We have left this here though as it is still a beautiful place to visit…and we hope in the future this will be possible}
Russia is, perhaps surprisingly, very family friendly. Take a trip to Moscow’s Gorky Park and hang out on huge beanbags, eat ice cream and freshly spun candyfloss.
And enjoy all the play equipment in this wonderful park.
🔎 Read more: Our family trip to Russia
See alligators in Florida – places around the world to take your kids
27. The Florida Everglades are the perfect place to see alligators in the wild.
Take an airboat ride and see if you can spot them in their natural environment.
🔎 Read more: Our 14 day itinerary for Florida
See dinosaurs in the Natural history museum
28. London’s museums are some of the best in the world and many of them free of charge too.
See the dinosaurs in the Natural History Museum and while you’re here pop next door to the National Science Museum too. Both are amazing places.
Eat pancakes in the Netherlands
29. You haven’t really tasted pancakes until you’ve eaten them in the Netherlands.
Visit Amsterdam and try the pancakes there to see why they are almost the Dutch national dish.
🔎 Read more: The best things to do in Amsterdam with kids
Marvel at Uluru in Australia
30. A trip to Uluru in Australia, particularly as the sun sets and sends it glowing pink is a must for any world list.
Children can learn all about the unique outback wildlife and flora here as well as finding out more about the aboriginal people.
Wonder at the Buddhas in Thailand – places around the world to take your kids
31. Thailand is packed full of amazing sights and sounds. One of the most evocative things to do is to visit the Temples.
From the serene laying Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok to the hilltop temples of Chiang Mai, there are lots to choose from.
This is a really evocative experience and one kids (and adults) won’t forget.
🔎 Read more: Our family holiday to Thailand
See animals in the wild at Kruger National Park
32. Seeing animals in their natural habitat is so great for kids. And the number one place to see the big 5 has to be in Kruger National Park.
This is one of the largest game reserves in Africa.
Gaze at the world’s highest volcanoes, Ecuador – places around the world to take your kids
33. Take a trip to Ecuador to see one of the World’s highest volcanoes.
Visiting Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador is a wonderful opportunity for families who like to hike and seek out wildlife. All in the shadow of this impressive volcano.
Chill out at a summer festival
34. There’s something about the fun abandonment you get from visiting a summer festival.
It’s a chance to shake off the norms, wear what you like, and see people being creative, different and fun.
Ride on a real Viking ship, Denmark
35. Taking a boat ride on a real Viking ship in Denmark is a great experience for children. They can also join Viking expeditions and guided trips organised by the Roskilde viking museum near Copenhagen.
🔎 Read more: Visiting the Roskilde Viking Museum
Wonder at Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt – places around the world to take your kids
36. Standing in front of Tutankhamun’s tomb outside of Luxor. Or scuttling inside one of the huge pyramids of Giza, south-west of Cairo is the only way to appreciate the wonder of these amazing structures.
Visiting the Pyramids of Egypt is one of those experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life. No matter what age you are.
Embark on an epic train journey
37. One of the best ways to appreciate the vastness, beauty and diversity of this world is to take an epic train journey. This could be through the Rockies, down the length of India or taking the night train in Russia.
Train journeys give you an opportunity to meet local people, to connect with fellow travellers and to view the world in a very unique way.
🔎 Read more: Taking a night train through Russia
🔎 Read more: Taking the Santa Express night train from Helsinki to Lapland
🔎 Read more: Taking the Marrakech to Tangier night train
Hit the slopes – places around the world to take your kids
38. Having a go at skiing is a really fun experience for kids.
Skiing in the Alps has a timeless feel that can’t be matched. There’s something about looking around at that mountain range and all of the art and literature they have inspired. This is both breathtaking and reviving for the whole family.
It’s also wonderful to explore some of the lesser known Scandinavian resorts.
🔎 Read more: Our guide to skiing with kids
Stand on the equator
39. There’s a host places around the globe where you can stand on the equator line in several continents.
The top choice has to be the La Mitad del Mundo, near Quito in its namesake country of Ecuador.
Never forget the horrors of the Second World War
40. The horrors of the holocaust and the Second World War can be a difficult subject to broach with younger children. But it’s an important part of history we must never forget.
Learning about Anne Frank and her story is a really good way to start to explain to children some of what happened in this period.
A trip to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is a very moving experience and one that allows kids a chance to realise that this history was very real.
🔎 Read more: Our guide to the Netherlands with kids
Camp out
41. All children should have the opportunity to spend a night under canvas.
Listening to the birdsong in the morning and feel the natural world all around.
It’s a unique experience and a wonderful way to bring children together and celebrate the simple, and best things in life.
See the end of the World, Portugal – top places around the world to take your kids
42. A visit the end of the world in Portugal is somewhere to give kids an insight in to how early Europeans must have felt when the world lay largely undiscovered.
To stand at the spot where it was believed the earth ended and to look out over the water is to really appreciate why the Romans believed the sun hissed into the sea to be extinguished here. And feel how those early explorers must have felt setting off for the unknown.
🔎 Read more: A trip to the end of the World, Sagres
Check out the rockets at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida
43. Fans of all things extra-terrestrial will love the array of spacecraft, exhibits and shuttle launch simulator all based at the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex in Florida.
Here you can also take a tour of the spaceport.
Take a husky dog ride -places around the world to take your kids
44. Taking a husky dog ride is a fantastic and exhilarating experience.
The rush as these beautiful creatures pull you through the white landscape is an unforgettable opportunity. It’s such a great way to see snowy landscapes from a totally different perspective.
🔎 Read more: Taking a husky dog ride in Lapland
See howler monkeys in the Costa Rica national park
45. Spot howler and spider monkeys in Manuel Antoinio National Park in Costa Rica.
Here you can also see three-toed sloths, enjoy incredible beaches and hike on awe-inspiring trails through the rainforest.
Discover the origins of the Olympics in Greece
46. Get back to the origins of the Olympic Games with a trip to Olympia in Greece.
Here you can visit the stadium which would have held 20,000 people when they were first held in the 11th century.
A huge array of ruined temples and excavations from the 5th Century BCE are there to be explored. It’s are wonderfully evocative of their origins.
Stay in a yurt in Mongolia
47. Glamping is all the rage but go authentic with a trip to Mongolia to stay in a real yurt.
This is an amazing opportunity to get out into the wilderness, meet with Mongolian farmers and their families and get a glimpse into this nomadic lifestyle.
See a masterpiece – best places around the world to take your kids
48. Wherever you are in the world there will be some amazing art close by. Take in an amazing piece of art. Either close to home or further afield.
Whether it’s Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ or the Mona Lisa, make art exciting for kids with a trip to a truly amazing art gallery.
Don’t overwhelm them but learn about the one piece, why it’s important and make it fun to find in the gallery.
See Harry Potter filming locations, Oxford
49. Visit the locations of Harry Potter in Oxford.
Be inspired by the University it is set in.
Go on the trail of Harry Potter and use it as an opportunity to enter the very real world of one of the greatest Universities on the planet.
🔎 Read more: Harry Potter filming locations in Oxford
Experience the Amazon in Peru – places around the world to take your kids
50. Walk the Amazon canopy on the Explorama Field Station in Peru to get an amazing perspective of the rainforest from above.
See the vastness of this jungle and realise how small as humans we really are.
This is a chance to really understand why our planet needs protecting and the role we can play to look after it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed our suggestions of great places around the world to take your kids. Follow along on Globalmouse for lots of inspiration on travel with kids.
Wow what are brilliant list! We have done a few of these but would love to do them all! x
Thank you!! I would love to as well, the world is such an amazing place isn’t it? Thank you for the comments!
I think that this should have been before you die! There are so many things on here. On average many families get 2 weeks holiday a year and this would be impossible to fit in for the average family before a child turned 16!
Well it doesn’t have to be literally to do them all! It’s just meant to be inspiration of fun things around the world…
Love this post so much! It’s bookmarked in my adventures folder. We are doing Lapland this year and are always looking for great inspiration so this is perfect. Thank you x
Oh thank you so much!! I really hoped it would be inspirational! And lucky you doing Lapland this year…we went two years ago and LOVED it! Thank you again for the lovely comments 🙂
Love the way you never put any limits on where to go. Great post!
Ah thank you!! Just love exploring the world! 🙂
What an absolutely AWESOME list! Can I be your child please? Very inspirational and lovely to see a few UK options on the list too x
Thank you so much!! We haven’t done them all but are slowly working our way through 🙂 x
Well I’d like to do everything on your list – I bet you had fun choosing what to include!
What a fantastic list. I am intending to take mine to Scotland so it was useful to see it in the list.
Pleased to say we will be doing the top one this summer and we have done a couple of the others too.
Wow, I feel as though I need to be hiding in your suitcase! Ive done Rookpooling, visited the tower of London, been to Anne Franks House and had hot chocolate in Brussels x
Isn’t hot chocolate in Brussels the best?! We were really pleased to visit Anne Frank’s House this spring too- such an important place to visit.
There is so many places on here I would love to go to one day 🙂 x
I think I want to do everything on your list too – Lapland and iceland would be top of my list
An amazing and inspiring list. I wish I will be able to tick everything off, one at a time. My boy will love it, for sure.
Thank you so much! I want to tick them all off too 😉
We just did #10 in May with our 2-year old! Next year we plan to head to England and Scotland but we still do plenty of Disney trips too 🙂
Ah great, they’re beauutiful aren’t they?! And yay for England and Scotland – we have so many posts on England and a growing few on Scotland so let us know if you need any advice! 🙂 (PS We do Disney too!! 😉 )
This is such an amazing post. We’re busy working our way through the list! Uluru is up next.
LOL, FIFTY places before the kids grow up?! I’d have to quit my job and just travel to cover them all! But you’re absolutely right, everyone should try to expose their kids to as much of the world as possible. They learn better that way.
🙂 I know. We won’t make the fifty either….it’s all about the inspiration though and just to recognise how many wonderful places there are to take kids (and us!). Thank you for your comments!!
We’ve only done 12 of those, but there will be more to come. Great list! One that I would add is Antarctica. I took my 8-year-old last year and it was the kid-friendliest place ever – penguins, whales, icebergs, kayaking, snow angels, snowball fights with the other kids on the ship, belly sliding down snowy hills, hot chocolate on frozen fjords and so much more. The NatGeo crew even had scavenger hunts, pizza night and cookie decorating for the kids on the ship. I highly, highly recommend taking your kids!
That sounds amazing and definitely one for the list. My oldest is 8 and he would absolutely love it…sounds like a brilliant time. Gah, another one for the endless list…. 😉 Thank you for commenting!
Great list with lots of inspiration. I’ve done some of them pre-kids and we’re off on a cruise soon stopping in Naples and Rome so will be checking out your recommendations.
Great list. I’m glad to see that we’ve already done a few of these. And delighted to see visiting Texas makes the top 50!
Thank you!! I so want to do them all but it’s a big list! And I would love to make it to Texas….someday soon!! 🙂
Glad to have been to some of them with the kids : Alps, Amsterdam, London, Rome, Napoli, Pompei, Florida Everglades, Maya Ruins in Mexico… Now the N°37 is on top of my travel bucket list (train in Russia), and the N°49 (Harry Potter Tour) is on my son’s one !! Have a nice Christmas, full of travel wishes 🙂
That’s a great list of places you’ve been to! Thank you so much for your comments and wishes – have a great Christmas too! 🙂
Love this list. A couple of others on our list: seeing the Northern Lights, taking a helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon and climbing the tallest mountain you can. Time to get started!
Thank you so much…and love the additions – the Northern Lights are very much on our list and I really want to visit the Grand Canyon although taking a helicopter trip scares me!! 🙂
Some great places to go and we have done only a couple but feel inspired to do more!
What a great list!!! I might actually have to try to do this!
🙂 Thank you! The world has so many wonderful opportunities for travel with kids doesn’t it? Happy travels!
I’m loving this list also. We’ve done a few of these without kids but now it’s time to tick off a few more as a family. How about watching the Bellagio fountain at night? Or climbing to the top of the Eiffel tower (in Paris, though the Vegas one is good too), just for the views. I’m bookmarking this. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for your comments and I love the suggestions….more to add in!! Thank you 🙂
This is such an amazing post. We’re busy working our way through the list! Uluru is up next.