San Rafael 4/15/2009 3:17:42 AM
News / Business

12 Family Vacations Your Kids Will Never Forget

Antarctica, Australia, China, Japan, Alaska, Montana, Utah, Costa Rica, Peru, the Galápagos, Egypt, Kenya and Italy

Nothing is more valuable than spending quality time with your family! Travelwizard.com is featuring twelve family vacations you and your kids will never forget. Call 1-800-330-8820 to speak to one of our Virtuoso Family Vacation Specialists, now.

Alaska Family Vacation
Stunning scenery, abundant wildlife and a real Iditarod racer and his dog team — Alaska offers a full spectrum of adventure for the family. Flightsee over Mount McKinley and Denali, watch brown and black bear feast on salmon in the creeks or cruise among the fjords to see glaciers calve. Set out into the woods for a family geocaching adventure and share a farewell dinner with Iditarod champion Martin Buser and his special four-legged friends.

Lewis and Clark Montana Adventure Family Vacation
Set your family's little explorers on the path of Lewis and Clark on this Family Vacation in Montana. In Browning, where Montana began, learn about Native American life and culture from a Blackfeet historian who shows you the site of Starvation Winter. Spend the night in tipis before launching your canoe and paddling the Upper Missouri River through White Canyon. Unlike in Lewis and Clark's day, life along the river is worry-free thanks to an expert staff that handles all the cooking and chores.

Utah's Majestic Canyons River Rafting Family Vacation
Once a refuge for outlaws, a trapper's hunting ground and home to ancient tribes, the canyons along Utah's Green River are now a family playground of roller-coaster rapids. Raft through Class II and III rapids with family-dedicated guides chosen for their "child skills." Everything you need, including tents big enough to stand in, is provided. The camp staff takes care of all tent set-up, take-down and chores; you need only your family and a desire for adventure.

Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands Family Vacation
Seize the rare opportunity to stand among thousands of penguin in the Falklands; explore the wildlife-rich, glacier-carved coves and rugged shoreline of South Georgia Island. Follow a path blazed by polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. Visit a research station on the Antarctic Peninsula. Thrill to the beat of exciting, cosmopolitan Buenos Aires.

Australia Family Vacation
A family Vacation in Australia offers an idyllic combination of the exotic and the familiar. Learn to ride the waves in a surfing lesson on Bondi Beach, meet the unspoiled wildlife on Kangaroo Island and fly to Alice Springs in the heart of Outback, yours to traverse by four-wheel ATV.

China Family Vacation
Imagine going up the Great Wall by cable car ,,, and riding down by toboggan. A China Family Vacation brims with unexpected opportunities for all-ages fun. Visit the Terra Cotta Warriors, then make a clay "soldier" of your own. Learn the arts of calligraphy and tai chi in a private lesson, try your hand at kite-making and ride (or pedal) a pedicab through the winding alleys of Beijing's hutong district.

Japan Family Vacation
Japan combines tranquil gardens and temples with some of the most high-energy urban living on earth, and this Family Vacation lets you experience it all. Children will thrill to a day at the Sega Joypolis amusement park or a visit to Harajuku, where Japan's wildest teen fashions are on display. Opportunities for family bonding abound, including kendo (fencing) lessons and a crash course in playing the taiko, or Japanese drum.

Costa Rica Family Vacation
Costa Rica's palette of outdoor fun is incredibly varied — you've barely arrived before you're shooting down a Class III rapid on the Pacuare River. The rainforest takes on a new dimension when viewed from a canopy catwalk, and a catamaran cruise along the coast brings you up-close with dolphin and whale.

Peru & the Galápagos Family Vacation
Combine nature and history on one unforgettable journey to Peru and the Galápagos. Begin among the ruins left behind by the Inca, including spectacular Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the modern world. Continue to the Galápagos, the unspoiled ecosystem that inspired Darwin and which, as you explore from your adventure cruise ship and sturdy shore craft, may yet inspire a budding young scientist.

Egypt Family Vacation
Egypt's eternal pyramids and mummified pharaohs weave a fascinating spell over even the youngest visitor. See the treasures of King Tut's tomb, ride a camel in the shadow of the pyramids and explore the treasures along the Nile shore on our luxury river cruiser 'Sun Boat IV.' While on board, don an Egyptian galabeyya for a festive evening of dress-up and entertainment, and join your chef for a lesson in the local cuisine.

Kenya Family Vacation
For the family that loves nature, Kenya is a must-see destination. Kenya Family Vacation includes visits with local Maasai and Samburu tribes and opportunities to swim, ride camels or go on a treasure hunt at your lodge. And of course, it includes some of the finest wildlife viewing in Africa, with abundant lion, elephant, zebra, giraffe and species unique to the region.

Italian Villa Family Vacation
Experience Italy as a local on your villa vacation. Cycle through the Tuscan hills. Swim in the pool, relax and rejuvenate in the Italian sunshine. Visit the historic sites of Florence and learn to paint the scenery during a private watercolor lesson. Learn the art of pizza making and prepare your own family-friendly dinner.