Spring Break trips for families are great for rest, relaxation, and quality family bonding. For our family of 6 world adventurers, spring has become one of our favorite opportunities to travel to fun, unique destinations, learn something new, and break up the monotony of the cold, windy, and potentially icy weather here in the central U.S.
Whether you’re dreaming of a sunny, tropical getaway, a bucket-list cruise, educational family travel to a National Park, or even a trip to the Arctic Circle, here are our top Spring Break with kids trip ideas for families. Most of these destinations we’ve personally traveled to with our own kids, so rest assured that these recommendations come fully vetted!
Why Spring Break Is a Smart Time to Travel with Kids
We’ve found Spring Break to be ideal for family travel because:
- Weather is (usually) milder in tropical destinations and the southern U.S.
- Fewer crowds than summer in many destinations
- Shoulder-season (not peak) pricing in certain regions
- Built-in school break = less planning stress around
- Not yet hurricane season in the Caribbean (major bonus!)
- It breaks up the first semester of the year and gives something to look forward to
Best Adventure + Nature Spring Break Trips for Families
These aren’t typical “sit on a beach while the kids splash” trips. Instead these spring break travel with kids ideas are memory makers with a big educational payoff.
Alaska
Photo: Alaskan Tundra in August
Spring Break is shoulder season in Alaska, making it surprisingly doable.
What makes it magical for kids:
- Glaciers
- Sled dogs
- Wildlife sightings
- Northern Lights (depending on weather)
- Interior and coastal geography differences
- Winter snow-shoe hikes
- Skiing
Our homeschool tie-ins:
- Tundra & glacier biomes
- Arctic animals
- Native Alaskan cultures
- Polar science
Best for: adventure families, homeschool families, cold-weather lovers
Ages: school-age + up (younger doable with layers)
Ideal Length: 5-7 nights
Where to visit: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau
Finland (Lapland, Helsinki, & Estonia)
Photo: Ice Fishing in Lapland
If you’ve ever dreamed of reindeer, ice fishing, or northern lights chasing, then Spring Break in Lapland is a perfect option. Finland is one of our favorite family vacations so far!
Family highlights include:
- Snowshoeing
- Ice fishing
- Outdoor ice skating
- Husky or reindeer safaris
- Saunas + swimming culture
- Northern Lights
- Santa Village (yes, it’s still magical in March)
It’s unique, educational, & entertaining; our kids loved the winter wonderland more than we expected. Winter is an incredibly relaxing and quiet time to visit. You can even take a 3 hour ferry from Helsinki to Tallin, Estonia (stunning architecture and cobblestone roads!)
Best for: cultural immersion, winter magic, adventure travelers, non-traditional Spring Break trips
Ages: school-age + up (younger doable with layers, our youngest was 2.5 years old when we went!)
Ideal Length: 7 nights due to time zone difference
Where to visit: Helsinki, Rovaniemi, Estonia
Costa Rica
Photo: Rio Celeste in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is high on our list of favorite countries and best family spring break trips. It is extremely family friendly, unique, adventurous, and safe. We recommend this to any family looking for an action packed vacation or a relaxing beach vacation.
Must-do activities:
- Zip lining
- Volcano hikes
- Waterfall hikes (not the best during dry season in March)
- National parks
- Sea turtle nesting sites
- Meandering cloud forests
- Bird watching
- Hanging bridges
- Beaches
Best for: cultural immersion, warm weather, adventure travelers
Ages: school age and up (although our kids were 1.5 and 2.5 last time we went)
Ideal Length: 5-7 nights
Where to visit: Highly recommend Monteverde, La Fortuna, & Manuel Antonio areas.
National Parks (South)
Photo: Grand Canyon
Spring weather means it’s not too hot yet in the southern United States, especially in these National Parks:
- Joshua Tree
- Zion
- Grand Canyon (we did this helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas and I highly recommend it!)
- Mesa Verde
- Death Valley
- Big Bend
- Bryce Canyon
- Dry Tortugas
- Biscayne
- Everglades
We also highly recommend Utah in general for families because of the family friendly culture, incredible hikes, ski resorts, and a whopping 5 national parks! It is one of our family’s favorite states!
Best Warm Weather Spring Break Destinations for Families
If you’re craving sunshine, beaches, and pool time, here are tried-and-true favorite spring break vacations for families of all ages:
Hawaii
Photo: Little Plumeria Farm, Oahu, Hawaii
Spring Break in Hawaii is practically a no brainer.
Why it works for families:
- Predictable weather in March/April
- Beautiful beaches with gentle surf (varies by island)
- Built-in nature, historical, & cultural learning opportunities (volcanoes, Polynesian history, Pearl Harbor, sea life, plantations)
- Easy domestic flights
We loved visiting Little Plumeria Farms, the Dole Plantation, beautiful beaches, and botanical gardens with our kids on Oahu.
Best for: beach lovers, outdoor learners, families who want domestic simplicity
Ages: all ages
Ideal length: 6-7 nights, especially due to the time zone change from the mainland US
Where to visit: You really can’t go wrong with any of the Hawaiian islands, but each one is unique and will give you a different experience.
California
Photo: San Diego, California
The weather is virtually always incredible in Southern California, so spending Spring Break in California just makes sense.
Things to do with families:
- Zoos
- Sea World
- Beaches
- Hiking
- Whale watching
- Museums
- Amusement Parks
Best for: beach lovers, outdoor learners, families who don’t want to leave the mainland U.S.
Ages: all ages
Ideal length: 5-7 nights
Where to visit: San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara
The Caribbean (Cruises + Islands + All-Inclusive Resorts)
Photo: St. Croix, USVI
Spring Break in the Caribbean with kids (related post: best Caribbean islands to visit with kids) hits a few sweet spots: before hurricane season, not peak winter pricing, and loads of family-friendly options.
Options include:
- Island hopping on a cruise (We took a Caribbean cruise once which ported out of Puerto Rico!)
- All-inclusive resorts (kid clubs, calm beaches, built-in meals)
- DIY island stays (more cultural depth + flexibility, plenty of time for adventure + beach)
Islands great for families:
- St. Thomas / USVI (lovely beaches)
- Puerto Rico (forts, rainforests, waterfalls, Old Town)
- Curaçao (incredibly friendly locals, blog post coming soon!)
- St. Martin (fabulous beaches and can island hop via ferry over to St. Barts or Anguilla!)
- Bahamas (easy to get to, huge cruise port destination)
- Barbados (stunning caves and beaches)
- Martinique (waterfalls, hiking, check out the best beaches to snorkel at in Martinique here!)
We love to rent a car on the islands we are visiting. It really opens up your ability to explore and visit landmarks, beaches, restaurants, etc that you would otherwise miss out on.
Check out rental car prices below!
Best for: warm weather, water play, beginner international travel, generational travel
Ages: babies to teens
Ideal Length: 4-7 nights
Book flights: Check flight prices below!
Mexico (Cozumel, Cabo, Cancun, Isla Mujeres)
Photo: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
If you want easy access, sunshine, and history all in one trip, you can combine kid-friendly all-inclusives with day trips to Mayan archaeological ruin sites like San Gervasio, El Rey, Tulum, or Chichen Itza in Mexico. We love this area when we are short on time because it is easy to get to from our home airport.
Add-on excursions for spring break ideas with kids
that make traveling fun:
- Cenotes
- Eco-parks
- Snorkeling
- Golf cart or scooter rentals
Ages: great for multi-age families + generational travel
Ideal Length: 3-5 nights
Where to stay: If heading to Cancun, we love the Excellence Collection, but not all of their resorts are family friendly. Contact me to book your stay!
Best Educational & Historical Spring Break Trips
Photo: Cypress Gardens, Charleston, South Carolina
America the beautiful is celebrating 250 years of nationhood in 2026. What better way to celebrate than to take a spring break trip that revolves around our wonderful country’s unique history? The best historical cities to visit in the US with kids are:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Boston, Massachusetts
Charleston, South Carolina
Washington D.C
Jamestown, Virginia
Many of these cities have special parades and celebrations planned for this year, so be sure to look for unique activities and plan lodging ahead of time!
Cruises for Spring Break: Why They Work for Families
Photo: St. Lucia
Family cruises simplify Spring Break logistics in a big way:
✔️ no meal planning
✔️ built-in entertainment
✔️ multi-age childcare options
✔️ shore excursions means tons of learning & adventure opportunities
✔️ cost control & payment plan friendly
Cruise itineraries we love for Spring:
- Caribbean
- Mexico + Baja
- Mediterranean
Read more about cruising with kids here! We personally love cruise itineraries that don’t have many or any sea days.
Contact me today for help with planning and booking your cruise!
How to Choose the Right Spring Break Trip for Your Family
When planning the perfect spring break trip for your family, there are multiple factors to consider:
- Budget
- Ages of kids
- School calendar
- Passport status (Check out my post on getting passports for kids here!)
- Weather preferences (sunny & warm/cold)
- Time zone tolerance
- Flight length
We personally prioritize local weather ideals, travel duration, and potential family friendly activities for our crew of six.
New to traveling with your family? Check out this post all about how we travel with our four kids without losing our minds. 🙂
Final Thoughts
When it comes to family spring break destinations, the options are endless. Whether you choose sunshine, snow, history, culture, or cruises, it’s one of the best windows to travel with kids.
Still not sure where or how to start planning your family’s spring break vacation? I’m here to help! As a travel advisor, I provide complete planning and booking of trips from beginning to end. Contact me to get started on your trip today!
