The best family holidays in the US

There are multiple US states worthy of visiting on a family holiday, or family staycation. Over the years, our Travel Experts have explored and ventured through dozens of US states with their own families. To name just a few favourites, here are some of the best locations for a luxury family holiday in the US:

1. California

California is a great state for families to holiday in. Home to beaches, national parks, Hollywood, and Disneyland, there’s plenty of family fun to be had in the Golden State. There’s relaxation overlooking the ocean, sunrise hot air balloon flights, stargazing in Yosemite National Park, and tasting dim sum in the oldest Chinatown in North America. Put simply, there’s something for everyone.

Just one of many options for a California family holiday, this soulful, all-encompassing Californian trip will have you exploring like locals and experiencing stunning landscapes together – and can, of course, be adapted to fit your family’s wants and needs. Beginning in San Fran and ending in the City of Angels, this is an iconic US family road trip – with scope for a cycling tour over the Golden Gate Bridge, a sunrise hot air balloon flight over Napa Valley, and catching sight of migrating whales from a private zodiac boat in Big Sur. If you think you’re not a road-tripping family, you’ll soon realize otherwise.

Take me to California

2. Wyoming

Home to Yellowstone and the rugged mountains of Grand Teton National Park, the vast canyons and dense forests of Wyoming are the wild backdrop to some of America’s most adventurous family holidays. Whether you’re exploring technicolor hot springs and bubbling mud pots, witnessing grizzly bears in the wild or unwinding in your hotel’s outdoor pool, this trip is the way to discover the untamed spirit of the west together.

Your six-night journey (although you can of course stretch it out) begins with three nights slumbering beneath canvas in a safari-inspired stay in Yellowstone National Park. It’s here that you’ll explore the nation’s largest national park on foot and by kayak, seeking out bear tracks and marveling at hundred-strong herds of free-roaming bison. It’s tempting to spend your next three nights soaking in the surroundings from the heated outdoor pool and hot tub at the unrivalled Amangani resort. But this is a region rich in adventure, and there’s no better way to embrace it with a thrilling whitewater rafting excursion down the rapids of Snake River. Family bonding? Guaranteed.

Take me to Wyoming

3. Colorado

With diverse landscapes of winding river canyons, arid deserts, and the Rocky Mountains, Colorado is one of the most awe-inspiring family holiday spots in America. It’s also one of the most fun places to play cowboy in the US, where a ‘smart’ dress code translates to jeans, rumpled shirt, and boots. This is a state where you can embrace the locals’ laid-back attitude and outdoorsy lifestyle – to escape the rat race, put down your phones and look up at your loved one – and the scenery around you.

This seven-day journey takes you from the colourful, mural-adorned city of Denver, where you can soak in the atmosphere and master some moves in the Grizzly Rose Dancehall, or head to the theatre or a comedy show. You’ll descend the biking trails of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, gulp in fresh mountain air in the town of Snowmass, and spend three nights on a stylish working cattle ranch, where you’ll learn to herd bison on horseback and lasso like a real-life cowboy.

Take me to Colorado

4. Hawaii

Dotting the Pacific Ocean with emerald-hued isles that feature wild coastlines with blazing volcanoes and beautiful beaches fringed by palms, a family holiday in Hawaii can be a total reset. But it can also be jam-packed full of surfing, snorkeling, hiking, and cultural encounters. With so many options, your trip can be whatever you want it to be.

With a perfect balance between exhilarating adventure and chilled-out beach time, this trip to the blissful islands of Maui and Kauai can be easily adapted for families. Plus, Hawaii is also home to one of our most outrageously energetic Field Trip experiences – designed especially for families. Known locally as the ‘sport of kings’, Hawaiian surfing is more than a sport – it’s a way of life. On this experience, together you’ll hit Hawaii’s surf with a grand master as your expert guide and tutor. It’s a history lesson, but with an extra dose of adrenaline thrown in. So, travellers – prepare to get gnarly.

Take me to Hawaii

5. Alaska

From top to bottom, Alaska is jaw-droppingly scenic – with icefields, mountains, forests, and wild shorelines to explore. It is this type of majestic scenery that inspired Jack London’s 1903 novel – and children’s favourite – Call of the Wild. Taking further inspiration from the book, we’ve created a nine-night ‘Take me on a Story’ journey through the state that will help you and your family retrace the pathways, mountains, and rivers of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Together, you’ll follow in the footsteps of the peonies who sought their fortunes among these landscapes. You’ll prospect for gold in historic mines, sail between icebergs, learn to climb, rappel, and forage. You’ll experience life on the frontier in all its ruggedness and glory, mastering survival skills in one of the world’s last untouched wildernesses – but with plenty of ridiculously comfortable lodge stays along the way. And you’ll return home having left no stone unturned – with plenty of your own stories to tell.

Take me to Alaska

6. Utah

Keen to disconnect from the real world and reconnect with your loved ones on your family holiday? Head to Utah. The state’s vast national parks make it one of the best family holiday spots in the US – where you’ll be surrounded by otherworldly landscapes, plunging canyons, and star-studded skies.

This journey, which wraps up Utah and Arizona into a big adventure of family-friendly activities, is one that you can take year-round. You’ll self-drive to the heartland of the south-west, exploring one of the most remote corners of the country at your own pace. It all begins beneath the dazzling lights of Vegas, where you can try pedal-to-the-metal racing in a NASCAR Speedway session, before hitting the open road to come face to face with the Grand Canyon (best enjoyed with a private picnic, which we’ll be taking care of). From there, you’ll head north to the tranquil desert retreat of Amangiri, surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery in the US, before driving onwards to cowboy country for desert hikes and a stay on a private ranch, where you can ride horseback and dig into a barbecue beneath the stars. How’s that for Wild West exploration?

Take me to Utah

7. Oregon

If your family prefers their beaches to be wild and windswept rather than perfectly pristine, make Oregon your next family holiday spot. Handily, and unusually for the US, the state’s beaches are free and public, making them the ultimate coastal playground for you and your clan. Days here can be spent navigating hiking trails in hills thick with rhododendrons, or spotting whales along the Pacific shoreline, either on a kayaking expedition, boat trip, or from a beachside clam shack.

Our five-night trip to the Beaver State can include all that, and more. Once the playlist has been settled on, you’ll cruise along Route Five, taking in coastal scenery and crisp white wines in Willamette Valley, or refreshing pale ales from Pelican Brewing Company. Along the way, you’ll dig into freshly caught seafood served metres from the water and spend the evenings enjoying the relaxed atmosphere in kitsch coastal lodges. This is wholesome family fun at its finest.

Take me to Oregon

8. New England

Home to six states, each with their own delightful character, New England is certainly not short of charm. Summer is a great time to visit, but so is fall – to catch the region’s famous fall colours, dappling its landscapes with rich hues of burnt orange and deep auburn.

Jam-packed full of exciting escapades and seaside stop-offs, this coastal family road trip is an adventure in every sense of the word. In Boston, you’ll spend the day at sea, hauling lobsters off the back of a boat with seasoned lobstermen, and to cook them for dinner later. On Nantucket Island, you’ll take a private tour and learn all about its original native American inhabitants, the Wampanoag people. In Cape Cod, you’ll go whale watching off the coast of Chatham. Witnessing a 50ft 66,000lb humpback breaching out of the water right before your eyes is something you and the kids won’t forget in a hurry.

Take me to New England

9. Montana

It may have spent several decades relatively under the radar in travel terms, but today, Montana is emerging onto the travel scene and establishing itself as one of the coolest family holiday destinations in the US. That’s thanks, in part, to the cactus-studded scenery and laid-back cowboy culture, but also down to the success of hit TV drama, Yellowstone.

Our set-jetting trip, inspired by Yellowstone, is an adventure through the Wild West, where you’ll ride horseback through Yellowstone National Park to a remote private camp set up just for you and your family. The following few days are nothing short of epic. Think dining with cowboys and learning what life is like as a true Montana wrangler and spending time with a local naturalist (and wolf expert) to hear about the prey and predator dynamics in Yellowstone. Plus, you’ll be bedding down at a luxury private ranch, and even dining with the owners, one of the oldest ranching families in Jackson Hole.

Take me to Montana

10. Florida

It’s famously home to some of the world’s most adored amusement parks, but there’s so much more to love about Florida. In fact, the entire state is brilliant family holiday territory, with its hundreds of miles of beautiful beaches, balmy weather, and wildlife spotting for nature lovers. From the cities to the sea, Florida is a hit with all ages.

That’s why we’ve created the ultimate family road trip in one of the most exciting stretches of the state. Short driving distances make this trip particularly easy for families with younger kids, or anyone who starts to feel a bit restless in the backseat. It begins in colorful Miami, home to some of the state’s best street art and energizing Cuban culture, which you’ll discover on a food tour of the Little Havana neighborhood. Then it’s on to the Everglades National Park, home to thick forests, grasslands, and enormous alligators, which you’ll spot from the safety of a speedboat. Next up: chill out time and daily fun on and in the ocean at the sun-kissed beaches of the Florida Keys.

Take me to Florida

11. Arizona

With its sun-dappled desert landscapes and burnt orange rock formations, it’s no surprise that Arizona is so often considered one of the most beautiful family holiday settings in the American West. We absolutely agree.

On this all-American road trip we don’t just bring you face to face with the Grand Canyon, we go several leaps beyond, helping you experience the silence and serenity of this epic chasm in the earth. It begins with a helicopter trip over the iconic curve of the canyon’s Horseshoe Bend, before you’re deposited on the edge of the North Rim for a next-level picnic with a dramatic, out-of-this-world view. There’ll be salads filled with fresh organic vegetables, seared steaks, cheeses, and just-baked cakes, plus some of the finest wines, beers, and sodas in the country to accompany the vista. Our See you in the Moment experiences are filled with memory-making meals that families love. But this one? It may just be one of our very best.

Take me to Arizona

12. Texas

One of the very best family holidays in the US would have to be to the state of Texas. Why? Well, how much time do you have? This is a state that’s diverse in its entertainment, from vegan street food trucks in Austin to theme parks and football games in Dallas, and rodeos and cowboy culture further south.

But that’s not all. It’s also the holiday spot for budding astronauts, scientists, and explorers thanks to the Johnson Space Center, a sprawling facility in Houston where space missions are planned and astronauts are trained. As part of our Field Trip experience, you and your family can head here as part of your bigger Texas trip, and get the chance to join an expert NASA official on a fascinating push-some-buttons tour of the control rooms, training centers and parks that help plan trips to space. You’ll see the Saturn V rocket, and learn what it’s like to live as a NASA scientist and astronaut, planning trips thousands of miles into space.

Take me to Texas

What to do on a family holiday to the US

Another way to choose where to go in the US is through what there is to do there. You might follow your children’s interests, and build your journey around one of our Field Trip experiences – educational travel encounters that grant behind-the-scenes access, led by experts and insiders. Future scientists in the family? A guided tour around NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston will leave them with an enthralling understanding of NASA and its star-studded ambitions. If not, budding historians and sociologists might enjoy a trip to Atlanta to learn about the long march to freedom, spending the day with a guide who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement.

But really, there are no right or wrong answers to the questions of where to go and what to do on a family holiday in the US. If there’s something or somewhere you have in mind, simply ask. We’ll make it happen.

Plan an epic family road trip

One of the most exciting ways to travel through the US together is on an epic family road trip. From coast to coast, America is defined by its roads – from winding desert passes to famous, storied routes. To explore the country via its highways and byways is to see it at its most authentic; to see America at its best. We understand that with so many routes and states to choose from, planning a US family road trip can be overwhelming. But, fear not – that’s where our Travel Experts come in.

Travelling this way, there’s freedom to explore and a choice of which routes to take – and you get to see places along the way you wouldn’t ordinarily catch a glimpse of. Road trips are also more flexible than time-bound flights, ferries and trains. After all, who doesn’t love a more relaxed, easy-going approach with more quality time, less airport time? Family road trips with younger kids are great for sneaking in naps in the car between all the excitement.

For its dramatic coastal scenery and quirky cities, we’re loving Oregon right now. On this ultimate short break to the Beaver State, you’ll tackle precipitous coastal roads and raucous sea mammals whilst also indulging in gourmet local cuisine. Or, if you’re after the drive of a lifetime through the heart of Western USA, this epic family road trip through Utah, Colorado and Wyoming should do the trick.

Our five bespoke, multi-destination ‘Remarkable Drives of Discovery’, created with our friends at Auberge Resorts, can also be adapted to suit families of all shapes and sizes. For example, this ten-night road trip around Utah, Colorado and New Mexico – travelling from the height of the Rockies to the depths of the Rio Grande – is packed full of mountains, flavors and adventure, making for a fantastic family getaway.

The US is home to a number of our favourite luxury resorts, perfect for travelling families. Family-friendly resorts and hotels with features like interconnecting rooms, bigger family suites, and even private accommodation for bigger multi-generation families, can make travelling together all the easier.

Looking out across the dramatic Kohala Coast, Mauna Lani captures the true spirit of Hawaii. From both rooms or suites the views are transporting, looking to either the mountains behind or the ocean in front – but the bungalows are even more ideal for families, offering increased privacy with their private beach access, multiple bedrooms and private pools. Over in Utah, Sorrel River Ranch is another family favourite, with Sorrel River’s 160-acre perimeter of green pastures to head out and explore together.

In California, Rosewood Miramar Beach is one of America’s finest beach getaways. The rooms and suites here benefit from private patios and terraces with stunning views over the ocean or into the gardens. We also love The Resort at Paw’s Up in Montana for family breaks. Its beautiful location makes it the ultimate outdoor playground for children and adults of all ages, with 100 miles of walking trails, 10 miles of the Blackfoot River and 37,000 acres of land to roam. For more ranch holidays, read our dedicated guide to luxury dude ranches for families next.