Summer is already approaching at a rate of knots, and you may not have any travel plans yet. Summer vacations are always good excuses to take the kids away for a fun experience or two. It also takes up a couple of weeks in the summer holidays, meaning that’s two fewer weeks you have to spend entertaining your kids at home!
Ironically, due to all the worries about jet fuel shortages, now is a great time to book flights to various destinations, as there’s a low demand for seats. Of course, you can also consider road trip options, depending on where you live, but here are some of the best family travel ideas to think about for summer 2026.
Experience The FIFA World Cup
It’s an event that only comes around once every four years, and even then, it might be inaccessible to a lot of you. The previous World Cup was in Qatar, and the one before that was in Russia, so these aren’t exactly “family” travel destinations! This time around, the fun comes to the US, Mexico, and Canada – which opens the door for some fantastic family-friendly experiences.
If your kids are interested in soccer, then you should try to get tickets for at least one World Cup game. The best idea is to pick group stage matches that happen during weekdays, as these will be the cheapest tickets available. If you’re worried about booking flight tickets, then you should fly private to the FIFA World Cup. It’s a luxury option that makes you feel like a VIP, and then you won’t have to fret about commercial airline difficulties, jet fuel shortages, etc.
Best of all, there will be loads of fan events and family-friendly activities happening in the host cities, so even if you don’t manage to secure tickets, it’s worth a trip just to be part of the fan experience.
Head To PokéPark Kanto
Your kids will probably love Pokémon – and if you grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, you probably love this little game too! There’s something so endearing about this entire fictional universe; who doesn’t enjoy the idea of running around with your own cute pets that can fight one another?!
Pokémon has experienced a massive boom in the last decade, which has led to the creation of PokéPark Kanto. Located within Yomiuriland Amusement Park in Tokyo, this place gives you over 26,000 square meters of pure Pokémon goodness. It’s the perfect place to bring a family, as you can explore nice rides, cool sculptures, and walk inside real Poké Centers to see Nurse Joy and other characters.
Aside from the fact that Japan is already a beautiful country that’s super family-friendly, PokéPark Kanto gives you a unique thing that you genuinely can’t find anywhere else. Rumors suggest that the company has filed trademarks for future parks in other places around the world, but for now, this is the only place to get up close and personal with Pokémon.
Check Out Universal Kids Resort
Viewed by many as the ultimate new family travel attraction in North America, Universal Kids Resort comes to Frisco, Texas, with a host of amazing facilities and rides aimed at children and families. It’s not even open at the time of writing, but it says “coming 2026”, so we’ll assume that means it’ll be ready for the summer break. If not, then they’ve absolutely missed a massive opportunity here!
It’s worth signing up for updates so you can snag your tickets ASAP, as they’ll probably sell ridiculously fast given that this is a first-of-its-kind resort. Think Universal, only everything is geared towards kids and families – including a host of beloved characters like SpongeBob, the Minions, Shrek, Trolls, and so much more.
Also, the early signs suggest that it may open around the same time as the World Cup, so you could kill two birds with one stone and plan to see a game in Texas while staying at this resort.
Chessington World of Adventures
The United Kingdom does theme parks too, though they’re often much smaller than what you find in North America. Nevertheless, Chessington World of Adventures is a great place to go with your kids because it has so many themed areas – and it continues to add new ones all the time.
Currently, the park has just opened the World of Paw Patrol, which is a must-visit for anyone with small children who love this show. You’ll see some cool, child-friendly rides combined with an entire area in the Paw Patrol theme. It’s well worth traveling abroad with your family to experience this – especially because Chessington has many other things to offer.
The park also features a zoo and SeaLife area where you can look at so many different animals, making it the perfect family vacation. Also, and this is looking way ahead into the future, if you prefer some of the ideas on this list for summer 2026, head to Chessington next year, where it’ll be opening a Minecraft world!
A Proper US Road Trip
Did you know that 2026 is the celebration of 250 years of independence in the US? This landmark occasion will surely be celebrated up and down the country with amazing fireworks displays, special events, parades, and everything else. As such, it’s the perfect excuse to go on a proper family road trip around the country.
Set off in your car or RV and head to some of the biggest celebrations out there. It lets you explore so many parts of this lovely country while also enjoying loads of entertainment. For people who don’t really want to travel abroad this summer, a road trip makes perfect sense.
As you can probably tell, there are many other travel ideas for families to consider in summer 2026. This list tries to include a few of the best ideas for this year, meaning you’ve got special events, new openings, and so on. Whether you want to travel for hours by plane or take a trip up to another state by car, there are plenty of options for a great summer vacation.
Check out our Travel Adventure videos below!
Hi, I’m Crystal – a Kentucky-based Aromatherapist, wife, mom and the voice behind The Cinnamon Hollow. I share cozy, real-life inspiration for healthier routines, simple home living, essential oil use and safety, beauty, pets, and family adventures. From everyday tips to travel guides, my goal is to help you create a warmer life and embrace each day as its own little adventure. Always remember to live life, one adventure at a time! read more
