One of the first things I look for when planning a family getaway from Vancouver is a reasonable drive time or a nonstop flight! Yes, we travel all over the world, but when planning a quick trip or one week spring break trip, the less time traveling the better!
Here you will find the best getaways from Vancouver for families that I have done myself with my kids. Most of these are perfect for one week. Some offer relaxed itineraries (think all-inclusive or cruising) and others are adventure-filled trips. When you are done with this list, also check out my favorite tropical kid-free getaways from Vancouver because us parents deserve a break from being mom and dad also!
Perfect Family Vacations from Vancouver
Los Cabos Mexico
An easy nonstop flight from Vancouver or Abbotsford makes Cabo the perfect family trip from Vancouver. I have been twice to Los Cabos and my kids have been once. Once I flew from Vancouver and with my kids we flew from Abbotsford. Both times were when there were travel restrictions, but even with those, it was seamless!
I like Cabo because the resorts are close to the airport and you can get a sense of real Mexican culture on a drive to La Paz. You can also see Whale Sharks with your kids, something we did and LOVED! I like 3-4 days at an all-inclusive and I am not the kind of person who leaves the resort much. If I am paying for amenities, food and drinks, we are going to use them. We stayed 4 nights in Cabo, then rented a car and drive to La Paz for 2 nights, then came back to Cabo and got a hotel near the airport for our morning flight. If you have a later flight you could spend more time in La Paz (which I reccomend, there is lots to do and two days is not enough), but I did not want to have to wake up early and have a long drive and worry about traffic delays. I like to make travel days involving airplanes as stress free as possible.
Renting a car in Mexico is easy. We used Discover Cars. They are an aggregator. I chose the cheapest one they offered. No high-pressure insurance sales when I picked it up. That was a nice change from usual.
Where we stayed:
Los Cabos: Riu Palace Perfect size for our family and enough food options for us. The walk along the beach was nice. I would not stay next door at the Santa Fe. (It is a lot cheaper but huge. I am not a big fan of having to walk 10 minutes to get to a pool or the beach).
La Paz: We stayed in a small hotel on the Malecon. You want to be close enough to walk to the Malecon. Most of them are basic and less than $100. If you are going I will see if I can track the name down. Send me a message!
Travel Time: 4 hour flight nonstop options from Vancouver and Abbotsford
Trip Length: 7 days
Rental Car: Discover Cars
Excursions in La Paz for Families: Whale Shark Tour we used and Humpback Whale Boat Tour
Phone Sim: E sim from Airalo
Tips to Save Money: Your airfare and choice of accommodation can vary wildly in price. Sign up for airline newsletters, set flight alerts and then look for flight sales, use miles and points to travel, and choose an accommodation you can afford. Do not buy new suitcases or backpacks, take what you already own (my boys travel with their school bags and Markus has been using the same one for 5 years).
Fiji
Yes, you can get all the way to the south pacific on a non-stop flight from Vancouver on Fiji Airways. And let me tell you, the time change a few hours backward (but the date is tomorrow), is a lot easier than going over to Europe.
Fiji is great for kids who love the water. It offered some of the best snorkeling we have ever done. There are boat trips, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, diving, plus an assortment of cultural activities.
The best part about going to Fiji from Vancouver is that the flight leaves at night and arrives in the morning. On the way home, it also leaves at night, then arrives early afternoon. It is one of the easiest travel days for kids (who can sleep anywhere).
Where we stayed: Castaway Island (check prices here), Outrigger Fiji, Worldmark Timeshare (Radisson Blu and Hilton were right next door if you want to be on Denarau Island). We liked the location for port access.
Travel Time: 11 hours on Fiji Airways nonstop from Vancouver
Trip Length: 8 days
Tours: Day Cruise to Tivua Island & Fijian Cultural Village
More posts about Fiji: First Timer Mistakes to Avoid and Fiji with Toddlers
Phone Sim: E sim from Airalo (you can also get a physical sim card on arrival if your phone doesn’t have esim. I just love how fast, cheap and easy Airalo is compared to using the $15/day option from my phone carrier in Canada)
Tips to save money: Food is relatively inexpensive in grocery stores. Accommodations vary in price; choose something you can afford. Look for flight sales with Fiji Airways (sign up for their newsletter and follow them on social media.
Alaska Cruise
We did our first cruise (and only cruise so far – that was more than one night) to Alaska during the 2022 season. You can read my first timers review here to get a sense of what it was like on the Koningsdam.
We cruised with: Holland America Koningsdam
When: August (Cruise season is April until September)
Departure Point: Vancouver Cruise Ship Terminal (we parked for a week in their cruise ship parking). You can take transit if you do not have too much luggage or spend the night before your trip at a hotel like the Pan Pacific or Pacific Rim. (both have swimming pools)
Tips to save money: Look for kids’ sale free promos. This works great if you have two adults. If you only have one (like me), you will have one full-fare child before you get any discounts. Typically the best deals exist the farther out you book and popular sailings will sell out their cheaper room categories. Other ways to save money are to not buy the drink package, do not get wifi on board.
Jordan with Kids
Falling in love with Jordan was a pure accident for me. I had no real intention of traveling in the Middle East (except to North Africa to see Egypt). When this trip fell into my lap I had no idea what to expect, and now I spend almost every day encouraging families to take their kids on adventures like this one!
Trip Length: 1 week
Travel Time: about 18 hours, depending on flights (typical connections are London Heathrow or Frankfurt, Germany)
Phone Sim: E sim from Airalo (less than $10)
Further reading: I have an entire website on traveling to Jordan. You can start with this Jordan with Kids article. I also have plenty of itinerary posts on that site. We did a 5 day tour the first time we went. It was very rushed but fine if you are short on time. 7 days is better if you can spare it.
Tips to save money in Jordan: Self-driving is the most economical way to see the country. Choose small, locally run hotels that include breakfast.
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.