It’s summertime, and if you’re thinking of planning a trip for the entire family, I’m sharing my top 10 favorite family friendly trips. They are all located in the South, so they’re typically driving distance for us from Memphis, Tennessee, and they’re all great for young kids too. From beaches to lakes to mountains, they’ve got it all! Keep reading and let me know if you have been to any of these.
Chattanooga, Tennessee – This was our family’s first time to visit here together, and it definitely won’t be our last! Chattanooga is so family friendly and so bike friendly. You can ride bikes most anywhere, walk to restaurants, shops and more. We visited the aquarium, the discovery museum, Rock City and a train ride, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. There is SO much to do here. In the Riverfront district, there are so many water areas where kids can just splash around and play in water too. We will definitely be coming back!
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – Y’all know how much we love the Smoky Mountains! Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg – we love it all! The kids love vacationing here and being in the outdoors. There is just so much to do here too from Anakeesta, Dollywood to Skyland Ranch. You can easily spend an entire weekend here, and there is still so much more to do. And don’t forget to go hiking to see the waterfalls. Our favorite resorts here are Margaritaville Resort and Wilderness at the Smokies.
Jekyll Island, Georgia – We took the kids here for the first time this Spring Break, and I wish we would have done it sooner! The kids had such a blast, and so did Matt and I. We loved our time here with the kids. We went to the beach, the pool and hot tub, dolphin sighting, bike riding, on a history tour and even to see the sea turtles. We only had 3 full days, but I recommend staying at least a week. It is just gorgeous and so relaxing here.
Grapevine, Texas – This one is slightly further at 7 hours, but it is 100% worth it! There are endless possibilities of things to do here. Grapevine is just right outside of Dallas. Here you have 2 of my favorite huge family friendly resort hotels, Great Wolf Lodge and Gaylord Texan. You will never get bored here, I promise! Great Wolf Lodge has an indoor waterpark, and Gaylord Texan has an outdoor waterpark. And since it’s a short drive from Dallas, the dining and shopping options are endless. There is something for everyone here, but you never even have to leave the hotel.
Oxford, Mississippi – Spring break last year we finally took all 3 of the kids. It was so much fun! Only an hour drive away and filled with so much to do. We went to an Ole Miss baseball game, walked through town and shopped, ate and visited the ice cream and cookie shops. We love the bookstore they have in town, and we went on so many walks and hikes around town.
Asheville, North Carolina – Last year was our first time to finally go as a family, and we 100% fell in love with Asheville and The Glamping Collective. Our stay there was incredible! The views were amazing both inside and out. We hiked everyday, played in the hot tub and rode bikes together. If you are a lover of the outdoors, this is a great vacation spot with the family!
Branson, Missouri – Y’all know that Big Cedar Lodge is a favorite spot of ours. We got married here 6 years ago, and we’ve been bringing the kids here for the past 6 years. We all love it! There is so much to do there (like Gatlinburg), but you can also just stay in your cabin and enjoy the outdoors with boating, swimming, hiking, etc. I love that you can totally tailor the trip depending on what all you do. You can get a hotel room there or even a cabin with a full kitchen, which is just perfect for large families.
Nashville, Tennessee – This is another favorite place of ours to visit. It’s only a short 3 hour drive away and perfect for a weekend getaway. Our favorite hotel to stay at while in town is Gaylord Opryland. It is just SO family friendly. You never even have to leave the hotel. They have tons of dining options including restaurants, ice cream shops, coffee shops, pizza places and more. And depending on the time of year, they always have seasonal activities. They have an indoor/outdoor water attraction, an indoor and outdoor pool and hot tub. They also have a riverboat ride through the hotel and have live music often. You can easily find something to do for everyone in the family!
Rosemary Beach, Florida – Y’all know we absolutely love the 30A area. This is our first year that we don’t have a trip planned here, and I am already missing it! It is so family friendly and so gorgeous here! It is super bike friendly too. You can bike most anywhere – to beaches, resorts, restaurants and of course ice cream shops. This is always one of the kids’ favorite trips each year!
Hot Springs, Arkansas – Only a few hours away, we love Hot Springs for a quick outdoorsy trip. We love staying at the Waters Hotel, but there are also tons of great Airbnb options here. Get a house on the lake and have some fun in the sun. They also have some fun trails, shopping, dining and museums you can visit in town while there. The kids always love visiting here, and we especially love staying at a spot on the water or with a hot tub so we can enjoy some time outside. They also have the Mountain Tower, Garvan Gardens and some great hiking.
Where are you headed this summer? Where are your favorite family friendly travel destinations?
