The Best Can't Miss Attractions for Families This Summer

NEW YORK, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With many families still finalizing their summer vacation plans, the experts at Vacation, an online travel planning resource, have identified a top ten list of cool, new family attractions around the globe. A variety of hotel ideas are also included to help map out the perfect family vacation.

"The number of unique and awe-inspiring attractions and experiences that have been custom-created with families in mind has never been better," said Ninan Chacko, CEO of Travel Leaders Group, the company that powers Vacation. "It's a perfect time to start planning an incredible summer trip the kids will never forget, while letting a professional travel advisor do the legwork and ensure you're getting the best value."

Not-to-be-missed family attractions in 2019 include:

Lego House (Billund, Denmark)—Lego Movie fans can play and improve their creative and cognitive skills during a visit to Denmark's Lego House, a museum and experiential space that focuses on learning through play. The almost three-acre attraction, filled with 25 million LEGO bricks, contains the LEGO forum, shop, restaurants and play areas on the rooftop terraces. Just a 50-minute flight away is Copenhagen, and the family-friendly Hotel Sanders and Nimb Hotel.

Live Wire Park (Lorne, Victoria, Australia)–This new outdoor attraction is focused on physical activity. Kids ages 7-15 can do 26 fitness activities on the Short Circuit. Their older family members can do the Super Circuit of 53 mid-air trails, suspended bridges, Tarzan swing and a QuickJump bungee. The family daredevils can do the extreme zip line experience on the 1,715-foot-long Shockwave Zip Coaster. Afterwards, everyone can rest on a beautiful coastal beach on the Great Ocean Road and stay at the family-friendly and luxurious Park Hyatt Melbourne.

Sports Legend Experience (Indianapolis Indiana)—A sports experience nestled in a Children's Museum, this attraction contains everything from sports art at the National Art Museum of Sport to the pit-stop challenge at the World of Sport. Travelers also can work on their hockey and football skills at the Indy Fuel Hockey Experience and the Colts Football Experience. The groupings for sports activities are Varsity Teams (family), Junior Varsity Players (ages 7-13) and Little Sports Legends (ages 2-6). After the adrenaline-pumping fun, the family can relax at the La Quinta Inn & Suites just three miles away.

Kidzania (Doha, Qatar) –This interactive city, where a kid can be an adult, has activity hubs including an aviation academy, culinary school, fashion boutique, construction site, TV studio and the Qatar Rail Training Program. All are part of the Welcome to KidZania in Doha, where kids ages 1-14 learn real life tasks through more than 60 hands-on activities and by sampling more than 100 different careers. Children under eight need to be accompanied by an adult. While there, consider a stay at the InterContinental Doha, located on the longest private beach in the city.

Dippy On Tour (United Kingdom)–The world famous cast of Diplodocus ­­– otherwise known as Dippy – is on tour in the UK. In addition to seeing Dippy, children can witness incredible natural history collections and learn about animals facing extinction and steps being taken to protect them. Since the tour is mobile, an experienced travel advisor can be particularly useful in coordinating the vacation along with hotel stay at a family-friendly property such as the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast.

Monopoly Mansion (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)–With its 1920s Great Gatsby feel, this is where the world's most famous board game comes to life. The Monopoly Mansion will eventually be part of a 27-story, 255-room hotel. After enjoying playing a life-sized version of the game, families can visit other popular nearby sites. If traveling without the kids, the all-inclusive Song Saa Private Island in Cambodia can be reached with a two-hour flight.

Sloth Preserve (Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica) —At this wildlife hotspot, kids can watch more than 15 furry sloths who've taken up residence amongst the 300 cecropia trees at the Nayara Hotel Spa & Gardens in Costa Rica's Arenal Volcano National Park. Then when they're ready for action, the kids can go canyoning, biking, birdwatching, touring via a sky tram/trek, whitewater rafting, walking on a lava field and frog-watching during nightly tours at the resort. 

Driving School (Tayto Park, Kilbrew, Ireland) —When visiting Dublin, a must stop for the kids is Tayto Park, which has a zoo and fun amusement park rides including the Windstar, Shot Tower and the Cú Chulainn Coaster. But the real excitement is getting behind the wheel, literally. At the new driving school, kids watch a video then drive a miniature battery-operated car. Upon passing a driving course, they earn a faux 'driver's license.' Family-friendly accommodation options include the InterContinental Dublin or the Fitzwilliam Hotel.

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge (Orlando, Florida and Anaheim, California) —Young Star Wars fans can be among the first to pilot the Millennium Falcon or take part in the epic battle between the First Order and the Resistance in two state-of-the-art rides at the new Star Wars Galaxy's Edge, slated to open at California's Disneyland Resort in May. It opens in Florida's Walt Disney World three months later. At both locations, Star Wars fans will see Batuu, a new planet not yet seen on film that will be filled with rogue traders, droids and unique alien species. An experienced travel advisor can plan the ultimate Disney vacation that includes a trip to Batuu and the rest of the Magic Kingdom theme park, while staying at family-friendly hotels such as The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes or the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. In California, for those who want to splurge, they can stay in the unique family getaway, L'Ermitage Beverly Hills.

Bear Grylls Adventure (Birmingham, United Kingdom) —At this indoor adventure center, energetic youth can free fall in a wind tunnel, snorkel in a see-through cage surrounded by more than 1,000 tropical fish or climb more than 20 different terrains and routes – inspired by Yosemite's El Capitan and the epic Mt. Everest. The Bear Grylls Adventure Center also includes Bear Grylls basecamp activities such as target archery, an assault course, and a survival maze aimed at sharpening minds and testing inner strength. Afterwards, the whole family can retire to The Hyatt Regency Birmingham, or one of the other nearby hotels recommend by the experts at Vacation.

To learn more about and explore Vacation's new attraction for kids in 2019, as well as other vacation ideas, travelers can visit the Destinations + Cultures section of Vacation. Travelers can also learn more about savings and discounts by becoming a member of The Travel Collection by Travel Leaders Group, a portfolio of select travel offers that allows travelers to receive discounts on international and domestic flights, value-added benefits at select lodging establishments, shipboard credits on cruises and discounts on escorted and vacation packages. Membership to The Travel Collection is offered at no additional cost to holders of select American Express® cards. For more information visit TheTravelCollection.com.

Vacation inspires, informs and guides travelers throughout their planning process, making every step—from researching a destination to connecting with the ideal travel expert—as rewarding as possible. The content-rich website is powered by Travel Leaders Group (www.travelleadersgroup.com), one of the industry's largest travel agency companies. Check out Vacation at www.vacation.com or on social media at #LoveUrVacay.

Contact: Anthony Hebron, [email protected] 

SOURCE Travel Leaders Group

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