Travelling overseas with the family brings us closer, as we share valuable life lessons about culture, the environment, ourselves, and the world in general – all while creating lasting memories. So, with a year’s worth of school holidays on the horizon, we’re exploring family-friendly Borneo, Finnish Lapland, British Columbia, South Africa, and the Galapagos Islands – so you can enjoy authentic experiences and adventures together throughout 2025 and beyond…
Big-hitter family attractions & destinations
The best family-friendly destinations have something unique, intriguing and fun for everyone – and South Africa’s rich blend of cultural experiences and safari adventures offer just that. While kids may have seen their favourite animals in zoos, finding them in the wild fosters a deeper appreciation of Earth’s ecosystems and promotes environmental awareness. In Borneo’s Sabah and Sarawak regions, the world’s most biodiverse rainforests and vibrant cities provide outstanding wildlife encounters and Indigenous cultural experiences. Finnish Lapland is a treasure trove of Arctic adventures, from Christmas-themed attractions to the spectacular Northern Lights. Canada’s British Columbia province combines the best of culture with thrilling wilderness adventures, making it a year-round playground for all ages. Meanwhile, Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands’ endemic wildlife, untouched landscapes, and enriching educational opportunities captivate both kids and adults alike.
Outdoor adventure spots to share with the kids
Going outside to play together is the stuff of lifelong family memories. And even if your youngsters no longer believe in Father Christmas, Lapland’s cool Yule-themed attractions set the scene for wintery adventures, with Rovaniemi’s Santa Claus Village offering the opportunity to meet the man himself, get close to real reindeer and learn magic at the Elf Academy. Plus, there’s the opportunity to see the Northern Lights in Levi or from the comfort of an Aurora Cabin in Pyhätunturi.
Exploring Borneo’s great outdoors is a rewarding way to Make Travel Matter, offering both a chance to encounter endangered animals and support vital conservation efforts. In the Kinabatangan River region, river cruises may bring sightings of proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants, while the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre allows families to support orangutan care.
South Africa’s Kruger National Park offers thrilling safari adventures where kids can spot the Big Five while learning about wildlife conservation. In Cape Town, Table Mountain’s cable car, trails, and stunning views set the scene for all-ages adventures.
The Galápagos Islands are ideal for families, offering unique wildlife encounters with giant tortoises and playful sea lions, plus activities like snorkelling and paddling in calm waters, all while learning about Earth’s development in ever-evolving volcanic landscapes.
In British Columbia, Vancouver is a gateway to outdoor adventures in the Canadian Rockies, the Great Bear Rainforest, and Vancouver Island, where opportunities to explore nature together abound with family-friendly activities like skiing, hiking, and wildlife watching.
Our 5-day Nordic Family Adventure features husky safaris, reindeer, Santa encounters, and northern lights experiences in the heart of Finnish Lapland.
Indoor family experiences & rainy-day activities
Whether you’re just passing through or settling in for a longer stay, our must-see family destinations for 2025 have plenty of indoor activities to spark curiosity. Vancouver’s Science World features hands-on exhibits that make learning about science, technology, and the natural world exciting for all ages. Here you can explore space, human biology, physics, and robotics, with live science demonstrations and an immersive OMNIMAX theatre adding to the fun. Just a 10-minute cab ride away, FlyOver Canada offers a thrilling ‘flying’ experience with spectacular aerial visuals from moving, pivoting seats.
Sarawak’s Borneo Cultures Museum boasts interactive galleries that introduce children to the region’s Indigenous cultures. In Johannesburg, the Museum of Illusions is a mind-bending visual and sensory experience, while the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre – southern Africa’s largest science centre – features over 350 hands-on exhibits in maths, science, and technology. Cape Town and the Galapagos Islands also host excellent science centres where kids can learn through interactive exhibits. In Lapland, the Arktikum Arctic Science Centre & Museum immerses visitors in the intricacies of the polar landscape, culture, history and the northern lights – and the adjacent Arctic Garden is the perfect spot to watch them come alive at night.
Unique experiences and quirky attractions for all ages
From unusual theme parks and museums to heart-pumping wildlife encounters, 2025’s must-see destinations provide experiences you won’t find anywhere else. In Borneo, the Kuching Cat Museum has more than 4,000 cat-themed artifacts, with four intriguing galleries featuring everything from a real Egyptian mummy-cat to a kooky stash of Garfield memorabilia and cat photography kiosks. Prefer to stay wild in Borneo? In Sabah, you can Make Travel Matter by exploring the Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Centre, a living classroom where families delve deep into Borneo’s biodiversity hotspots, home to 222 types of mammal and 15,000 plant species. Right next door to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, it’s an excellent place to spot orangutans, hornbills, and flying squirrels as they emerge at dusk.
Unique wildlife experiences also abound in the Galapagos Islands. On San Cristobal, an excursion to the Colorado Hill Tortoise Protection and Growing Center showcases the Galapagos’ iconic giant shell-dwellers in a spacious corral, breeding hub, and an interpretative trail where endemic birds are also observed.
In Victoria, set sail on a Make Travel Matter Experience to search for British Columbia’s legendary orcas and humpback whales, all while watching the shores for bears, eagles and wolves in the company of a marine biologist. In South Africa’s Greater Kruger, private game reserves like Makutsi Safari Springs and Kapama Buffalo Camp may offer interpretative bush walks and hiking safaris for kids over 16, while back in Johannesburg, this quirky gold-mining-themed amusement park has rides and entertainment for all ages. And in Lapland’s Saariselkä region, you can explore the meeting point of the eastern, western, and northern Indigenous cultures and watch Lady Aurora light up the skies above.
Free family days out
In between epic adventures, budget-friendly activities are an opportunity for laidback quality time as well as intriguing discoveries. Roll out your beach towels at Tortuga Bay (Bahia Tortuga) on the Galapagos’ Santa Cruz Island, a shell’s throw from Puerto Ayora with idyllic white sands, calm seas perfect for a dip and shady mangroves. Explore Borneo’s handicrafts at Kota Kinabulu’s Gaya Street Sunday Market, soak up the lively atmosphere on the KK Esplanade, and visit the Signal Hill Observatory Tower for jaw-dropping views of the city and its outlying islands.
In Vancouver’s Stanley Park you can either relax, explore, or do both, with a scenic seawall, sparkling beaches, 27km of forest trails, kids playgrounds and Brockton Point’s First Nations Totem Poles showcasing British Columbia’s rich Indigenous heritage.
Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct delivers a glimpse into South Africa’s contemporary art scene with free-entry galleries, while the weekly Arts on Main event levels up the creativity with live entertainment. And in Lapland, you’ll only need a valid ski pass or area ticket to enter Levi Kids Land, where youngsters can unleash their energy with an outdoor playground, sledding, and beginner-friendly ski slopes.
Adventures & activities for teens
Most older kids crave a blend of excitement, independence, and time with their peers, and our family friendly destinations offer all that and more. Lapland and the Galapagos Islands present an adrenaline-drenched bounty of outdoor adventures for all ages, as does British Columbia, where year-round wilderness areas like Grouse Mountain are easily reached from downtown Vancouver. Further afield near Jasper, older kids interested in the culinary arts can enjoy an authentic Rockies Make Travel Matter Experience with a combined backcountry hike and cooking experience.
Borneo’s Rainforest World Music Festival is the hottest ticket in Kuching, with three days of live world music, cultural demonstrations and workshops, while Zip Borneo delivers a rush to thrill-seekers with ziplining, high ropes courses and jungle adventure challenges.
And, in South Africa, cycling tours of Soweto reveal the Johannesburg township’s vibrant heart; the nearby Neighbourgoods Market is a hipster haven packed with Insta-worthy fashion, art, music and food; and a short cruise from Cape Town leads to penguins, fur seals and a standout Make Travel Matter experience for marine wildlife lovers.
Family-friendly dining experiences & restaurants
While kids may still prefer menus tailored to their tastes, dining out abroad allows parents to satisfy their culinary curiosity with local delicacies – and the most family-friendly eateries plate up foodie experiences that satisfy all of you. The Galapagos Islands’ various towns offer a spread of seafood dining options, with signature dishes like ceviche, encebollado, arroz marinero and seco among the highlights for grownups, and fried plantain, tropical fruit-flavoured treats and llapingachos (potato pancakes) appealing to kids.
Around Lapland’s Rovaniemi, 27 eateries serve everything from dim sum, pizza and burgers to braised reindeer, Indigenous Sami fare and traditional salmon baked in a Lappish teepee over an open fire.
In Kota Kinabalu, a wander around the weekly Api-Api Night Food Market presents a moreish mix of Malaysian and Bornean street-food options, and it’s also well worth booking a table at The Native Café, where fresh, indigenous rainforest foods are served alongside Western classics.
On Vancouver’s Granville Island, you can eat your way through the world-famous Public Market and hear the intriguing stories behind the dishes on a guided Make Travel Matter Experience. In Gastown, the city’s central foodie district, The Old Spaghetti Factory and the Soft Peaks ice-creamery are among the highlights for kids.
For a taste of South Africa, Johannesburg’s Bambanani’s upscale dining experience caters to adults’ refined tastes, while keeping children entertained with movies, dress-ups, gaming, a four-storey jungle gym and hosted activities like pottery classes, face painting, magicians, puppet shows, and a mobile zoo.
Seasonal activities for families
So when’s the best time to travel? Whether you’re visiting at Christmas, in the school holidays or travelling at another time of year, each of our must-see destinations has standout experiences tailored to the season. Borneo’s steamy summer is perfect for exploring the rainforests, while winter’s cooler temperatures are ideal for trekking Mount Kinabalu and soaking in the Poring Hot Spring. The South African summer brings bright, clear days for safaris; autumn is a fantastic time for exploring Table Mountain in Cape Town, and winter brings great whale-watching. The Galapagos Islands are a year-round playground with average temperatures between 16° C and 31°C, although autumn sees calmer seas for longer cruises and winter brings cooler temperatures for longer hikes.
In British Columbia, summer is the perfect time for bushwalking, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, while winter brings a choice of 13 major ski resorts including Whistler Blackcomb and Sun Peaks. Christmas here is magical too, with the Vancouver Christmas Market an extravaganza of live performances, light installations, artisan stalls, and more.
While summer’s midnight sun allows for long days of outdoor activities, Lapland is at its dreamiest in the Christmas school holidays, when it becomes a winter wonderland of snowshoeing, reindeer safaris, sledding, skiing, and, of course, Santa encounters.