Family Traveller have teamed up with Avis to give you 10% off family car hire anywhere in Europe from now until the end of the 2018. So if you like the idea of a family road trip, this is the perfect year to plan one (or more!). Have a look at the top 10 we’ve mapped out for you already, then simply add kids, a great soundtrack, and head off.
1/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Bordeaux
Good luck trying to fun up the wine side of Bordeaux for kids. Fortunately this beautiful south west French city has a lot more going for it, and also happens to be gateway to the fabulous Landes Coast, world-class surfing beaches, and the tallest sand dune in all of Europe.
Fun family road-trip tips
- Bassin d’Arcachon – huge, beachy bay on the Atlantic coast where immense Dune du Pilat lords it over everything: it’s 100m high, kids love scrambling to the top, but you might want to take the stairs.
65 kilometres south west of Bordeaux Airport.
- Île d’Oléron – the largest French island after Corsica, famous for freshly fished oysters, fantastic family cycling, and Le Marais aux Oiseaux wildlife reserve.
189 kilometres north west of Bordeaux Airport
- Biscarosse – another lively coastal resort with water sports on France’s second largest lake, vast Atlantic beaches and great surfing: French kids learn at the surf schools here as soon as they can swim.
75 kilometres south west of Bordeaux Airport
- Angoulême – take the kids to meet Asterix and Tintin at the Centre National de la Bande Dessinée, then have a walk round the Old Town and spot the cartoon murals. In case you hadn’t guessed, Angoulême is the French capital of comic strips.
130 kilometres north east of Bordeaux Airport
- Direct UK flights to Bordeaux take one hour and 30 minutes year round.
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2/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Bremen
Keen to get kids interested in a road-trip? Head for north west Germany, promise them fairy tales for mile after mile and be as good as your word from the Musicians of Bremen to the enchanting heartland of The Brothers Grimm.
Fun family road-trip tips
- Bremen – what do a cat, dog, cockerel and donkey have in common? They’re The Musicians of Bremen, legendary tricksters honoured in the centre of historic Bremen: the only town ever mentioned by name in a Grimm Fairy Tale.
4 kilometres north east of Bremen Airport
- Hamelin – according to legend, Hamelin was plagued by rats, employed a piper to fix the problem, failed to pay him, and he took his revenge by spiriting away every single child, except one. Whether kids believe the story or not, the Pied Piper’s medieval town is still spellbinding.
145 kilometres south of Bremen Airport
- Bodenwerder – discover the real Baron Von Munchausen’s castle, and let kids test their nerves on hair raising summer rides at Rodelpark.
23 kilometres south east of Hamelin
- Kassel – no surprise to find GRIMMWELT, the stunning modern museum dedicated to The Brothers Grimm, in a city as dramatically Baroque and grand as Kassel.
102 kilometres south of Bodenwerder
- Direct UK flights to Bremen take one hour and 25 minutes year round.
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3/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Nuremberg
Legendary automotive engineering and fantastic roads are a given in Germany, a long and illustrious history of toy-making is one of the country’s lesser known talents. Pay homage to both and follow the family-friendly trail of toys starting at Nuremberg in Northern Bavaria.
Fun family road-trip tips
- Nuremberg – it takes a big city to claim Germany’s Christmas Market crown, but Nuremberg does, year after year. Visit any time for the Lydia Bayer Toy Museum and hours of wandering round the captivating Handwerkerhof district.
8 kilometres north of Nuremberg Airport
- Zirndorf – the birthplace of Playmobil celebrates its most famous export with everything from pirate ships to wild west towns at the 90,000m² Playmobil FunPark.
16 kilometres west of Nuremberg Airport
- Coburg – the charming town with historic royal connections is also home to the fascinating Coburg Doll Museum and a good base for the German Toy Industry Museum at Neustadt.
112 kilometres north of Zirndorf
- Sonneberg – the former ‘Toy Capital of the World’ is now the place to explore the German Toy Museum, the Fröbelmuseum of early childhood education, and the German Teddy Bear Museum: kids can design and create their own bears here.
30 kilometres north east of Coburg
- Direct UK flights to Nuremberg take two hours and five minutes year round.
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4/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Naples
Rome might disagree, but when it comes to pizza nowhere comes near Naples. If a woodfired oven isn’t hot enough, it’s also the city for Vesuvius, and a great base for road tripping the Amalfi Coast, sailing to Capri, and popping into Pompeii.
Fun family road-trip tips from Naples
- Naples – the seaside city dominated by Mount Vesuvius is just as intriguing underground. Take a below-the-streets tour with kids, grab a slice or two of Italy’s finest snack, and give the urban beaches an afternoon, if you have time.
8 kilometres south west of Naples Airport
- Herculaneum – before you head to Pompeii, visit the ruins at Herculaneum for a glimpse of daily life prior to the devastating eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD.
15 kilometres south of Naples Airport
- Pompeii – despite being frozen in time almost 2000 years ago this astonishing petrified city is still revealing new discoveries even today.
30 kilometres south east of Naples Airport
- Sorrento – drive along the lovely Amalfi Coast to Sorrento and sail for Capri. Leave time to explore the charming Old Town, have lunch on the waterfront, and take a cruise to gaze at the incredible Blue Grotto.
52 kilometres from Naples Airport
- Direct UK flights to Naples take two hours and 40 minutes year round.
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5/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Billund
Even if all Billund had was LEGOLAND, it would be an epic family adventure. But the city’s also right in the heart of amazing Jutland, so you can pack a road trip with Vikings, walks on the Wadden Seabed, seal spotting, waterparks, wildlife and still have time for the world’s most famous bricks.
Fun family road-trip tips from Billund
- LEGOLAND – the original LEGOLAND Resort turned 50 in 2018, but it’s as fresh, colourful and creative as ever. Leave plenty of time to explore all eight incredible play zones, ride rollercoasters, and visit the amazing LEGO House in the heart of Billund itself.
4 kilometres west of Billund Airport
- Ribe Viking Centre – Denmark’s oldest town dates back to 812AD and lets kids spend the day as Vikings right down to making their own bread, handling falcons and learning the ways of warriors.
66 kilometres south west of Billund Airport
- Wadden Sea National Park – West Jutland’s portion of the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea is the place to walk across the seabed by lamplight, hunt for oysters, and go on Seal Safaris.
88 kilometres south west of Billund Airport
- Givskund Zoo – home to Denmark’s only Lowland Gorillas, along with 700 other animals from 70 species, a car safari round Givskund is a great fit for a family road-trip.
26 kilometres north east of Billund Airport
- Direct UK flights to Billund take one hour and 30 minutes year round.
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6/10 Kid-friendly road trips round Malaga
Fly into Malaga and you have unforgettable Andalusia in every direction, and the pleasure of driving on the AP-7: the longest national motorway in Europe, AKA Autopista del Mediterráneo thanks to its incredible coastal views.
Fun family road-trip tips from Malaga
- Malaga – the birthplace of Picasso has a captivating Old Town, one of the finest food markets in Andalusia, a well-deserved reputation for tapas, and fantastic chiringuitos on sensational Costa del Sol beaches.
14 kilometres east of Malaga Airport
- Nerja – one of the prettiest resort towns on the Costa del Sol, Nerja mixes authentic charm with masses of beachy fun. It’s also home to Cueva Nerja, and where to walk on the waters of Rio Chillar: a great summer tradition for Andalusian families.
70 kilometres east of Malaga Airport
- Granada – does the Alhambra make Granada a greater Andalusian city than Seville? Decide for yourself over tapas, since this is also one of the very few cities in Spain which still piles plates high, and only charges for drinks.
136 kilometres north east of Malaga Airport
- Ronda – if you can tear yourself away from the coast, drive the coiling mountain road to Ronda and prepare to be stunned by the precarious cliff-built town, enormous viaduct and incredible views. Then take kids wild swimming in Cueva del Gato on the edge of Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
105 kilometres north west of Malaga Airport
- Direct UK flights to Malaga take two hours and 45 minutes year round.
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7/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Inverness
Compact and easy to get around, Scotland could have been invented for family road-trips. Fly into Inverness and head for the Highlands or take adventurous kids touring in Cairngorms National Park: the largest in the UK, home to herds of reindeer, ski-resorts, fabulous forests, glens and RZSS Highland Wildlife Park.
Fun family road-trip tips
- Inverness –clamber around Urquhart Castle, take a whale watching cruise on the Moray Firth, explore Culloden, and go monster hunting on legendary Loch Ness.
16 kilometres west of Inverness Airport
- Cairngorms National Park – one of Europe’s great wilderness landscapes, dotted with pretty towns and villages, heaps of outdoor activities, along with the fun of Glenlivet Dark Sky Discovery Centre, the Highland Wildlife Park, year round ‘winter’ sports at Aviemore, and a good chance of Northern Lights.
131 kilometres south east of Inverness Airport
- Eilean Donan Castle – the world famous keep on the shores of Loch Duich is almost as spectacular as the road-trip to get there.
133 kilometres west of Inverness Airport
- Isle of Skye – between driving round the beautiful Kyles of Lochalsh, crossing the dramatic Skye Road Bridge, and the fun of Scotland’s most dramatic island into the bargain, Skye is a family holiday all by itself.
217 kilometres west of Inverness Airport
- Direct daily flights from London to Inverness take one hour and 30 minutes.
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8/10 Kid-friendly road trips round England’s national parks
Hire a car at Newcastle Airport, take your pick of four great national parks and discover the pleasure of driving across moor and dale, stargazing under some of Europe’s darkest skies or touring England’s myth-laden lakes.
Fun family road-trip tips
- Northumberland National Park –fun for lake sailing and forest treks during the day, stay overnight and make for remarkable Kielder Observatory at the heart of the park’s Dark Sky Reserve.
40 kilometres north west of Newcastle Airport
- North York Moors National Park – this is the one for wild moorland roads, time-stood-still villages, huge open skies, and the North Yorkshire Heritage Coast.
107 kilometres south of Newcastle Airport
- Yorkshire Dales National Park – the drama of the dales will take your breath away, but you can easily catch it again in dozens of charming towns: famous for traditional tearooms and historic tales.
108 kilometres south west of Newcastle Airport
- Lake District National Park – easily England’s best loved national park, this is the one for Beatrix Potter and Wordsworth, mighty fells, treetop adventure courses, sailing on Lake Windermere, canoeing on Coniston Water, and enough outdoor activities to justify several road trips.
122 kilometres west of Newcastle Airport
- Direct daily flights from London to Newcastle take one hour and ten minutes.
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9/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Stockholm
With everything from rugged Arctic wildernesses to endless archipelagos, Sweden is the country of choice for road-testing new cars, and just as thrilling for family road trips.
Fun family road-trip tips
- Stockholm – park up and explore the Swedish capital from its sleek shopping districts to the romantic cobblestoned streets of Gamla Stan (Old Town). Then get behind the wheel and hop around an archipelago of over a dozen islands, connected to the city by road bridges or car ferries.
43 kilometres south of Stockholm Airport
- Eskilstuna – the medieval city nicknamed ‘Tuna’ is where you want to head for Parken Zoo, famous for rare and exotic creatures, a fun Little Zoo, ParkBadet waterpark, and a theme-park with 15 rides scaled in size for under fives.
142 kilometres west of Stockholm Airport
- Stendörren Nature Reserve – 923 hectares of land and sea, islands and causeways, bridges, boats and amazing wildlife. Start the adventure at the excellent, osprey-shaped, visitor centre.
133 kilometres south of Stockholm Airport
- Lake Marviken – even novices can handle sailing on enchanting Lake Marviken and the surrounding forest is made for kid-size adventures.
110 kilometres south west of Stockholm Airport
- Direct UK flights to Stockholm take two hours and 20 minutes year round.
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10/10 Kid-friendly road trips from Oslo
Bright, clean and easy to get around, Oslo is famously family friendly, and like most of Norway, it assumes you’ll be travelling with kids and adjusts everything with that in mind, from cute restaurants to child-size museum tours.
Fun family road-trip tips
- Oslo – the city where kids can walk on the roof of the Opera House is also the place to stand where Munch imagined ‘The Scream’, dare immense Holmekollen Ski Jump and see as many museums as you can for free on Museum Thursday.
50 kilometres south west of Oslo Airport
- Oslomarka Forest – head into the wilds just a short drive from the city and go snowshoeing in winter, hiking in summer, and wildlife spotting any time of year.
57 kilometres west of Oslo Airport
- Oslofjord – Bergen’s fjords inspired Frozen – allegedly – but Oslofjord gives you a hint of Norway’s dramatic waterways without a seven hour drive west.
60 kilometres west of Oslo Airport
- Tusenfryd – if soaring fjords aren’t awesome enough, Norway’s most thrilling and chilling white knuckle rides are at home in Tusenfryd Amusement Park.
70 kilometres south of Oslo Airport
- Direct UK flights to Oslo take two hours and five minutes year round.