7 Epic Summer Road Trips with Kids That Your Family Will Talk About for Years

Summer is calling, and nothing beats the freedom of a family road trip! We’ve hand-picked 7 unforgettable itineraries across the US, Canada, and Europe that strike the perfect balance: jaw-dropping scenery for the adults, built-in adventure for the kids, and enough quirky stops to keep everyone happy in the backseat.

Gas up, pack the snacks, and let’s roll!

USA

1. The Ultimate Pacific Coast Highway – San Francisco → San Diego (7–10 days)

Distance: ~650 miles Best ages: 5+

Route highlights & don’t-miss stops

• San Francisco → Santa Cruz (boardwalk + surfing lessons)

• Monterey Bay Aquarium (world-class, plan 4–5 hours)

• Big Sur: Pfeiffer Beach (purple sand!) & Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park waterfall

• Hearst Castle (book the “Designing the Dream” tour – kids love the zebras)

• Elephant seal beach at Piedras Blancas

• Solvang (Danish village – aebleskiver breakfast mandatory)

• Santa Barbara → Malibu → Santa Monica Pier → San Diego (Legoland + San Diego Zoo)

Stay

• Night 1–2: Monterey – Portola Hotel & Spa (~$350–$450)

• Night 3–4: Cambria – White Water (oceanfront, ~$380–$500)

• Night 5–6: Santa Barbara – Hotel Californian (~$450–$650)

• Night 7–9: San Diego – Legoland Hotel or Paradise Point Resort (~$300–$550)

Food everyone will actually eat

• Nepenthe Café (Big Sur) – legendary Ambrosia burgers with cliff views

• Old Danish Food Hall (Solvang) – build-your-own smørrebrød & giant pastries

• Hodad’s (San Diego) – epic burgers in Ocean Beach

2025 Estimated cost for family of 4: $5,800–$7,800 (hotels, rental car, fuel, attractions, food)

2. National Parks “Mighty 5” Utah Loop – Las Vegas round-trip (10–12 days)

Distance: ~1,200 miles Best ages: 6+

Route: Las Vegas → Zion → Bryce → Capitol Reef → Arches → Canyonlands → back to Vegas Kid-approved highlights

• Zion: Narrows riverside hike (rent water shoes + walking sticks)

• Bryce: Navajo Loop + Queen’s Garden at sunrise (hoodoos look like a fairy castle)

• Capitol Reef: Pick-your-own fruit orchards (summer only!)

• Arches: Delicate Arch sunset hike + sand dune arch playground

• Dead Horse Point at golden hour (better than Grand Canyon views, fewer crowds)

Stay (book 12+ months in advance!)

• Springdale (Zion): Cable Mountain Lodge (~$400–$550)

• Bryce: Ruby’s Inn Best Western (~$250–$350)

• Torrey: Capitol Reef Resort (cabins or teepees, ~$300–$450)

• Moab: Hoodoo Moab, Curio Collection (~$400–$600)

Food

• Hell’s Backbone Grill (Boulder, UT) – farm-to-table magic

• Moab Brewery – build-your-own root beer floats

2025 Estimated cost for family of 4: $6,500–$8,500 (includes $80 America the Beautiful Pass)

3. Great Lakes Circle Tour – Chicago → Upper Peninsula → Niagara (10–14 days)

Distance: ~1,500 miles Best ages: 4+

Route: Chicago → Door County, WI → Mackinac Island → Pictured Rocks → Sleeping Bear Dunes → Niagara Falls (US side)

Don’t miss

• Door County cherry picking (July)

• Mackinac Island – NO cars, bikes + horse carriages only, best fudge on earth

• Pictured Rocks boat tour (spray zone seats for kids)

• Sleeping Bear Dunes – dune climb + “dune scoot” down to Lake Michigan

• Niagara: Maid of the Mist + Cave of the Winds

Stay

• Door County: The Ashbrooke (adult pool + kids splash zone, ~$300–$400)

• Mackinac Island: Mission Point Resort (lawn games galore, ~$450–$650)

• Niagara: Sheraton on the Falls (falls-view rooms, ~$350–$550 CAD)

2025 Estimated cost for family of 4: $5,200–$7,000

CANADA

4. Icefields Parkway + Banff/Jasper – Calgary round-trip (8–10 days)

Distance: ~800 miles Best ages: 5+

Route: Calgary → Lake Louise → Icefields Parkway → Jasper → Banff

Bucket-list stops

• Athabasca Glacier adventure (snow coach + skywalk)

• Maligne Lake boat to Spirit Island

• Banff Gondola + hot springs

• Canoe rental on Moraine Lake (early reservation!)

• Wildlife: bears, elk, mountain goats everywhere

Stay

• Lake Louise: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (worth the splurge, ~$800–$1,200 CAD)

• Jasper: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (cabins with fireplaces)

• Banff: Moose Hotel & Suites (rooftop hot tubs)

Food

• Bear’s Den Smoky Mountain BBQ (Jasper) – ribs that make kids forget chicken nuggets exist

2025 Estimated cost for family of 4: $7,000–$9,500 CAD

5. Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia (7–9 days loop from Halifax)

Distance: ~850 miles Best ages: 3+

Highlights

• Skyline Trail sunset boardwalk (moose sightings!)

• Whale-watching tours (humpbacks, pilot whales)

• Bay of Fundy tidal bore rafting (optional but epic)

• Lobster rolls literally everywhere

Stay

• Ingonish: Keltic Lodge (~$350–$500 CAD)

• Chéticamp: oceanfront Airbnb cabins (~$250–$400 CAD)

2025 Estimated cost for family of 4: $4,800–$6,500 CAD

EUROPE

6. The Fairy-Tale Road Trip: Munich → Romantic Road → Black Forest → Alsace (12–14 days)

Countries: Germany + tiny bit of France Best ages: 4–14 (castles = instant win)

Route: Munich → Neuschwanstein → Rothenburg ob der Tauber → Heidelberg → Triberg (cuckoo clocks) → Strasbourg

Must-dos

• Neuschwanstein Castle tour + Marienbrücke viewpoint

• Rothenburg Night Watchman Tour (hilarious for kids)

• Europa-Park (Germany’s #1 theme park – better than Disneyland Paris for many)

• Black Forest open-air museum + world’s largest cuckoo clock

• Strasbourg boat tour

Stay

• Füssen area: Hotel Sonne or Villa Ludwig (~€220–€350)

• Rothenburg: historic inns inside the walls (~€180–€280)

• Rust (Europa-Park): Bell Rock or Krønasår hotels (~€350–€500)

2025 Estimated cost for family of 4: €7,500–€10,000 (includes rental car + fuel)

7. Amalfi Coast + Rome – Naples round-trip (10–12 days)

Best ages: 7+ (lots of stairs, but so worth it)

Route: Rome (3 days) → Pompeii → Sorrento → Positano → Amalfi → Capri → back to Rome

Highlights

• Colosseum Underground tour (limited tickets – book early)

• Pompeii with official kids’ audio guide

• Capri boat tour + Blue Grotto

• Path of the Gods light hike (or lemon grove tour instead)

• Gelato every single day (research = life)

Stay

• Rome: Hotel Artemide (rooftop bar + family rooms)

• Sorrento: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria or Airbnb with pool

• Positano: Hotel Marincanto (infinity pools for days)

Food

• Da Adolfo (Positano) – beachside, reservation by boat only!

• Pizza at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (Naples – the OG)

2025 Estimated cost for family of 4: €8,000–€11,000

There you have it — seven completely different, totally epic summer road trips that work with kids. Pick one, steal our itinerary, and make this the summer your family never stops talking about.

Which one are you booking first? Drop it in the comments — we read every single one!

Safe travels, The ExploreWithYourKids.com Family ❤️

PS - Don't forget, we offer customized trip itineraries built to your specifications! Trip length, destination, budget, family size, and preferences are all taken into account when designing your trip. Hotels, restaurant recommendations, things to do, what not to miss, interesting food dishes in that area and much more are included in your personalized itinerary. Click here for more information.