5 of the Best Family Travel Gift Ideas – No Batteries Needed. 
Gifting travel to loved ones has become more popular in the last few years. A family vacation gift box includes not just the experience but also anticipation and the promise of memories with no expiration date.
Almost any family vacation can be gifted with a little planning. I have included seven sure fire ideas which will brighten the giving time and add a wealth of anticipation for months to come.
Wrap up an urban adventure. CityPASS is one of my all time favorite family travel gift ideas because it provides a foolproof plan for a terrific urban experience at a savings and without the stress of ticket lines. CityPASS is available for Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hollywood CA, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California, and Toronto. Here’s the deal! During the winter months the savings is as much as 50% for select cities and even greater meaning as much as and the pass is good for more days. Wait for it! For extra excitement and pure family fun add a Watson Adventure - a public scavenger hunt designed to make discovering the city fascinating and fun - luckily available in most CityPASS cities.
Here’s the deal! Purchase a $100 gift certificate and receive an additional $20 bonus. Wait for it! To add extra excitement and energy to your city experience add a Watson Adventure - a public scaveger hunt designed to make discovering the city fascinating and fun. (Details at
www.WatsonAdventures.com)
Give them the ranch. Dude ranches (not really for dues anymore) are packed with lively activities for families every month of the year including western-style BBQ, campfires, cowboy songs, and most popular for young ones horses and horseback riding. While no two ranch stays will be the same, in addition to time in the saddle there may be trapshooting in a meadow, square dancing lessons, hiking, or perhaps trout fishing. Some locations are working cattle ranches while others offer luxury in the wide open spaces complete with hot tubs, swimming pools, and spa services. The best way to find a perfect match to your family is to browse the
Dude Ranch Association website which displays more than 100 ranches spanning Western U.S. and Canada.
Package a farm. When slowing down, relaxing and reconnecting matters a farm stay is the perfect gift. Like ranch vacations, no two locations are the same but all offer unique experiences meant to be shared. Activities include gardening, animal grooming, crop harvesting, and stargazing. It is often possible to milk a cow or gather eggs; hug a lamb or feed a goat; nestle with bunnies or swim in a creek. I have discovered a great resource for planning just such an escape –
FarmStayUS.com. This delightful site serves up so many tempting family vacation possibilities that no matter where you live in the U.S. there is a place within a half day’s drive.
Gift sunshine and a sandy beach. Kids, sun, and go together so what could be better than gifting a spring break at the beach.
Myrtle Beach is at the top of the list with many beachfront resorts offering all-inclusive vacations which are easy to give to or share with loved ones. San Diego, La Jolla, and L
ong Beach offer similar family vacation benefits with plenty of activities on or near the beach.
Gift a rail pass. Gifting train travel means the journey becomes part of the vacation experience whether it’s Amtrak providing easy access to almost all of the US; ViaRail ideal for discovering Canada’s Maritimes; Eurail Pass connecting historic destinations in Europe; a BritRail Pass ideal for discovering the best of England, Scotland or Wales. Each company has its own rules and policies but all have ways to bundle a trip by rail with kids included at a discount or at no cost at all.
Give experiences and put make deposits in a memory bank. More family travel gift ideas include: theme park tickets, music concert experiences, fishing trips, golf outings, short-stay apartments, vacation cabins, rail tickets, and air travel.
More Ways to Gift Advice: How to Put Family Travel in a Gift Box.