Experience | Original Travel Blog

Top 5 destinations for toddlers

I met my husband sailing off the coast of Zanzibar. We drove across the Sahara, partied in Marrakech, ski-toured British Columbia and sipped sundowners in Nicaragua – all the while swearing that having children wouldn’t change a thing.

Hey ho, a toddler (Small) and a baby (Boff) later and our prized collection of Bradt travel guides now form the walls of a den behind the sofa.

Like many parents of young children, I’m still adventurous. I had children, not a personality transplant. I don’t want an all-inclusive resort with crèche and nannies thanks very much, I want my children to see the world, taste it and touch it and get stuck in. However, given that the drive from Hampshire to London requires two loo breaks, a snack stop and almost incessant I-spy then the prospect of driving from East to West Africa in an old Landrover has miraculously lost its appeal.

Having a toddler in tow doesn’t negate adventure, you just have to think about the practicalities. Given the choice between a kids club in a chic hotel (plastic toys, kids menus, stuffy dining rooms) and a big game safari (animals, vehicles, campfires, tents…), I know which one Small would choose….