Where to go this summer: Top family-friendly destinations and discounts for 2025
Where to go this summer: Top family-friendly destinations and discounts for 2025
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Preparing for summer air travel? Here's what we know now
Summer travel is always busy, but there are tips on how to avoid unnecessary flight issues. Here's what we know now.
Ready for a summer vacation to remember? I've got all the details on major events, new hotels, hair-raising roller-coasters, and special deals and promotions sure to make summer 2025 a memorable one.
Whether you're into beach vacations, outdoorsy getaways, or city escapes, there's something new and exciting you'll want to check out this summer. Here are my top picks for the best destinations, debuts, and deals for a fun-filled family vacation in summer 2025.
Why you can trust us: At FamilyVacationist, our picks are always based on our own real-world experiences, local knowledge and interviews, and in-depth analysis of travel trends. Read more about our travel recommendation methodology here.
Theme park thrills
The new Universal Epic Universe and the 70th anniversary of Disneyland are getting a lot of the theme park headlines these days. Not to be left out, Walt Disney World Resort is offering some major summer deals, too.
But there are also plenty of other new theme park thrills and special celebrations all over the country. Dollywood is celebrating its 40th anniversary with new shows and other events, and Silver Dollar City is marking 65 years with new shows and dining experiences and other down-home fun.
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In Virginia, Kings Dominion is celebrating its 50th anniversary season with new ride Rapterra, the world's tallest and fastest launched wing coaster. Busch Gardens Williamsburg is also marking its 50th anniversary, debuting new family-friendly inverted roller-coaster Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge.
Ohio's Cedar Point opens Siren's Curse, the tallest, longest, and fastest tilt coaster in America, this May. (Fun fact: The structure utilizes an old 160-foot Lake Erie shipping crane.) At Georgia's Wild Adventures – a theme park, water park, and animal park all in one – guests can check out the new Water's Edge expansion featuring three family-friendly rides. Kentucky Kingdom debuts its new family zone Discovery Meadow this summer, inspired by Kentucky's Bluegrass heritage and featuring three new rides.
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Water worlds
For the first time since 2019, both Walt Disney World Resort water parks – Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon – will be open at the same time this summer. And in 2025, Disney Resorts Collection hotel guests receive admission to one of the water parks on check-in day included with their stay.
Dollywood's Splash Country is celebrating its 25th anniversary season in 2025 with the return of its Splash Bash Music Series and new food offerings, along with old favorites like RiverRush (Tennessee's first water coaster) and a 25,000-square-foot wave pool. And Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles is marking its 30th anniversary this summer with a multimillion-dollar makeover that includes the restoration and resurfacing of all slides and upgraded food and beverage options.
Inland surfing spot Waco Surf in Waco, Texas, is adding The Lil' Wedgies mini slides to its water park offerings this summer. Designed specifically for young guests, the slides empty into a shallow wading pool ideal for little ones. The site is also home to what's rumored to be the longest lazy river in Texas.
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Major milestones and new attractions
The Erie Canal turns 200 this year, and celebrations are taking place around Buffalo, New York, to honor the historic waterway. Events and activities include the 'Waterway of Change: A Complex Legacy of the Erie Canal' exhibit at Canalside, a replica canal boat open for public viewing throughout the summer, and walking tours around the area of the canal's original 1825 western terminus.
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is celebrating its 100th anniversary in a big way in 2025, fitting for the world's largest children's museum. Little ones will love 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Exhibit,' older kids can check out costumes from "Black Panther" and other flicks in the 'Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design' exhibit, and the whole family can ride the Centennial Ferris Wheel outside the museum. (Indianapolis is also one of our best places to go with kids in 2025.)
The Force will be strong in Columbus, Ohio, this summer. At the Center of Science and Discovery (COSI), the 'Unofficial Galaxies' exhibit showcases props, ships, costumes, and more from the Star Wars franchise. Grab Land-Grant Brewing Co's Lightspeed beer at the Cantina within the exhibit, and make a weekend of it at The Junto hotel, where The Dark Side or Light Package lets you choose your allegiances and receive perks like themed cocktails and exclusive merchandise.
Kansas City, Missouri, is home to the new Museum of BBQ, the world's first museum focused on the much-loved cooking style. Exhibits dig into the history and different regions of American barbecue, with plenty of immersive activities including a baked bean-spin on a ball pit.
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Beat the summer heat by checking out Tucson's new Astro Trail. Download the free digital Astro Trail guide, and you can score discounts and earn points by checking in at stops along the trail to win prizes. (You can also pick up a physical copy at the Southern Arizona Heritage and Visitor's Center in downtown Tucson.) Stops include Kitt Peak National Observatory, Saguaro National Park, and Pima Air & Space Museum, and many sites offer nighttime stargazing opportunities when temperatures are much cooler.
Boston's celebrating the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution all over the city throughout 2025. That includes special museum exhibits, themed tours, and reenactments.
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Hotel happenings
Something super is coming to Gaylord Hotels' Tennessee, Florida, Colorado, and Texas locations this summer. In partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, Gaylord Hotels will debut DC Summer, featuring super hero scavenger hunts, themed character dining, super hero water park celebrations, and pop-up retail stores with exclusive DC merchandise. At the Gaylord Texan Resort, the brand-new Universe of Light Featuring DC attraction will take guests on an immersive journey through the first-ever DC super hero-themed lantern show in the U.S.
Hotels are offering lots of fun, family-friendly packages for summer 2025. Grand Hyatt Vail's Wild West Package includes scenic horseback rides and a fireside camp-style dinner under the stars, while Hyatt Place Page/Lake Powell's Sweet Summer Fun! package features an in-room candy charcuterie board and a locally made Navajo dreamcatcher keepsake.
Omni Hotels & Resorts is making a summer stay more appealing with 15% off two-night bookings and 20% off three or more nights through September 14, 2025. Kids 10 and under also eat free for breakfast and lunch all summer at Omni outlets that have a children's menu, with the purchase of an adult meal. At dinner, kids get 50% off the children's menu.
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If Hawaii sounds good right about now, check out the Ohana (Family) Package at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, which includes a daily buffet breakfast for four, two ocean-themed stuffed animals, a s'mores kit, and daily shave ice for four. (Make sure to go snorkeling right off the hotel's beach, where you might be lucky enough to spot sea turtles.) The Suite Family Package at Margaritaville Beach Resort Nassau includes 25% off the best available rate on suites, free kids dining at Vacation Café with a paying adult, $10 in daily arcade credits, and four movie tickets.
For multigenerational groups, The Shore Club Turks and Caicos is offering savings of up to 25% on its Estate Villas for stays through July 31. And longtime family favorite South Seas on Florida's Captiva Island is offering a variety of deals to celebrate its grand reopening after suffering damage from Hurricane Ian, including 25% savings on stays of two nights or more and up to 35% off regular rates for stays of seven nights or longer.
Red Roof's 'Redi to Roadtrip' promotion is offering a 10% discount and double RediRewards points to Red Roof RediRewards members, AAA and AARP members, and government and military personnel who book direct online or 800-RED-ROOF for stays through September 2, 2025. BWH Hotels also has a summer promotion, offering members of its Best Western Rewards program the chance to earn 10,000 loyalty points by completing a three-night stay at any brand hotel or up to 20,000 bonus points for stays of six nights by September 1, 2025.
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Want to stay somewhere new this summer? You have lots of options. Design lovers will appreciate The Tallison, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Carmel, Indiana, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, and the swanky Nobu Hotel Toronto.
Canal House Georgetown, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel offers a sophisticated new way to stay in the nation's capital, while Mountain Modern Sedona makes it easy to explore the iconic Arizona destination. And if your summer plans include Grand Canyon National Park, consider a stay at Trailborn Grand Canyon, a new American West-inspired hotel on Route 66 in Williams, Arizona.
If it's not summer without a trip to the beach, the new Blue Flamingo Resort Key West offers guest rooms and suites with plenty of tropical touches, while Three Ducks Westhampton is a stylish new option in the Hamptons. Or for a different spin on a beach vacation, stay at the new OS Hotel in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, part of a development that includes a food hall in the city's historic art district but is still close to Ocean Springs Front Beach.
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Destination deals
Book by June 16 to take advantage of Bermuda's annual HellOOO Summer Sale, which offers deals for travel through the end of the year. You can score savings like 25% off a stay at Azura plus a $100 F&B credit, up to 20% off and a $50 nightly resort credit at Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa, and 15% off stays plus daily breakfast for two and up to $500 in resort credits at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club.
Lodging properties throughout the Santa Barbara South Coast are taking part in Visit Santa Barbara's Third Night Free promotion. Book and stay by dates vary by property, and participating hotels include Rosewood Miramar Beach, Hotel Santa Barbara, and Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.
It's a summer of savings in Frisco, Texas, where families can enjoy savings of up to 30% off summertime stays at hotels like Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Hall Park Hotel, and The Westin Dallas Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa.
This summer's best destinations, discounts and deals for family vacations originally appeared on FamilyVacationist.com.
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The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. FamilyVacationist.com and TourScoop.com are owned and operated by Vacationist Media LLC. Using the FamilyVacationist travel recommendation methodology, we review and select family vacation ideas, family vacation spots, all-inclusive family resorts, and classic family vacations for all ages. TourScoop covers guided group tours and tour operators, tour operator reviews, tour itinerary reviews and travel gear recommendations. If you buy an item through a link in our content, we may earn a commission.
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