While we love scouting great vacation destinations, sometimes the best advice comes from other families. So we asked seven travel-savvy parents to tell us about one of their favorite family vacations—from local getaways to cross-Atlantic adventures!

Aruba
We had a great family vacation in Aruba last April. We stayed at the very family-friendly Marriott Surf Club. We love all Aruba has to offer—great sunsets, warm water, fabulous food, friendly people and near-perfect 82-degree weather. A great spot to visit is Baby Beach, with shallow water and great snorkeling, and Palm Island is a must! -- Carla Hunt

Hawaii
Taking a family trip to a faraway island with a young child seemed daunting at first, but Hawaii was the perfect destination. We arrived at our hotel along Waikiki Beach in O’ahu and immediately headed out to the warm ocean. Island hopping was literally a breeze; we took a 20-minute plane ride to Maui and experienced the cool touch of the clouds as we ascended 10,000 feet to the summit of Haleakala National Park. Back in O’ahu, we snorkeled in Hanahuma Bay, hiked to the top of Diamond Head Crater and topped it off with a luau—all with a three-year-old! -- Angely Hahm

England
Our daughter was almost three when we went to England, and our son was 16 months. They loved running around Cambridge University. They seemed thrilled with the London Eye and the Changing of the Guard. But what we relished most was following our ordinary routines in a new locale: going to playgrounds, taking strolls, buying food and looking for the night’s first star—letting them notice how it was all different in this foreign place, and how it was all the same. -- Andrew Solomon

Photo by Aurelijus Varna

New Orleans, LA
This past summer my family and I hit the road to discover the South. Of the many places we visited, one of the most memorable was New Orleans. From the French Quarter, where we stayed, you can walk to places like The Aquarium and The Insectarium. A short trolley ride takes you to “The Cities of the Dead”—the local cemeteries where the centuries-old, above-ground tombs can be found. Live jazz performances can be found in many kid-friendly establishments, and often on street corners. You can take the kids to enjoy some great food as well, like beignets at Cafe du Monde, crawfish pizza at Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, or a great big bowl of gumbo at Deanie’s Seafood. -- Carol Cain, blogger, The Adventures of a NY City Mama (nycitymama.com)

The Dakotas
We took our first major family road trip a few summers ago. On the way, we visited Laura Ingalls Wilder’s hometown of Walnut Grove, took a scenic drive through the Badlands, watched a family-style shootout at the Circle B Ranch outside Rapid City, gawked at Mount Rushmore, encountered a herd of buffalo at Custer State Park, panned for gold in Deadwood, and even participated in a paleontology dig. We celebrated with a special dinner at Bonanza Steak House in Dickinson, North Dakota—where the salad bar costs $2.99 and if you want a burger it’s an extra 40 cents. To this day it remains my kids’ number one favorite restaurant.
-- Andrea Fisher

Caribbean Cruise
We did a lot of research before going on our Royal Caribbean Cruise, and it paid off. It was so convenient to simply drive to New Jersey and board the ship. We were at sea for two days, in Bermuda for two days, then returned to New Jersey. It was the perfect amount of time for our first vacation with our 11-month-old. Ian sat through a show in the ice skating rink, we played Ms. PacMan in the arcade and there was a fantastic baby pool where he got to splash around. During our two days in Bermuda, we played on the beach and took the ferry into town to see the sights and do some shopping. We highly recommend this trip to families with young children. -- Lainie Gutterman

Bear Mountain, NY
Last February, our family went to Bear Mountain. Only an hour away from the city by car, the Mountain served as a welcome retreat from the bustling city. We stayed at the Overlook Lodge, which is very affordable, especially if you go during the week. Our family went on a scenic family hike that was really relaxing—until the snowball fight! We also rode on the indoor merry-go-round, played hotel football, had pillow fights, made snow-angels and went sledding. We highly recommend a trip to Bear Mountain, where city kids can experience a bit of nature and unobstructed sky! -- Kimberly Coleman