It’s all about family – and vacations they love. But it is not easy to combine the two. But often there are some fun holidays that hold a cherished spot in the collective memory book.

Essential are two key factors inherent to those happy sojourns: less time on the bum and more time up and exploring. An active family vacation means more play and connection, less boredom and complaints.

Happy Glamping!

Going back to nature doesn’t always mean a bad night’s rest on the lumpy floor of a tent — not with glamping. Now you can sleep under the stars, listen to the cicadas as you drift off, and snuggle under high thread count sheets. No need to light a fire or brew coffee in the morning. A private outdoor shower will be the ultimate luxurious glamping thrill.

Even more glamorous glamping sites curate private-led camping experiences way up in the mountains, complete with a chef, some fishing and the essential campfire with s’mores.

Family Yoga Retreats

Escape to a yoga retreat without leaving the kids behind. At family-friendly yoga resorts, you don’t have to choose between your own yogic pursuits and spending time with family — you can combine both in one stress-free package.

There are yoga classes where parents and kids get energized together with flying partner yoga postures, Thai massages, juggling, tightwire and other funky circus tricks. You can also choose from an enticing menu of grown-up yoga classes, bodywork and other similar treats to feed your soul. While mom and dad indulge in their rest and rejuvenation sessions, wellness and parenting workshops, the kids can roll out their own yoga mats in separate activity-filled kid camps.

Time to Get Your Boots On!

Oh to be on a rustic ranch, with trail rides, cookouts, and campfires galore. Sitting astride your horse in dusty boots as you kick off to explore the great outdoors. A well-managed family ranch can feel like a home on the range.

Deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, families can trail ride through the bluebonnets together, and later on, kids get to goof off in the game room while Mom and Dad kick up their heels soaking in the hot tub or a cushy spa session.

At sundown, you can further revel in the cowboy life with more after-dinner entertainment like rope tricks and vintage cowboy tales by the campfire. Everyone gets to bunk down in cozy rooms and wake up to a big cowboy breakfast in the morning.

A Vintage Family Camp

Remember the early ’60s-era summer camps that all the family went to together? Someone else makes it all happen, while Mom and Dad take it easy. Vintage family summer camps are back – a halcyon place of rope swings arching out over water, old-school rowboats, retro bicycles exploring wooded lanes, private docks for morning swims and shuffleboard! Plus charming open-air accommodations – tents, tree houses, log cabins, etc.– that make you feel like living in a stylist’s dream.

Why wait? Start planning your summer family fun, NOW!