ROAM’s 19 Adventures for 2019

This list ain’t for every family. But if you dream of taking your kids somewhere unique and exciting, check out ROAM’s 19 tales of REAL vacation adventure written by the parents who lived it.

By Maryann Jones Thompson

There’s no better time in history to be a family traveler. Long gone are the days when “family vacation” could only mean “Orlando,” “San Diego,” or “Get in the car, we’re going to Grandma’s.” Today, parents can take their kids just about anywhere in the world they want to explore together.

ROAM’s 19 Adventures for 2019 shares the true travel tales behind our most exciting trips of the year. Want to trek the Himalayas or dive Micronesia? Cruise Croatia or raft the Snake? Eat your way around Portugal or Airstream your way around Oregon? We’ve got a story for you.

Most of these trips aren’t the kind you can book this week – or maybe even this year. But we hope that ROAM’s picks for the year’s most interesting vacations will help shape your family’s “bucket list” for “big trips” in the years to come.

And kudos to the dozens of ROAM contributors who are pushing the boundaries of family travel, daring to take their kids on cool trips, and sharing the story of their expedition with other parents.

Flip through the gallery below to see ROAM’S 19 Adventures for 2019 and follow us in the coming weeks as we share the complete details for each one. And if these trips look too far/tough/expensive/dirty, not to worry: ROAM’s got 100+ reviews of great family trips – so let’s ROAM!

ROAM’s 19 Adventures for 2019

Counting down TRUE tales from the most unique and exciting family vacations of the year.

19. GALAPAGOS
Cruising Nature’s Isles of Amazement
Nicola “Poz” Poswillo proves its possible to explore the Ecuadorian wonderland for less.

18. PORTUGAL
Loving Lisbon & Beyond
Dina Harrison walks through two perfect weeks of the ancient streets, epic meals, and coastal bliss that make Portugal the hottest family destination in Europe

17. PHILIPPINES
Budget Island Paradise
Coron, Palawan, Donsol, Bohol - and more! Liliia deCos shares the must-know details for engineering a kid-friendly, unforgettable, inexpensive voyage around the nation of 7,641 islands.

16. CALIFORNIA Going Deep in Catalina
From the LA island’s kelp-covered reefs to its hilltop Airport in the Sky, Maryann Jones Thompson recaps an off-season week of nonstop outdoor action against a backdrop of old California.

15. NEW HAMPSHIRE
Exploring the White Mountains
Val Brkich counts down the five must-do experiences in the vast New England wilderness.

14. INDONESIA
Houseboating into Borneo’s Jungle
A journey up the mighty Mahakam River is not for everyone. The Thompsons find friendly locals, extraordinary creatures, no tourists, and a rapidly disappearing natural environment.

13. NEPAL
To Basecamp with Babies
While many trekkers can’t reach Everest Base Camp without having a sherpa carry their gear, Liliia and Jose deCos made the three-week trip carrying their packs AND their three- and one-year-old daughters. Here’s the story of their world-record trip.

12. CANADA
Windswept Wonders of Îles de la Madeleine
Claire Kerr-Zlobin explores the dramatic landscape and history of the exotic Hudson Bay islands with her husband and kids.

11. SOUTH AFRICA
Private Reserve Wildlife Wonders
Emily Janowsky’s expeditions near Kruger National Park delivered the complete safari experience without the extraordinary price.

10. IDAHO
Rafting Heaven in Hell’s Canyon
Don Thompson’s father-son camping adventure on the Snake River in Idaho delivered the best of outdoor life in the American West - without the crowds or the hassle.

9. CROATIA
The Coast by Catamaran
Even non-Game of Thrones fans will appreciate the epic coastline and numerous islets Dina Harrison discovered on their multi-family sail.

8. TANZANIA
The Toughest Kilimanjaro Climb
2018 was not the year to climb Kili. But the Weingart family reached the top - here’s how.

7. INDIA
Trekking with the Women of Ladakh
Dennis Harrison purposely chose the most remote and difficult trek he could find for his family’s stay in the Indian Himalayas. After days of hair-raising trails, the veteran travelers faced their biggest-ever challenge.

6. MICRONESIA
Manta Hunting on the Reefs of Yap
If you wish you could have seen the Polynesian culture and intact reefs of Hawaii one hundred years ago, Maryann Jones Thompson says get to Yap before it’s gone.

5. SPAIN
The Sublimity of San Sebastian
Learn why this Basque beach town is the go-BACK-to spot for European expert, Dina Harrison.

4. CAMBODIA
Way More than Angkor
There’s not much time left to experience the glory of this tiny Khmer kingdom before it is overrun with tourists. Maryann Jones Thompson recommends her family’s favorite, still-authentic spots.

3. ARGENTINA
Glacial Perfection in Patagonia
Sarah Hart recaps the glory of sharing once-in-lifetime trekking and glacier watching in the most famous Patagonian towns.

2. OREGON
Adventuring by Airstream
The Wigintons become “trailer people” after three weeks of trailer camping through the hipster towns and diverse wilds of the Beaver State.

1. COLOMBIA
A Rebirth of Plazas, Playas & People
The most dangerous country of the past has become ROAM’s most attractive family travel destination of 2019. Megan Harvey has covered the cities, the mountains, the rainforest, and the islands and shares her tips for seeing the best of Colombia.

Maryann Jones Thompson – January 2019

ROAM Founder & Editor in Chief

After a thousand years in publishing as a business journalist and content strategist, Maryann brings her experience traveling as a backpacker, businessperson, expat and mom to writing and editing for ROAM. After traveling with her husband and kids to uncommon spots across six continents, she’s currently focused on finding ANY trip that’ll interest teens, hitting epic scuba spots, and expanding family-travel horizons in her native California and beyond.