As enter a new year we all have renewed hope that this year will be better than the last. Well, 2020 didn’t set the bar too high but we can still make 2021 great. So let’s talk about the best places to go with kids 2021.

Disney World

My top pick for the best places to go with kids 2021 is Disney World. In my opinion, this is the best time to go to Disney World. Disney has made tons of changes to make sure all guests follow safety protocols to protect them from Covid. So you can rest assured Disney is taking care of your health.

Shorter Wait Times

The main reason I think this is the best time to go to Disney World is as part of their protocols, Disney has reduced capacity in the parks by 50%. Guess what that means for you and me? Shorter wait times for rides. Almost all rides are under an hour wait. That means you can finally have a chance to ride Star Wars or Avatar. These rides typically have 3 hours or more wait times.

The only downside is that Disney has temporarily taken away fast passes. But trust me, you will get so much more out of your day with short wait times all over the parks than just a few fast passes. This is why I think Disney World deserves a spot at the top of the best places to go with kids 2021. You will be able to ride so many more rides with fewer wait times.

Less Expensive Hotels

Since Disney has reduced their park capacity, there are simply just not as many people staying at Disney World, which means that many of the hotels that surround the parks have drastically dropped their prices to entice guests.

My favorite place to find hotels is on Trip Advisor. I love to use them because I can always find great deals and read honest reviews. I also love that users can upload pictures with their reviews, this gives me a better idea of what the hotel is really like. Click on this Trip Advisor link to find the best Disney World hotel for you.

Take advantage of hotels at half the price they normally would be. Disney hotels are the exception to this rule. Unfortunately, Disney has completely closed most of their affordable hotels. But if you have points with a loyalty hotel, or if you want to build up your points, this is a great time to stay near Disney.

Celebrate Disney World’s 50th Anniversary

Disney has been preparing for 2021 for years, little did they know that 2021 would be the end of a year-long pandemic. No, they have been preparing for 2021 because it is their 50th anniversary.

2021 will be an epic year for Disney World as they open many new rides throughout all their parks. Make sure to check out the Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot. I hear it’s going to be amazing. Magic Kingdom will add a new Tron Lightcycle Power Run ride. These are just a few of the new rides that everyone is talking about.

Hawaii

Never before have so many people been able to work remotely and kids have been able to go to school online. This is the perfect opportunity to spend a few weeks on the beach. Work in the morning and surf in the afternoon.

Hawaii has taken the pandemic very seriously and this has resulted in low case numbers throughout the pandemic. That being said, there are a few restrictions for travelers.

There is a 10-day mandatory quarantine for all travelers arriving in Hawaii. However, you can bypass the quarantine if you arrive with a recent (within 72 hours) negative Covid test. For more information on Hawaiian restrictions, visit their tourism website here.

Hotels offering deals

One of the biggest reasons to go to Hawaii right now is to take advantage of the great deals that hotels are offering. Many hotels are offering free nights, discounts off normal prices, or other incentives to bring in guests.

My favorite hotel in Hawaii is on the Big Island and it is Hilton Waikoloa Village at Waikoloa Beach Resort. They are offering a huge discount off their normal prices right now.

I love this hotel for kids because there is so much to do at the hotel, your kids will love it. This is home to the dolphin rescue and our favorite thing to do was walk to see the dolphins every day. This huge resort is also home to many sea turtles. You can literally swim with dolphins and turtles all in the same morning without leaving the resort.

The only downside of this hotel is it doesn’t have a white sand beach. Paying homage to the big island, the beaches are all black rock surrounding the hotel. There sis a man made beach in the lagoon area which kinda makes up for it.

Don’t forget to check out Trip Advisor again to find the perfect hotel in Hawaii for you.

Less Crowds

Hawaii has become extremely popular over the last decade and unfortunately if you are traveling to Hawaii during a peak time, you will have to fight crowds almost everywhere you go.

But not this year, 2021 is such a unique year. As the vaccine becomes more widely distributed, people will start to travel again. So take advantage now of a time when there are less people traveling.

Imagine an empty white sand beach that you have all to yourself. Ah, this is the magic that you can experience right now in Hawaii. This is a huge advantage if you plan to visit Oahu. On Oahu, you can take advantage of lower crowds at all the popular destinations such as the Dole Plantation, Polynesian Culture Center, and Pearl Harbor. The reduced crowds alone make Hawaii one of the best places to go with kids 2021.

You can find reviews and book tickets for tours and top destinations on Trip Advisor here.

Southern Utah

Take a national parks tour in Southern Utah. Did you know that there are five national parks in southern Utah? 2021 is the perfect year to visit national parks. They allow you to see truly unique sites while social distancing and enjoying the outdoors.

It’s called the Mighty Five because you can quickly see five national parks. Start in Canyonlands to see spectacular red rock arches, buttes, spires, and so much more!

Then continue on to Capital Reef. This amazing national park is known for one of a kind red rock domes, valleys, cliffs, and bridges.

The next stop is Arches National Park. This national park is infamous for its red rock arches. If you only stop at one national park, this is the one you are will want to see. This park is home to the red rock arches and some of the best hikes.

Your second to last stop will be at Zion’s National Park. I love Zions! This is the best place to see slot canyons and go on some of the best hikes in Utah. If you have the equipment and have the experience, you can go canyoneering, which is when you actually go down into the slot canyons.

The last stop on your Might Five tour is Bryce Canyon, National Park. This park is literally out of this world. I felt like we had stepped into a different planet when we arrived at Bryce Canyon. This amazing national park is known for its magnificent red rock hoodoos that look like toddlers made mud piles all over the park.

Also Read: Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon

Why National Parks Are Great for 2021

National Parks are the perfect way to travel through 2021. Most national parks make it very easy to stay safe from covid. Most of the visitors’ centers will most likely be closed but you can still enjoy the sights outside and the large paths in national parks make it easy to social distance.

National parks are also one of the best places to go with kids 2021 because we have time. You can throw your laptop in your bag and work remotely. When else will you have time to explore 5 national parks in one trip.

Check out the Earth Trekkers guide to the Mighty Five for all the details on how to plan this amazing road trip.

Road Trips

My last favorite trip to take in 2021 is a road trip. A road trip is the perfect way to stay safe during covid. You don’t have to sit on a plane and share air space with other people. I also love road trips because you can go at your own pace.

The beauty of a road trip in 2021 is that you can work from the road. So you can go for as long or as short of a trip as you’d like. Another reason to love road trips is that you can literally start from anywhere and hit the road.

I have a few awesome road trip ideas from all around the United States in my best road trips in the US post here. From coast to coast you’ll find all the great road trip ideas in one place.

Why road trips are perfect for 2021

One of the biggest reasons that road trips are the perfect way to travel is because they are going at your own pace. If you are trying to work from the road, you can take a morning off and work from the hotel. Or if you have time you can drive farther one day.

Also Read: Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

Another reason I love road trips is that you can save a ton of money on a road trip. Especially if you pack your own food. The best way to save money on a road trip is to buy a camping stove and pack it with you. You can plan ahead, make freezer meals, then easily cook a great meal on the road.

Road trips are also great because you can easily social distance in the safety of your own car. Just make sure to sanitize and take great care of your masks so that you don’t bring any germs in to your car.

Wrap up on the best places to go with kids 2021

So as you can see 2021 is a great year to start traveling again. For more tips on how to stay safe while traveling check out my “How to not catch covid while traveling” post.

I hope you found the perfect destination for your family here, with so many great options maybe you’ll need to take more than one trip this year! Have fun and be safe while traveling in 2021.

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