Rating Every Country We’ve Been To

As of right now, the COVID-19 travel shutdown, I’ve traveled to 97 countries and my kids have, in
some combination, been to 62 countries. We’ve been spending the lockdown with online school,
puzzles, hiking, ping pong, volleyball and cooking, but there’s still a lot of free time, so I asked my
wife and kids to rate every country they’ve been to from 1 to 10. I added in my votes and ranked
every country that had at least two votes. The goal: come up with a list of the best countries to visit,
at least from our experience.

Everyone could vote based on any criteria. In general the ratings were consistent from person to
person, but there were some definite outliers – places where one person remembered things
differently than the others. In a family of five, you can’t always keep everyone happy.

Our Top 20 Countries (the 20 Best Countries to Visit)

In order to give you family travel ideas, here are our top 20 countries. Keep in mind that we have two
girls (10 and 14) and a boy (12), and they’ve been traveling since they were infants. We split our
travels between cities and nature and add in frequent cultural activities and cooking classes. We
don’t go to a lot of museums or concentrate on history. Likewise we don’t spend full days at the
beach or shopping.

Five continents are represented in our top 20. Australia came in at number 21, and our top African
country is the Seychelles at 29.

Note that I’m including the average score after every destination.
20. The Netherlands (7.3)

Keukenhof Gardens outside Amsterdam

Favorite Places: Amsterdam, the Keukenhof Gardens and the tulip fields throughout the country in
the spring.

Relevant Blog Posts: None. Amsterdam is usually a 1-2 day layover for us. We love the city but
I’ve never written about it.
19. Chile (7.4)

Hiking in Chiles’s Torres del Paine National Park

Favorite Places: Patagonia, the Atacama Desert and Easter Island. Santiago is fun for a day or two
as well.

Relevant Blog Posts: Spring Break in Patagonia | Chile’s Atacama Desert with Kids | Easter Island
with a 6-Year-Old
15 (tie). Antarctica (7.5)

Kayaking in Antarctica

Favorite Places: Antarctica isn’t, strictly speaking, a country, but it’s an amazing place to visit with
or without kids. We loved it all.

Relevant Blog Post: Antarctica with an 8-Year-Old

15 (tie). Indonesia (7.5)

Swinging in Bali

Favorite Places: Indonesia is mainly about Bali for us, since my daughters love the island, but
Borobudur is amazing as well. We want to keep exploring.

Relevant Blog Posts: Bali with Kids | How to Visit Borobudur

15 (tie). Norway (7.5)

In Bergen, Norway

Favorite Places: We love Oslo and Bergen, especially in the summer, and the Norway in a Nutshell
tour is a great way to travel between them. The fjords are gorgeous as well, and Tromsø in the arctic
circle is a good way to experience the midnight sun.

Relevant Blog Post: Oslo with Kids. Most of my Norwegian travels were pre-kids and I haven’t
written about them.
15 (tie). Sweden (7.5)

At the Kolarbyn Eco Lodge in Central Sweden

Favorite Places: Stockholm and Gothenburg are both great cities to explore for a few days, but we
love the coastal towns and the forests of Central Sweden.

Relevant Blog Posts: Exploring the Magical Forests of Central Sweden | The Icebug Xperience
West Coast Trail
14. Turkey (7.6)

Overlooking Cappadocia, Turkey

Favorite Places: Istanbul and Cappadocia. And we loved our day on a gulet near Bodrum.

Relevant Blog Posts: Istanbul with Kids | An Amazing Trip to Cappadocia with Kids | Bodrum with
Kids
13. Switzerland (7.7)

Lake Lugano, Switzerland near the Italian border

Favorite Places: My wife and I have traveled all over Switzerland pre-marriage and loved all of the
small towns – places like Interlaken, Crans-Montana and Lucerne. With the kids we’ve only explored
Zurich on layovers and Lake Lugano on a day trip from Como. Definitely one of the best countries to
visit – we just need to plan more Swiss trips with the kids.

Relevant Blog Posts: None yet.

12. The Maldives (7.8)

At Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives

Favorite Places: Six Senses Laamu in the Laamu Atoll.

Relevant Blog Posts: Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives: Our New Favorite Resort Anywhere | A
Return to Paradise
11. Canada (7.9)

Polar bears in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Favorite Places: Vancouver, Banff and Winnipeg and the surrounding areas. Victoria Island is fun
as well.

Relevant Blog Post: Manitoba, Canada with Kids. All of our other Canada trips were before I
started writing about our travels.
10. Croatia (8.0)

Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia

Favorite Places: Zagreb and Plitvice National Park. We still need to get to Krka National Park and
Dubrovnik.

Relevant Blog Posts: Croatia With Kids: Zagreb and Plitvice Lakes

9. Brazil (8.3)

Mirante do Gavião Lodge in Brazil

Favorite Places: The Amazon Rainforest and the Rio Negro. Manaus is worth a day or two as well.
We haven’t been to Rio yet.

Relevant Blog Posts: The Amazon Rainforest with Kids: A Magical (Unplugged) Expedition
7 (tie). Laos (8.5)

At the top of Phousi Mountain in Luang Prabang, Laos

Favorite Places: We’ve only been to Luang Prabang and loved it. We need to explore the rest of
the country.

Relevant Blog Post: Asia with Kids: A Crazy Three-Week, Six-Country Itinerary

7 (tie). Japan (8.5)

At Kongoji Temple in Kyoto

Favorite Places: Tokyo, Kyoto, Naoshima Island and Hiroshima

Relevant Blog Posts: Kyoto to Hiroshima, a 10-Day Journey | 10 Places Not to Miss in

Tokyo | Tokyo with Kids Made Easy | Kyoto with Kids
6. Portugal (8.7)

Cascais, Portugal as seen from our hotel room

Favorite Places: Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra. Still haven’t visited Porto or the Douro Valley.

Relevant Blog Posts: None

5. New Zealand (8.8)

Driving around New Zealand’s South Island

Favorite Places: The South Island. We’ve explored it far more than the North Island, even though
we’ve visited Auckland several times.

Relevant Blog Posts: None. We need to go back and see more, and I’ll write about it next time!
3 (tie). Faroe Islands (9.0)

On Mykines in the Faroe Islands

Favorite Places: Torshavn, Tjørnuvik, Saksun, Gjógv, Mykines

Relevant Blog Post: An Amazing Week in the Faroe Islands (with Kids)
3 (tie). France (9.0)

At the Louvre in Paris

Favorite Places: Paris, Provence

Relevant Blog Posts: Paris with Kids: How to Do It Right | Tips for Visiting Paris on a Budget | 10
Tips for a Perfect Family Vacation in Paris
2. Italy (9.1)

In Val di Fassa in Northern Italy

Favorite Places: Florence, the Dolomites, Venice, Cortona, Rome, Lake Como, Ravenna, San
Gimignano

Relevant Blog Posts: Florence with Kids: What to Do and Where to Stay | Our Favorite
Restaurants in Florence | Why You Should Never Do a Day Trip to Florence or Rome | A Week in
Florence without Kids | A Perfect Trip to Florence with Kids | Venice in High Season with Kids | Italy
Unplugged: A Week in Emilia Romagna | Hiking the Via Francigena Through Tuscany | Kid-Friendly
Adventure in Trentino’s Stunning Val di Fassa | Adventures with Kids in the Dolomites: Trentino’s Val
di Fiemme | Two Weeks on Lake Como with Kids | A Villa in Tuscany for a Month
1. Greece (9.8)

In Naoussa, Paros

Favorite Places: Naxos, Paros, Santorini (or pretty much any Greek island in the summer, unless it
sees a lot of cruise ships)

Relevant Blog Posts: Three Weeks on the Greek Island of Naxos with Kids | A Day Trip from
Naxos to Santorini | Paros Greece with Kids

The Best Countries to Visit: Your Turn

What are the best countries to visit from your family’s experience? Do you agree/disagree with our
ranking? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Pin This!
More from Travel Babbo

 Where to Travel with Your Kids at Every Age

 Why South America Should Be Your Next Vacation Destination

 Bucket List Family Travel: Our Top 10 Epic One-on-One Trips

 The Best Age to Travel Everywhere

 Europe for Kids: The 10 Best Family Holiday Destinations in Europe

  20 Amazing Photos to Inspire You to Take Your Kids Everywhere

Pin286
Share184

Reddit

Flip

Tweet

Email

470SHARES
Filed Under: Antarctica, Best Family Vacations, Brazil, Bucket Lists, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Family
Travel, Featured, France, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Maldives, Norway, Sweden, The
Faroe Islands, Turkey
COMMENTS

1. Whitney says

May 14, 2020 at 11:13 am

This is such an inspiring list! I can’t wait to do some rankings with the kids. Our plans to spend a
month in Greece this summer (inspired by your article on Naxos) have been derailed, but seeing it
as number one on your list validates our decision to reschedule it as our long trip next summer.

Reply
o Eric Stoen says

May 14, 2020 at 11:16 am

Our June Naxos plans fell through, but we’re still optimistic about August – if they’ll let Americans in and if
the airlines are flying, we’ll be there.

Reply

2. Jan (@chimptrips) says

May 16, 2020 at 12:01 am

You have been to some amazing places. Interesting that Europe has scored so highly with all the
family.

Reply

o Eric Stoen says

May 18, 2020 at 8:00 am

We’ve traveled to Europe the most, so maybe there’s a sense of familiarity and comfort, especially for the
kids? If I was doing my own ranking there are a lot of non-European countries that would be in the top 20,
including Ecuador, India and Tanzania.
 Reply

 Katie says

November 15, 2020 at 9:06 am

Ecuador is the only country my kids have traveled to and we loved it!

Reply

3. Claire says

May 17, 2020 at 5:38 pm

No. 1. Jordan. We all had a magnificent time there. Small Country so easy to see everything but
every day was something different and a different period of history.

2. Grand Cayman. 7 mile beach is just gorgeous. Easy to get to and clean and friendly.

We had a disaster of a trip to Italy but I’d go back to Venice in a heartbeat.

Reply

o Eric Stoen says
 May 18, 2020 at 7:57 am

I’ve only spent one day in Jordan, in Petra, but it’s at the top of my list to return to.

We haven’t been to Grand Cayman, simply because the Caribbean can be a hassle to reach from
California. It’s easier and to get to Fiji than Grand Cayman. But I’ll add it to our list!

Reply

4. Megan says

May 22, 2020 at 2:37 pm

Great list, and so many places I need to visit! I’ll add the Czech Republic, in particular Prague, to the
discussion. I love Prague for all of its magical architecture and the ability to walk everywhere. And,
so many great little outdoor cafes either right in the center of town or along the canal.

Reply

o Eric Stoen says

May 22, 2020 at 2:40 pm

Thanks Megan! The Czech Republic actually finished towards the bottom of our list, but for the kids at
least that was based solely on one August visit when Prague was very crowded. I think they would like it
better if we were to return in the spring or fall. It’s an amazing city, just not fun with too many people. And
I want to explore a lot more of the country as well.

Reply
5. Joanne Tilley says

May 23, 2020 at 4:58 pm

I absolutely love reading your blogs and post. Thank you.

Though my kids are older now, we did go ‘round the world’ with them, with partners and a grandson
in 2018. Tokyo to Porto then a week on a small (36 passengers) boat from Dubrovnik to Split, on to
BC in Canada then a relax in Santa Monica before home. Every place held something special and
was so different to the next. I would say the highlight for us all was Canada- we stayed in a small
town called Smithers and the the younger ones did extreme mountain bike riding, fishing, hiking,
shooting at the gun range and drives to nearby First Nation sites. Unbelievable. I loved it so much I
went back in 2019 and did 5 weeks Canada/Alaska which was out of this world.

Reply

o Eric Stoen says

May 25, 2020 at 1:04 pm

Thanks Joanne! Your trip sounds amazing – a lot of our favorite places. We still haven’t been to Porto
though. And we would love to explore Canada more. I’ll add Smithers to our list.

Reply

6. Pru says
 May 29, 2020 at 3:54 am

Great places.

How wonderful for the children. We are slow budget family travellers and often find ourselves saying
that we want our kids to have places to discover on their own. Travelling as a family is truly
wonderful and we love it. Maybe it will be the highlight of our lives as parents. Yet, as they get older
we find ourselves thinking more of solo or exchange trips for them alone that doesn’t include us plus
trips for just the two of us that don’t include them. Like much of parenting it is a tough call…

Reply

7. Mark says

June 20, 2020 at 12:31 am

Pretty amazed that Greece beat out Italy (and by a large margin) given your love of Florence. What
happened to Spain?

Reply

o Eric Stoen says

June 20, 2020 at 2:59 pm

Spain is roughly halfway down our list. The kids have only been 3 times, and only for a day or two each
time.

Reply
8. SWAROOP says

September 5, 2020 at 10:03 am

You have missed cape Town as other interesting place to visit.

Reply

o Eric Stoen says

September 6, 2020 at 7:30 pm

1) I love Cape Town.

2) Cape Town is not a country.
3) We have not taken our kids to South Africa so it was not included in our voting.

Reply

9. Scott says

November 28, 2020 at 9:26 am

Pointers for Switzerland travel from US for perhaps one full week in the country?
Note: We are rather healthy but in our late 60’s. Love your blog and robust sense of adventure and
open minds regarding diverse cultures!
 Reply

o Eric Stoen says

November 29, 2020 at 2:26 pm

Hi Scott. I asked my friend Kate in Zurich for suggestions, since she knows Switzerland far better than I
do.

Her thoughts: For a week in Switzerland I would suggest taking the train as it’s so easy, safe, and
convenient. Plus, you get to see the Swiss landscapes the whole time. Spend a day exploring old town
Zürich, the next day take the train to Luzern and explore it overnight. The rest of the week take the train to
Lauterbrunnen and spend a few days exploring the beautiful hiking and waterfalls, sleeping in either
Wengen, Grindelwald, or Mürren. If there’s extra time, visit Rhinefalls and the cute historic town of Stein
am Rhine.

Reply

10. Rohan says

December 4, 2020 at 9:28 am

Have you visited mexico? Was expecting mexico on the list…..I’ve never been there though

Reply
o Eric Stoen says

December 4, 2020 at 9:43 am

Mexico was halfway down our list. We love San Miguel de Allende, I’m a huge fan of Mexico City, and my
wife has a lot of family history in Mexico. But we’ve spent too much time in touristy, less-interesting areas
like Los Cabos, Playa del Carmen and Cancun. We need to explore more of real Mexico.

Reply

11. Bonnie L says

January 27, 2021 at 4:27 pm

I’ve enjoyed perusing your lists! Since the majority of us aren’t doing much travel these days, our
travel group likes to reminisce about our past travel adventures. You’ve done a country list and city
list. Next up, consider a favorite experience/activity while traveling. Here’s our top 10 experiences:
1) Safari in the Serengeti & Ngorogoro Crater
2) Antarctica cruise
3) Amazon River cruise and live aboard
4) Diving and snorkeling in Palawan, Philippines
5) Live aboard and diving on the Great Barrier Reef
6) Great White Shark cage diving in Cape Town
7) Visiting Skellig Michael Island in Ireland
8) Southern Alps plane tour in New Zealand
9) Ziplining in Costa Rica
10) Spending the night in a treehouse in Sri Lanka

I would love to hear what you and your family’s top experiences have been. Gives others great ideas
for future travel too.

Aloha, Bonnie

Reply
o Eric Stoen says

January 27, 2021 at 4:55 pm

Thanks Bonnie! I did a post back in 2016 with our favorite activities (https://travelbabbo.com/ten-cool-kid-
friendly-activities/) but it could definitely be time to update that with more recent things. I was thinking
about having the kids rate hotels too.

Reply

LEAVE A REPLY

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

TOP SPOTS

Want to travel but don’t know where to go or what to do? Find out about my favorite places, hotels,
tours and more by clicking here.
CONNECT WITH TRAVEL BABBO

ABOUT ERIC STOEN

Welcome to Travel Babbo! For years I’ve been posting about family trips on
Facebook, trying to inspire others to take their kids to crazy places too. Read More…
 POST CATEGORIES

 ►Africa
 ►Airlines
 ►Antarctica
 ►Asia
 ►Australia and South Pacific
 ►Cruises
 ►Europe
 ►General
 ►Hotels
 ►North America
 ►South America
 ►Travel Brands
 ►Travel Tips
 ►Uncategorized
TRAVEL BABBO ON FACEBOOK

Powered by Feed Them Social

INSTAGRAM

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up to receive email updates and to hear what’s going on with Travel Babbo!

   

FACEBOOKINSTAGRAMTWITTERPINTERESTLINKEDINTRIPADVISOR
© 2021 Travel Babbo · travelbabbo.com
Site design & development by Willhouse
Disclaimer

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Accept or Read More

Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these,
the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of
basic functionalities of the ...

NecessaryAlways Enabled

Non-Necessary