These Are 2023's Best Cities for Kid-Friendly Vacations

A few surprises rank in the top 10, including New York City and Las Vegas. What other cities do you think made the cut?

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By Wyndi Kappes, Associate Editor

Updated February 2, 2023

family on vacation laughing in front of new york city skyline

If you are a new parent looking to get away, the list of things to consider when planning your next family vacation can be lengthy. From how best to travel with baby to where to stay and what to do, toting around a little one and kiddos on your next trip requires a little extra planning.

To aid new parents in deciding where to take their next family vacay, Lawn Love recently compiled compared the 200 of the biggest US cities looking for family-friendly accommodations, attractions, and restaurants. Locations were evaluated on these and 20 other kid and family-friendly metrics, including transportation options, affordability, and safety.

After a thorough review, each city was awarded a kid-friendly score out of 100, and 10 cities rose to the top of the list. With a score of 66.19, New York City was named the most kid-friendly vacation spot. New York’s plethora of family-friendly activities, amusement parks and easy transportation options earn it the top spot. The city also sports over 1,900 parks for playtime.

Unsurprisingly, Florida claimed three of the top 10 spots with plenty of attractions like Disney and Universal and natural wonders like the beach. In more of a twist, Las Vegas and Chicago round out the top five, notably for their theme parks and zoos.

Overall the data pointed to 10 very different cities as the best destinations to travel to with kids—from unexpected locales like Vegas to popular spots like Orlando.