We find New Zealand as a perfect destination for our kids. First, the country is amazingly child-friendly. Locals are laid back and friendly, there is an abundance of parks, animals and activities for the children. In addition it is safe (no poisonous insect bites, no vaccines or other medical preparation needed). Flights are simple from the West Coast - non stop that leaves in the night and arrives first thing in the morning, so if you tire your kids out before boarding, they are out for the duration when not hooked on to the in-seat tv/games. And the jet lag – very much unlike traveling to Singapore or Mumbai – is manageable, for us it’s the next day and three hours back so routines aren’t thrown off terribly. Finally, we do lots of farm stays, so the kids get an amazing exposure to something that they aren’t likely to find in the SFO Bay Area.
