Holiday Getaways Made With Love

No matter what winter holiday a family celebrates, many would agree the season should be about making memories rather than giving or receiving gifts. Any parent or grandparent looking to (generously) give a bonding experience above and beyond all expectations, check out these one-of-a-kind escapes.

These globetrotting adventures are full-on cultural immersions and educational experiences — promising kids and teens new lifelong skills.

Angama Mara, Kenya
Luxury African safari camps offer lasting memories and wildlife sightings, and the unique lodging and valuable insights into environmental preservation of Angama Mara is no different. Located on the edge of Kenya’s Oloololo Escarpment above the Maasai Mara, Angama Mara delivers the ultimate adventure for children with activities, including fishing, frogging and tadpooling in the dam; bugging and tracking on nature walks with Maasai guides; learning the art of spear throwing from a Maasai warrior; and visiting local schools. They can also meet with the resort’s “Maasai Mamas” in the property’s beading studio or study nature photography at the resort’s professional photo studio. Angama Mara’s on-site wildlife photographer teaches guests, including kids and teens, how to use their own cameras in a professional setting and spend some time editing, retouching, color-correcting and perfecting wildlife photos.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Peru
Inkaterra is much more than a posh resort near Machu Picchu. It is an intimate Andean village with terraced hills, waterfalls, stone pathways and 81 whitewashed adobe casitas tucked away in the cloud forest. In this setting, the Inkaterra team starts kids’ adventures with an Explorer Kit consisting of a flashlight, cap, colored pencils, magnifying glass and more. These are the basic tools they can use while participating in such programs as being a guide assistant during an excursion for a day or doing a treasure hunt, incorporating fun and educational tasks such as riddles, handicrafts, drawings and research of the fauna and flora of the region. Children can also learn about the 372 different varieties of orchids on property, visit the spectacled bear project and learn how to make tea bags.

Inkaterra Kids Program

Milestone Hotel & Residences in London
Located across from Kensington Gardens, Milestone Hotel and Residences doesn’t just recreate a classic English Christmas experience, it offers several experiences for guests enthralled with the performing arts. Ballet lovers can book The Nutcracker experience Dec. 28–31, which includes two tickets to Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet at The Royal Albert Hall. Performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet, this quintessential holiday performance incorporates a full English breakfast and a performance-themed turndown gift. There is also Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The Milestone Hotel & Residences invites guests to spend the holiday season with London’s famous Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This offer includes an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s beautifully appointed suites, a themed holiday tea, a full English breakfast, a performance-themed turndown treat and, most importantly, two tickets to The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Christmas Celebration at Royal Albert Hall.

Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado
Winter snow isn’t the only thing that gives this small, exclusive resort nestled deep in the San Juan Mountains of the Colorado Rockies an unforgettable ambiance. The property, which includes 12 well-appointed log cabins and a tent suite, is a restored ghost town set in an alpine valley on 1,600 acres duntondestinations.com/hot-spring across the mountain from Telluride. Guests can partake in a variety of winter activities, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, ice climbing up a frozen waterfall, heli-skiing and more. Dunton Destinations’ Winter Wonderland package, meanwhile, features a day of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating and horse-drawn sleigh rides pulled by the resort’s beautiful Percheron horses, with time to relax by the fire with a hot beverage in the farmhouse. Those seeking a more “elevated” vacation can sign on for a Nordic Ski Adventure on the High Meadows, which starts with an exciting Snow Cat ride up 10,000 feet for an exhilarating day of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Soneva Fushi, the Maldives
When nothing but the best will do for your soccer enthusiasts, there is Soneva Fushi’s Festive Soccer Camp, Dec. 20 and 24. This exclusive event will be headlined by world-leading former professional soccer stars Mikael Silvestre and Karina LeBlanc, who share their skills and experience with guests. Starting at $150 per child per day, each day encompasses two–three hours of training before a match each evening, putting those new skills to work.

Schloss Elmau, Bavarian Alps
In the heart of the Bavarian Alps, Schloss Elmau offers 162 rooms and suites, five restaurants, the largest bookstore in any hotel in Germany and a concert hall. Making the ultimate alpine destination even more festive are the many year-round programs for children and teens, including skiing, hiking, adventure playgrounds, sports programs, science labs and a chess academy. A dedicated kids club promises endless fun for the youngest guests, ages 1–5.