Planning family travel comes down to a series of small, but crucial decisions. After a decade of planning family travel, I’ve come to believe that the difference between a trip that works and one that grinds everyone down comes down to a handful of things most parents never think to ask about in advance.

Our top destinations for holidays away

Here’s a peek into our process, along with a few field-tested tips you can borrow for your gathering, big or small.

Three of our favorite destinations for groups, plus a few more we couldn't leave out.