Exotic Family Vacations

Forget Disneyland being the pinnacle of family holidays (well, for domestic travel in the US), vacations are now grown-up and going global.

Families and extended families now rival couples as the fastest-growing demographic in travel, according to the United States Tour Operators Association.

Families are off on exotic, cultural vacations, taking along children as young as 5 and teenagers.

These holidays don't come cheap though. Parents, who often work long hours and feel they miss out on valuable relationship-building time with their kids, are spendings thousands, often over $10,000, on a dream trip to exotic places.

Vanessa Chamberlain, speaking to The Arizona Republic on these exotic family vacations and who teaches a course in cultural wellness at Scottsdale Community College, says traveling as a family can be a rewarding experience.

Although teens may protest, once they're on their way, "they really enjoy it," she said.

But she warned that a big, splashy vacation is no substitute for involved parenting year-round."It's important to do the day-to-day rituals," she said. "Kids need to know Mom and Dad are as available for a game of backyard catch as they are to sail to Europe."