Where to go with kids in March

Volcano hot springs, zip-lines and monkey-filled beaches within a day's drive

March: Hot and dry on the Pacific side, Easter week is the busiest; Arenal is still green and sometimes cloudy.

Five theme parks, a wildlife sanctuary and surf beaches within half an hour

Meet Santa on the Arctic Circle, ride behind huskies, sled under winter skies

March: Strong snow, long bright days and still dark enough for the northern lights; a good-value month for skiing families, busier around Easter.

One island, one lagoon, one kids' club: a beach holiday with almost nothing else to plan

Waikiki beach days, Ko Olina lagoons and a snorkel bay, all within an hour's drive

Big-pool resorts, warm sea and island boat days, best from November to April

Big all-inclusives with kids' clubs and water parks on a long Atlantic beach

March: Dry and warm with Spring Break and Easter crowds; sargassum is possible but not usually at its worst yet.

All-inclusive resorts, jungle-and-cenote parks and Maya ruins on one coast

March: Dry and warm; Spring Break and Easter week are busy, and sargassum can already be a factor in some years.

Universal, Oceanarium and Mandai wildlife parks, all under an hour by car in the tropics

Penguins and an aquarium in Cape Town, then Big Five game drives with no malaria tablets

March: Warm in Cape Town with fewer crowds after school holidays end; good for beaches and the aquarium.

Two Disney parks, Ghibli and teamLab, with trains that handle pushchairs

March: March to early April: mild, with cherry blossom usually late March to early April. Spring holidays bring busy parks and higher hotel prices.

Kinderhotels with childcare built in, ski and summer lifts, valley rides and thermal water

Short-haul Atlantic beaches, three water parks and resorts built around kids' clubs

Calm Nusa Dua and Sanur beaches, a big water park and a safari park within a day trip

Europa-Park and Rulantica in Rust, with forest villages and waterfalls nearby

March: Europa-Park Pre-Opening Weeks run 7 to 19 March in 2027 with special offers, and the park may not have every ride running.

Two big theme parks, a cable car and a harbour ferry in one compact city

Seven big theme parks within 30 minutes, plus a real rocket launch site an hour east

Super Nintendo World, whale sharks and Nara's deer on one easy rail network

Two Disney parks, a Gaulish theme park and city museums built for small hands

Disneyland, Universal and LEGOLAND within one coastal drive, plus San Diego's zoo

Winter-sun family resorts with Siam Park and a volcano an hour away