All the activities you loved as a kid are making a comeback—and these are the best places to indulge your inner child
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Why a kidulting trip should be on your must-do list
“Kidulting” didn’t hit my radar until earlier this year, when my son wanted to take a flashback weekend getaway to Las Vegas for his 21st birthday. Rather than a bar-hopping, booze-fueled bender straight out of The Hangover, he wanted his birthday to center around the games, shows and music he loved as a kid.
We bounced from game room to bowling alley to TV-themed restaurant to Michael Jackson show. It was a pretty wholesome weekend for Vegas, even with a few cocktails. And everyone, whether they were in their 20s or 60s, had a great time. If this was kidulting, I was down for it.
So what is kidulting, exactly? It’s simply a return to the stuff you loved when you were a child. Think: arcade hangouts, board games, Legos, adult summer camps, SpongeBob marathons, and sleepovers. And while any generation can enjoy a good kidulting adventure, it’s currently most popular with Millennials and Gen Zers.
It’s a coping response to the stress and depression many young adults are now facing, says Emma K. Adam, a professor of human development at Northwestern University. For Gen Zers, in particular, it’s a chance to reconnect with their inner child after COVID robbed them of some of their childhood, and economic and political uncertainty clouds their future. It’s also a healthy way, Adam tells me, to distract from troubling headlines. “We could all use a little Play-Doh in our lives,” she adds. And really, how can you argue with that?
How we chose the best “kidulting” vacations
I selected the adventures on this list based on a variety of criteria, including my personal experiences with good, clean fun as a travel writer. I also looked at generational research from a recent YPulse survey, nostalgic picks at various locales, and recommendations from online user reviews. And in addition to picking the top destinations, I also found the best hotels in each location to stay after you play—though in some cases, the place you’ll stay is the destination. (Looking at you, Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine!)
Read on to find the kid-tastic fun that’s right for you—and get ready to book your best trip yet.
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Camp No Counselors
Best for: Adults who want to play classic camp games and make friendship bracelets
According to a 2024 YPulse survey, 32% of 18- to 39-year-olds wish they could go to summer camp to feel like a kid again. If that sounds like you, and you yearn for those summer days when the only items on your to-do list were archery, arts and crafts, and swimming, an all-inclusive three-day stay at Camp No Counselors will be right up your alley.
At one of three locations—Northeastern Pennsylvania (two hours outside of Manhattan), California (the Sierra Nevada Mountains, just outside of Fresno) and Texas (a few hours from Austin, Houston and Dallas)—you’ll be treated to dodgeball tournaments and camp Olympics, slip and slides, arts and crafts, and rock-wall climbing during the day. When the sun goes down, you’ll get to enjoy social nights with a no-tip bar, campfire, live bands and themed parties.
There is one catch: You’ll have to plan ahead for this kidulting trip, since this is strictly a spring and summer offering. The next available date is April 2, 2026, in Texas, with three more camps planned at the various locations between May and September.
Where to stay: Bunk accommodations, food and activities are all included at Camp No Counselors. And you can go alone or book a stay with your partner or friends. Either way, you’ll get to meet some new friends, since you’ll be sharing a bunkhouse with six to 11 other people—yep, just like when you went to camp as a kid!
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Los Angeles, California
Best for: