It’s time for a vacation. Usually it’s just you, your spouse and your kids. And you usually travel to a grandparent’s house or take a tour of a national park. But this year as you plan your travels, consider adding a bit of foreign culture to your plans, and better yet, see if you can’t get another family to join in on the fun.

If you can get everyone on the same vacation schedule, you can plan an awesome trip together in tropical paradise. For example, Jamaica vacations are very popular with families. The island sports fabulous family-friendly activities from the Dunns River Falls waterfall climb in Ocho Rios to flying through the air over deep canyons while zip lining in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. If members of your group need a little down time following all the adventures, there are plenty of resorts with pools and beaches where you can lay out with a good book and a cool drink.

Cancun is another great location to plan a family vacation, because the city has done a wonderful job combining Western influences with Mexican culture. Start your vacation planning by researching Cancun resorts on travel websites like Travelocity.com. You’ll find many resorts offer deals on popular activities like swimming with dolphins, touring Mayan ruins or even a pirate boat tour. The city is full of restaurants – some native Mexican while others are popular American chain restaurants that might help keep picky children satisfied.

A new tropical destination that is gaining in popularity is Puerto Rico, which has all the fun tropical activities of Cancun and Jamaica, but can also educate your family and friends with castles, forts and cave tours. Explore the history of Christopher Columbus and the Spanish influence on the island, or put on your hiking boots to crawl around natural sinkholes in Rio Camuy Cave Park. Puerto Rico vacations are perfect for families and groups of friends because there are so many activities available to cater to many different interests.

So get your vacation calendars lined up and start planning your family trip to Puerto Rico, Cancun or Jamaica today.