Family holidays are not what most northern hemisphere dwellers think about when they contemplate South America.
South America is exotic and affordable.
There are still too many people in North America and elsewhere that have simply never been outside of the country. Millions of children enter adulthood without flying anywhere more foreign than Disney World. In the era of cheap airfare and global safe travel, there’s really no excuse for families not to at least expose their children to the glories of world travel.
South America is ideal for this kind of trip for three major reasons.
1. Convenience
Compared to flying to Asia, Australia, Europe, or Africa, the amount of time that it takes to travel from anywhere in the US to South America is relatively short. There’s also usually very little time zone disruption. While a European vacation entails spending at least a couple days zonked out because of jet lag, when you or your family head to South America, you can get to the action almost immediately.
2. Foreignness
Canada is basically just America with a northern accent and a higher moose population. Many areas of Mexico are similar to parts of the American southwest – which, after all, used to be a part of Mexico anyway. South America is something different entirely. There are still many active native American cultures and Mestizo cultures throughout the continent, while the US is basically thoroughly modernized. It’s quite possible to have the experience of travelling through time when you visit South America. That makes it memorable. And if you’re traveling with children, it can teach them some perspective on how the vast majority of the world still lives.
3. The Food!
I wish I’d been exposed to roast guinea pig or real ceviche when I was a kid. While many people suffer from bland palettes and a fear of strange foods, more adventurous families may discover that their tastes change forever after a proper tour of South America. Whether you devour the grass-fed beef of Argentina, the hefty empanadas of Chile, or the thick Moqueca seafood stew of Brazil, there’s no way that you won’t find something new and gain a new appreciation for the breadth of cuisine that people can invent.
So, what are you waiting for? On your next vacation, make like a bird and fly south.
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