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Travel: Top 10 Must-Have Family Experiences in Morocco
Top 10 Must-Have Family Experiences in Morocco
1. Sleep Under the Stars
There are many tour companies that offer excursions to the Sahara Desert. Do a little research and find one that fits best with your family needs. Most offer traditional Berber tents for camping. This is rustic, however seeing the stars over the Sahara is a once in a lifetime sight.
2. Eat Something Off A Stick
It’s true kids will eat most anything if it’s on a stick. You will find many different food items fitting the bill in Morocco.
3. Visit a Landmark at Least 500 Years Old
For many Americans visiting Morocco, it can be amazing to find out homes that are still lived in are older than the United States. It’s not difficult to find landmarks and private homes that are hundreds of years old. Exposing kids to a culture that is much older than their own opens up their worldview.
4. Visit a Mosque
Not all mosques in Morocco are open to non-Muslims. However, the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, one of the largest in the world, is open for anyone to visit. Dress appropriately; women and men need to have their arms and legs covered. Women may be asked to also cover their hair, so bring a scarf just in case. This is one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the world and it is a unique opportunity to tour an operating mosque.
5. Live Like a Local
Don't limit yourself to the 5-star Moroccan hotel experience. Stay in a riad, a smaller bed and breakfast. Ask for suggestions for dining that aren't in restaurants but with a family. Let your kids play a pick-up game of soccer on the street. Having these experiences will reinforce with your children how alike people are, instead of always focusing on the differences.
6. Haggle in the Marketplace
Let your kids haggle, too! There are very few things in Morocco that have a set price. To start negotiating, cut the price the shopkeeper gives in half and work from there.
7. Visit the Ocean
See what the Atlantic Ocean looks like from the other side! The coastal cities of Essaouaira and Agadir are wonderful, smaller cities on the coast to relax.
8. Ride the Train
Most Americans don’t use train transportation. Moroccan trains are reliable, clean, and safe. They are also incredibly affordable. Trains run from Tangier south to Fez, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, and many of the small cities in-between. This is a great way to see the Moroccan countryside and allows children to move around.
9. Visit the Bled (Countryside)
Many Moroccan tours revolve around the Imperial cities. However, there is much more to the country than these large bustling cities. Connect with a tour company who offers options to travel into rural Morocco. The contrast between urban and rural is notable and really offers a unique look into a different aspect of Moroccan culture.
10. Visit a Hammam
The traditional Moroccan bathhouse is called a hammam. You will find several hammams in every neighborhood. There are also hammams geared towards tourists. For the adventurous spirit, try a neighborhood hammam. If you’re a little unsure, opting for the tourist variety might be more comfortable.
Whatever your visit to Morocco entails, try and take advantage of at least some of these experiences!
What are your favorite foreign countries to visit? Why?
Amanda is a mom of two busy boys, married to a Moroccan, and a foodie at heart. You can find her on her blog MarocMama, on Facebook and Twitter for more great food and culture insights from Morocco, as well as living a bi-cultural lifestyle!
Great to meet you in NYC and hope you are doing well. This post brought back so many great memories of this past spring!!! Thank you for sharing.
[...] I was young, my mother showed me the splendor of travel. She taught me to explore, to question, and to discover the world around me. Through travel, I got [...]
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