A mom who's been traveling with her kids for 19 years says these are the top hidden-gem destinations for families

• Tara Cannon seeks unique, crowd-free travel destinations for her family.
• The Vancouver-based family has traveled to 30 countries in the last 19 years.
• They prefer hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path alternatives to popular spots.

Tara Cannon is passionate about traveling to unique locales with her family of four.

"I've always wanted to avoid the crowds . I've always wanted to avoid cruise ship destinations , and I've always wanted to have an experience where I'm learning something new," Cannon, who has traveled to 30 countries over the past 19 years, told Business Insider.

The Vancouver-based family seeks out hidden gem destinations that keep the kids active, and they've found some off-the-beaten-path alternatives for hot spots from Maui to the Caribbean.

Swap out a trip to Hawaii for the French Polynesian island of Mo'orea.

" Hawaii gets so much hype, and I think Hawaii's beautiful, don't get me wrong. I know how much people love Maui," Cannon told BI. "But I think there are other options that are more affordable."

For example, two years ago, Cannon's family flew to Tahiti and took a ferry to the French Polynesian island of Mo'orea .

"When people talk about French Polynesia, it's always about overwater bungalows on Bora Bora — these extremely beautiful but astronomically expensive villas," she said. "But in Mo'orea, you can get an Airbnb very affordably. I found a place for about $80 a night."

Cannon added that she booked a three-bedroom home right on the water — and within walking distance of the local grocery store.

"It has, to me, similar things that Hawaii has," Cannon said of Mo'orea. "It has great food, beautiful beaches, hikes, snorkeling and water activities. It's just an absolutely beautiful experience that is way less expensive than going to Hawaii these days."

Panama is a lesser visited alternative to Costa Rica.

" Costa Rica obviously has been at the forefront of adventure travel, sustainability, and protecting wildlife for years," Cannon said. " Panama is a little bit behind them, but they are definitely trying to develop their wildlife travel and adventure travel a lot more than they ever have in the past."

Cannon, who documents her travels on her blog, The Better Beyond , has visited Panama multiple times — the first in 2000.

"We took our first jungle adventure to Panama when my daughter was six," she said, adding that they stayed at a tree house hotel — and the kids loved it.

For families, Cannon recommends spending some time in Panama City .

"It has a great old town — Casco Viejo. It has all these beautiful buildings and great restaurants and really neat hotels," she said. "You can go to the Miraflores Visitor Center, which is where the locks are for the Panama Canal. You could see Caymans quite easily right from the city."

Cannon added that it's worth taking day trips out to the jungle to go hiking, rafting and see various local animals, including monkeys and sloths.

In the Caribbean, travel to off-the-beaten-track archipelagos like Îles des Saintes also known as Les Saintes.

"When we're going to the Caribbean, I look for the least busy, off-the-beaten-track islands," Cannon said. "Our favorite these days is this group of islands called Les Saintes."

To get to the islands, Cannon flies into Guadalupe and takes a ferry.

"It's a similar experience to being on a bougie island like St. Barts , but without the high cost," she said. "People are speaking French, and it has wonderful bakeries. You get this great French food, and you get beautiful beaches on a much smaller budget."

Skip the crowds in Europe by visiting Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain

"Europe is so crowded these days," Cannon, who also authors a blog called Pint Size Pilot, said. "But last summer, we ended up in San Sebastián , which is on the northern coast of Spain. It's amazing for kids."

She added that the beach town is not packed with people in the summer, like so many European destinations.

"It has this boardwalk with a beautiful playground and carousel," Cannon said. "It has an amusement park right beside the beach where you can ride a funicular up a mountain."

She also recommended taking children to the aquarium and the tourist train right near the beach.

"There's this mini train that goes all along the beach, and it's full of kids all the time," she added.

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