· By Hamid El Maimouni, Licensed Marrakech Guide
the best morocco travel destinations for your first trip depend on how many days you have, what your family enjoys, and which city you’re flying into. most first-timers try to see everything and end up spending their trip in a car. don’t do that. i’ve been building family itineraries here for over 12 years, and the best trips focus on three or four destinations max. here’s which ones actually matter, which ones to skip on a first visit, and how they connect.
Marrakech: where most trips start (and should)
marrakech is the gateway. most international flights land here, and the city has the widest selection of family-friendly riads, the best food scene, and the most iconic sights — jemaa el-fna square, the souks, bahia palace, and jardin majorelle.
plan 2-3 days here. one day with a licensed guide in the medina, one day for the gardens and palaces, and if you have a third day, a day trip to the atlas mountains.
the full breakdown is in our marrakech city guide.
The Sahara Desert (Merzouga): the experience that defines the trip
ask any family that’s been to morocco what their kids talk about afterward. it’s the desert. every time. the merzouga desert (erg chebbi dunes) is the main sahara destination, and for good reason — the dunes are massive (up to 150 meters high), the camps are well-organized, and the camel rides into the sunset are genuinely spectacular.
you need at least one night in the desert. the drive from marrakech takes 7-8 hours (through stunning scenery — the atlas mountains, dades gorge, todra gorge), so most itineraries break it into two driving days with an overnight stop. our family desert guide covers what to expect and what to pack.
the desert camps range from basic to luxury — for families, we recommend mid-range to luxury camps with private tents, real beds, and functioning bathrooms.
Fes: the cultural capital (and the other essential medina)
if marrakech is the vibrant, tourist-friendly medina, fes is the raw, authentic one. the fes medina is the largest car-free urban area in the world — 9,400 alleyways, no cars, and a sensory experience that’s more intense than marrakech.
kids react to fes in two ways: they either find it fascinating or overwhelming. the difference is almost always the guide. a good fes family guide adjusts the pace, takes shortcuts, shows kids the dye vats and tanneries (which teenagers love and toddlers might find smelly), and keeps the visit to 2-3 hours instead of grinding through the whole medina.
plan 1-2 days in fes. the medina tour, the leather tanneries, the pottery workshops, and maybe a cooking class.
Chefchaouen: the blue city (add it if you have time)
chefchaouen is a small mountain town in the rif mountains where every building is painted blue. it’s calm, walkable, and photogenic — the kind of place where you can let older kids wander slightly ahead without worry. it’s 4 hours from fes, so it fits naturally into a 10+ day itinerary after your fes visit.
plan 1 night here. it’s a small town — half a day is enough for the medina, the waterfall hike, and some shopping. our chefchaouen with kids guide has the specifics.
skip it on a 7-day trip. it adds too much driving. on a 10-day or longer trip, it’s worth the detour.
Essaouira: the coastal escape
essaouira is 2.5 hours from marrakech on the atlantic coast. it’s the anti-marrakech — breezy, quiet, and laid-back. the medina is small and manageable, the beach is wide, and the fresh seafood is some of the best in morocco. kids can run on the beach, watch fishing boats come in, and explore the ramparts.
it works as a day trip from marrakech or as an overnight stay. families with younger kids who want a slower pace sometimes spend 2 nights here and skip the more intense northern destinations.
Ait Benhaddou: the movie-set kasbah
you’ll pass through ait benhaddou on the way to the sahara from marrakech. it’s a UNESCO world heritage site — a fortified village built from red clay that’s been used as a filming location for gladiator, game of thrones, and lawrence of arabia. the kids who know those movies love it. the kids who don’t still like climbing the kasbah.
it’s not a standalone destination — you stop here for 1-2 hours on the drive between marrakech and the desert. no extra day needed.
Destinations to skip on a first trip
casablanca: it’s the business capital. the hassan II mosque is spectacular (and worth seeing if you fly in/out of casablanca), but the city itself isn’t a tourist destination. if your flight arrives here, we usually plan a half-day mosque visit, then drive to marrakech or start heading toward fes.
rabat: the political capital. pleasant, clean, and quiet. worth a morning stop if you’re driving between fes and casablanca (the kasbah of the oudaya is lovely), but not a destination that needs an overnight.
agadir: a beach resort city. the beach is nice but it’s a modern city without the cultural experience that makes morocco special. if your family wants beach time, essaouira has the beach plus the character.
How to connect these destinations
the classic first-timer route: marrakech → desert → fes. add chefchaouen if you have 10+ days. add essaouira if you want coast time. the whole thing works best with a private driver who handles the intercity logistics while your family sleeps, snacks, and watches the scenery.
our family itineraries page has pre-built routes for 7, 10, and 14 days.
Not sure which destinations to include?
tell us how many days you have and your family’s interests. we’ll recommend the right destinations and build the route. no deposit, no commitment — just a plan from a team that runs these routes every day.
morocco is a small country with a huge range of landscapes. you can go from mountain snow to desert sand in a single day. but the best trips pick three or four morocco travel destinations and give each one room to breathe. the families who try to see everything in a week come back tired. the ones who focus come back wanting to return.
