Every tennis family dreams of a Grand Slam trip. But the four majors are wildly different experiences for parents — different costs, different ticket systems, different rules for kids. Here’s our honest ranking, from easiest family trip to hardest.
#1: The US Open (Flushing Meadows, New York)
The verdict: start here. No ballot, no lottery — tickets go on sale to everyone. Fan Week and Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day (traditionally the Saturday before the main draw) give you free or cheap days packed with entertainment. Grounds passes are the best family value in tennis: every outside court plus the practice courts, where autographs happen. The junior championships run during week two, included with your ticket. And if you’re in the US, there’s no international flight. Late August–early September.
Read our complete US Open 2027 family guide →
#2: The Australian Open (Melbourne)
The verdict: the best value if you can handle the flight. The AO has the cheapest kids’ ticket policy of any slam — kids’ ground passes from $5–10, teen passes from $10–29, and a seven-day week-two pass for $15 for kids. Opening Week (Jan 11–16, 2027) packs exhibitions, qualifying and entertainment into the cheapest days of the tournament. Downsides: the longest trip from the US, it’s January (school!), and Melbourne summer heat is real — plan around the Extreme Heat Policy. January 11–31, 2027.
Read our Australian Open 2027 family guide →
#3: Roland-Garros (Paris)
The verdict: the best tennis-education trip. The most compact major — everything walkable, intimate, and the clay slows points down so kids can actually see tactics develop. Early-week grounds passes are excellent value for close-up viewing. Downsides: individual 2027 tickets aren’t on sale yet (buy only from the official FFT site — beware scams), the no-re-entry rule punishes poor planning, and Paris in late spring isn’t cheap. But pair it with a few days in Paris and it’s the trip of a lifetime. May 23 – June 6, 2027.
Read our Roland-Garros family guide →
#4: Wimbledon (London)
The verdict: the bucket-list trip — plan a year ahead. Nothing matches Centre Court. But the ballot is a lottery (one application per household, no date/court requests — and the 2027 ballot already closed on September 14), under-5s can’t enter the show courts, and it’s the priciest trip from the US. The Queue is the great equalizer if you’re flexible. Go when the kids are old enough to appreciate it — and enter the September ballot the year before. June 28 – July 11, 2027 (the 150th Championships).
Read our Wimbledon family guide →
The Bottom Line
For most American tennis families: US Open first (easy, affordable, no planning olympics), then pick your adventure. Young kids? The Australian Open’s pricing is unbeatable. A junior player studying the game? Roland-Garros on clay. The once-in-a-lifetime splurge? Wimbledon’s 150th — via The Queue or next September’s ballot.
And wherever you go, don’t miss the junior championships in week two — watching the world’s best 18-and-under players is the most inspiring tennis your kid will ever see. Here’s how juniors actually get into those draws.
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