San Diego, California
ALAMY
"America’s Finest City" is a wonderland of even more kid-friendly parks, beaches, museums, and hikes. After a trip to the San Diego Zoo, be sure to see some of Balboa Park’s other 84 attractions, like the San Diego Natural History Museum and the Fleet Science Center. And if you have a car, you and the kids may want to take a day trip to nearby LEGOLAND California, which has over 60 rides, shows, activities, and a water park.
The city’s stunning beaches are not to be missed, either. Grab some bikes and ride the Bayshore Bikeway, making a pit stop at the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge on your way to Imperial Beach. As one of the top family beaches in the U.S. Coronado Beach — with its paddle boarding, boogie boarding, and tidepools — should also be on your radar. La Jolla Shores is a prime place to ride bikes and see sunbathing seals and sea lions. While you’re oceanside, book a whale watching cruise to see if you can catch the aquatic mammals during peak migration season.
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A Family Cruise
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For moms and dads who are too busy to plan the logistics of a family vacation, cruises are the golden solution. There’s no need to worry about where you're going to eat or how you’re going to get from one attraction to the next: everything is all taken care of for you. Most cruise ships have kid and teen programs that offer plenty of activities and excursions to keep your children busy.
Consider that there are many different types of cruises beyond the classic Caribbean romps. Some of the best cruise lines for families offer European river routes and expeditions to hard-to-reach corners of the globe, from the charming French villages of the River Seine to the biodiversity of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands.