5. Great Bed & Breakfasts for Families
If your image of "bed and breakfasts" is a Victorian home full of antiques where children should be seen and not heard, click above for some very different styles that welcome families: from a private island in Georgia, to luxury log suites inNorth Carolinawhere you can play at being a pioneer.
6. Explore a Whole New World
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter...." The moment when a child discovers the beauty of the undersea world is magical. There are several ways to explore the under the sea on a family trip:
- snorkeling can be done by kids as young as five (-- see tips.) Snorkeling, however, only skims the surface.
- snuba is snorkeling with an air hose, and takes you down 15 to 20 feet. Ages eight and up can snuba at many locations in Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean.
- Sea trekking, again for ages eight and up, is much easier than snuba: simply don an astronaut's helmet, and take a walk underseas.
- Scuba is the top way to explore underwater, for ages 12 and up. Some all-inclusive resorts offer scuba-- a terrific opportunity for teens.
Napa Valley-- day-trip distance from San Francisco andgetaway for wine-lovers-- is also a fine place for family trips. About's Guide for California for Visitors recommends staying in Calistoga, and taking in nearby attractions such as a safari tour of African animals, the Petrified Forest, the (other) Old Faithful Geyser, and a vineyard that offers sparkling juice for the kids while Mom and Dad sample a bit of Napa's specialty.
8. Canadian Rockies Multisports
The giant province of Albertais where you'll find some fantastic Canadian Rockies multisport vacations. What's a "multisport vacation"? Sometimes called "family adventures", they're all-included hassle-free escorted tours that combine hiking, biking, white-water rafting, kayaking, and/or horseback-riding. Check here for family trips in the Rockies:
Multisport adventures cost a pretty penny. But your money buys a deluxe family trip in the great outdoors, with fine lodgings and creature comforts, all details handled, and much memorable fun. Read more about family adventures, and a review of a family adventure in Yellowstone.
--continue to Family Trips p.3: North Carolina all-inclusive family resort; Caribbean off-season; Orlando high-season; New York.
