Favorite Family Vacation Spots

Paris... Ah, the City of Light: not to mention famous (free for kids) museums; the Eiffel Tower, my kids' top attraction ever; the river Seine with its wide walkways so perfect for strollers; and heavenly patisseries. More Europe destinations are found below. We also loved our week of London Sightseeing.

Orlando FL --just a swampy spot back in 1966-- is the theme park capital of the world, and Walt Disney World is still the colossus, with four huge theme parks, two waterparks, 14 resorts, and an area the size of Boston.

Visitors enjoy attractions, great rides, character greets; spectacular parades, fireworks, and live stage shows. Tour the world via Epcot's 11 pavilions from different countries. Animal Kingdom is in a class all its own: fun rides, of course, plus experiences such as Kilimanjaro Safari, past real animals in open habitats. Something for everyone, all done with excellence.

The other multi-day theme park attraction in Orlando has two theme parks (Islands of Adventure, and Univeral Studios Florida), three resorts, and CityWalk shopping/ entertainment zone.

No surprise, the attractions are themed to movies: Jaws, Revenge of the Mummy, Shrek, etc. Teens love Universal Orlando for thrill rides, such as The Hulk. But there's lots for little kids, too: such as Seuss Landing.

Universal Orlando also has a permanent theatre venue for the Blue Man Group. And coming in 2010: a Harry Potter theme park island, in Islands of Adventure.

Family Adventures" are all-inclusive escorted tours in a great outdoors area, with "multisports" like hiking, rafting, and horse-riding. Yellowstone was far better than I'd dreamed-- as was the "family adventure" concept. Think: no hassles, check-in line-ups, or "where'll we eat?" Think: a small group of fellow travelers who turn out to be great company, and guides who go all out to make your trip wonderful.

The phrase "all-inclusive family resort" is common in the Caribbean, and many resorts offer great beaches, watersports, kids programs, and all the conveniences of all-inclusive eats, snacks, and drinks for kids. But only FDR and its sister resort include a "vacation nanny" throughout your stay. Both are mid-sized resorts on the north coast; fun includes biking, water-sliding, scuba diving (for ages 12 and up).

See also: Top Caribbean All-Inclusive for Families.

Three distinct islands in "American's Caribbean" offer family-friendly resorts, a land-and-sea National Park, super snorkeling, colonial towns and forts, duty-free shops, and some novel ways to explore the underseas. Personal favorite activities: snorkeling and sea-trekking.

A top family vacation spot, that combines beach fun with interesting (and even educational!) outings in the area. Just south of busy Cancun is a very different Mexico, with sleepy beach towns, beautiful coral reef, a unique eco-archeological theme park, lagoons for snorkeling, and Mayan ruins.

Many all-inclusive beach resorts in the area offer all the conveniences families have come to expect from an "AI" vacation spot.

New York is exciting for any age but there's an extra thrill in visiting with kids old enough to know they're in one of the world's great cities. Click to see highlights from several visits with teens, ranging in age from thirteen to eighteen: from harbor tours on The Beast, NBC Studio tour, movie tours, Top of the Rock (birds-eye view from the Rockefeller Center), Lower Eastside Tenement Museum for a dose of history (and a cool spot 'cause it was filmed in Men in Black), great art museums that will wow your kids...

One small island, so much to do: from famous Waikiki Beach (great place for beginner surfing lessons, for kids as young as eight); eco-tours to see whales, dolphins, sea turtles; Pearl Harbor, a National Park with Junior Ranger program for kids; luaus with canoe rides and crafts for kids; glider rides on the North Coast, and much more. Hawaii's island of Oahu has an amazing range of fun for family vacations.

Ice Palaces, ice sculptures, snow sculptures (left), giant slides for sleds... the Quebecois people know how to celebrate winter. Quebec City is easily reached from northeast cities, and its 2-week carnival in February is a joyous and friendly good-time-for-all, especially kids. (If you don't parlez, don't worry; people in the tourist industry speak English.)

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for some of these destinations for the purpose of review. While this has not influenced this article, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.