7 Best Family Vacation Spots in the US

Looking for the perfect vacation spot in the U.S. to take your family? Look no further. The country is filled with a variety of exciting and memorable places to enjoy with your kids. No matter what your family’s interests.

Take a look at these top-notch destinations and start planning your next big trip.

If you’re flying to your destination, be sure to read 10 Things You Need to Do Before Flying With Kids.

California Coast Road Trip

Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) is one of the most incredible driving experiences in the states. Travel from laid-back San Diego to the bright lights of Los Angeles and later, iconic San Francisco. Focus on your family’s favorite activities such as beaches, theme parks or state and national parks.

What to Do: San Diego is known for its mild temps and fun atmosphere: visit SeaWorld, Balboa Park or the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Drive along the Pacific (with jaw-dropping views) to Huntington Beach, unearth some history at the La Brea Tar Pits and dine at the original Farmers Market, established in the 1930s. Of course, there’s Universal Studios and Disneyland theme parks in the LA area. Continue north to explore the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Santa Cruz’s playful Beach Boardwalk and the ancient redwoods of Muir Woods. Ride a streetcar on San Francisco’s fabled hills for a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Where to Stay: In San Diego, look for lodging in family-friendly Mission Bay, luxury accommodations on Coronado Island, or the best of both worlds in nearby Carlsbad. In the L.A. area, hotels near LAX can offer great value, as well as beach-front Santa Monica. Disneyland visitors will want to stay in Anaheim, closer to the park. San Fran hotels are not cheap but resist the urge to stay in a bedroom community. The city has a unique heartbeat, and sleeping downtown will allow you to feel every quirky pulse.  

Bonus Tip: If you have the time, visit one of California’s spectacular national parks on the way back north: Joshua Tree, Sequoia & Kings Canyon or Yosemite. Remember all three major cities, but especially L.A., have traffic that you need to account for.

Hawaii

Known for its rugged coastlines, beautiful beaches, and endless outdoor opportunities for fun, Hawaii is a family vacation paradise.

What to Do: Relax on exotic beaches, snorkel with turtles, learn to surf or hike through a variety of terrain including lush rainforests. You can visit active volcanos, take a boat ride to view gorgeous natural cliffs or tour historical sites such as Pearl Harbor.

Where to Stay: Maui is famous for its beaches, and Oahu has Pearl Harbor. The big island, known as Hawaii, is where you’ll find two of the most active volcanos in the world, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Rural Kauai is full of hiking and kayaking opportunities, as well as (surprise!) Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.”

Bonus Tip: After you fly into the international airport near Honolulu, it’s easy to take a short flight between islands. If you’ve come this far, you may want to see more than one.

Grand Canyon National Park

One of the most recognizable natural landmarks on earth, the Grand Canyon is a spectacular family vacation spot. Besides the incredible views, an informative Visitors Center and a few historic locations explain the natural and human histories around the canyon.

What to Do: Hiking at the canyon can be as simple as following paved pathways near the South Rim’s Visitors Center. This section is easily accessible and is fenced, so it’s perfect for young children. Or you can reserve a strenuous multi-day overnight hike into the canyon, sleeping at the bottom. A nice in-between (with older children) is to hike the trail along the South Rim, with shuttle buses that pick you up when you get tired. NOTE: Most of the rim is NOT fenced.

Where to Stay: Camping inside the park is the best choice for a few days’ visit. If you are only there for one night, the park’s celebrated lodges are fascinating-but pricey. And if your destination is the South Rim, there is also lodging outside of the park, and the city of Flagstaff is only two hours away. If you want to stay inside the park, including backpacking or at Phantom Ranch down below, plan ahead. Reservations are accepted up to 15 months in advance.

Bonus Tip: The park is HUGE! Fly into Phoenix to reach the South Rim, but the West Rim (and the incredible glass Skywalk on Hualapai tribal land) is closer to Las Vegas. The remote North Rim (known for lesser crowds) is approximately a four-hour drive from the South Rim.  

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The beauty of the Smoky Mountains is its quiet, hazy views across pine-topped crests. If you’re lucky to be here in the fall, an explosion of red and yellow leaves will take your breath away.

What to Do: Hiking, horse-back riding, whitewater rafting, zip-lining, and thrill rides at Dollywood and Splash Country Water Park will keep your family entertained. Drive-through Cades Cove lets visitors get close with wildlife while understanding what life was like for early frontiersmen. Sky-high Clingmans Dome will give you a view into seven states on a clear day.

Where to Stay: This is the perfect place to rent a cabin and enjoy the scenery from your very own porch. Numerous vacation homes are on Airbnb and Vrbo. But there are plenty of options for tent campers, RVs and camping cabins, too.

Bonus Tip: The hustle and bustle of tourist cities near or within the park, such as Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Cherokee, will tempt your kids. Enjoy a little distraction, and then get back to the wows of nature in the park.

Orlando, FL

The king of family vacation spots, Orlando, has world-class theme parks and beaches nearby. But don’t ignore its oft forgotten waterways and local wildlife.

What to Do: You know of its famous theme parks, including Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and Legoland. A short drive away, Tampa has Busch Gardens. Beach fans will want to visit nearby Cocoa Beach or quiet Cape Canaveral Beach, and Kennedy Space Center is a fun outing for kids, with a little history and science thrown in. If your trip is in the winter, visit Blue Springs State Park to see manatees. Take a boat tour or go kayaking along the Wekiva or St. Johns rivers year-round for peaceful, scenic views with waterfowl, alligators and river otters.

Where to Stay: If you’ll mostly be at one theme park and are willing to pay the price, it’s easiest to stay at the resort’s hotels. But if you want to be more central, then choose the area around the SeaWorld parks, along International Drive. For cost-cutting, Walt Disney World visitors can stay closer to Kissimmee to save a lot, with little difference in drive time.

Bonus Tip: Orlando offers so much to experience; it would take years of trips to see it all. But a balanced first visit for a family with young kids could include two days at Disney, one day at SeaWorld, two beach days and one day on the Wekiva River. If your kids are preteens or older, sub Universal in for Disney.

Portland, OR

The Pacific Northwest is a must-see destination for families, and Portland is your best bet. The City of Roses is known for its off-beat culture and easy access to nature, without the crowds of Seattle.

What to Do: Enjoy downtown Portland’s hip vibes at coffee shops, their vibrant food truck scene or walks along the river. Visit the beautiful International Rose Test Garden, hike in Forest Park, and have some educational playtime at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry or the Children’s Museum. Less than two hours away is Multnomah Falls, snow-topped Mt. Hood, infamous volcano Mt. St. Helens or the charming beaches of Seaside and Cannon Beach.

Be sure to read Three Essential Tips for Visiting Tidepools if you’re heading to the ocean.

Where to Stay: Portland has lots of unique places to stay, with easy transportation on the Metro. Ideally, you’d stay four to five nights in town, while taking day trips, and two nights on the coast. Learn where to stay and eat when visiting Portland in The Ultimate 48 Hrs. in Portland, OR.

Bonus Tip: Escape the rain and cloudy skies with a summer visit to Oregon. July and August have mild temps and very little rain, although June is known for its month-long Portland Rose Festival.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone might just have the most spectacular scenery in the country, at least in the continental US. It was the first national park for a reason! Your family will love seeing bears, bison, bubbling mud pots and more while experiencing Yellowstone.

What to Do: Popular activities include hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and photography, and touring incredible geothermal features. Geysers such as Old Faithful are a must-see, and hot springs like Grand Prismatic Spring make for memorable photos. Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone or enjoy fishing or boating on Yellowstone Lake. Just outside the park are similarly amazing outdoor experiences like whitewater rafting on the Snake River, exploring cowboy life in Cody, WY and visiting nearby Grand Teton National park.

Where to Stay:  Staying inside the park reduces driving as Yellowstone is bigger than both Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Lodging near central Canyon Village is excellent for first-time visitors, but more remote Mammoth Hot Springs and Roosevelt Lodge are better for tranquil evenings and wildlife viewing. There are 12 campgrounds in the park, five of which have sites that can be reserved. Both hotel and camp spots need to be booked as soon as possible; reservations typically open up in May for the following summer. (But for summer 2021 bookings open June 1, 2020.)

Bonus Tip: Bring binoculars to safely view wildlife from a distance, and a flashlight for when you’re out in the evening. Also, be aware that temperatures, even in summer, can be chilly. My first visit there it snowed enough on our campsite to make a tiny snowman…and we went in July.

The U.S. has so many incredible vacation spots for families! What’s your favorite U.S. family vacation destination? Where are you planning to take your kids on your next trip? Comment below and let me know!