There are beautiful beaches around the country where families can swim, relax, play, explore and enjoy other seaside activities like fishing and crabbing, while some also allow camping. According to AOL Travel, the best beaches for families are Oregon's Cannon Beach; Cape May, New Jersey; Coast Guard Beach, Massachusetts; California's Coronado beach; Daytona Beach in Florida; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Newport, California; Orient Beach State Park, New York; Poipu Beach Park, Hawaii; and Sanibel Island, Florida.
The United States has numerous amusement, theme and water parks around the country providing guaranteed family fun. Fans of adrenalin-pumping rides will enjoy Cedar Point, Ohio; Universal's Islands of Adventure, Florida; and Six Flags Magic Mountain, California. Some parks that are great for families with younger children include Sea World, California; King's Island, Ohio and Silverwood, Idaho. The Travel Channel rates the best water parks as Schlitterbahn, Texas; Dells, Wisconsin; Hershey Park, Pennsylvania and Knotts Berry Farm, California both of which also have rides. Families on a budget should go to Knoebels, Pennsylvania and parks which include both the theme park and a water park on the same admission ticket such as King Island and Silverwood.
Getting back to nature is a great way for families to enjoy activities that are a departure from the norm like hiking, canoeing, fishing and horseback riding and also help kids develop an appreciation for the environment. There is a fantastic system of state and national parks throughout the country where families can camp in beautiful grasslands, forests and mountains.
Families hailing from smaller towns may enjoy the novelty of a trip to one of the country's big cities. As well as soaking in the energy of hustle and bustle of the big smoke, there is always plenty to see and do in cities including museums, malls, parks, zoos and historical and cultural sights. Trip Advisor includes the following cities amongst the best destinations in the US for 2011: New York City, Chicago, Washington, Boston, Los Angeles and San Diego.
