Indoor water parks, which originated in the Midwest, have spread to other parts of the country. These water parks are often found within hotels and offer year-round wet fun for the whole family. Most water parks have zero entry pools and splash areas for toddlers, family lazy river rides and thrill rides for teens.
The Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, boasts six pools, including a wave pool, a tree house with slides and sprays, and a seasonal outdoor water park.
Cities throughout the United States and Europe have interactive science museums where families can have fun and learn. The Exploratorium, in San Francisco contains hundreds of hands-on exhibits where families can play with waves, sound and light.
Exhibits include seeing if you can drink from a water fountain in a toilet, going inside colored lights to see how your emotions are affected and examining optical illusions. Physics, biology and art all come together, utilizing all five senses.
Children's museums around the United States are geared toward families with children up to 10 years old. One of the largest in the country, the Chicago Children's Museum, moved to Navy Pier in 1995. The museum offers free admission for kids on the first Sunday of every month, and for everyone from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays, as of 2011.
Kids can keep active at the three-story Climbing Schooner, explore the properties of water in a water playground and dig in an urban garden.
Families can horseback ride at family-friendly ranches. Rocking Horse Ranch Resort in Highland, New York, offers year-round trail riding and horse-drawn wagon and sleigh rides. Horseback riding is for ages 7 and older, while younger kids can ride ponies.
The resort also has a winter fun park with two ski lifts and snow tubing. In the summer, enjoy climbing walls, bungee jumping, kayaking and paddle boating. To utilize the facilities, you have to stay overnight at the resort.
