CALIFORNIA

Monterey
From nature cruises and whale watching trips to snorkeling and kayaking, kids will find plenty of ways to soak up Monterey Bay Sanctuary—one of the world’s largest protected marine areas. The Monterey Bay Aquarium brings your family face to face with sharks, enormous sea turtles, and 200-pound sunfish as you gaze right into the ocean through a 17-foot high, 56-foot long window. Watch rambunctious sea otters wrestle and play; see a giant octopus change colors; and find hands-on fun in the Splash Zone Gallery. Be sure to check the daily schedule for the times of tidepool talks, feeding sessions at the sea otter tank, and puppet programs. Inside and out, Monterey is a wildlife explosion!

Yosemite National Park
Wow your kids with spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, valleys, and meadows. Check out the Explore Yosemite Family Program for a hands-on look at ponds, geology, wildlife, and more. Gather around a campfire for songs, stories, and s’mores. Stand under the waterfall at Chilnualna Falls. See a 2,700 year-old giant sequoia tree. Attend a kids’ photo workshop. Join the Stars Over Yosemite program at the Glacier Point amphitheater. Watch fizzy water bubble out of bright orange ground at Soda Springs. Make the easy climb up glacially-polished Pothole Dome. Splash in the Tuolumne River. Picnic, wade, or kayak at sparkling Tenaya Lake. And that’s just the beginning...

Sequoia National Forest
Kids come home with very tall tales after a trip through this phenomenal forest’s groves of giant sequoias. The must-see star is more than 2,000 years old—the General Sherman Tree. Looming 274-feet tall, a 13-story building could fit beneath its first large branch. Many trails radiate from this spot, one family-friendly choice is the easy two-mile Congress Trail. After picnicking under leafy giants, take advantage of white-water rafting, biking, horseback riding, or a first-hand look at Hospital Rock’s Native American pictographs. A free shuttle makes getting around easy—combine it with a walk by riding out and then hiking back to your car.