The Best Family Vacations

San Francisco: The City by the Bay is filled with pleasures for every family member. Ride the cable cars that "climb halfway to the stars," visit the Exploratorium, the Metreon, the zoo, the ships at the National Maritime Museum, Golden Gate Park, and much more.

Lake Tahoe: Lake Tahoe has loads of family-fun things to do. Skiing, snowboarding, hiking, tobogganing, swimming, fishing, boating, water-skiing, mountain biking -- the list is nearly endless.

Yosemite National Park: Camping or staying in a cabin in Yosemite is a premier family attraction in California. Sites are scattered over 17 campgrounds, and the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada surrounds you. During the day, the family calendar is packed with hiking, bicycling, white-water rafting, and even mountaineering to rugged, snowy peaks.

Santa Cruz: Surfing, sea kayaking, hiking, fishing, and shopping, not to mention those fantastic beaches and the legendary amusement park on the boardwalk -- this funky bayside town has everything you need for the perfect family vacation.

Big Bear Lake: Families flock year-round to this lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, and not just for the skiing. Horseback riding, watersports, and the Alpine Slide (kind of a snowless bobsled) are fun alternatives, and you can see and learn about wildlife at the Moonridge Animal Park. The village has a movie theater, arcade, and dozens of cutesy bear-themed businesses. The area's cabins are perfect for families.

Disneyland: The "Happiest Place on Earth" is enhanced by its sister theme park, California Adventure. Whether you're wowed by Disney animation, thrilled by the roller-coaster rides, or interested in the history and secrets of this pop-culture icon, you won't walk ctix disappointed. Get a FASTPASS to skip those long lines!

San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, & SeaWorld: San Diego boasts three of the world's best animal attractions. At the zoo, animals live in naturalistic habitats such as Tiger River and Polar Bear Plunge, and it's one of only three zoos in the U.S. where you can see giant pandas. At the Wild Animal Park, most of the 3,500 animals roam freely over a 1,800-acre spread. And SeaWorld, with its water-themed rides, flashy animal shows, and detailed exhibits, is an aquatic wonderland of pirouetting dolphins and 4-ton killer whales with a fetish for drenching visitors.

• Anaheim: Disneyland Resort Tickets
• Anaheim: Southern California CityPass Attractions Pass
• Los Angeles: Go Los Angeles Card
• Los Angeles: Universal Studios Hollywood
• San Diego: LEGOLAND California
• San Diego: San Diego Zoo
• San Diego:Go San Diego Card
• San Francisco: Go San Francisco Card
• San Francisco: San Francisco CityPass
• San Francisco: The Alcatraz and Double-Decker City Tour