F inding a vacation spot that pleases the entire family can be difficult, not to mention pricey. Never fear: We've done the work for you! These

days, family-friendly resorts provide a load of options, for parents. They can keep the tots (and teens!) entertained, unwind with their spouses or enjoy the fabulous North American outdoors—from sea to ski slopes. Competing with modern resorts, cool and curated family road trips have also upped the ante in entertainment: mountain biking in the forest, touring haunted houses, and spotting A-list celebrities.

Whether you want to blow the bank account or stick to the budget, grab the kids and escape to one of these awesome American destinations.

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WANT TO HUNT FOR GHOSTS? CLIMB INTO A TREE HOUSE? CRUISE THE CARIBBEAN? CHECK OUT THESE BUDGET-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS EVERYONE IS SURE TO ENJOY.

America's Best Family Getaways

turntable, vinyl record collection and the myriad of other vintage accessories. Hop on the energy-efficient Streetcar to experience December's Holiday Ale Fest, a five–day celebration that features more than 40 of the Pacific Northwest's best–tast-ing suds, and finish the night off at the annual Christmas Ship Parade, featuring a fleet of 55 to 60 brightly lit boats that stages performances on the Willamette and Columbia rivers during the holiday season; AceHotel.com/Portland.

3|California

From San Francisco to Los Angeles

The classic family road trip never fails to inspire. One can’t-miss journey is California’s Highway 1, a coastal route from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Splurge by renting a plush Mer-

1|Out 'n' About Treehouse

TreesortTakilma, Ore.

Have your kids always wanted a tree house? Surprise them with a trip to this 36-acre getaway in Southern Oregon. Nestled at the tops of trees, family-friendly cabins provide the perfect es-cape. With zip lines, horseback riding, rafting and arts and crafts classes, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Winter rates start at $60 per night, including continental breakfast; Tree-houses.com.

2|Ace Hotel Portland, Ore.

Attention, hipster families! Port-land is the new capital of cool. A low-cost Southwest flight is a cinch for West Coasters. The Ace Hotel Portland scores big with kids, who love the in-room

cedes GL-class SUV with LCD screens for DVDs and Spotify playlists. Make surprise stops along the way to visit Monterey Bay Aquarium and even take TMZ's celebrity-spotting tour in L.A. Relax at Hyatt Carmel Highlands and sip local wines overlooking Big Sur coast while the kids rent mountain bikes. A day trip to Hearst Castle is a must: Celebs such as Greta Garbo and Cary Grant used to hole up in the 115-room palace overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Kids will be especially blown away by the indoor Roman Pool, with its 23-kt.-gold-leaf tiles; Highlandsinn.hyatt.com.

4|Tanque Verde Ranch

Tucson, Ariz.

A trip to Tucson will fulfill your Old West dreams. Saddle up and explore the desert on one of the ranch's 180 horses, and get tips from experienced guides and wranglers. Seventy-degree No-vember days are the norm and a perfect backdrop for the daily kids' camp for ages 4 through 12 to develop horse-riding skills. After your ride, slip off your boots to hike, swim, fish and hit the basketball courts for some one-on-one or relax at the spa; Tanqueverderanch.com.

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5|Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch

Beaver Creek, Colo.

If you’re looking for a great family ski lodge for the upcoming sea-son, we have you covered. Set right on the mountain at Beaver Creek, the Ritz-Carlton has ski nannies who will shepherd your brood to the slopes while you decompress with a private yoga lesson. When they're not off on a treasure hunt, kids will love hanging out with Bachelor, the Colorado ski lodge’s friendly Labrador retriever. Plus, there's plenty of advanced terrain for the more adventurous skiers; Ritzcarlton.com.

6|Whiteface Lodge

Lake Placid, N.Y.

Ditch the dirty city snow by renting a Zipcar to drive up to Lake Placid. From the rustic timber design to the Adirondack landscape, the family will love the complete change of scenery

of Whiteface Lodge. Dad can indulge in the selection of 25 single-malt scotches while the tweens head to the 10-pin bowl-ing alley and Mom takes cross-country ski lessons. Boredom isn't an issue with the fun-filled menu of group activities: hiking, canoeing, kayaking, spin fishing, fly fishing, rock climbing, snow-shoeing, ice fishing and even dog sledding; TheWhiteFace-Lodge.com.

7|Kingsmill Resort

Williamsburg, Va.

Want the theme park experi-ence without the crowds and hour-long wait times for rides? Grab your family and head to

Kingsmill Resort in Williams-burg, with its River Pool complex complete with water slide, in-ner tubing, chaise lounges and sandy beach. It's a no-brainer for spring break—in case you're planning ahead. When the crew is wrinkly from swimming, the family packages include compli-mentary shuttles to Busch Gar-dens Williamsburg amusement park and historical Colonial Williamsburg. Mom and Dad, try a new couple's activity. Renting a pair of Segways will make for a one-of-a-kind sunset stroll, ahem, roll; Kingsmill.com.

8|Ghostbusting in Savannah

Savannah, Ga.

ATLiens, get a change of scen-ery with an in-state holiday to Savannah. With milder tem-peratures, it gets the best of both seasons as summer turns

to fall. Visitors flock here during the Halloween season for the ghost-steeped history, taking “haunted” city tours, roaming Bonaventure Cemetery, and staying in spirit-inhabited B&Bs such as the Olde Harbour Inn. Ghosts or not, the eerie back-drop of Savannah will also set the stage for a U.S. history les-son. The city was a battleground during the American Revolution; was overtaken during the Civil War; and has weathered hur-ricanes, fires and two outbreaks of yellow fever; OldeHar-bourInn.com.

9|MSC Cruises Caribbean

Hop aboard a cruise to The Bahamas, St. Kitts, Barbados, Martinique or Jamaica, and avoid the hassle of flights. With rates as low as $219 for fall and winter three-night cruises, kids can enjoy daytime excursions, bowling or theater perfor-mances while Mom rejuvenates in yoga class and Dad hits the Blackjack table. Plus, kids 11 and under sail free, and children 12 to 17 sail at a reduced rate on MSC Cruises in the Caribbean; MSC-cruisesusa.com.

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