• San Diego-area beaches offer picturesque views and recreational opportunities for children and adults.San Diego Sunset image by Scotty from Fotolia.com
  
  Traveling with children requires preparation. Assuming you are on a budget, you'll be tasked with the challenge of keeping costs under control while keeping your kids entertained and, ultimately, finding activities and locations that will appeal to the entire family. Theme parks and animal-themed attractions are two options that will suit a wide range of ages. If you're traveling during the spring and summer, consider places that offer outdoor recreation, for fun opportunities that won't break the bank.
  
  

Orlando, Florida

• Known as the theme park capital of the world, Orlando is an easy pick for a family vacation. From the Walt Disney World Resort to Universal Studios, the city offers attractions to suit a variety of age groups. The Disney resort, for example, is home to two water parks --- Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach --- as well as the Animal Kingdom Park, which is one part theme park, one part live animal safari; Hollywood Studios, which includes live filming sets; the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which includes sports memorabilia and games; Epcot, which gives you an inside look at technology and different cultures; and the Magic Kingdom Park, which includes many of the traditional Disney rides and attractions. Universal Studios includes the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and, for younger children, the Dr. Seuss-themed Seuss Landing, at Universal's Islands of Adventure park. SeaWorld Orlando is another animal-themed family-friendly park, with live animal shows and marine-themed rides.
  
  

San Diego, California

• If your kids like animals, San Diego is another place to consider for you next vacation. The San Diego Zoo covers nearly 100 acres and houses more than 4,000 animals. Bring comfortable shoes if you plan to walk the zoo, and if you have young children, take advantage of the guided bus tour, shuttles and gondolas that will allow you to see the animals without having to walk everywhere. Backpacks and small food items --- not coolers --- are allowed. San Diego is also home to SeaWorld, which features animal shows, thrill rides and child-friendly rides. Among San Diego's other family-friendly attractions are the city's beaches.
  
  

Oahu, Hawaii

• Oahu is, in general, a child-friendly destination as long as your children enjoy playing at the beach. The island's restaurants and shops are not always conducive to a budget-friendly trip, particularly for families traveling with kids, but if you take advantage of the many free recreational opportunities, Oahu can be a fun family destination. Explore the beaches at Waikiki and Ala Moana Beach Park on Oahu's South Shore, both of which offer plenty of swimming and snorkeling opportunities in warm, shallow waters. Waikiki has an offshore retaining wall that creates a safe swimming area without waves, undertow or rocky ocean bottom. Hanauma Bay is another budget-friendly and family-friendly destination on Oahu. The bay, which offers ideal snorkeling conditions with calm waters and thousands of marine animals feeding on coral reefs, has entry fees of $5 for adults, with parking fees of $1 per car, as of 2010. There is no entry fee for children younger than 13.