The Best Cities for Families in 2017

EWING, N.J., Sept. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Family Vacation Critic, TripAdvisor's family travel site, has named the Best Cities for Families in 2017 – ranking the best cities in the U.S. for family travel. Along with the announcement, Family Vacation Critic shares age-based activity recommendations and weekend guides specifically designed for families.

"Cities are often overlooked destinations for family vacations, but can actually be incredibly convenient and budget-friendly," explains Amanda Norcross, Features Editor of Family Vacation Critic. "With so many attractions and restaurants packed into one destination – plus convenient transportation options and lower costs on the weekend when hotels look to fill rooms vacated by business travelers – cities can be a perfect place for a quick getaway, especially during the school year. This list highlights the best cities that cater to family members of all ages – so parents can feel confident they'll be able to entertain every member of the family."

To help families make the most of quick weekend getaways, the editors of Family Vacation Critic have put together weekend guides, outlining where to eat, play and stay in each of the top cities, with options for a variety of budgets.

The list of the best cities for families in 2017 include:

1. Washington, D.C. Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants and Toddlers: National Zoo
         Best for Little Kids: National Museum of Natural History
         Best for Big Kids: Monuments by Moonlight
         Best for Tweens and Teens: Newseum
2. Boston, MA Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants and Toddlers: Boston Public Garden
         Best for Little Kids: New England Aquarium
         Best for Big Kids: Freedom Trail
         Best for Tweens and Teens: Fenway Park
3. Seattle, WA Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants and Toddlers: Pacific Science Center
         Best for Little Kids: Ride the Ducks of Seattle
         Best for Big Kids: Theo Chocolate Factory Tours
         Best for Tweens and Teens: Museum of Pop Culture
4. Las Vegas, NV Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants and Toddlers: Fountains of Bellagio
         Best for Little Kids: Discovery Children's Museum
         Best for Big Kids: Adventuredome Theme Park
         Best for Tweens and Teens: Stratosphere
5. San Antonio, TX Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants & Toddlers: The DoSeum
         Best for Little Kids: Natural Bridge Caverns
         Best for Big Kids: Six Flags Fiesta Texas
         Best for Tweens and Teens: Pearl Brewery District
6. Tallahassee, FL Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants and Toddlers: Cascades Park
         Best for Little Kids: Tallahassee Museum
         Best for Big Kids: Mission San Luis de Apalachee
         Best for Tweens and Teens: Harry Smith Outdoors Kayak Tours
7. San Diego, CA Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants and Toddlers: La Jolla Cove
         Best for Little Kids: San Diego Zoo
         Best for Big Kids: Balboa Park
         Best for Tweens and Teens: California Surf Museum
8. New York City, NY Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants & Toddlers: Central Park Zoo
         Best for Little Kids: American Museum of Natural History
         Best for Big Kids: Luna Park at Coney Island
         Best for Tweens and Teens: New York TV and Movie Tour
9. Nashville, TN Family Weekend Guide
         Best for Infants and Toddlers: Adventure Science Center
         Best for Little Kids: General Jackson Showboat
         Best for Big Kids: Grand Ole Opry
         Best for Tweens and Teens: Historic RCA Studio B
10. Chicago, IL Family Weekend Guide
          Best for Infants and Toddlers: Lincoln Park Zoo
          Best for Little Kids: Navy Pier
          Best for Big Kids: Skydeck Chicago
          Best for Tweens and Teens: Second City

For more information, visit Family Vacation Critic's full list of the Best Cities for Families in 2017. For photos of the top parks, click here.

About Family Vacation Critic
Family Vacation Critic^® is a comprehensive online travel resource for families that offers reviews of family hotels, resort and destinations. The site features vacation ideas, family travel tips and an online forum for family travelers. Family Vacation Critic is published by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

About TripAdvisor
The subsidiaries and affiliates of TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP) own and operate a portfolio of websites under 20 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.citymaps.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com and www.viator.com.

TripAdvisor branded sites are available in 49 markets, and are home to the world's largest travel community of 415 million average monthly visitors,* all looking to get the most out of every trip.

*Source: TripAdvisor log files, Q1 2017

Media Contact:
Aubrey Manzo Dunn
[email protected] 
609-583-0054

SOURCE Family Vacation Critic