Top USA Kid-Friendly Tours

Swap city sightseeing for some time on the water with this exciting whale-watching cruise. Avoid the guesswork when trying to figure out where to spot whales, and let the experienced crew take you directly to places known for sightings. As well as whales, you may spot sea lions, sea birds, and sometimes dolphins—with commentary from the naturalist guides who can share plenty of facts about marine life.

Enjoy an immersive way to discover Hilton Head Island's aquatic scenery—and give yourself the best chance of spotting local marine life, including dolphins—on this guided boat tour. Choose a departure time that works best for you, greet your United States Coast Guard-licensed captain, and hop aboard. Learn more about the island's ecosystem along the way, and look out for wildlife as you head into nature.

With a 99% success rate, this is how you up your odds of seeing whales on your visit to Monterey. On board one of the industry’s most comfortable boats, you’ll float out to a protected sanctuary to view humpback whales, gray whales, blue whales, killer whales, sperm whales, and other wild creatures, including dolphins, sea turtles, sea lions, otters, and more.

Meet marine mammals, sharks, and starfish with tickets to SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium, and get a below-the-surface look at dozens of ocean ecosystems. Visit Doodle Reef, where kids can create their very own virtual sea creatures on a screen within a live display, then see blacktip reef sharks, sea turtles, and rays. Count all eight limbs on the giant Pacific octopus and test your marine knowledge on the aquarium’s quiz trail. Then, get a front row seat at a thrilling feeding frenzy.

Watch for whales and dolphins off Newport Beach aboard a double-decker catamaran with bow seating and 360-degree views. A diverse array of marine wildlife thrives in the protected area just outside Newport Bay, and you'll have the chance to see humpbacks, gray whales, finback whales, blue whales, seals, and several species of dolphins. The boat has a 96% success rate spotting whales or dolphins, making this a great way to explore California wildlife in a gorgeous natural environment.

Enjoy one of the best views of New York City from the Edge Observation Deck in Hudson Yards. Prebook your admission ticket to guarantee your preferred time slot, or upgrade for anytime tickets or priority access. Start on the 4th level to enjoy several interactive indoor installations featuring light, reflections, sound, and other interactive elements. Then head to level 100 for sky-high views over Manhattan.

Guarantee your seat at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center’s IMAX Theater when you book in advance. Fly like an eagle over the rim and swoop into the depths of the canyons. Take a whitewater rafting trip down the raging Colorado River. Experience the history of the Grand Canyon and enjoy the incredible scenery, all in front of a six-story movie screen with 12,000 watts of digital surround sound power.

Explore some of the top highlights of San Diego with your or or two day trolley pass (depending on option selected) for the city’s Hop-on, Hop-off Trolley Tour. Choose your own adventure as you get on and off the trolley at any of the 11 included stops, covering famous sights including the Gaslamp Quarter, the San Diego Zoo, USS Midway and the Cruise Ship Terminal, Little Italy, and many more. This San Diego trolley tour also features live commentary from the on-board guide during your ride.

Explore one of California's most iconic settings from the beauty of San Francisco Bay. This narrated Golden Gate Bay cruise journeys alongside Alcatraz and Angel Island State Park, past the shores of Sausalito and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. You can choose to view the sights from inside your boat or out on deck.

Look for whales as they migrate through the waters of the Pacific Ocean off of California on this whale-watching cruise from Monterey. Your naturalist guide shares commentary about the whales and their habitat as you search for gray whales (most common), humpback and blue whales, and other marine life such as dolphins and sea lions during your cruise.

See San Diego from a marine vantage point on this 90min harbor cruise, including a look at the marina, seabirds and potential sea lion sightings. Listen to live narration from your captain and enjoy for-purchase snacks from the onboard snack bar.

Enjoy an unforgettable day at Universal Studios Hollywood, where thrilling rides, iconic shows, and attractions await. Experience the magic of famous movie sets, meet beloved characters, and soar over incredible lands. This ticket grants access to all shows, rides, and attractions, making it the ultimate LA adventure. Valid for your selected travel date only. ** VALID FOR UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD IN CALIFORNIA ONLY **

If you fancy yourself a foodie or culture enthusiast, don’t miss this walking tour of San Francisco’s Little Italy—the neighborhood of North Beach. Voted one of the 15 best foodie tours in the USA by U.S. News, join an insider guide and experience a slice of the top things to do in North Beach, such as tasting coffee and witnessing bread being freshly made. Soak up the lively atmosphere of one of the city’s most popular districts as you learn about its cafes and bakeries and see landmarks like Saints Peter and Paul Church.

Discover marine life wonders at SEA LIFE Minnesota, an aquarium boasting more than 10,000 sea creatures. Located in the Mall of America, SEA LIFE provides the perfect break from shopping and change of scenery. Explore four themed tanks including Amazon River, Atlantis, Sturgeon Lake and Rainbow Reef. Check out the Octopus Garden, gaze eyes on the world’s largest crab species, and walk through an underwater tunnel and see the underbellies of stingrays and turtles.

Get the chance to seek out whales in the wild on this tour from Dana Point. Enjoy live narration from your experienced captain as you watch for whales, sea lions, and dolphins, and learn about the stunning diversity of marine life that flocks to the California coast. Listen to the distinctive calls of seabirds from a seat on deck, or relax by a window in the fully-enclosed cabin.

Meet some of the world's most exotic animals with your admission ticket to the renowned San Diego Zoo, one of California's top family-friendly attractions. More than 4,000 animals representing 800 species live in this state-of-the-art zoo, including some that are rarely seen at other zoos. Admire the animals and go in-depth during daily keeper talks. With mobile tickets, simply scan your phone for direct entry into the San Diego Zoo. Ticket must be redeemed on travel date selected. Tickets must be purchased at least one day prior to visit.

The Gulf of Mexico is known for wild dolphin sightings and this tour from Clearwater Beach helps you discover the pods. Climb aboard the Little Toot, a tugboat-style boat, that creates a big wake that dolphins like to play in. While you’re out on the water, enjoy lively commentary about the dolphins and the surrounding area.

Spend 2 hours out on the Auke Bay Harbor's waters searching for humpback whales during this boat tour from Juneau. Listen to commentary from your guide and keep a lookout for other marine animals such as orca, bald eagles, and sea lions. Cap off the cruise with a 5-minute stop to snap photos of Mendenhall Glacier. Snacks, refreshments, and round-trip transportation from the Mt. Roberts Tramway in Juneau provided.

This small-group tour takes you from downtown San Francisco to Muir Woods and Sausalito—two of Marin's top attractions—in a single day. Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge in a tour van leaves you free to take in the epic views instead of focusing on the driving. You'll have free time to explore both sites, making this organized option a great choice for independent travelers.

Go beyond the movies and gain a deeper understanding of the man behind some of the world’s most beloved animated characters at The Walt Disney Family Museum. Located in San Francisco’s historic Presidio, the museum brings Walt Disney’s life and creative legacy into focus through early cartoons, films, personal stories, and recordings in his own voice. Before you leave, take in sweeping views of San Francisco Bay from the museum’s glass-walled galleries.

Embark on a nautical adventure aboard the Black Dagger pirate ship, which transforms kids into little pirates for a treasure hunt on the waters of Hilton Head. The crew provides kids with pirate costumes and pirate lessons before setting sail in search of treasure, making this the ultimate way to sightsee and keep kids entertained. This family-friendly cruise has a choice of several departures in the morning and afternoon, making it easy to fit into your schedule.

San Francisco is home to so many enchanting neighborhoods that it can be challenging to explore them all. On this small-group walking tour, visit Chinatown and North Beach, two of the city’s most storied districts, in about a half day of sightseeing. Learn about culture and traditions from your local guide, and stop for generous food tastings—from tea and dim sum in Chinatown to fresh cannoli in one of North Beach's oldest bakeries.

On this relaxing rafting trip from Jackson Hole, drift down a scenic section of Wyoming’s wildlife-laden Snake River, where moose, deer, river otters and eagles can all be seen from your raft. Be sure to bring your camera to photograph any wildlife that appears on the banks, and also capture the stunning landscape extending out from the Tetons.