The Best Destinations for Families

Weirs Beach (New Hampshire): Did somebody say cheesy? You bet. This is the trip your kids would plan if you weren't so meddlesome. Weirs Beach on Lake Winnipesaukee offers passive amusements, such as train and boat rides that appeal to younger kids, and plenty of active adventures for young teens, such as go-kart racing, water slides, and video arcades. Parents can recuperate on the lakeside beach.

Cog Railroad (Crawford Notch, New Hampshire): It's fun. It's terrifying. It's a great glimpse into history. Kids love this ratchety climb to the top of New England's highest peak (Mount Washington) aboard trains specially designed in 1869 to scale the mountain. As a technological marvel, the railroad attracted tourists by the thousands a century ago. They still come to marvel at its sheer audacity.