They call it “summer vacation” for a reason. When the kids are out of school and the city is steamy, it’s time to get out of town. Whether you’re a beach buff or a mountain maniac, we’ve found some of America’s most family-friendly vacation spots. So hit the road or hop on a plane, and don’t forget to send us a postcard!

A Shore Thing: Mystic, CT to Misquamicut, RI

Just three hours from New York, the strip of seashore from Mystic, Connecticut to Misquamicut, Rhode Island is short (less than 10 miles from top to bottom) but long on fun-filled adventures. Start your trip in Mystic, a former shipbuilding hub founded in 1654. To recapture the days of whalers and tall ships check out Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea. For a different type of water encounter take the fam to the world-famous Mystic Aquarium, home to New England’s only beluga whales. And while you may be tempted to try Mystic’s pizza, don’t miss the Sea Swirl—a quintessential roadside clam shack. Five minutes up the coast from Mystic is the picture-perfect town of Stonington, Connecticut, a quiet, upscale village ideal for an afternoon stroll and dinner overlooking the water. Finally, hit the beach at Misquamicut, Rhode Island. It’s a kiddie paradise with wide, sandy shores, ice cream galore, and a vintage carousel.

Parks and Explorations: Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake, CO

A mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, Colorado’s majestic Rocky Mountain National Park offers over 350 miles of hiking trails, five drive-in campgrounds, and over 200 backcountry campsites; plus biking, fishing, and horseback riding. Kids 12 and under can pick up a park activity booklet at one of the visitor centers with wildlife checklists and nature hike scavenger hunts. For families looking for a little civilization amidst the great outdoors, the town of Grand Lake ranks as the perfect home base. The streets are lined with hitching posts and other Old West architecture, and the Grand Lake itself offers swimming and kayaking. Tired of all that nature stuff? Speed demons can rent go-karts at the Rocky Hi Speedway and serial shoppers can check out the more than 60 stores on the Grand Lake “boardwalk”. Plus, we hear that 4^th of July boasts the best fireworks in the state.

American Idyll: Annapolis, MD

Pop quiz: which U.S. capital is located about four hours south of New York? If you guessed Washington D.C. (and hopefully you did), you’re right. But if you guessed Annapolis, Maryland you’d be correct too. While its time as a national capital was brief (1783-84), Annapolis has never given up its place as a hotspot of American maritime culture. This municipal water-worship is everywhere, from the grandeur of the U.S. Naval Academy to “Ego Alley” where sailors dock their boats (Captain Jack Sparrow-style) for a night on the town. Get the family’s feet moving with a walking tour of the imposing U.S. Naval Academy, established in 1845. Continue your blast to the past just outside the academy’s walls in downtown Annapolis. The picturesque streets are teeming with colonial-era houses, some of which are museums. Others bear plaques noting the names and professions of their 18^th century residents. After your history lesson, learn to sail on the placid Chesapeake Bay, and, finally, pull up to Cantler’s for a waterfront feast of Maryland crabs. Diners eat on picnic tables covered in butcher paper and crack the crabs themselves. If by the end of the trip the kids are begging for more history, remember you’re less than 45 minutes from Washington D.C.!

Wild Things: Catalina Island, CA

Real life scenario: your kids are loony for wildlife but you’d rather go to the beach. Plus, hubby won’t consider a vacation that doesn’t include golf. No problem! Catalina Island awaits. Twenty-two miles off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina Island was a luxury getaway for movie stars during Hollywood’s golden age. Now it’s the perfect West Coast vacation spot. Animal lovers can scout for fish on semi-submersibles, seek out sea lions, snorkel with dolphins, and even take night tours (via glass-bottom boats) to spot eels. When the family needs a break from all things wild, check out the island’s beach, arcades, cafés, shops, water sports, and yes—golf.

Pie-Infused Paradise: Upper Peninsula, MI

Picture this: the catch of the day, hiking through cool, green forests, savoring slices of homemade fruit pie with berry-stained fingers … nary a GameBoy or iPod in sight. Hello, Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The U.P. is home to 150 waterfalls, over 4,000 lakes and 7 million acres of forest. Getting there is half the adventure! The Mackinac Bridge, one of the world’s longest suspension bridges, measures five miles from shore to shore. Once you’ve made it, kids can discover all the gory details of old-time shipwrecks at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. And no visit would be complete without a ferry ride to Mackinac Island, a historic Victorian-era summer getaway. No cars are allowed on this small island, so travel by bike, foot, in-line skate, or horse-drawn carriage. And it won’t take long to scout out regional delicacies like pasties (meat pies eaten out-of-hand and popularized by Cornish immigrants) and fruit pies made with the region’s justly famous summer bounty.

Jenna Helwig is a Brooklyn-based writer and culinary professional who loves to travel and taste local delicacies with her husband and five-year-old daughter. Find her at rosaberry.com.