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Expert Answers
Could you recommend some outdoor destinations in Southern California?
Sue's Question:
We are an English family of four: two older parents who used to do a lot of hill walking (before the children and a little since) and two boys, ages 8 and 10. We plan to visit California, probably at Easter next year. We will have to spend about a week doing Disney, etc., but then we want to see some mountains, canyons or parks. Could you please recommend some destinations for us? Thank you.
Sue Merrick
England
Alice's Answer:
Sue,
During summer or fall I would highly recommend California's spectacular national parks of Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon. However, at Easter these parks are likely to be snowbound, with much of the high country and roads closed due to snow, unless you happen to be a family eager to snowshoe or cross country ski.
If changing the season of your visit isn't an option, another grand plan would be to head over to Southwest Canyon country, making a grand loop of some of the amazing national parks of Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, and Arches and Canyonlands. Note that even here, you'll need to stay at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, because the North Rim is closed until mid-May. This is an exceptional time to visit the Canyon, Zion, and Arches, when both the crowds and the temperatures are much more manageable than in summer. The lodge at Zion opens around April 1, with snow and ice often on many trails.
No matter what park you choose, you'll be seeing some of America's finest scenery. All of these parks offer plenty of hiking and sightseeing opportunities for you and your boys, with plenty of varied trails and terrain to suit your family's abilities and moods. Make reservations as soon as possible, because lodging in these popular areas can be difficult to get, especially if you want to stay in lodges within various parks.
A few excellent books to help with your planning are:
 Family Vacations in the National Parks, by Charles P. Wohlforth, Macmillan;
Great Family Vacations West, by Candyce H. Stapen, Globe Pequot, and;
Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Canyon, by Ron Adkison, Falcon.
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