Virginia hot spots Williamsburg and Virginia Beach took the top two family-friendly destinations in the 2011 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards. “Virginia is highly appealing for family travelers because we have exactly what they want in a vacation — beaches, great outdoors, amusement parks, iconic history and a large variety of lodging options that cater to families on the go,” said Alisa Bailey, president and chief executive officer of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. “As the spring and summer travel season approach, we hope this new accolade will help us reach more families and encourage them to plan a Virginia vacation this year.”
| Top 5 |
| Family-friendly destinations in the United States: |
| 1. Williamsburg |
| 2. Virginia Beach |
| 3. Lake George, N.Y. |
| 4. Pigeon Forge, Tenn. |
| 5. Branson, Mo. |
| Source: TripAdvisor’s 2011 Travelers’ Choice Awards |
The awards are based on optional TripAdvisor ratings from people who traveled with a family. According to TripAdvisor, 83 percent of people will travel with family in 2011, mostly within the continental United States.
Lake George, N.Y., Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Branson, Mo., followed the Virginia destinations in best family-friendly spots.
Ocean City also placed in the awards, ranked eighth in the top 10 best amusement parks and boardwalks. Anaheim, Calif., ranked first, followed by Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
