We are celebrating my son's bar mitzvah this coming August and we would like to take a family trip. I have a 13 year old and 8 year old. We enjoy adventures such as hiking, fishing, swimming, canoeing and rafting, but really would like a place to relax as well with a pool or other water area to play and swim in. We thought about out west such as Grand Canyon or Yellow Stone, but kids are not into hiking the way my husband and I are. My son is an avid fisherman but we don't want to make it about that only. Any suggestions? We live in the Chicago area so driving is also an option possibly.

Dirango Colorado is a great family town with lots to see and do including Mesa Verde National Park.

I'm pretty sure DebitNM meant Durango CO . . .

I did, iPad typo.

If you haven't been to Yellowstone & Grand Tetons, with your children then I would suggest that area. Yellowstone is AMAZING and simply my favorite National Park. I don't know about swimming pools in Yellowstone but I'm sure that the hotels in West Yellowstone would have one. There is fishing and rafting between the two parks. Most hikes will be farily short and pretty easy to see geyser areas, mud pots, hot springs, waterfalls, etc. Lots of wild life like elk, bears, eagles, foxes, wolves and maybe even a moose at the Grand Tetons. You could easily spend a week to 10 days in the area.

Utahtea