5 family vacations with a little education mixed in

Explore new places with your family in the year ahead. Here are five cities with something to share in 2012.

Cuenca, Ecuador: The old section of this charming, family friendly city in the Andes has been designated a world cultural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Enjoy early morning bike tours through narrow streets, passing by flower and craft markets, colonial buildings and more than 50 history-rich churches. Visit expansive parks burgeoning with local families, stop by the art gallery and workshop of famed ceramist Eduardo Vega and hike in the nearby Caja National Park.

www.thompsonfamilyadventures.com; www.cuenca.com.ec/; www.visitecuador.com.ec

Washington, D.C.: Visit our nation's capital during an election year to help put things in perspective. Tour the White House, the Capitol building and the Supreme Court to see our government in action. Take several days to learn about space, history, art, dinosaurs and much more in our free-to-see Smithsonian museums.

www.washington.org.

Victoria, British Columbia: The temperate climate you'll find in this seaside enclave provides year-round opportunity for outdoor activities that include whale watching, kayaking, boat tours and even surfing. Explore the culturally rich city, infused with a blend of European, Asian and British influences, on foot, aboard a horse-drawn carriage or via bike tour.

www.tourismvictoria.com; www.butchartgardens.com .

Boston, Mass. Splash into town aboard a history-filled, narrated Boston Duck Tour. Take the sports fans in your crew to Fenway Park for old-time baseball stories. Visit the Franklin Park Zoo and stroll through Boston Common, a 40-acre green space that once served as a cow pasture. Spend time on the historic Freedom Trail, where you can tour Paul Revere's home as well as other important land marks. Consider a visit to one of the nation's newest national parks, Boston's Harbor Islands National Park, for eco-minded, seafaring fun.

www.bostonusa.com.

Kansas City, Mo.: Fueled by a recent $9 billion renaissance, this Midwestern hub is a destination on the rise. Nicknamed the City of Fountains, you'll pass more than 200 water displays as you explore the spot where Ernest Hemingway once worked as a cub reporter and Walt Disney opened his first animation studio. Visit the Children's Peace Museum so children ages 5 to 11 can learn the concepts related to peaceful interaction through 25 interactive, hands-on exhibits. You can't leave without sampling the slow-smoked, world-famous barbecue, an experience designed to ensure repeat visits.

8 00-767-7700; www.visitkc.com.

The Dallas Morning News