Walking the Wild West

Get them hiking, eating beans by the fire and sleeping under the stars.

Highlights of the Adventure Company's family 17-day Canyons and Cowboys trip include hikes at Yosemite to see giant sequoia trees and a Navajo-guided Jeep drive through Monument Valley - the classic Western movie backdrop.

While you're there you could squeeze in a balloon ride, which is not on the itinerary, but could be arranged through the Monument Valley Hot Air Ballon Company (001 602 482 6030, www.monumentvalleyballooncompany.com) for about £118pp (minimum age 5).

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There is also a cowboy camp and a trip to the Grand Canyon - either hike around the southern rim or take a helicopter flight.

The trip ends with two nights in Las Vegas. Prices start at £1,749 per adult, £1,499 per child (minimum age eight), which includes flights, transport, 15 nights' accommodation and most meals.

Details: 0845 4505311, www.adventurecompany.co.uk

Cruising through the Deep South

This summer could be your last chance to take a ride on a wooden paddle-wheel steamboat through the Deep South. US Congress has decided to rescind the licence of the historic Delta Queen, the grand old lady of America's rivers, when the season ends in November.

Built in 1926, it is the last traditional steamboat carrying overnight passengers, but has fallen foul of fire-safety regulations - although a campaign is under way to save it. There are three to 11-night cruises operating from Baton Rouge, Birmingham, Chattanooga, Cincinnati, Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, Pittsburgh, St Louis and St Paul. Cruises start from £475pp for three nights in the lowest-grade cabin and there are reductions for children depending on the cruise and cabin type.

Details: 020-8742 8299, www.americaasyoulikeit.com

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Riding in Utah

The Colorado plateau in southwest Utah was the last explored and named region in the continental US and was known to Native Americans as the Land of the Sleeping Rainbow. It is home to national parks, monuments, conservation and wilderness areas, and narrow canyons so rugged that they are best explored on horseback.

Equine Adventures' six-day ride follows trails made by animals, Native Americans, outlaws and herdsmen. While some trips focus on rock art, others concentrate on wildlife such as the wild horses and desert bighorn sheep on the San Rafael Swell. With accommodation in a base camp, the trip costs £1,030pp, including transfers in light aircraft, but not international flights. Children must be over 8 and should have some riding experience.

Details: 0845 1306981, www.equineadventures.co.uk

River-rafting in Idaho

The Salmon River in Idaho is ideal for a family rafting trip. It has long, calm stretches, which offer plenty of time to learn to paddle and prepare to deal with roller-coaster rapids and churning white water. The warm water allows you to swim long stretches of the river and many of the rapids are also safe for swimming.

The price, with American Round-up, is £628pp for four days, including meals and drinks, camping equipment, and the services of an experienced rafting guide. Rafting can be combined with a seven-night, all-inclusive ranch stay at nearby Twin Peaks, which costs £4,036 for a family of four.

Details: 01798 865946, www.americanroundup.com

Camper vans in California

Cruising around the national parks of California in an RV must be one of the ultimate family bonding experiences. But if you want to look for Yogi Bear in Yosemite during the summer, you have to book in advance (www.yosemitepark.com) to get a place in one of the campgrounds.

The price for a 14-night fly-drive trip for two adults and two children with Thomson starts at £2,530, including flights to San Francisco, first night at the Comfort Inn by the Bay (nobody who has flown transatlantic is allowed to take control of the RV on the day of arrival), and 14 nights' rental of a C25 category motorhome. All vehicles sleep up to seven and have power steering, cruise control, fridge, cooker, shower, lavatory, air-con and radio. Thomson can arrange self-drive itineraries across the US, including tours of the national parks.

Details: 0871 9710541, www.thomsonworldwide.co.uk/america

Watery wildlife in Florida

Ditch Disney and get up close to some real wildlife in Florida's Everglades, the largest subtropical wilderness in the US. Hire a cabin on Marco Island, near Naples, through Keycamp, and take an airboat ride along the mangrove creeks - home to crocs, manatees and Florida panthers. The campsite is inside the Rookery Bay Research Reserve, and you can hire canoes and take a paddle in the Rookery Bay creek. Seven nights in a cabin, including car hire, starts at £413 in July and £388 in October, when it should be a little less steamy.

Details: 0844 4060200, www.keycamp.co.uk

Whale-watching in New England

Spotting humpback and minke whales off Cape Cod, kayaking around Martha's Vineyard and cycling through the pretty town of Sandwich are all part of Families Worldwide's ten-day New England Explorer trip. It starts off in Boston, one of the most child-friendly US cities, with its excellent Freedom trail through historic sites, a great aquarium and Duck Tours, which plunge into the Charles River. There is a mix of hotels and camping - tents are provided, but you have to bring your own sleeping bag. There are departures throughout summer. Prices start at £1,899 for adults and £1,799 for children (over 5), excluding flights.

Details: 0845 0514567, www.familiesworldwide.co.uk

Cowboys and Indians in Oklahoma

Stay on Meadowlake dude ranch, near Tulsa, and you can play cowboys and Indians by staying in a bluff-top cabin or a teepee. Children can learn to ride and there is a range of ranch activities from hiking to cowboy and mountain skills such as steer roping, tomahawk throwing and pistol shooting. If you don't fancy handing your nine-year-old a tomahawk, there are nature trail and fishing expeditions. Prices start at £1,674 per adult and £1,291 per child for seven nights, including return flights, accommodation, transfers, all meals and ranch activities.

Details: 0870 4990689, www.ranchamerica.co.uk

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