These Are the 5 Most Fun States for Families in 2026 (Did Yours Make the List?)

Your home state is your family’s first playground: the backdrop for weekend adventuring, after-school activities, and every “Mom, what are we doing today?” question. Where you live can level up — or seriously limit — your options for family fun. It’s also why Family Fun was one of the five key components used by WalletHub to rank the Best & Worst States to Raise a Family in 2026. 

To identify the top states for raising a family, WalletHub’s team weighed big-picture issues that impact families — health and safety, education and childcare, affordability, and socioeconomics, in addition to family fun — using data collected from sources including U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. News & World Report, Kaiser Family Foundation, Tripadvisor, and many more. For the family-fun ranking, the research considered factors like attractions, recreation facilities, parks, and concentration of families with children —  all everyday details that can shape how easy it is for families to have fun together. 

Whether you’re a local looking for new adventures for your kids or simply gathering travel inspiration for your next family vacation, the data points to these five clear winners for family-friendly fun in 2026.

WalletHub gave California the number-one ranking for family fun in 2026. Families can enjoy theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood and explore iconic cities, like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Other family-friendly highlights include the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the San Diego Zoo, and abundant opportunities for outdoor exploration. Pick from diverse family-friendly camping spots like Joshua Tree National Park or by the beach at Carlsbad, and explore Yosemite, Sequoia National Park, and Lake Tahoe. Despite ranking first for family fun, California places 29th overall on WalletHub’s list, with middling education, childcare, and affordability scores shaping its overall standing as a family-friendly state.

Texas took the runner-up spot for family fun, offering families a mix of adventure and culture — from dude ranches and beach days to tracing dinosaur tracks at Dinosaur Valley State Park or marveling at fossils at the Waco Mammoth National Monument. Big cities like Dallas and Houston add sports, space exploration, and family-friendly attractions, all while the state remains one of the nation’s most affordable, with housing costs balanced against strong family incomes, according to WalletHub.

Choose your own adventure in Illinois, from exploring downtown Chicago, picking fresh apples in a local orchard, enjoying the Lake Michigan coastline, or visiting the Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in the country. Per the rest of the WalletHub report, families moving to Illinois will appreciate strong schools and accessible childcare, making it a smart choice for raising kids, and while living costs are slightly above average, the state’s high median family income helps balance the budget.

Colorado is a veritable outdoor adventureland so it’s no wonder that it landed in the fourth spot for family fun. The state boasts 39,000 miles of hiking trails and 28 ski resorts. More than fresh air and mountain vistas make the eighth-largest state a top place for family adventurers; Colorado offers city attractions in Denver, like the Children’s Museum, with exhibits designed specifically for little ones. Colorado scored high on the overall WalletHub list, too, as the 15th best state to raise a family in 2026. 

Families who call New York home can head into the great outdoors for activities like hiking through the Adirondacks, swimming in the Finger Lakes, skiing in the Catskills, and more. New York’s historic sights, from George Washington’s headquarters to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to Niagara Falls, thrill kids and adults alike. And in New York City, families can discover hundreds of neighborhoods, museums, and cuisines to suit each member of their party. When it comes to educational opportunities and access to childcare, New York scores high: eighth out of all 50 states in WalletHub’s ranking. With all factors folded in, and even despite its high cost, New York takes the sixth overall spot in WalletHub’s ranking of the 50 best states for families.