The Lone Star State has many family-friendly attractions. From spelunking to sea life, there is plenty of fun for all age groups.

Texas and Germany may seem like separate worlds, but the German-heritage town of New Braunfels is home to the original Schlitterbahn -- a family-owned, family-friendly water park. With additional locations in South Padre Island and on Galveston Island, it's easy for any family in southern Texas to slip in for a spell. All parks boast miles of tube rides and other wet 'n' wild waterways for the summer, and the New Braunfels park transforms the summer slides into a winter wonderland blanketed with more than 1 million lights and packed with themed festivities for the winter holidays and months.

Film-loving families will definitely want to swing by the Indian Cliffs Ranch and Cattleman's Steakhouse, just 30 miles east of El Paso. The award-winning food is a draw, but those looking for a real taste of the Old West will be lassoed in by the scenery and attractions. This working ranch has many historical ties and boasts an antique wagon road, a western town and old working stables. To this day, pieces of pottery can be found at old Indian Camp sites. On Sunday afternoons and evenings, restaurant patrons can take a free hay ride to the movie set of the film "Courage Under Fire" and the picturesque natural cliffs. Anyone not eating at the restaurant can enjoy the ranch for just $2. Little ones can stretch their legs in the Indian Maze, the Apache Playground or play at the ranch's zoo while couples saunter down the lake walk. It's a truly Texan experience all for the price of a meal. Leashed pets and RVs are welcome.

Those with a taste for discovery can spelunk at Natural Bridge Caverns near San Antonio. First explored in the '60s, the natural limestone formations create a showcase of geological formations. The staff is able to cater to both amateur adventurers and expert explorers with a variety of tour options that range from guided, well-lit walking tours with paths and hand-rails to more advanced excursions involving rappels and caving gear. After going underground, visitors can pan for precious stones or climb to new heights by taking the Watchtower Challenge, which involves tackling a climbing wall and riding a zip-line back to the ground.

They say that everything is bigger in Texas, and that's no exception at Dallas's Fair Park, the only intact, unaltered pre-1950s world fair site in the country. This 277-acre compound is the annual home of the Texas State Fair, and home to the largest Ferris wheel in North America -- the Texas Star. On the Fair Park campus, you'll find classic Art Deco architecture and plenty of educational attractions. Fair Park offers plenty to do when the state fair isn't in session. The Texas Discovery Gardens feature a butterfly habitat, the Leonhardt Lagoon offers swan boat rides, and the Art Deco style Gondola offers a tour 65 feet above the ground. For less than $20, each person in your family can get access to the seven museums on the grounds by purchasing the Fair Park Passport, or individual admissions can be purchased. With concerts, football games and live theater filling the calendar, there are myriad event choices that cater to all interests.

Houston, we don't have a problem. We have a family-friendly day trip that is out of this world. At Space Center Houston, you can experience the feel of space and explore NASA's Johnson Space Center, which houses current and historic mission control centers. You and your family can take a behind-the-scenes tram tour of the working NASA facilities and visit the Mission Status Center to get updates on current space flights and training activities. Inside, you can explore the history of America's space travel in the Starship Gallery, which is filled with models and actual space vehicles used by the first astronauts. Although they won't put you inside a shuttle and send you to the moon, you can visit the Blast Off Theater -- which simulates rocket boosters and exhaust to let guests feel the launch -- or you can visit the five-story movie screen in the Space Center Theater and learn about the life of an astronaut. For less than $20, you and your family can explore the farthest boundaries.