For active families seeking a vacation with plenty of outdoor activities for kids, hiking trips are a no-brainer. And they’re easier that you might imagine, since taking one doesn’t have to mean lugging along heavy packs or scaling a mountain deep in the woods. If you choose the right location all you really need are comfy shoes, water, and some bug spray.

We found three cities with kid-friendly hiking trails offering easy terrain and short routes that won’t have you worried about your little ones’ tired legs or need for bathroom breaks. And since each trail is about 15–20 minutes from the city center, your family will find even more to do after your adventure.

Phoenix | Papago Park

Where to hike: Like all the places to hike at Papago Park, the 4-mile West Park Loop Trail offers picturesque desert vistas without the rough terrain or quick elevation changes that make some of the area’s other hiking trails challenging for kids.

After your hike: Head to the other side of the park for an easy walk up to Hole-in-The-Rock, a red-sandstone formation with openings that look out to downtown Phoenix.

Where to stay: At Phoenix Marriott Tempe at The Buttes (about 6 miles southwest of the park), you can cool off in an outdoor pool built at the foot of a butte.

Myrtle Beach | Myrtle Beach State Park

Where to hike: To see what Myrtle Beach was like before the carnival rides and seafood restaurants, stroll along one of the city's two nature trails. The ½-mile Sculptured Oak path has signs along the way to help budding botanists identify magnolias, hollies, and other plants. 

After your hike: Follow the trail to the Grand Strand beach, where you can search for seashells in the sand and swim in the cool waters of the Atlantic.

Where to stay: Springmaid Beach Resort, an oceanfront hotel where your family can swim in six pools and play mini-golf, is less than 3 miles north of the park’s entrance.

San Diego | Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Where to hike: Take the Guy Fleming Trail and you’ll find a varied landscape with cacti and wildflowers amid the forest and sandstone formations. The trail’s mostly level ⅔-mile loop includes two overlooks where you may spot seals and sea lions along the Pacific shore below.

After your hike: See more local marine life at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, named 1 of the country’s top 20 aquariums in TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice awards.

Where to stay: Located 4 miles south of the reserve, the Hotel La Jolla is perfect if you just can’t get enough of that coastal scenery—choose a room with a balcony for ocean views.