San Diego rated most kid-friendly in U.S.

San Diego is the most child-friendly U.S. city for a family to visit, concludes Reward/Expert, a statistical aggregator that helps travelers negotiate the world of frequent flyer programs and credit card awards. The City of San Diego gets a score of 96.2, while the three next-ranked cities -- San Francisco, Portland, and Atlanta -- only score in the 70s.

The study looked at such variables as walkability, hikeability, transit, and the number of pleasant days per year. Also included were affordability of hotels and restaurants, and on a per capita basis, playgrounds, kid-friendly restaurants, zoos, nature parks, amusement parks, children museums, sports teams, and historical sites.

"The weather, beaches, and attractions put San Diego at number one on our list," says the report, listing Legoland and "Balboa Park, a place where kids can visit the zoo, the park's gardens, or one of [its] 14 museums in a single afternoon." Torrey Pines State Reserve is lauded for "stunning views and hiking for all levels."