‘Gramping’ lets parents sit one out

Call it “gramping.” That's when grandparents take the grandkids and leave the parents at home. Here are five destinations that make bonding a breeze.

Los Angeles

Plenty of skip-gen (another word for gramping) spoils are close to home. At 73 stories, InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown is one of the tallest buildings west of Chicago and adjacent to all the area’s hot spots: the Broad, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Grand Central Market, along with lively concerts and sporting events at Staples Center. Cost, info: Doubles from $265 a night; dtla.intercontinental.com

Anaheim (and throughout the U.S. and Canada)

At Great Wolf Lodge, the indoor water park, there’s something for nearly everyone. Climb the Treehouse and race the grandkids down the Totem Towers or float together down Crooked Creek. There are other adventurous raft rides, along with an outdoor swimming pool, arcade and mini-bowling alley. Cost, info: Midweek doubles from $229 a night, weekends from $350 a night, including water park passes; greatwolf.com

Sonoma

The newly reimagined MacArthur Place is a gramping haven with tree-lined pathways and tranquil gardens. Walk or bike (on one of its complimentary Blix electric bikes, ideal for all activity levels) to the farmer’s market on Fridays and Sundays, or soar high above the vineyards in a hot-air balloon with Sonoma Ballooning Adventures. Jack London State Park offers horseback riding, hiking and bird watching Cost, info: Doubles from $409 a night; macarthur place.com; $219 per guest for the hot-air balloon ride; bit.ly/sonomaballoon

Tacoma, Wash.

Thanks to its prime perch in the center of downtown Tacoma, Hotel Murano is walking distance to the city’s most desirable cultural attractions. Museum of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, Washington State History Museum, restaurants, and the theater district are nearby. Cost, info: Doubles from $179

a night; hotelmuranotacoma.com