(MONEY Magazine) – This may be the year of the rooster in China, but for travelers in the United States, it's the year of the family. A full 99.4 million people say they expect to vacation with their families this year, an 11 million increase from those who did so in 1992, according to the annual survey conducted by Better Homes & Gardens for the U.S. Travel Data Center, a nonprofit industry organization. And the good news for you is that hundreds of special inducements and deals have been created to attract the burgeoning family business. To sort through all the attractive options, we canvassed travel professionals and seasoned family vacationers around the country and have winnowed out the best deals, beginning this summer. ''Ask yourself if you want be together with your family without interruption or would prefer a laundry list of activities,'' advises Laura Sutherland, a co-author of The Best Bargain Family Vacations in the U.S.A. (St. Martin's, $13.95). Then choose from among these special offerings:

WOODLANDS Castle Rock Lodges (800-356-9965). Located 17 miles southwest of Cody, Wyo., this rugged ranch is named for an on-site volcanic remnant 60 acres in diameter. Activities include trail rides, kayaking, rafting, rock climbing, swimming and mountain biking. A week's stay in a one-room cabin with fireplace is $950 for each adult, $475 for kids ages six to 10 and $400 for kids ages three to five. The price includes all meals and activities. The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel (800-255-0600). Set on 15,000 acres in Dixville Notch, N. H., Balsams provides golf, tennis, swimming, a nature program and a children's day camp, all at no extra fee. Rooms cost adults $142 per person per night, including meals. Kids under 18 who stay in the room pay $6 multiplied by their age, with a $24 minimum.

BEACHES Indian River Plantation Beach Resort (800-444-3389). Tennis, snorkeling and walks along the beach -- where you might see nesting loggerhead turtles -- are the main attractions at this 320-room luxury hotel on Hutchinson Island, which is 45 minutes north of Palm Beach, Fla. Resort villas, with one or two bedrooms, a living room and a full kitchen, start at $195 a night and hotel rooms at $110. Meals are available at additional cost. A day camp for kids ages three to 12 features water sports and arts and crafts for $18 a day.

Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel (800-241-3333). The impeccable service here, 90 miles south of Los Angeles, includes babysitters who tuck in toddlers with milk and cookies. For $50 daily, your child can also participate in the Ritz Kid's program, which includes swimming lessons and scavenger hunts. Rooms start at $195 a night; meals are extra. There are two miles of beach, two pools and, for special fees, a fitness center, golf and tennis.

CRUISES American Family Cruises (800-232-0567). On Dec. 18, the 1,700-passenger liner American Adventure will make its maiden voyage -- a seven-day cruise from Miami to the eastern Caribbean. Built to accommodate families, the ship has cabins with as many as six berths. Rates start at $895 for each adult in a cabin, and $395 for kids two to 17 who share the quarters; kids under two are free. All meals and a wide range of activities such as basketball and in-line skating are included in the price. Premier Cruise Line (800-473-3262). The Big Red Boat, with an array of Disney characters leading the deck games, sails from Florida to the Bahamas on three- and four-day cruises. Rates for two parents sharing a cabin with their children start at $295 per adult and $255 per child for the three-day cruise and $425 and $315 respectively for the four-day cruise, all shipboard activities and meals included. Two special seven-day packages offer a three- or four-day cruise, plus the rest of the week at Disney World. Rates for both, including hotel accommodations and admission to all three Disney theme parks, start at $949 for adults and $629 for kids. The cruises offer particularly attractive rates for single parents. To occupy a full cabin with his or her kids, a single parent pays a surcharge of only 25% on the adult rate, a substantial saving from the surcharges of 75% to 100% at most other cruise lines.

TOURS Familyhostel (800-733-9753). If you want to socialize with locals in another country, Familyhostel offers a trip to the Netherlands, from Aug. 6 to 16. Your tour guide will be a teacher who knows the territory and the people. You will stay in a small country hotel in Amersfort, which is about 30 miles from Amsterdam, and then visit area landmarks, including The Hague and the Anne Frank House. The price: $2,085 for adults, $1,855 for children ages 12 to 15, $1,795 for children ages eight to 11. It covers air fare from New York City, meals, lodging, ground transportation and museum admissions. Educational Family Adventures (800-972-3842). For $3,995 per person, including air fare from New York City, you can be part of a 14-day family safari in Kenya and Tanzania, eyeing spectacular wildlife and rare birds. Accommodations are in hotels and lodges; most meals are included and offer a taste of zebra or wildebeest.