As the new film version of the Maurice Sendak children's classic Where the Wild Things Are delights children across the nation, we offer a list of top spots around the world where you can show your family real wild things in their natural environments.

• Grizzly bears. Alaska's Katmai National Park is home to the world's highest concentration of brown bears. Since hunting is not permitted in the park, the bears have grown indifferent to humans. Katmai Coastal Bear Tours will fly you by float plane from Anchorage to a 73-foot expedition ship, the R/V Waters, for a 4-day trip that includes numerous shore landings to view bears -- sometimes as many as 30 at a time -- safely and at close range. (June-September; $3,750; www.katmaibears.com)

An easier option is a 7-hour trip by air with Rust's Air Service from Anchorage to Redoubt Bay Lodge, where brown bears have become so habituated to human visitors you can almost touch them from your pontoon boat while they fish for salmon. (June-August, daily; $595; www.flyrusts.com)

• Gray whales. Every year, thousands of Gray whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds around the Bering Sea to breed in the warm lagoons of the Sea of Cortez. At 30 tons and 50 feet in length, they are huge but delightfully docile. Tourists can often touch them from small boats. Blue whales, the largest animals on earth, are also found here. Week-long cruises from La Paz, Mexico, on a 12-passenger yacht of American Safari Cruises (January-March, from $6,995; www.amsafari.com), or from Cabo San Lucas with Cruise West (December-March; from $2,599; www.cruisewest.com provide ample opportunity to get close. Day tours depart from Cabo, such as those of Cabo Expeditions. (December-April; $45/ adults, $35/children; www.caboexpeditions.com.mx)

• Gorillas. If your kids are up to a rough hike lasting from 2 to 8 hours and can sit absolutely still for one hour, embark on a 4-day tour to critically endangered mountain gorillas on the slopes of Rwanda's volcanic Virunga range. From Kigali, ride to Parc National des Volcans, then set out on foot to reach the gorillas. Several outfits offer similar trips but Denver-based Baobab Expeditions is highly reputed and is an official partner of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, a charitable fund to protect the gorillas. (Year-round departures from Kigali; from $1,370 plus $500 for a park permit; www.baobabexpeditions.com

• Manatees. You don't have to leave Florida to see exotic animals -- and they're not all in theme parks. About 500 of the state's 3,900 manatee population live at Crystal River National Marine Wildlife Refuge, 60 miles north of Tampa, where kids of all ages can snorkel with the friendly 800-pounders. Though the endangered creatures are protected against hunting and harassment, low-impact snorkel tours are offered by Bird's Underwater Manatee Tours (year-round; $35 plus $8 snorkel rental; www.birdsunderwater.com), Florida Manatee Tours (year-round; $49.50 including gear and lunch; www.floridamanateetours.com) and others. Learn more at www.savethemanatee.org.

• Dolphins. The Dolphin Research Center at Grassy Key (mile 59 on the Overseas Highway) is a not-for-profit operation that rescues injured marine mammals. The ``Dolphin Dip'' includes 20 minutes in the center's lagoon with adopted dolphins. Children under age 8 must be accompanied by a paying adult. (Year round; $104; free for accompanied children 4 and under; other programs available; www.dolphins.org)

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