New Orleans is surprisingly family-friendly (almost) all year long, so if you’re looking for a festive way to have some fun with the kids, head on down to the bayou. Stop for beignets at Cafe du Monde or meander through the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium (perfect if your kids love creepy crawly things). Finally, you can’t leave without riding an impeccably charming St. Charles streetcar to the Garden District.
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Your kids probably aren’t terribly interested in historical sites like Gettysburg or Arlington National Cemetary, but Colonial Williamsburg is another story. Your children will feel as though they’ve literally stepped back in time after donning traditional costumes and performing 18th-century chores at The Great Hopes Plantation. Plus, after a long day, you can head over to Busch Gardens where the kids can ride roller coasters, and you can grab a beer or two!
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Instill an appreciation for the outdoors in your children while also showing them some of the coolest natural phenomena in the country. The kids will go wild when Old Faithful erupts or when you happen to see a deer or a bear on a hiking trail. Your kids can also become Junior Rangers and start collecting badges and activity books from every national park they visit.
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Thanks to National Treasure II, your kiddos are probably dying to visit Mount Rushmore and search for hidden treasure. Even without the treasure, this place is pretty awesome! You can hike and get crazy close to the giant faces. Afterward, you all can grab some delicious bison burgers and enjoy them at the base.
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Immerse your family in the wonders of nature by spending a week in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. One perk for the parents: you’ll be more rejuvenated than ever before! Even though your kids probably won’t have any cell service, they can still have plenty of fun riding horses, fishing on the Little River, and touring magnificent underground caves. You can even take a day trip to Gatlinburg to ride a cable car through the mountains!
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The Grand Canyon is quite grand because even if you do nothing else but sit on the edge and stare, you will still have a phenomenal, life-altering time. The kids probably won’t be content with that, so you can take a helicopter ride over the canyon, a horseback ride into the canyon, or a ride on the scenic Grand Canyon Railway to see this jaw-dropping natural wonder in a whole new light.
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Myrtle Beach probably isn’t the first choice for childless adults who want to hit the bars, but that's what makes it even better for families who want to hit the beach. You can spend all day snorkeling and making sand castles on the shoreline. If you want a break from getting sand in all of your belongings, you and the kiddos can play a round of mini-golf at Mount Atlanticus Miniature Golf or check out the famous Ripley’s Aquarium.
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There are innumerable kid-friendly things to do in the city that never sleeps! Take a boat ride over to the Statue of Liberty, and ride an elevator to the top. Visit Ellis Island, and, if you know your ancestors arrived in there, your kids will have a blast finding their relatives’ names in the books. Then, pay a visit to the famous Bronx Zoo, look down on the city from the top of the Empire State Building, and top off the day with ice cream and pizza from Grimaldi’s. You’re never going to want to leave.
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Niagara Falls is an oldie but a goodie. Here, you can take your kiddos on an exhilarating ride on the Maid of the Mist, which actually goes under one of the waterfalls! Be sure to bring your passports so you can head over to the Canadian side of the falls and grab some poutine, then stick around until sundown to enjoy the fireworks over the falls. It’s sure to be a night to remember!
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Every child (and every adult) needs to go to Disney World at least once in life. Grab a park hopper ticket for everyone in your crew so you can explore each inch of this park. From Epcot to the Animal Kingdom, your trip is sure to be magical. To make the experience even better, stay in one of the Disney resorts so you can see all the action from your balcony. The crowd for the fireworks can be huge, so this is a must for a stress-free vacation.
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