Summer fun is synonymous with family vacations! And for many families, that means packing up the van and heading to the beach. But what about when the kids continually hit you with, “I’m bored!”, as soon as the cooler is plopped onto the sand, even before the umbrella is popped. With only 18 summers together, beach bum parents may be considering pressing pause on their shoreline excursions to opt for something more appealing to their non-“beach-people” kids. The college years will be here before you know it (and you can head back to the beach); in the meantime, check out these eight great summer travel ideas that go beyond the beach…
Travel Through Time
The United States of America is celebrating its 250th birthday this year! Every state across the grand U-S-of-A has unique historical sites, including some living history attractions with fun reenactors! Families interested in history can choose an era or theme, such as America’s Founding (Boston, Philadelphia, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown), Westward Expansion (St. Louis + Independence, MO, Chimney Rock, NE), the Civil War (Gettysburg, Richmond), or Indigenous History (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, South Dakota, North Carolina, Alaska), and plan away.
Museum Mosey + Zoo Hop
The majority of major cities have majorly fun museums, aquariums, and zoos. A trip to explore other cities’ offerings is both educational, and oh-so fun! Reminder: If you have a membership to your local museum, aquarium, or zoo, be sure to keep it handy when you travel. Many memberships participate in reciprocal networks, meaning when you travel to other museums, aquariums, and zoos, you can flash your membership and receive hefty discounts or even free admission. So not only can families see cool children’s museums, science centers, history museums, aquariums, and zoos in their hometown, but all across the country—and in a fund-friendly manner, too!
Sports Stops
Avid fans of athletics have tons of awesome options when it comes to travel. Consider a challenge to see the most games in MLB stadiums in one summer (there are 29 in the U.S. and 1 in Canada, too!), play golf on a new course, or honor the best of the best and plan a trip to see the Baseball Hall of Fame (Cooperstown, NY), the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton, OH), or the Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, MA). Another amazing opportunity for families is to check out a motorsport race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama or at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indianapolis 500!
National Parks Tour
From sea to shining sea, there are so many amazing landscapes to explore on our continent! Within the United State’s impressive 63 National Parks, families can explore alpine landscapes, deserts, canyons, volcanic landscapes, forests, wetlands, swamps and bayous, coastal landscapes, arctic areas, grasslands, prairies and badlands, and glaciers, too. Have a 4th grader at home? They can receive a free Every Kids Outdoors 4th Grade pass which is valid through the duration of a student’s 4th grade school year through the following summer (September–August). Head to recreation.gov for details on the America the Beautiful passes!
Theme Park Travel
Fans of adrenaline rushes would adore a theme park themed travel experience! And there is an assortment of parks to choose from, with an estimated 900+ theme parks located in the US.
Herschend does a wonderful job with parks that boast hospitality and heart, including: Dollywood (TN), Silver Dollar City (MO), Kentucky Kingdom (KY), Dutch Wonderland (PA), Kennywood (PA) and more. Six Flags features exhilarating rides at their many parks, including:
Six Flags Great Adventure (NJ), Magic Mountain (CA), Over Texas and Fiesta Texas (TX), St. Louis (MO), Kings Island and Cedar Point (OH), Carowinds (NC), Great Escape (NY), and more. Universal has several claims to fame including their Islands of Adventure in Florida, a Hollywood destination, and new this summer! Universal Kids Resort will open in Frisco, Texas.
Of course, this list would not be complete without mentioning Disney World in Florida and California’s Disneyland, too.
Foodie Road Trip
The best way to some families’ hearts is through their stomachs. And every major city offers their own unique take on breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts. Some ideas to indulge in include a tour of a city’s top tacos, their take on barbeque, how they do pizza, and more.
Plus, in many popular locations, food is the destination! Make a map of must-try foods, and hit the road. From cheesesteaks in Philly, lobster rolls in Maine, Chicago dogs in… Chicago, bagels in NY, clam chowder in Boston, sourdough bread in San Fran, gumbo and jambalaya in Louisiana, Nashville Hot Chicken, pralines in Georgia, cheese curds in Wisconsin, there are so many staples to taste! While exploring the nation’s flavors, also consider investigating fabulous food markets and food halls like Seattle’s Pike Place, Boston’s Quincy Market, Philly’s Reading Terminal market, NY’s Chelsea Market, NOLA’s French Market, Cincinnati’s Findlay Market and more!
Focus on Films
Movie aficionados would love traveling to filmed-in locations that immediately look familiar. The top US cities with filmed-in locations would include Los Angeles, CA; New York City, NY, and Atlanta, GA. LA boasts many behind-the-scenes studio tours and iconic filming spots that may be recognized like the Hollywood Boulevard and Griffith Observatory. NYC’s Central Park, Times Square, and downtown skyline can be seen in many popular shows and movies! And Atlanta, GA is a popular tourist destination for fans of popular Marvel films, and shows like The Walking Dead and Stranger Things!
Eerie Adventures
Families that are fans of oddities and spooky things have a host of haunts to explore across the US! With witchy streets to wander, quaint stores galore, and familiar sights from Hocus Pocus, Salem, Massachusetts is a mecca, of course! Beyond that, some of the most reported haunted hotels are located in unique cities, worth travelling to for fans of ghosts, or not! The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado inspired Stephen King’s The Shining, and still has regular reports of the paranormal. The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas is a former hospital and “cancer cure” facility, which still offers nightly ghosts tours (and spa services, for a more relaxing, less scream-inducing time), and The Emily Morgan Hotel in San Antonio, Texas has frequent reports of apparition sightings, perhaps from past surgery patients of the medical-building-turned-hotel. Another great idea for out-there families would be a trip to Nevada to explore the perimeter of Area 51, where lots of roadside attractions are located, or check out the city of Point Pleasant, West Virginia to see if you can find Mothman!
No matter where you go, the best part of vacation is spending time with your people. So make those plans and enjoy that time-off from the everyday mundane during a fabulous fam vacay!
Wishing you a summer full of fun,
A beach mom raising ⅔ anti-beach boys
