Travel

Family with small children hiking outdoors in summer nature.
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Where To Travel With Your Kids This Summer

Did someone say road trip?

by Kinsey Gidick
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

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The Outer Banks has been a popular family vacation destination for generations thanks to its beaches, seaside diversions, like the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge and putt-putt golf, and even wild horses at Corolla.

With the reopening of eight Smithsonian museums in May, now is the time to get the family back to D.C. In addition, you can tour the Capitol, sightsee around the White House, and even watch money be printed in the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing.Shutterstock

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One of the natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon is a place everyone should see in their life. Its vistas make for great hiking, camping, and rafting.

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Love history? Williamsburg, Virginia is the place to go. Tour the capital of the Virginia Colony and visit places like the House of Burgesses, home to the Virginia General Assembly which paved the way for the formation of the United States democratic government.

Who doesn’t want to go to Hawaii? Maui is a family vacation haven thanks to its stunning beaches, Molokini snorkeling opportunities, luaus, and sunset cruises.M Swiet Productions, Getty images
Whether your kids are dying to see the Red Sox play or they want to walk the Freedom Trail to visit important sites like the Boston Massacre Site where Bostonians and Redcoats clashed in 1770, there’s plenty to see and do in Boston.Boston Globe / Contributor, Getty images

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Mardi Gras World (where floats are made), The Children’s Museum, Café Du Monde’s donuts, sno-balls, lots of live music, the WWII Museum, the Audubon Zoo and Aquarium, and City Park, all make New Orleans a hotbed for family fun.

Maine is magical in the summer, especially along the coast. Introduce your kids to lobster rolls in Kennebunkport then rent bikes and ride around Ocean Avenue before heading south to visit Nubble Lighthouse for a true New England vacation.Shutterstock

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Chicago has loads of kid-friendly activities: two zoos, an aquarium, two children’s museums, a planetarium, LEGOLand Discovery Center, a skate park, a children’s theater, not to mention the Miracle Mile and the Navy Pier featuring a ferris wheel and carousel.

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Two words: theme parks. It’s why 50 million tourists a year travel to Orlando, Florida. But even if your family isn’t game for Disney World or Universal Studios, Orland offers the Central Florida Zoo, manatee swims at Crystal River Watersports, and Kissimmee Swamp Tours.

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Kids can say “I climbed a mountain on my summer vacation” after a trip to Mt. Rainier. From Paradise Lodge, take a family hike up the glacier-capped active volcano through marmot-filled meadows before trekking back to the visitor’s center to learn about the mountain’s history.

People don’t just flock to Cincinnati for its signature chili. It’s a play land for families too, especially those eager to explore the Smale Riverfront Park and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.Shutterstock
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Make your race car enthusiast’s dreams come true with a trip to Indianapolis, home to the Indy-500. That’s not the only family-friend attraction. You can also pop by the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Corner Prairie historic site, Rhythm! Discovery Center, and Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art.

If a vacation on the lake is your family’s idea of heaven on earth, Missouri’s resort town of Lake of the Ozarks is for you. There’s boating, stand-up paddle boarding, caverns to tour, and a huge waterpark to keep your crew entertained.Shutterstock
Cheer on the San Francisco Giants. Ride the cable car to Nob Hill. Tour Alcatraz Island. Visit the Golden Gate Bridge. Wander the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Grab lunch in Chinatown. Discover Fisherman’s Wharf. Then do it all again in San Francisco.Shutterstock