Families That Go Away Together, Stay Together
The borders of the United States encompass some 3.8 million square miles, making it the third largest country when measured by physical area. That’s a lot of space, especially when you’re trying to suss out the perfect place for a family vacation.
Of course there are some locations that seem more obvious, such as taking a family vacation to Hawaii. However some of the best family destinations are places you may not think to go!
We’ll let you in on the secret… Following you’ll find five of the best family vacations in the US.
Orlando, FL
Recommending the Theme Park Capital of the World is almost de rigueur for any American travel guide that caters to families. There’s a reason why 68 million people visited the city in 2016.
And it’s true that Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens are impressive attractions with which many content themselves. But they’re also incredibly familiar.
Still, besides having some of the best theme parks in Florida, Orlando has charms both off the beaten path and smack in the middle of its busiest sections that deserve consideration.
One such draw is Legoland, an amusement park and onsite hotel that opened in 2011 where most everything is built of (you guessed it) those brightly colored, feet-injuring slabs of plastic. Blocky rides and themed park districts meet group lessons by master Lego builders and giant pits stuffed full of the little bricks.
Other quirky draws include Gatorland (an appropriately scaly park that’s part zoo, part variety show); The Holy Land Experience (a destination that re-creates numerous biblical scenes); and WonderWorks (a science-themed museum housed in a facility flipped upside down onto its roof).
Bozeman, MT
When people cross the wilds for a getaway in Bozeman, they aren’t generally looking for highly refined amusements or carefully choreographed thrills. Rugged and raw is the name of the game, and the beauty of the American West is on display almost everywhere in gorgeous Southwestern Montana.
Bozemen itself offers some enjoyable attractions, including several excellent kid-friendly museums and a number of great restaurants, making this one of the best family vacation spots in the US.
The real entertainment, though, lies outside of city limits. Yellowstone National Park — and all the glory of one of America’s finest natural spaces — lies about 90 minutes south.
Or if you want to avoid the high-summer crowds, head to Nevada City, a town that has preserved much of its 19th-century architecture. Pan for gold, spelunk in the Lewis and Clark caverns, charter a guided horse ride through the countryside, and hike up a mountain. The best part? These attractions all have an affordable price tag, making Bozeman a great destination for a budget-friendly family vacation.
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Williamsburg, VA
For history buffs and homeschooling families, a trip to Washington, D.C., with its concomitant historical sites and stupendous museums, can seem like the ultimate escape. However, accommodations in the nation’s capitol can come costly, and constant crowds often put a damper on attractions.
Nearby Williamsburg, VA, though, has historical panache and plenty and charm to spare. (For even more charm, go at Christmastime as Williamsburg is considered one of the best holiday destinations in the US.)
Enjoy fine dining and great shopping in the city proper, and then head into Colonial Williamsburg to see a site that predates the American Revolution. Several Colonial-era taverns have been re-purposed as restaurants and inns, great for a night on the town or a soft bed after a day’s touring.
Stroll Duke of Gloucester Street where reenactors go about their days as if 300 years hadn’t passed, then try your hand at firing a black-powder musket at the Colonial Williamsburg Musket Range. The nearby settlement of Jamestown offers even more history, while Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA let children and teens blow off some steam in an amusement park setting.
San Diego, CA
The second largest city in California calls to mind towering bridges, skyscraper-scored skylines and the United States Navy — but not necessarily great family getaway places. It’s time to change that.
U.S. News & World Report has named San Diego one of the best places to enjoy an affordable family vacation, and a quick survey at all of its publicly available diversions makes it easy to see why.
To start with, the world-renowned San Diego Zoo boasts nearly 4,000 rare and/or endangered animals on its 1,000-acre grounds and even offers guided bus tours, while the San Diego Automobile Museum and the San Diego Air and Space Museum let little eyes see man-made wonders of land, sea and sky.
Coronado Beach offers an oasis of relative calm where vacationers can soak up the sun, and those who like a little adventure travel within the US should venture into the Sunny Jim Sea Cave, a cavern accessible from both land and water. The truly brave can even try their hand at paragliding or falconry at Torrey Pines Gliderport.
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Pigeon Forge, TN
Miniature steam engines and massive water parks. Dinner theater and idiosyncratic museums. Outdoor exploits and beautiful scenic drives.
Sevier County, TN, might have made news in 2016 for the terrible fires that ravaged the area, but fortunately the conflagrations left Pigeon Forge itself mostly untouched.
That’s good news for families, because the town and surrounding area are positively jam-packed with interesting attractions for all age groups.
Dollywood, the brainchild of the chart-dominating country music sensation Dolly Parton, combines an amusement park with water park and throws in a downhome-themed dinner variety show called Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede for good measure.
The Hollywood Wax Museum rivals London’s famed Madame Tussauds for realistic mannequins of public personae, and kids will love the aquatic life on display at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and the tropical critters that live in the Rainforest Adventures Zoo.
When you’re ready to soar high above all your cares, pop over to Smoky Mountain Ziplines, which offers speedy treetop traversals at up to 40 miles per hour!