Parenting

25 Great US Spots to Take the Kids Before They Graduate High School

ParentingPublished Jul 5, 2012
By Emily Abbate
family road trip sunsetiStock.com/Choreograph

Summer is the prime time to get travelin' with the family. The weather is warmer, the kids are out of school, and thankfully -- gas prices aren't absolutely ridiculous this year. The best part of living in the good ol' U S of A? There's a whole lot of terrific terrain just waiting to be explored right here in our own backyard! So where should parents absolutely take their broods this summer? Check out our list of 25 Instagram-picture perfect spots. 

More from CafeMom: 50 Must-See Places to Take the Kids Before They Get Too Old

As the kids get older, they become less interested in spending quality family time and more interested in checking out, well, the "cooler" things and people in life. This is exactly why it's so important to squeeze in some of these classic road trips while the kids are still young enough to be told to GET IN THE CAR NOW. Have everyone buckle up for one of these excursions -- you may not get another chance!

More from CafeMom: 9 Smart Road Trip Tricks for Surviving Car Travel With Kids

Yeah, yeah, water parks, those are fun, and so are beach towns. However, there are a whole slew of historic sites, monuments, and American landmarks across the country that are must-sees for all kids. Check out our list of 25 great places to take the kids to before they graduate high school. We know this next family vacation is going to be amazing -- and maybe even cool, too!

The Grand Canyon
Meinzahn/iStock
1/25
Mount Rushmore National Memorial-placeholder
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
ConspiracyofHappiness/Flickr

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Who doesn't love a little trip to South Dakota to ogle over the faces of George WashingtonTheodore RooseveltAbraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson?

2/25
Smithsonian-placeholder
Smithsonian
Casbr/Flickr

Smithsonian

Consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine separate research facilities -- you could spend days traversing all that this Washington, D.C. gem has to offer.

3/25
Grand Canyon National Park-placeholder
Grand Canyon National Park
Moyan Brenn/Flickr

Grand Canyon National Park

Nearly 5 million people see the 1-mile-deep Grand Canyon in Arizona every year. Now, it's your turn.

4/25
Appomattox, Virginia-placeholder
Appomattox, Virginia
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr

Appomattox, Virginia

Take a bite out of American history by visiting the Appomattox Court House, the place where General Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant after four long years of the Civil War.

5/25
Empire State Building-placeholder
Empire State Building
Adam Lerner/Flickr

Empire State Building

The 102-story skyscraper in the heart of New York City has the best views of the Big Apple, by far.

6/25
Niagara Falls State Park-placeholder
Niagara Falls State Park
James Scherber/Flickr

Niagara Falls State Park

Created by the Wisconsin glaciation about 10,000 years ago, these breathtaking waterfalls -- technically shared with Canada -- are the perfect backdrop for a family photo.

7/25
The Freedom Trail-placeholder
The Freedom Trail
Carrie8706/Flickr

The Freedom Trail

Grab your hiking shoes! This 2.5-mile urban walking trail allows its 3.2 million annual visitors to experience 16 historically significant sites in Boston.

8/25
The Metropolitan Museum of Art-placeholder
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Andrew Mace/Flickr

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Right beside New York City's famed Central Park, the Met has a collection of more than 2 million works of ancient art, including Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern.

9/25
Statue of Liberty-placeholder
Statue of Liberty
Rakkhi/Flickr

Statue of Liberty

This gift from France is one of the biggest symbols of America. South of Ellis Island, visitors can cruise around Liberty Island on one of New York City's various ferry lines.

10/25
The Golden Gate Bridge-placeholder
The Golden Gate Bridge
Kevin Cole/Flickr

The Golden Gate Bridge

One of my favorite sites in all of the U.S. spanning San Francisco Bay. Make a pit stop in Ghirardelli Square for some delicious chocolates while you're in the area!

11/25
Four Corners-placeholder
Four Corners
Colin/Flickr

Four Corners

Four Corners, otherwise known as the point where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet, is a fantastic spot for your family's bucket list. What kiddo doesn't want to be in four places at once?

12/25
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve-placeholder
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
kisforkate/Flickr

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Covering 3.3 million acres of glaciers, rainforest, coastlines, and mountains, Glacier Bay National Park is a highlight of Alaska's Inside Passage. Whether you're into hiking or just into breathtaking views, the park has something to offer the entire family.

13/25
Liberty Bell-placeholder
Liberty Bell
bardgabbard/Flickr

Liberty Bell

Did you ever know that the word "Pennsylvania" is spelled incorrectly on the bell (sans one "n")? Educate your kiddos with that fun fact once you get to this Philadelphia icon!

14/25
Gettysburg-placeholder
Gettysburg
Pat Henson/Flickr

Gettysburg

The Civil War battlefields in Gettysburg are a must-stop, but there are also loads of other historical attractions like the Shriver House Museum, the Jennie Wade House, and of course the annual Gettysburg reenactment that are worth a looksee.

15/25
Hoover Dam-placeholder
Hoover Dam
Airwolfhound/Flickr

Hoover Dam

Join the almost 1 million people who visit the Hoover Dam each year. The best part? You can all enjoy a pit-stop in Vegas while you're at it!

16/25
Kennedy Space Center-placeholder
Kennedy Space Center
Robin Capper/Flickr

Kennedy Space Center

What kid doesn't want to know a little bit about what it's like to be an astronaut? AND you can soak in some Florida rays? Ooh ooh, pick me!

17/25
World Trade Center Site-placeholder
World Trade Center Site
Saucy Salad/Flickr

World Trade Center Site

From personal experience, I can tell you that the fountains at the former World Trade Center locale are breathtaking. Walking around the National September 11 Memorial and Museum with your kids is a good opportunity to talk about the event that forever changed our nation in 2001.

18/25
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum-placeholder
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Dave Reid/Flickr

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

This living memorial to the Holocaust leaves me speechless every time I visit.

19/25
Newport Mansions-placeholder
Newport Mansions
Martin de Lusenet/Flickr

Newport Mansions

The mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, boast architecture unlike anything else in the United States.

20/25
Great Salt Lake-placeholder
Great Salt Lake
Bryan Jones/Flickr

Great Salt Lake

Nothing says family bonding like views of the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere.

21/25
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park-placeholder
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Steve Dunleavy/Flickr

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Taking your kids to check out the volcanoes in Hawaii is probably one of the coolest things you could do as a parent. Seeing all of those geology lessons come to life? A dream come true!

22/25
Hollywood-placeholder
Hollywood
DominusVobiscum/Flickr

Hollywood

From Marilyn Monroe to Dick Van Dyke, your kids will have a blast checking out all of the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

23/25
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site-placeholder
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
dgphilli/Flickr

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

This Georgia landmark is an excellent place for children to learn about a truly inspirational man who worked for racial equality here in the US.

24/25
Yellowstone-placeholder
Yellowstone
Jim Dollar/Flickr

Yellowstone

This famous national park that stretches across three northern states is best known for its wildlife and and the spectacular Old Faithful Geyser. But stay away from the people-hating black bears!

25/25
The Great Lakes-placeholder
The Great Lakes
Doug/Flickr

The Great Lakes

Sure, seeing the lakes is cool. The best thing, though, is to really experience them! Pack up your swim gear and take the family out for a day of water sports. Paddle boarding, anyone?

summer breakbehavior and development
Cafemom Logo
This is motherhood #nofilter

AboutTermsContactPrivacyPRIVACY SETTINGSSUBMIT A STORY
© 2024 WILD SKY MEDIA.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA
| FAMILY & PARENTING
CAFEMOMMAMÁSLATINAS
LITTLETHINGSMOM.COM
This site is owned and operated by Bright Mountain Media, Inc., a publicly owned company trading with the symbol: BMTM.