50 PLACES EVERY KID SHOULD SEE
This list is a compilation of three that I found on the internet today. At the end, I've added a few of my own. I hope to visit as many of these places as possible with my kids before all three are no longer residing with us.
- ALCATRAZ ISLAND, SAN FRANCISCO; www.nps.gov/alcatraz
- ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, ESTES PARK, CO (64 miles from DENVER); www.nps.gov/romo
- ELLIS ISLAND, NEW YORK; www.nps.gov/elis
- PLIMOTH PLANTATION, PLYMOUTH, MA (41 miles from BOSTON); www.plimoth.org
- THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, CAPE CANAVERAL, FL (55 miles from ORLANDO), www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy
- REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK, CRESCENT CITY, CA (355 miles from SAN FRANCISCO); www.nps.gov/redw
- SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, DC; www.nasm.si.edu
- SEARS TOWER, CHICAGO; www.theskydeck.com
- THE NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, MEMPHIS; www.civilrightsmuseum.org
- THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANAPOLIS; www.childrensmuseum.org
- INDEPENDENCE HALL, PHILADELPHIA; www.nps.gov/inde
- WALT DISNEY WORLD, ORLANDO; www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
- THE EVERGLADES, HOMESTEAD, FL (33 miles from MIAMI); www.nps.gov/ever
- UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, DC; www.ushmm.org
- CARLSBAD CAVERNS, NEW MEXICO; www.nps.gov/cave
- THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM, ATLANTA; www.georgiaaquarium.org
- THE FREEDOM TRAIL, BOSTON; www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail
- SEA TURTLE WATCH at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, TITUSVILLE, FL (38 miles from ORLANDO); www.fws.gov/merrittisland
- THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, NEW YORK CITY; www.nps.gov/elis
- THE FIELD MUSEUM, CHICAGO, IL; www.fieldmuseum.org
- PIKE PLACE FISH MARKET, SEATTLE; www.pikeplacefish.com
- NATIONAL MALL and MEMORIAL PARKS, WASHINGTON, DC; www.nps.gov/nacc
- VENICE BEACH, CA (14 miles from LOS ANGELES)
- NIAGARA FALLS, BUFFALO/NIAGARA, NY; www.niagarafallstourism.com
- JOHN PENNEKAMP CORAL REEF STATE PARK, KEY LARGO, FL (60 miles from MIAMI); www.pennekamppark.com
- THE ALAMO, SAN ANTONIO; www.thealamo.org
- CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO; www.sanfranciscochinatown.com
- THE GRAND CANYON, AZ (228 miles from PHOENIX), www.nps.gov/grca.
- YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, YOSEMITE, CA (192 miles from SAN FRANCISCO); www.nps.gov/yose
- THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, DC; www.whitehouse.gov
- COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG, NEWPORT NEWS/WILLIAMSBURG, VA; www.history.org
- NOAH'S ARK WATERPARK, WISCONSIN DELLS, WI (123 miles from MILWAUKEE); www.noahsarkwaterpark.com
- THE LAS VEGAS STRIP, LAS VEGAS; www.visitlasvegas.com
- ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH; www.nps.gov/arch
- THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, ST. LOUIS; www.gatewayarch.com
- DINOSAUR WORLD, GLEN ROSE, TEXAS (70 miles from DALLAS/FT. WORTH); www.dinoworld.net
- THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA; www.blueridgeparkway.org
- SEAWORLD SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, www.seaworldparks.com
- THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SAN FRANCISCO; www.calacademy.org
- THE SAN DIEGO ZOO, SAN DIEGO; www.sandiegozoo.org
- THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, SAN FRANCISCO; www.goldengatebridge.org
- LA BREA TAR PITS, LOS ANGELES; www.tarpits.org
- HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, HI; nps.gov/havo
- UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA AND ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE, ORLANDO; www.universalorlando.com
- ADLER PLANETARIUM, CHICAGO; www.adlerplanetarium.org
- HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD, HERSHEY, PA (15 miles from HARRISBURG); www.hersheys.com
- BUTTERFLY WORLD, COCONUT CREEK, FL (18 miles from FT. LAUDERDALE); www.butterflyworld.com
- MOUNT RUSHMORE, SOUTH DAKOTA; www.nps.gov/moru
- NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM, NYC; www.911memorial.org/
... and a few of my own:
- Disneyland, Anaheim, CA
- Hoover Dam, NV
- The Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
- The Liberty Bell, Philadelphia, PA
- The Wildwoods, NJ
- Gettysburg, PA
- Monticello, Charlottesville, VA
- Coral Castle Museum, Homestead, FL
- South of the Border, Dillon, SC
- Wall Drug, Wall, SD
- Cape May Zoo, Cape May, NJ
- Bronner's Christmas World, Frankenmuth, MI (the world's biggest Christmas shop)
- Halloween Outlet, Worcester, MA (the largest Halloween shop ever!)
- Four Corners, UT
- Mall of America, Bloomington, MN (the largest mall in the USA)
- Ron Jon's Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach, FL (it's open 24 hours/7 days a week!)
- The National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA
- ALCATRAZ ISLAND, SAN FRANCISCO; www.nps.gov/alcatraz
- ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, ESTES PARK, CO (64 miles from DENVER); www.nps.gov/romo
- ELLIS ISLAND, NEW YORK; www.nps.gov/elis
- PLIMOTH PLANTATION, PLYMOUTH, MA (41 miles from BOSTON); www.plimoth.org
- THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, CAPE CANAVERAL, FL (55 miles from ORLANDO), www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy
- REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK, CRESCENT CITY, CA (355 miles from SAN FRANCISCO); www.nps.gov/redw
- SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, DC; www.nasm.si.edu
- SEARS TOWER, CHICAGO; www.theskydeck.com
- THE NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, MEMPHIS; www.civilrightsmuseum.org
- THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANAPOLIS; www.childrensmuseum.org
- INDEPENDENCE HALL, PHILADELPHIA; www.nps.gov/inde
- WALT DISNEY WORLD, ORLANDO; www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
- THE EVERGLADES, HOMESTEAD, FL (33 miles from MIAMI); www.nps.gov/ever
- UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, DC; www.ushmm.org
- CARLSBAD CAVERNS, NEW MEXICO; www.nps.gov/cave
- THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM, ATLANTA; www.georgiaaquarium.org
- THE FREEDOM TRAIL, BOSTON; www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail
- SEA TURTLE WATCH at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, TITUSVILLE, FL (38 miles from ORLANDO); www.fws.gov/merrittisland
- THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, NEW YORK CITY; www.nps.gov/elis
- THE FIELD MUSEUM, CHICAGO, IL; www.fieldmuseum.org
- PIKE PLACE FISH MARKET, SEATTLE; www.pikeplacefish.com
- NATIONAL MALL and MEMORIAL PARKS, WASHINGTON, DC; www.nps.gov/nacc
- VENICE BEACH, CA (14 miles from LOS ANGELES)
- NIAGARA FALLS, BUFFALO/NIAGARA, NY; www.niagarafallstourism.com
- JOHN PENNEKAMP CORAL REEF STATE PARK, KEY LARGO, FL (60 miles from MIAMI); www.pennekamppark.com
- THE ALAMO, SAN ANTONIO; www.thealamo.org
- CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO; www.sanfranciscochinatown.com
- THE GRAND CANYON, AZ (228 miles from PHOENIX), www.nps.gov/grca.
- YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, YOSEMITE, CA (192 miles from SAN FRANCISCO); www.nps.gov/yose
- THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, DC; www.whitehouse.gov
- COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG, NEWPORT NEWS/WILLIAMSBURG, VA; www.history.org
- NOAH'S ARK WATERPARK, WISCONSIN DELLS, WI (123 miles from MILWAUKEE); www.noahsarkwaterpark.com
- THE LAS VEGAS STRIP, LAS VEGAS; www.visitlasvegas.com
- ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH; www.nps.gov/arch
- THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, ST. LOUIS; www.gatewayarch.com
- DINOSAUR WORLD, GLEN ROSE, TEXAS (70 miles from DALLAS/FT. WORTH); www.dinoworld.net
- THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA; www.blueridgeparkway.org
- SEAWORLD SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, www.seaworldparks.com
- THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SAN FRANCISCO; www.calacademy.org
- THE SAN DIEGO ZOO, SAN DIEGO; www.sandiegozoo.org
- THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, SAN FRANCISCO; www.goldengatebridge.org
- LA BREA TAR PITS, LOS ANGELES; www.tarpits.org
- HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, HI; nps.gov/havo
- UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA AND ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE, ORLANDO; www.universalorlando.com
- ADLER PLANETARIUM, CHICAGO; www.adlerplanetarium.org
- HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD, HERSHEY, PA (15 miles from HARRISBURG); www.hersheys.com
- BUTTERFLY WORLD, COCONUT CREEK, FL (18 miles from FT. LAUDERDALE); www.butterflyworld.com
- MOUNT RUSHMORE, SOUTH DAKOTA; www.nps.gov/moru
- NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM, NYC; www.911memorial.org/
... and a few of my own:
- Disneyland, Anaheim, CA
- Hoover Dam, NV
- The Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO
- The Liberty Bell, Philadelphia, PA
- The Wildwoods, NJ
- Gettysburg, PA
- Monticello, Charlottesville, VA
- Coral Castle Museum, Homestead, FL
- South of the Border, Dillon, SC
- Wall Drug, Wall, SD
- Cape May Zoo, Cape May, NJ
- Bronner's Christmas World, Frankenmuth, MI (the world's biggest Christmas shop)
- Halloween Outlet, Worcester, MA (the largest Halloween shop ever!)
- Four Corners, UT
- Mall of America, Bloomington, MN (the largest mall in the USA)
- Ron Jon's Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach, FL (it's open 24 hours/7 days a week!)
- The National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA