The Best Kid-Friendly Cities And Attractions For A Family Vacation

Family vacation time is just around the corner. School is out for the kids and workloads for the adults are lighter, which make summer prime time for family travel. When it comes to planning a summer vacation for the entire family, it can become quite tricky, since every destination doesn’t appeal to travelers of all different age groups. Thankfully, there are plenty of hotspots that are easily accessible where your families can make the best memories together this summer.

The great family vacation is what kids look forward to all year long.  Summer is the time to celebrate your loved ones away from the daily grind, and get away from it all and have a great time. So this summer, pack your swimwear, sunblock, and make family time a priority and plan a trip or two! There are so many great-family friendly destinations in the USA, but to make it easier on you here’s a roundup of the best family-friendly attractions and cities for every type of traveler, parent, and child””at any age.

San Diego, CA

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San Diego offers up over 70 miles of pristine sandy coastline with reasonably warm temperatures to its visitors. Since nothing goes better together than beaches and vacations San Diego makes for a great family vacation.

Your family will have a great time splashing around in the water at La Jolla Shores or taking surf lessons or heading over to Shell Beach in Coronado to check out the seals and sea lions. One of the best attractions that everyone will love is the San Diego Zoo. The Zoo is home to koalas and over 4,000 animals representing 800 species. With countless attractions for everyone no matter what their age is, San Diego is definitely hands-down of the best cities to spend your vacation in.

New York City, NY

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One of the coolest places to head to this summer with the kids is the Big Apple. This year has been called a ”Monumental Year” for the city that never sleeps because of all the new hotels an attractions that have made its way to the city.

In May, New York City’s largest development opened. It includes more than 110 shops, a slew of restaurants, the Shed arts center, an Equinox hotel, and last but not last it houses the highest outdoor observation deck located in the Western Hempishere. A  trip to the newly opened Statue of Liberty Museum would be a great place to teach the kids the history of Lady Liberty and show them artifacts like her original torch. You can spend a full day just roaming around Central Park, or riding rides and playing boardwalk games at Coney Island.

Los Angeles, CA

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Having a kid-friendly vacation in Los Angeles means lots of beach time, a few celebrity selfies ( In Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, of course) and theme parks. Your kids can practice their wand work in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Since Anaheim is just a quick trip away they can meet Mickey at Disneyland and ride rollercoasters all day at Magic Mountain. There’s plenty to do from sun up to sun-down in this beautiful city. No matter what age your kids are, there’s something for everyone to make your family vacation the best time ever!

Williamsburg, VA

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Williamsburg, rich with heritage and history and packed with a variety of kid-friendly attractions that aid in making the past come alive.  There are re-enactments, and costumed actors at Colonial Williamsburg invite kids to image what early America looked like. Some exhibits show working milliners, blacksmiths, and printers.

When your tribe needs a break from living in the past there are two theme parks, Water Country USA, and  Bush Gardens Williamsburg. Bush Gardens Williamsburg recently opened a new swing ride call Finnegan’s Flyer that’s reaches heights of over 80 feet and speeds up to 45mph.

Seattle, WA

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Seattle is another city this year that is offering its visitors a chance to experience many brand-new and newly renovated spaces. If your kids aren’t afraid of heights, then a trip to the newly renovated Space Needle is a must. You all can enjoy a bird’s-eye of the entire city at the Sky View Observatory, which just so happens to be the tallest observatory in the Pacific Northwest. From snacking on tasty treats from the Pike Place Market, riding the waterfront Ferris Wheel, and taking a water tour around Lake Union Seattle has you covered when entertaining kids of all ages.

Orlando, FL

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Of course, Orlando is the ultimate family vacation spot with all it’s theme parkers that has something for everyone. From toddlers to teens, and even grown-ups attractions like Universal Orlando, Animal Kingston, Epcot, Disney Magic Kingson, and Hollywood Studios are the most popular in the city. However, there are so many more attractions and adventures beyond the theme parks. You and the family can take airboat rides, zip line over alligators, and even enjoy a hot air balloon. There’s so much to see and do your family will not be bored in Orlando.

Nashville, TN

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Over the last few years, Nashville has gained popularity as a family vacation spot.  There’s an array of family-friendly attractions in Nashville from Taylor Swift Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to one-of-a-kind cars at Lane Motor Museum.  Several museums offer free admissions for children, and if country music is a favorite amongst you and your family kids of all ages can listen to live music for free before 7 pm most nights along Honky Tonk Highway. With great music, great food, attractions, and scenery you and your family will have plenty to do and see in Nashville.

Colorado Springs, CO

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If your family is the adventurous type then look no further can Colorado Springs. This city has action-packed activities at every turn so you and your brood will never run out of things do. There are full-moon tours at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, and cyclings tours down Pike Peak Highway. If a water adventure is what you seek you and your family can raft the Arkansas River with river runner as well as float under the Roy Gorge Bridge, the highest suspension bridge in North America. Sound cool doesn’t in! This vacation will leave you all with memories that will last a lifetime.

Wisconsin Dells, WI

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Is your family water park lovers? , then look no further than a family vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. This kid-friendly getaway is all about getting wet! There are a handful of destination-worthy parks to check out and splash the day away. You can enjoy the outdoor water parks to cool off from the Midwest summer heat like Noah Arc, which is the largest waterpark in all of North America. You can also opt for an indoor water park if you’re trying to stay out of the heat. And if you’d prefer to stay dray that are other fun things to do like zip lining tours and other outdoor excursions.

Park City, Utah

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The cool mountain temperatures and the smaller crowds make for many a great place to take a summer family vacation. This welcoming small town has it all for the family that enjoys the outdoors. Going to school may be the last things your kids will want to do during summer vacation unless it’s a super cool mountain biking school. The entire clan can learn how to ride on Deer Valley’s famed biking terrain at the school. You’ll all learn basics like stance, cornering, braking, and even riding their chairlift. Coached at this school will have you all perfecting your skills before hitting the trails.

If that’s not enough action-packed adventure for you-you can check out the Alpine Slide at Park City Mountain Resort. It’s one of the world’s longest slide and a must for your visit. Take a chairlift to the top and to make it down you choose from four tracks. You can race your kids on a 3,000-foot track that consists of crazy twist and turns, and catch beautiful views of Park City the whole way down.

International Spy Museum-Washington, DC

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The kid-friendly museum is a terrific place to take your kids if you’re raising the next Mata Hari or James Bond. Your kids will love all the spy-related intrigue and interactive family fun that the state-of-the-art museum has. You can take part in a mission where you all will have to go undercover, and they will be able to discover the many hands-on elements they offer. Your would-be double agents will love you forever for bringing them here. You can fill up an entire day at the museum, and your kids are guaranteed to be tuckered out once bedtime roll around.

World’ Largest Toy Museum-Branson, MO

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This toy museum is a great place to let your kids run off steam. The size of the collection at this store is massive. There’s just about anything you want to see from dolls, planes, cars, robots, trains, action figures, and Disney toys, to name a few. There’s so much to see in one day, and you could spend half a day with your family there. The displays and the toys are entertaining for children of all ages. You will truly enjoy sharing some of your childhood memories with your kids while walking through this museum.

Legoland Discovery Center (Various Locations)

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This place has family vacation written all over it. There are many interactive rides and activities for the whole gang. There’s a 4D Movie that’s sure to impress your kids. You can watch as your children use their imaginations to build and create, or better yet, build right along with them! This is a day trip that your entire family will enjoy and remember. If you visit the Discovery Center in Dallas, TX, there’s also a playground with water play activities called Pirate Beach. What a great place to end your time at LEGOLAND.

Cowabunga Bay-Las Vegas, NV

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If your family vacation involves heading out to the desert this summer, a trip to the water park is a must. Cowabunga Bay, located about 20 minutes from the infamous Las Vegas Strip has water rides for all ages. What better way for your kids to cool off from the blistering heat than to spend the day flying down water slides. Other cool features like the lazy river and the wave pool gives your family more to do than just standing on lines and sliding.

Niagra Falls-Niagara, NY

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Niagara Falls is a  bucket list trip for many families.  You can visit the American site without a passport, but if you want to see the Falls you usually see in photos, then you have to travel to the Canadian side. You and your family can get a closer look at the Niagara Falls by taking a cruise like the Maid of the Mist or the Hornblower Niagara cruise.  Make sure to take your kids to the Niagara Power Vista where they can enjoy hands-on experiments to the Power of Nature, and a cool seat-gripping Virtual Reality Ride. You can also hop on a trolley that takes you around Niagara Falls State Park in New York or you can hike around to experience the falls from different vantage points.

Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead-Overland Park, KS

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The Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead features many fantastic attractions to help them learn and appreciate nature, animals, and the outdoors. There are over 200 live animals for feeding, petting, and observing. If your kids love animals and the outdoors, then this should be a cool place your kids will enjoy on your family vacation.

There are even walking trails through the Butterfly Garden. Also in the garden, is a fun play area for the kiddos as well as a vegetable garden where they can learn about agriculture in action. They can go for mini tractor rides and even learn how to fish at the fishing pond. With 12-acres to explore you and your family can easily spend a whole day of fun in the sun!

Dinosaur Trail- Helena, MT

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As kids, most of us loved dinosaurs. There’s just something so magical about them. To have the opportunity to revisit the imagination and the spirit of exploration, these prehistoric giants with your own children makes for a great family vacation. You can dig for fossil treasures, and you can look up at the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex and picture it roaming around the land millions of years ago. You’ll enjoy the trails as you explore a variety of adventures that are perfect for kids and kids-at-heart.

Transportation Museum-Spencer, NC

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Explore antique rail cars, locomotives, and automobiles at a site that once had been a national hub for steam engine repairs. Don’t worry there’s more than to this museum than the exhibits. You and your kids can take a fun-filled 25-minute train ride on an old diesel engine. The train will take you all around the museum’s 60-acre site. In addition to the train tour, there are numerous family-friendly events, and by the end of the day you and your family who have learned how transportation helped build North Carolina.

Oregon Coast Aquarium-Newport, OR

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If you’re thinking about hitting the Oregon Coast this summer, you’ll definitely have to be sure to check out the Oregon Coast Aquarium. There’s nothing like being able to get up close and personal with cool sea creatures. The Aquarium offers many unforgettable experiences for families. From a long tank where you can walk under a sturgeon or a bat ray to a touch pool where your kids can actually touch a starfish, there are many adventures and discovers for you and the entire family to have.

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