20 Vacations You Should Take Before the Kids are Grown

We all want to make memories with the kids. Special experiences. Special trips. Things the kids will always remember and tell their own kids about some day. Here are 20 vacations you should take the kids on before they grow up!

20 Vacations to Take Before the Kids are Grown

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful and wonderful sites in the country. 277 miles long with a large range of activities for the entire family. Take a mule ride down for the exploration of a life time! 

Dinosaur Valley State Park

The name says it all! What kid doesn’t want to go to a spot named Dinosaur Valley. Dinosaur Valley State Park in Texas has some of the best-preserved dinosaur tracks in the world. A fabulous family camping location! 

Alaskan Cruise

Alaska is breathtaking! Icebergs, glaciers and polar bears, oh my! Orcas, too! Dog sled through an old gold rush town – the possibilities are endless!

Yellowstone National Park

America’s first national park with the highest concentration of geysers in the world. You can see Old Faithful every 90 minutes shoot high before looking for bison, elk and bears.

The French Quarter in New Orleans

The liveliness of Mardi Gras is in place all year and New Orleans can be surprisingly family-friendly. Magicians, jugglers and jazz bands roam the streets and the area museums are fascinating.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Interactive exhibits, memorabilia and concert films will keep every music loving family impressed and awed.

National Civil Rights Museum

Located in the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, the museum chronicles the civil rights movement, fro the days of slavery to present times. A replica of Rosa Parks’ bus is among the emotional and educational exhibits.

Bioluminescent Bay

Look on in awe as glow-in-the-dark plankton light up the water like magic. You can take a guided excursion. Try to book the first of the evening so it’s still light enough to see everything around you  as you head out into the bay.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Beaches full of seashells and wildlife galore. It seems like the water is shallow forever which makes these beaches perfect for families with little ones.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Combined with a trip along the California coast, this is definitely an aquarium experience the kids will never forget. The tanks are built with kids in mind!

Niagara Falls

This landmark holds fond memories for me. At 60+ years old, I still talk to my kids about my time at Niagara Falls with my parents in the early 60’s. Be sure to have your passports/identification with you so that you can take the kids over into Canada as well.

Petrified Forest

Tree trunks that have turned to stone! Tours will tell you how this forest became fossilized. Native American sand paintings and the Painted Desert full of multi-colored striped boulders will have the kids amazed!

Statue of Liberty

The symbol of America that everyone should see at least once. Ellis Island is an amazing place for the kids to see where millions of immigrants were welcomed to our country. Searching for your ancestors in the American Family Immigration History Center just might start your family on a quest to create the perfect family tree!

Mt. Ranier

A 14,410-foot-high snow-covered mountain with 25 major glaciers.  Visit in summer and hike some of the best family trails to see waterfalls and lakes. In winter, rangers can take you on tours in snow shoes!

Pacific Coast Highway Drive

Road trip! Beautiful scenery along every mile. Make lots of stops along Highway 1 high above the ocean to be sure to see as much as you can. Don’t forget to stop at Hearst Castle!

Wisconsin Dells

Everyone should visit the water park capital of the world! There are 18 indoor/outdoor options with a total of over 200 slides. What kid doesn’t love a good water slide?

Redwood National Parks

The biggest trees in the world will have you and the kids awed and amazed. Trees over 2,000 years old were deer and antelope play!

Buckingham Palace

Changing of the Guard has the soldiers marching in their trademark red coats and fuzzy black hats to music and followed by the horsemen. Visit inside the palace and who knows, you just might spot a Prince! or a Princess! or a Queen!!

Colorado Rocky Mountains

If you are a family that loves to ski, this is the place for you. Winter family activities, both on and off the slops, make the Colorado Rocky Mountain area the perfect place to make family memories. Venture into one of the small local towns for a dog sled tour.

Kennedy Space Center

Be an astronaut for a day? Only an hour from Orlando, you will see real space shuttles, or take the Family Astronaut Training Experience program for a mock journey to the International Space Station.

There you have it – 20 spots to take the kids before they are grown!