Educational and Fun Family Vacations
By BT Editor
April 14, 2023
Grand Canyon at sunset by Jad Limcaco - Unsplash
Summer break is just around the corner, and now's the perfect time to plan a vacation that is fun for the whole family. If you're hoping to keep kids engaged throughout their days off from school, there are plenty of ways to incorporate educational activities to your family trip—without making it boring. Hands-on, in-person experiences definitely beat out boring review sheets and summer work packets; plus, adults might even learn something new, too. Below, we've rounded up the best activities to add to your summer vacation, and which ones are best suited to the specific interests that inspire your kids.
For animal lovers

- Monterey Bay Aquarium - Monterey, California. Learn about ocean habitats, animals, and conservation at "the most admired aquarium in the US." The aquarium even has an "underwater explorers" program where kids ages 8 to 13 are introduced to the underwater world through surface scuba diving. Kids are safely guided by Aquarium dive staff in the Great Tide Pool, where they'll meet amazing animals while getting a fish's-eye view of the wonders of the bay.
- Caretta Research Project - Wassaw Island, Georgia. Caretta Research Project is a hands-on research, conservation and education program dedicated to studying and protecting loggerhead sea turtles on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The organization provides a unique opportunity for people to experience the ancient rituals of sea turtle nesting and hatching. Volunteers spend one week in the heart of the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge, living right alongside Sea Turtle Biologists and being involved in every facet of the project. While collecting data and protecting nests, volunteers may experience the wonder of seeing an adult turtle emerging from the ocean to lay her eggs or the joy of witnessing hatchlings "boiling" up from the sand and scurrying down the beach to the ocean.
- San Diego Zoo & Safari Park - San Diego, California. Regarded as one of the best zoos in the country, the San Diego Zoo has an incredible number of animals and environments to learn about, along with a Safari Park next door. For an extra special experience, families can book an "Inside Look tour," an entertaining and educational 90-minute adventure offering guided views and interesting information about how the zoo takes care of wildlife.
For budding history buffs

- America's Historic Triangle - Williamsburg, Virginia. Trace the story of early America from Jamestown, through Williamsburg, and then finish in Yorktown. At the Jamestown Settlement, explore expansive gallery exhibits before heading to the outdoor history areas where historical interpreters demonstrate daily life in early Jamestown. Explore life-size recreations of a 1610-14 fort, Paspahegh Town, and the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607. At Colonial Williamsburg, the world’s largest living history museum, visitors can see iconic sites, working tradespeople, historic taverns, and two world-class art museums. Finally, the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown tells the story of the nation’s founding, from the twilight of the colonial period to the dawn of the Constitution and beyond. Exciting indoor galleries feature period artifacts, immersive environments, and films. In the outdoor areas, visit a recreated Continental Army encampment and explore a Revolution-era farm.
- Bristol Renaissance Faire - Kenosha, Wisconsin. Got a kid that loves playing dress-up, loves fantastical stories with knights and dragons, or a fan of princesses? A renaissance faire might be just the place to go this summer. At The Faire, 9 glorious weekends starting in early July, each Saturday and Sunday, plus Labor Day Monday, visitors take a rollicking romp through Elizabethan England, complete with 16th-century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music and one-of-a-kind encounters with a spectacular cast of characters.
- High Desert Museum - Bend, Oregon. Nostalgic for the classic Oregon Trail computer game? Introduce your kids to the real deal with a visit to the High Desert Museum in Oregon. Get a close-up view of native wildlife, such as river otters, porcupines and raptors. Talk with historic characters who share tales of early Oregon homesteaders. Visit an authentic ranch and sawmill from 1904. Experience a close encounter with owls, falcons, hawks and even a vulture. Learn about Native American culture and history, and delight your children with one of many fun, hands-on programs that bring history and science to life.
For inquisitive engineers

- Old Car City - Cartersville, Georgia. Explore a forest of forgotten cars at Old Car City USA, the world’s largest known classic car junkyard. Located just outside of downtown Cartersville, Georgia. Also in town is the Savoy Automobile Museum, which also hosts movie nights, highlighting films with iconic cars that are often displayed on stage by the big screen. When looking for a place to stay nearby, larger families should look no further than to Barnsley Resort, an expansive Southern retreat spanning 3,000 acres of cozy accommodations that span cottages and a three-story Inn, an array of dining choices, a spa, and outdoor activities such as horseback riding, golfing and more.
- US Space & Rocket Center - Huntsville, Alabama. At the Rocket Center, visitors can be space explorers for the day and take part in an Apollo 11 virtual reality experience, experience a Discover Shuttle launch simulation, learn to fly an F-18 Super Hornet, and test their limits on the Multi-Axis Trainer.
For outdoor adventurists

- Carlsbad Caverns National Park - New Mexico. Got a future explorer on your hands? Explore the amazing underground network of caves at Carlsbad Caverns. High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife decorate the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert, but hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes. Explore the trails at your own pace, or join a ranger to explore other caves. Each evening from late-May through October, enjoy a ranger program about the Brazilian free-tailed bats that live in Carlsbad Cavern and see them emerge.
- Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona. Visiting the Grand Canyon is a quintessential family vacation to one of the most incredible formations on our continent. You can't go wrong with a visit here; there is something for all ages and outdoor activities and hikes for all different skill levels.
- Dinosaur Journey - Museums of Western Colorado - Fruita, Colorado. Dinosaur Journey is a regional paleontological and geological museum that tells the story of the history of life in western Colorado and surrounding areas with real fossils, cast skeletons, and reconstructions of dinosaurs. The hands-on, interactive museum includes over 15,000 fossil specimens in its collections, exhibits and displays featuring discoveries from the region, a viewable paleontology laboratory where dinosaur bones are prepared for display, an earthquake simulator, a dinosaur library reading, a sandbox for making your own dinosaur tracks, and a “quarry site” where kids can uncover actual Jurassic dinosaur bones. You can even be a paleontologist for a day.
For sports fans and young athletes

- National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - Cooperstown, New York. While watching a live baseball game is a classic summer family activity, little athletes with big dreams will be even more inspired by a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame. From museum tours to holding a bat from their collection to renting the sacred Plaque Gallery for a private party - the Museum offers everything for an unforgettable experience.
- Prefer football or basketball? There are similar museums for those fans, too.
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