Family vacations are where memories are made, and choosing a place for your annual getaway can be challenging. The key to success is choosing a vacation spot that gives your kids a chance to get hands-on experience learning something interesting and a place where the whole family has an opportunity to bond. There are several vacation spots in the United States that fit that bill.
Kids obsessed with dinosaurs will be awed when they enter Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The former dude ranch became a dinosaur hot spot in the 1940s when paleontologists discovered the completely intact skeletons of hundreds of Triassic Coelophysis dinosaurs; Ghost Ranch has become a center for dinosaur studies and research. The little adobe museum is packed with dinosaur treasures, along with the opportunity to watch real paleontologists at work since discoveries are still being made at Ghost Ranc; an entirely new species of dinosaur was discovered in 2005.Children can even do excavating of their own. When you're not excavating, there are lakes, hiking trails, an art studio, rope courses and horseback riding to keep everybody entertained.
Ghost Ranch
U.S. 84
Abiquiu, NM 87510
505-685-4333
ghostranch.org
A visit to the nation's capital lets your children get up close and personal with American history and government. Bring your walking shoes and plan to trek along the two-and-a-half mile long National Mall where you can also explore the Smithsonian Institution's museums. As a plus for families, the Smithsonian-run museums, including the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History and the Air and Space Museum, have free admission so you can duck in and out to test your child's interest level. If the kids get antsy, let them take a break to splash in the pool at the National Gallery's Sculpture Garden or grab a pretzel from a vendor and check out the 19th century carousel near Jefferson Drive. If you want to visit the Capitol, plan to line up early at the visitor center for a ticket later in the day. If you want a tour of the White House, you can call your Congressperson for reservations six months in advance. Drive or take a trolley to explore the landmark monuments, including the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial, on the west side of the city.
Washington D.C. Tourism Office
901 7th St. N.W.
4th Floor
Washington, DC 20001-3719
800-422-8644
washington.org
There are plenty of beaches in the United States, but you won't find a better spot for scouting shells than Sanibel Island on Florida's southern Gulf Coast. There are more than 200 different species of shells that wash up on Sanibel's white sandy beaches. While optimum hunting season is in late winter, February through April, your kids can find a wealth of shells at low tide in any season. The Bailey Matthews Shell Museum will identify where the shells came from. In addition to shell hunting, Sanibel Island has several wildlife refuges and all the pleasures of a beach holiday, including swimming, fishing and boating.
Sanibel Island Tourism Office
1159 Causeway Road
Sanibel, FL 33957
239-472-1080
sanibel-captiva.org
