Wanderlust World Wanderlust World For the young sports aficionado, a trip to Cooperstown, New York, to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame is ideal. Dedicated in 1939, it is the Smithsonian of the baseball world. Bronze plaques of all Hall of Fame inductees are on the first floor, along with a "Sandlot"-inspired play area for the smallest sports tykes. The second floor brings baseball's history to life in such rooms as the Babe Ruth room, which chronicles the career of the iconic figure, and the Diamond Dreams: Women in Baseball room, a room that captures the ephemeral glory gained by women who took to the baseball diamond to entertain Americans while men were off fighting World War II.
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
25 Main St.
Cooperstown, NY 13326
888-425-5633
baseballhall.org
Fun doesn't have to trump education on kid-friendly vacations. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a great destination is the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. As America's only congressionally chartered museum, its many exhibits trace the impact of atomic energy and nuclear science on the modern world. Several exhibits are featured at any given time. The large outdoor Heritage Park exhibit attracts a large number of visitors; it contains formerly commissioned planes, rockets, missiles and cannons. Little Albert's Lab is an interactive exhibit where children learn about physics with hands-on activities. The Cold War Fallout Shelter exhibit is a tour through a re-created bomb shelter that shows children a bit of history they might not otherwise experience.
The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
601 Eubank Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
505-245-2137
nuclearmuseum.org
Sesame Place is a natural destination for those with children too young to enjoy museums or over-the-top amusement parks. Rides and activities are divided into "wet" and "dry" attractions. Dry rides include Big Bird's Balloon Race, where riders climb into balloon baskets that rise 40 feet and let them see the entire park. For all family members, there is the Monster Maze, where those in the maze must dodge lightweight punching bags to escape.
For tykes who like getting wet, there is the Rubber Duckie Pond, a splash pond for those who are younger than six. For the slightly older and more daring child, the Sesame Streak is a water ride--for individuals or a child and a parent together--where large inflated tubes allow riders to careen through twisty water chutes and land in a splash pool at the end of the ride.
Sesame Place
100 Sesame Rd.
Langhorne, PA 19047
215-752-7070
sesameplace.com