5 Summer Getaways Every Kid Should Experience

Last Updated on September 5, 2020 by Ellen Christian

Are you planning your summer getaways right now? We don’t generally take vacations far from home. With the animals to care for, it just doesn’t work into our lifestyle all that well. We do manage to take day trips to attractions in our area though and I think the kids really enjoy the ones we’ve been on.

Summer Getaways Every Kid Should Experience

What we do enjoy doing are visiting local attractions that don’t require a lot of travel. Thankfully, there are a lot of fun places near us that we can all enjoy. Here are just a few of my recommendations that I think every kid should experience at some point.

A local historical attraction

Yes, we’re a global world right now and with the internet, the media and the ease of travel, it’s not all that difficult to travel all over the world if you can afford it. I really think that kids lose their sense of where they come from if they don’t learn a little bit about their local history. This doesn’t have to be a dry as dirt lecture about something they have no interest in. There are a lot of inexpensive family vacation spots if you think outside of the box.

Up the street, about 5 miles from our home is the Hubbardton Battle Field. Each year around the 4th of July, people come together to act out the battle that took place there during the American Revolution. They dress in period costumes. They set up tents and cook over open fires. And, they shoot off real cannons and muskets (with blanks I’m sure). You can wander around and interact with the soldiers or their family. You can check out the horses or the guns and knives if you prefer. One year, one of the soldiers gave my son a *pass* that was written with a quill on parchment paper with his name written on it and sealed with sealing was allowing him to pass behind enemy lines for a tour. He got the biggest thrill from that.

An amusement park

If you can afford Disney Land that’s a great choice. For us, that just isn’t possible so we take the kids to The Great Escape and let them have their fill of screaming on rides that would make me nauseous. We let them get cotton candy and fried bread dough and stand in lines for hours just so they can go on their favorite rides over and over again. We take lots of pictures and set aside a small amount of money for the gift shop. It’s our big splurge for the year and we budget for it carefully. Kids should know that some things are just for fun.

Fishing or camping

I love nature and I love spending time outdoors. Too many kids have to be constantly entertained or they don’t know what to do with themselves. Take them out for a quiet day or weekend of fishing or camping in a tent. No not the camping where they have tennis courts and DVD players. I’m talking about a quiet day in the woods alone with family where they learn to entertain themselves and discover what nature has to offer.

Send them away

No, I don’t mean abandon them somewhere although heaven knows that’s tempting some days. Let them learn to be away from Mom and Dad at some point. Let them learn to handle a bit of independence while they’re still young. make sure you trust the camp you send them to and just let go. It’s good for them and it’s good for you. Great suggestions are Girl Scout camp, Church camp, or if you can afford it a private camp.

Educational summer getaways

Let them find out that learning can be fun. It doesn’t have to mean sitting at a desk somewhere with a book. Find something they’re interested in and look for learning opportunities. Take them to the beach and plan a unit on marine life. Go to a drag race and teach your son about how cars and engines work. Take a day to a local farm and let them learn about raising livestock and gardening. If they’re the bookish type, go to a local museum or an aquarium and be ready to answer a million questions.

Not all of these have to cost a lot of money. I know that’s something we just don’t have and we still try to find options that are free or inexpensive. Look for discount coupons at local chambers of commerce or on their website. Pack your own lunch to save a few dollars instead of buying food there. Some places have discount days for local citizens or seniors. Do some research to find out how you can get the best deal and then head out and let the kids have fun.

There are so many fun places to take kids on vacation. What do you have planned for summer getaways this year?