13 Fun Places To Take Your Kids Before Summer Ends

Adventure Time skynesher/E+/Getty Images Let’s go! by Kinsey Gidick Aug. 9, 2021

Hop A Train

Yulia Naumenko/Moment/Getty Images Amtrak travels all over the country and offers a nostalgic way to see the nation. Grab a sleeper car and take your kids on a choo choo trip they’ll never forget.

Volun-tour

Practicing selflessness can be a great part of family travel. Whether it’s volunteering with the Nature Corps by helping rebuild meadows at Sequoia or picking a place to give back via Pack for A Purpose , you can give back while on holiday. SDI Productions/E+/Getty Images

Marc Dufresne/iStock Unreleased/Getty Images Head To Canada Canada has reopened to American tourists. Now’s a great time to pack your bags and visit our neighbors to the North. Just don’t forget your passport and to follow this checklist to cross the border.

Take A Bike Trip

franckreporter/E+/Getty Images Two wheeled travel can start as soon as your kids can roll with it. Pop them into a bike seat or tow and get cruisin’ on paths like the Cape Cod Rail Trail or Anacostia Riverwalk Trail in Washington D.C.

Jokic/E+/Getty Images Hit the Beach With 12,383 miles of coastline in the United States, chances are you can get to the beach within at least a day’s drive. Set your course seaside and grab some sun and fun. BYO tent if the beach is camping-friendly.

Thomas Barwick, Getty images Camp in the Forest It’s the ultimate all American summer time activity. If you haven’t camped with your kids yet, now’s your chance to introduce them to the great outdoors be it in the Everglades or Cascade s.

Live it up at the Lake

Imgorthand/E+/Getty Images Lake life is all about R&R. So find the nearest large body of water and prepare to tube, paddle, and chill.

Take A Staycation

joe daniel price/Moment Unreleased/Getty Images There’s something to be said for being a tourist in your own town. Take a few days off and explore the sites that make your home special, like the Space Needle in Seattle, WA or Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC.

chinaface/E+/Getty Images Head to the Mountains Taking in a towering mountain peak together with your family can be an awe-inspiring moment. Do it before the snow begins to fall and hiking trails close for the season.

Jordan Siemens/DigitalVision/Getty Images Visit a National Park There are 423 National Park sites in U.S. with 63 designated parks. That’s a ton of history and culture to choose from and plenty to keep your family entertained over a weekend trip.

Addictive Stock / Marcos Castillo/Addictive Stock/Getty Images Road Trip The classic American road trip is something every family should experience. Buckle up the fam and find the weirdest roadside attractions by using the Roadside America app.

FatCamera/E+/Getty Images Head to Grandma’s To grandmother’s house we go. Make family the focus of your final summer trip by going to see the grans once more before school starts.

Head to Disney

Handout/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images Disney was closed for much of the past year, but it’s now reopened with limited capacity to ensure the safety of visitors and a fun time for your family.