13 Things You Need Do With Your Kids Before They Turn 13
A.k.a before they think they're too cool to hang out with you.
Summer's the perfect time to start checking off your family bucket list. Looking for more than just a day trip? Check out these kid-friendly vacation destinations where the fun's all but guaranteed.
Root for the home team at a ballgame.
It's America's pastime for a reason. Nothing beats a day outside at the park — with or without crackerjacks. Save major bucks (and travel time) by scoring tickets for a local minor league team instead.
Time-travel at a living history museum.
Walking into a busy historical village like Colonial Williamsburg or Old World Wisconsin is like opening a time capsule. Just don't call the fact-filled tours "educational" or else the gig is up!
Catch a movie at a drive-in theater.
Watch films the old-school way by locating a nearby outdoor cinema. Then pack the car with blankets and popcorn, and take in the silver screen instead of a tablet screen for once.
Run around a butterfly garden.
Don't forget this often-overlooked part of the zoo. Kids can take turns identifying the different fluttering insects — and the flowers they feed on.
Go star-gazing at the planetarium.
The stars still shine during the daytime — and you can actually see them thanks to science centers like the Hayden Planetarium in New York, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago or any other number of space-themed spots.
Buckle up for an old-fashioned road trip.
"Are we there yet?" is basically the most cliché question your kids will ever ask, but nothing brings the family together like a little forced bonding time. Start off by looking for scenic byways in your area, and then see where the open road takes you.
Motor around on a boat tour.
Harbor cruise or ferry ride, getting out on the water is sometime the best way to see the sights. Don't forget about life jackets!
Watch wildlife in action at a safari park.
Airfare to Africa might be out of the question, but kids can still get a feel for the Serengeti this summer. Lots of tours even include a chance to feed the animal residents — minus the carnivores, of course.
Pick their own fruit at a farm.
Teach little ones a little more about where their food comes from by visiting berry patches in the summer and apple orchards in the fall. Besides eating the freshest fruit around, you can later enlist them to help make jams and pies with the leftovers.
Ogle fish at the aquarium.
Whether they like sea turtles or jellies, there's a little something for everyone when it comes to the ocean. (It occupies 71% of our planet after all.) Even adults have to admit that the touch tank rays are kinda cool.
Hit up one of the national parks.
Okay, kids can't exactly trek the length of the Grand Canyon, but they're definitely old enough to enjoy giant redwoods, rocky beaches and (with a watchful guardian) hissing geysers.
Stare down at the skyline from a skyscraper.
See everything at once from a lofty observation deck, including the ant-sized people. Seattle's iconic Space Needle includes a glass elevator ride, while real little dare devils can view Chicago underneath their feet on Willis Tower's Skydeck.
Get weird at a quirky museum.
Yes, everyone should visit the Met in their lifetime, but there's something to be said for one-off attractions like the UFO Museum in Roswell, New Mexico, or the International Banana Museum in Mecca, California. The stranger the exhibit, the more memorable the trip.
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