Eight Vacation Themes that Go Beyond the Beach!
BY AMANDA CIANI
S ummer fun is synonymous with family vacations! And for many families, that means packing up the van and heading to the beach. But what about when the kids continually hit you with, “I’m bored!”, as soon as the cooler is plopped onto the sand, even before the umbrella is popped? With only 18 summers together, beach bum parents may be considering pressing pause on their shoreline excursions to opt for something more appealing to their non- “beach-people” kids. The college years will be here before you know it (and can head back to the beach); in the meantime, check out these eight great summer travel ideas that go beyond the beach…
Utah, South Dakota, North Carolina, Alaska), and plan away.
(Canton, OH), or the Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, MA). Another amazing opportu- nity for families is to check out a motorsport race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama or at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indianapolis 500! NATIONAL PARKS TOUR From sea to shining sea, there are so many amazing landscapes to explore on our continent! Within the United State’s impres- sive 63 National Parks, families can explore alpine landscapes, deserts, canyons, volcanic landscapes, forests, wetlands, swamps and bayous, coastal landscapes, arctic areas, grasslands, prairies and badlands, and glaciers, too. Have a 4th grader at home? They can receive a free Every Kids Outdoors 4th Grade pass which is valid through the duration of a student’s 4th grade school year through the following summer (September– August). Head to recreation.gov for details on the America the Beautiful passes! THEME PARK TRAVEL Fans of adrenaline rushes would adore a theme park themed travel experience! And there is an assortment of parks to choose from, with an estimated 900+ theme parks located in the US. Herschend does a won-
MUSEUM MOSEY + ZOO HOP The majority of major cities have majorly fun museums, aquariums, and zoos. A trip to explore other cities’ offerings is both educa- tional, and oh-so fun! Reminder: If you have a membership to your local museum, aquar- ium, or zoo, be sure to keep it handy when you travel. Many memberships participate in reciprocal networks, meaning when you travel to other museums, aquariums, and zoos, you can flash your membership and re- ceive hefty discounts or even free admission. So not only can families see cool children’s museums, science centers, history museums, aquariums, and zoos in their hometown, but all across the country—and in a fund-friendly manner, too! SPORTS STOPS Avid fans of athletics have tons of awesome options when it comes to travel. Consider a challenge to see the most games in MLB stadiums in one summer (there are 29 in the U.S. and 1 in Canada, too!), play golf on a new course, or honor the best of the best and plan a trip to see the Baseball Hall of Fame (Coo- perstown, NY), the Pro Football Hall of Fame
TRAVEL THROUGH TIME The United States of America is
celebrating its 250th birthday this year! Every state across the grand U-S-of-A has unique historical sites, including some living history attractions with fun reenactors! Families interested in history can choose an era or theme, such as America’s Founding (Boston, Philadelphia, Colonial Williamsburg, James- town), Westward Expansion (St. Louis, MO, Independence, MO, Chimney Rock, NE), the Civil War (Gettysburg, Richmond), or Indige- nous History (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona,
30 MARCH 2026 | BRPARENTS.COM
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