The mere suggestion of educational vacations makes many children groan in protest. Tailor a trip to their interests alone, though, and the parents won’t have a great time.  With all the interesting historic sites in the US, a vacation involving learning about our country’s history blends well with other highlights of the travel destination to become a memorable vacation for all. Here are just a few of the many destinations that make a family trip both fun and educational.

The Freedom Trail, Boston

Photo by Sue Rimes via Flickr CC

The Freedom Trail is part of the Boston National Historical Park.  Boston has a lot of recommend for itself for American history buffs, of course, and the Freedom trail is a very good way to take in the sites of the American revolution. A red path on the sidewalk takes curious visitors past official trail sites such as Faneuil Hall, the site of the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere House, Massachusetts State House, Boston Common, the USS Constitution, and more. In addition, the Black Heritage Trail crosses the Freedom Trail right around the Massachusetts State House. Families traveling with elementary school age kids will have fun bringing history to life; for example, it was at Faneuil Hall that protests against the Stamp Act created the doctrine called “no taxation without representation.” Sound familiar? An urban,  vacation in Boston can add meaning to textbook lessons for children (and their parents) with an exploration of the Freedom Trail.

Photo by James Kiedrowski via Flickr CC

Washington, DC

It almost goes without saying that Washington, DC is a “must see” destination for travelers interested in our country’s history. The White House, the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are just three of the iconic sights in the capitol of the United States. For those travelers with young children who tire easily, there are the Tourmobile hop-on, hop-off sightseeing trams. Sixteen stops in Washington DC ensure that the city is well represented. The Tourmobile stops at Arlington National Cemetery, the Air & Space Museum, National Gallery of Art, Jefferson Memorial, the White House Visitor Center, and more. While the Arlington National Cemetery might sound a little grim fora family vacation, the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater is magnificent, with hugely popular annual ceremonies every Easter, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. Accordingly, while the Smithsonian or National Gallery of Art may sound too inaccessible for children, those kids couldn’t have a better place to start a little art appreciation. Even relatively quick stops at either can open kids’ eyes to art and culture.

Photo by Dave Toussaint via Flickr CC

Historic Route 66

Road trips with nostalgia? Route 66 has got them in spades.  Starting in Chicago, and winding its way all the way west to Los Angeles, Historic Route 66 isn’t clearly marked on maps these days (US Highway 66 is not the same thing).  Travelers wanting to road trip in any of the eight states with Old Route 66 markers could consider stopping at these markers. Traveling from east to west, a Route 66 road trip would go through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.  Flagstaff, Arizona is especially recommended for a put stop along Historic Route 66. With The Grand Canyon and great smaller National Monuments all a short drive away, Flagstaff makes for a destination of choice for family trips. By the way, while it’s commonly thought that the terminus is in Los Angeles, it’s actually in Santa Monica, a town surrounded on three sides by Los Angeles (the fourth side being the Pacific Ocean. Santa Monica is a wonderful place to end a family road trip vacation; lots of child-friendly activities here make it a notable destination in itself.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Colonial Williamsburg is basically a living history museum. The recreations of Colonial American life, complete with various true-to-time businesses and costumes, this is also something of a living theme park. Some people may find it tacky or fake, but have no doubt — Colonial Williamsburg is a major draw, and source of tourism dollars to the area.  Families with a curiosity about life in the colonial period would enjoy a day trip here.  Colonial Parkway, Colonial National Historical Park, and Jamestown are all nearby, making for a weekend replete with learning about early American history. The reenactors, of course, are what Colonial Williamsburg are most famous for. They stay in character and are happy to engage in conversations.  Tourists can “meet” Benedict Arnold, for example, and Patrick Henry.

There are plenty of other destinations in the US that are replete with history (the California missions come to mind).  Adding a focus on US history to family travel is recommended for well-rounded vacations.