1. Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, New York City
Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, New York City is a must for
any visit to the Big Apple, and combining the trip with a stop at
neighboring Ellis Island packs the iconic image with new meaning. A top
attraction for kids is the carefully restored Main Building’s
computerized Passenger Record, which lets visitors trace loved ones’
lineage as far back as 1892 (for free). Map out the family tree before
circling back to Liberty Island for an up-close-and-personal look at the
country’s most famous statue.
Here are top ten best spots that every
kid should see. From iconic emblems to engineering marvels, and natural
wonders to theme park fantasy lands, these attractions for kids promise
to spark the imaginations of young dreamers.
2. Fenway Park Baseball Game, BostonBoston is home to a handful of must-see historic sites, but there’s none quite as kid-friendly as the oldest operating ballpark in the country — legendary Fenway Park. Diehard fans and curious spectators alike fill the ballpark every game to root for the home team, known in Boston as “The Sawx,” and the intense energy that fills the park makes this one attraction for kids that no youngster will soon forget.
3. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
For the best views of Alaska’s frozen wonders, take the youngsters to
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve where glaciers cover over a
quarter of the 3.3-million-acre park, located about 50 miles northwest
of Juneau. Sadly, Glacier Bay is one attraction for kids that might not
be the same for future generations. Though glacier melting here is not
directly linked to global warming, the frosty namesakes of Glacier Bay
have steadily retreated over the past 200 years. Today, there’s still
plenty to see and do, but note that the only way to reach the park is by
cruise or “flightseeing” tours, so odds are you’ll visit with a cruise
ship or tour company.
4. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Spanning 277 miles and plunging to depths of close to a mile, the
Grand Canyon rightfully earns its spot as one of the Seven Wonders of
the Natural World. It’s also a spot every kid should see, thanks to
abundant wildlife remnants of thousands of years of human settlement,
and fascinating geological features. The park offers two types of Junior
Ranger badges for children ages 4 and up, with additional programs in
the summer months to spark kids’ interest in hiking and nature.
5. Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral
The concept of man in space has long captivated the inner child in us
all, and as we plow forward into the new millennium, one fantastic
chapter in the history of space aviation is readying to close.
Regardless of whether your visit coincides with one of these historic
launches, the Visitor Complex offers plenty of attractions for kids that
entertain and educate in their own right, including a shuttle launch
simulator, astronaut encounters, behind-the-scenes tours, and cool
hands-on exhibits.
6. San Diego Zoo, San Diego
Frank the gorilla, Otis the hippo, Orbit the koala — these are just a
few of the new friends your kids will meet on a visit to the
world-famous San Diego Zoo, home to 4,000 rare and endangered animals,
including six resident pandas and the largest colony of koalas outside
of Australia. Large natural-looking enclosures and huge glass-viewing
areas allow kids to get close-up views of the animals. Top attractions
for kids include watching polar bears swim at the Polar Rim exhibit;
meeting the zoo’s new panda cub, named Yun Zi, at the Giant Panda
Research Station; or experiencing an “eye-to-nostril encounter” with
massive hippos through the underwater-viewing window in the Lost Forest.
7. The Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian’s 19 museums and its National Zoo
(all but two are located in the D.C. area) are open to the public and
boast a collection of scientific, historic, and cultural artifacts that
is downright dizzying — 137 million specimens, to be exact. It would
take eons to tour every nook and cranny, so choose a few attractions for
kids that are primed for sparking even the littlest travelers’
imaginations.
8. Walt Disney World, Orlando
There’s something simply magical about visiting Walt Disney World as a
kid. For all its touristy hoopla, the four-park resort captures
childlike merriment — via castles, roller coasters, and the requisite
fairy-tale princesses — in a way that’s hard for anyone who doesn’t
believe in the tooth fairy to grasp.
9. Willis Tower, Chicago
For kids, the bird’s-eye look at the country’s third-largest city is
revelatory (especially when those ears start popping on the elevator
ride up!), but even parents can’t help marveling from the 103rd floor of
the office building as it sways slightly in the wind. On the clearest
days, spot four states (Illinois and its neighbors, Wisconsin, Indiana,
and Michigan) from the 1,353-foot-high Skydeck, and zoom into local
neighborhoods with the high-powered telescopes on hand.
10. Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park has long made the list of spots every kid
should see — the region’s stunning natural landscapes wowed the earliest
Western visitors enough to designate it the country’s first national
park in 1872. A highlight of a visit here then and now is surely Old
Faithful, the mind-blowing 130-foot geyser that erupts about every 75
minutes. The diversity of the park’s living creatures is equally as
awe-inspiring, with 67 species of mammals and 322 species of birds,
including iconic American animals like bison and bald eagles, as well as
elk, wolves, and falcons. The park holds plenty of outdoor fun and
attractions for kids of all ages, from hiking to camping to horseback
riding.
10 Spots Every Kid Should See
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Oleh
Agus Prasetyo
