Family Fun Spots

Thrill every member of your gang -- from age 1 to 93 -- with these guaranteed-to-please getaways.

Who says that a summer vacation spot can't please everyone? Or that learning can't be fun? Head the family car toward these four historical, family-friendly hot spots, where the past comes to life in ways that are sure to please everyone in your traveling band.

Charleston, South Carolina
www.charlestoncvb.com
This enchanting seaport city, founded in 1670, earns its reputation as "the cradle of southern history and charm" with lush gardens, a frozen-in-time downtown and an oceanfront setting.

• Fun for tots: Let them climb the old cannons at White Point Gardens at the Battery while you take in the harbor views. Next, check out animals that European explorers would have encountered. You'll find them at the 660-acre Animal Forest zoo at Charles Towne Landing, also the site of the state's first English settlement.
• Hot for teens: Did you know that the first shots fired in the Civil War never hit anything? You'll learn this and more on a boat ride to Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. Also visit the 1771 Old Exchange and 1781 Provost Dungeon to hear ghoulish tales of its past, complete with pirates and prisoners.
• The parent factor: Hop on a horse-drawn carriage for a ride down cobblestone streets flanked by 18th-century homes and stately oak trees.
• Fun for all: The South Carolina Aquarium and the Charleston Museum, with a scavenger checklist and special hands-on children's room.

• Fun for tots: The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has an Insect Zoo, cool dinosaur exhibits and a kids' Discovery Room.
• Hot for teens: Double-crossings, deceptions and disguises are the code words at the International Spy Museum, which pulls back the veil on the world of espionage. Interactive displays let you cloak yourself in a "new identity," meet real spies and take a peek at tools of the trade such as tiny cameras, invisible ink and poisonous snakes.
• The parent factor: Enjoy nighttime views of the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials, surrounded by the Smithsonian museums.
• Fun for all: At the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, watch as huge sheets of blank paper are transformed into wallet-ready currency.

• Fun for tots: Kids get a kick out of the up-close views of buffalo, elk and deer on a Jeep safari at Custer State Park. Afterwards, chow down at a traditional chuckwagon cookout.
• Hot for teens: The massive Crazy Horse Memorial, the world's largest sculpture, is a must-see. Even the most jaded teens will be impressed by this in-progress work! Also, go underground on a cave tour at Wind Cave National Park. Rangers offer five different tours of the cave (the fifth largest in the world), including a two-hour candlelight tour.
• The parent factor: Drive the scenic 14-mile Needles Highway through towering granite formations, then head to Mount Rushmore national monument in time for the evening lighting ceremony and singing of the national anthem.
• Fun for all: The ranger-led programs at Badlands National Park.

• Fun for tots: Kids love the animal fossils and giant dinosaur displays at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and the hands-on activities at the Explora! science museum.
• Hot for teens: The American International Rattlesnake Museum has the world's largest collection of different species of live rattlesnakes. Come face-to-face with a rare albino western diamondback -- if you dare.
• The parent factor: Traditional dances are performed on weekends at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The center also has a gift store with one of the largest collections of authentic Indian jewelry in the Southwest, plus rugs, pottery and sculpture from Pueblo artisans.
• Fun for all: The Petroglyph National Monument features 20,000 carved-in-stone images by Native Americans and early Spanish explorers.

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