Activities for Kids

11 Destinations That’ll Send Your Little Aviators Sky High

Take your little pilot up, up and away at these 11 awesome aviation centers that range from interactive exhibits to real-life aircrafts.

By Gabby Cullen April 5, 2016

Planes haven’t been on your radar since Maverick and Top Gun, but your little captain loves flying the friendly skies. Take her up, up and away at 11 awesome aviation centers perfect for petite pilots. From interactive exhibits to real-life aircrafts, you’re now boarding for the next family adventure.

Steve F. Udvar-Hazy Center – Washington D.C.

The Air and Space Museum on the Mall is worth visiting, but if you want the real-deal air-and-space experience, head out to Chantilly in Northern Virginia where a massive hanger displays planes such as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird and the Concorde, and the space shuttle Discovery. Don’t leave without heading up to the observation tower to get an up-close look at the planes taking off from nearby Dulles Airport.

Good to know: There’s no end to the high-flying fun for families at the Udvar-Hazy Center: discovery stations, story times, flight simulators and family days.

Online: airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center

photo: Nathan Gilliat via flickr