Activities for Kids

Historical Happenings: The Coolest Places to Learn About America

Take a trip to America's most notable historical landmarks and your kids might (gasp!) learn a thing or two.

By Gabby Cullen May 30, 2016

In honor of Independence Day, we’ve taken a page from your kid’s classroom and rounded up the best spots in America for learning about the land of the free and the brave. From remembering the Alamo to California’s gold rush, here are nine places that will help you and your crew make a little history of your own.

Monticello – Charlottesville, Va

I bet you’ve heard of Mount Vernon, but have you heard of Monticello? The homestead of Thomas Jefferson is down the road from Washington’s place (about two hours), but it’s a world away when it comes to tiny visitors. In the Griffin Discovery Room, kids will learn about what life was like in the early 1800’s, create secret codes on a wheel cipher, and even try out a polygraph machine based on one once owned by the third President. Write with a quill in the Mountaintop Hands-on Activity Center, or play a good ol’ fashioned game of tag on the huge front lawn. For those who want to enjoy the surrounding area, the trail at Monticello is part of central Virginia’s largest park and is stroller-accessible.

Good to know: There are family-friendly tours offered for parents with kids ages 5-11 in tow.

Online: monticello.org

photo: Joceyln Dale via flickr creative commons