As exhausting as family vacations are, there’s something so rewarding about taking the whole crew on an adventure, creating lasting memories every step of the way. And while international travel with kids can take your family’s wanderlust to soaring new heights, there are so many U.S.-based destinations worth exploring first. And honestly, they’re pretty comparable to their overseas counterparts — yes, really!
These destination dupes bring European charm in spades… no passport required. So, whether you’re searching for a twinkling holiday village reminiscent of Germany at Christmastime, or you’d rather hike through mountains similar to the Scottish countryside, there’s a place to suit every family’s travel preferences. Long-haul transatlantic flights need not apply here, friends.
Reap the Rewards of Domestic Travel
Keeping things stateside is a great way to expand your crew’s horizons and explore the rich culture we have right here, as Sarah Stocking, editor at Lonely Planet, tells Scary Mommy.
“I think it’s worthy to rethink the way we see domestic travel,” she says. “The United States is teeming with interesting history and culture. New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, and Boston are examples of cities well worth visiting because of their diversity and importance in American history.”
She calls the Big Easy “surprisingly family-friendly,” in fact. “There is nothing like New Orleans for French influence stirred up with Cajun influence,” she says. Calling out the botanic gardens, gators, and incredible trees, she adds, “You can also take swamp tours via boardwalk or kayak. A stroll through the French Quarter ending in beignets? Delicious and delightful. The many festivals New Orleans is known for are also really family-friendly despite what you may have heard.”
Moving up the East Coast, Stocking points out that “Charleston and Savannah are gorgeous cities to visit and are filled with so many fun things for kids. I love roaming the streets and stopping at all the stunning squares; it feels like we’ve been dropped right into a small French town.”
There are many more places in the U.S. you can visit that “might harken to some distant European place but remain firmly rooted in Americana,” she says. “These places deserve to be celebrated. Boston, for example, with its small alleyways and colonial architecture, could practically be an English city, but it is deeply important to American history.”
And while not teeming with European influence, Stocking reminds us of the richness found right at our doorsteps. Some of her top recs? St. Louis, Santa Fe, Taos, and Alexandria.
She calls St. Louis “so much fun with kids,” adding, “The City Museum is an incredible interactive experience, and the Gateway Arch museum tells the story of Western Expansion very well, especially keeping in mind the Native American experience.”
Both Sante Fe and Taos offer glimpses into life in the U.S.A. before the U.S.A. officially existed. Elaborates Stocking, “Santa Fe is not only a beautiful pueblo, but its culture is very specific to this region, and the food is especially delicious. The Taos Pueblo welcomes visitors to see how the Pueblo people have been living for centuries.”
Stocking calls Alexandria, steeped in Black history and culture, a “charming small town on the outskirts of Washington D.C. We love to wander its quaint streets before eating a blue crab feast.”
From Charming Cities to Breathtaking Countrysides
If your fam prefers adventures of the mountainside variety, there’s no shortage of options to explore. “Leavenworth in Washington is reminiscent of a German Village in the Cascades in Washington, and it goes big for Christmas,” says Stocking. “Between roaming carolers, festive beer gardens, and twinkling lights, the yuletide cheer is abundant.”
“But while Leavenworth was revitalized in the ’60s to reflect this German aesthetic, there are a few communities that were established by people from the countries they had immigrated from,” she continues. “Lindsborg, Kansas, for example, might not look like Sweden but is populated with the descendants of Swedish immigrants, so this village is teeming with Swedish influence. You can buy Swedish goods at the stores, including hard-to-find Swedish candy, and celebrate Swedish festivals. Helen, Georgia, celebrates all things Bavarian in the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is great hiking around town, and after you’ve wandered through the woods, you can enjoy the sweet Bavarian-themed village.”
Then there’s the Shenandoah Valley, particularly Shenandoah National Park, which Stocking says “attracts fog that settles romantically among the hills, reminiscent of traveling through the Scottish countryside. She also points out the endless appeal of National Parks to kids of all ages.
“Speaking of National Parks, Glacier National Park might as well be the Switzerland of North America,” she adds. “There are even two chalets nestled among the peaks.”
Explore Neighborhoods In Your Own Backyard
We’d be remiss not to mention that travel — even within the domestic U.S. — is cost-prohibitive for so many families, especially these days. That doesn’t mean you can’t enrich your children’s lives by exploring other cultures close to home, as Stocking notes. Her family, based in Nashville, loves enjoying an authentic meal in the city’s varying cuisines, giving a special shout-out to their favorite Ethiopian, Thai, Peruvian, Kurdish, and Greek restaurants. Yep, all without leaving Nashville city limits. It feels like I’m able to give my kids a multicultural education without even leaving town,” she says.
Whether you’re visiting a nearby cultural festival, taking a day trip to a museum, or listening to music from another culture, bonding with your little ones (and inspiring curiosity!) can happen anytime, any place.
