South Dakota

Another vote for Acadia. It can be as strenuous or as laid-back as you need it to be. We went with our 8-year-old and another family with elementary school-aged kids, and all the kids really enjoyed hiking Jordan Pond, riding bikes on the carriage roads, and hanging out at Sand Beach.

The upstate NY suggestion is a good one as well - we all loved the Museum of Play, Watkins Glen, and Letchworth state park.

Pittsburgh was also great for that age group - children’s museum, science center, national aviary, baseball games.

We did a lot of beach vacations at that age, but otherwise:

We had a great trip in upstate NY around those ages. We stayed near Ithaca for a few days and went hiking (state parks, Watkins Glen), swimming, played in the Anarchy Playground, and went to the Corning glass museum. Then up to Rochester to hit the Museum of Play--spent a full day there and they would have happily gone back for a second day. Then over to Niagara Falls for a night (stayed on the Canadian side)

We also did a great trip to California--a few days in LA (tar pits, walk of stars, Griffith Park, eating all the Mexican food), down to Disneyland, and wrapped up at Joshua Tree. They loved all the rock scrambling in the park. We were planning to go to Palm Springs for a day, but it was pouring rain so we just went back to LA a day early and went to the Science Museum.

Acadia. Tons of hiking (free), from 3/4 mule loops like Wonderland and Ships Harbor to longer and flat (around Jordan Pond) to hiking up Bubble Rock to amazing views and eating Blueberries while you hike (Flying Mountain) to difficult hikes (Beehive). And rock climbing and sea kayaking and boat tours that range from educational (learn about sand dollars, lobsters sea cucumbers and other critters on the ocean floor) to taking you to small islands to walk around (Little Cranberry) to seeing the wild life. And there's tons of kitch in Bar Harbor, and things to do on Rainy days like the Lobster Hatchery, Auto Museum, Abbe Museum and bowling.

I should retire and volunteer at the CVB on MDI, but I don't think they have one, and, there's winter to consider. But I'd happily live there every May-September

Anonymous wrote:My kid enjoyed all sorts of places at this age. Chicago (especially going in the Sears/Willis Tower), the Atlanta Aquarium, going apple picking, any kind of water (the beach or swimmable lakes), Acadia.

We live 10 miles outside Chicago but my kids love taking the train in for the day when the weather is nice.
They LOVED Acadia and request to go back all the time. We did sea-kayaking.
Badlands, Mammoth Cave.
Hawaii was of course a big hit.
Thinking about it they seem to enjoy themselves anywhere in warm weather. They are not fans of anything in the cold be it outdoorsy or a city.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hawaii and Arizona were some of my favorite trips when our kids were that young.

Same.

My kids were 7 and 10 on our first Hawaii trip.

One of my absolute favorite trips was a mid-April spring break (we waited for a late year bc we wanted it to be warm) in Sedona, Grand Canyon, and Phoenix. They were in 5th/7th so a little older than your range, but it was fantastic. We didn't plan a lot, our Sedona days were get up and pick a hike, lunch out, pool afternoon. We did a big GC raft day. Last two days we relaxed at a Scottsdale resort with fantastic pool.

I just took my 7 year old to see Kilauea erupt and he had a blast. If you can swing it, Volcano National Park is a great place to visit.

Anonymous wrote:Hawaii and Arizona were some of my favorite trips when our kids were that young.

Same.

My kids were 7 and 10 on our first Hawaii trip.

One of my absolute favorite trips was a mid-April spring break (we waited for a late year bc we wanted it to be warm) in Sedona, Grand Canyon, and Phoenix. They were in 5th/7th so a little older than your range, but it was fantastic. We didn't plan a lot, our Sedona days were get up and pick a hike, lunch out, pool afternoon. We did a big GC raft day. Last two days we relaxed at a Scottsdale resort with fantastic pool.

My kid enjoyed all sorts of places at this age. Chicago (especially going in the Sears/Willis Tower), the Atlanta Aquarium, going apple picking, any kind of water (the beach or swimmable lakes), Acadia.

We do a lot of road trips, e.g. (1) Badlands/ Custer SP/western SD; (2) Utah/CO combo; (3) Arizona (Tuscon, Sedona, GC). Not a road trip, but San Diego was also a great destination when my older kids were 4 and 6. They are now almost-7, 12, and 14. We really enjoyed an Alaska cruise with elementary aged cousins last year. We are not above the occasional Disney/ Universal trip either!

This summer we are road tripping from SF to Oregon. After a few days in SF, will do rail bikes, jet boats, horseback riding, kayaking, some hiking, tide pooling, rafting, etc. DH and my older dd love hiking, my younger dd and DS don't (DS has minor CP which can make it a little challenging). So we mix of up city and scenic activities and places with rides/adventures. My kids do not enjoy the beach for more than a day unfortunately- I am the only one in the crew who likes to relax, so we just build in a nap each day for me.

We used to live in Vermont and we are dying to take the kids on a New England road trip, but there never seems to be a great time.

Hawaii
St. Augustine
Puerto Rico
NYC
San Diego
DC (we didn't live there obviously)


Those are the places DS has asked to go back to repeatedly. Admittedly, we aren't very good about domestic travel vs international. It's something I'm trying to make more of an effort on because I know we are missing out on a lot of great places

Disney and Amelia Island
san diego

Hawaii and Arizona were some of my favorite trips when our kids were that young.

Philadelphia- great museums, baseball game, and by 5th grade my kid undrrstood/read about American history.

Rehoboth beach
Marco Island
Amelia Island
Hilton Head

Just looking for some ideas for future vacations. What have been your favorite trips with kids aged 6-10. Domestic only.