15 Educational and Fun Destinations for Families

Many parents travel with their kids to help them learn about the world around them. In the classroom, facts and figures can feel boring. Kids are a lot more invested in history, science or geography when they get to experience the sights and sounds for themselves. Here are the top 15 educational destinations for families with curious kids.

Washington, D.C. is a popular educational destination for families for good reason. It has an impressive number of free attractions and museums, including the Lincoln Memorial, the National Museum of Natural History, the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Smithsonian National Zoo. Though you may want to wait until your kids are old enough to appreciate the history so abundant in our nation's capital, there are certainly plenty of things to do for kids of all ages.

To give kids an uncommon learning experience outside the classroom walls, try vacationing at a dude ranch. You'll get to ride horses, go on nature walks, help out with chores and eat under the stars. The whole family will have so much fun that they won't even realize they're soaking in lessons on history, the environment, physical activity and caring for animals. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to put away the electronics for a week and spend time together in the great outdoors.

The Civil Rights Movement was an important part of our nation's history, and Montgomery, Alabama is full of opportunities to learn more about it. It's a stop along the U.S. Civil Rights Trail and home of the Rosa Parks Museum, commemorating the courageous woman and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Your family can also stop by the Civil Rights Memorial Center and the Dexter King Memorial Baptist Church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached during the bus boycott.

If your kids have shown any interest in geography or geology, you might enjoy a family trip to Yellowstone National Park, stretching across Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Kids can get a front row seat to geysers, hot springs, rock formations and so much more. It's much more exciting than reading about rocks in a textbook! Check at the Visitor Center to buy a Young Scientist Toolkit, which comes with gear like a thermometer and a stopwatch. You can also attend ranger-led programs and help kids earn their Junior Ranger patch.

Boston, Massachusetts has a wide range of educational activities to choose from. Start with the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston where you can follow the buildings, parks and historical markers that played an important role in the American Revolution. Nearby in Concord, you can learn about famous battles and transcendentalist authors. Plymouth, Massachusetts is also just a short drive away where you can visit the famous Plymouth Rock and see living history at Plimoth Plantation, a replica of the first Pilgrim settlement.

There's no reason learning can't happen in paradise! Head to O'ahu, Hawaii for more than just the beaches and stunning vistas. Kids can dive into the history and culture of the Polynesian Islands in a very hands-on way at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Pearl Harbor is another spot that's full of history. While the magnitude of the event can be hard for little ones to comprehend, seeing it in person will make it more meaningful to them. Kids can also learn a lot at the Waikiki Aquarium, Honolulu Zoo and numerous museums around the island.

Perhaps you have a future astronaut or rocket scientist on your hands. In that case, there's no better destination than Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. You could easily spend two days there visiting the museums, taking tours and watching IMAX movies. Have lunch with an astronaut and take part in the Astronaut Training Experience to really get the most out of your time there. Your whole family will walk away with a newfound interest in space exploration.

If your kids are obsessed with dinosaurs, consider a trip to the Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita, Colorado where you can participate in a Dino Dig Excursion and be a paleontologist for a day. Kids will love searching for and digging up fossils in the great outdoors. Even if your kids aren't old enough to participate in an excursion, they can still do lots of hands-on learning inside the museum. Extend your vacation and take a short drive to see the magnificent red rock formations of Colorado National Monument just 40 minutes away.

History buffs will be in heaven in Williamsburg, Virginia. Most people immediately think of Colonial Williamsburg, the living museum where actors recreate daily life in what was once the epicenter of the American Colonies. You can spend anywhere from a few hours to a few days exploring the museums, touring the governor's palace, meeting tradespeople and watching performances. Other than Colonial Williamsburg, you'll be able to see Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the United States, the American Revolution Museum, the Yorktown Battlefield and more.

Madison is the capital of Wisconsin, and full of fun and educational things to do for kids. Tour the capitol building and learn about government or visit the Madison Children's Museum and dive into fancy exhibits like the Art Studio, the Log Cabin and Possible-Opolis. Nature lovers can wander through the UW-Madison Arboretum or stop by the free Henry Vilas Zoo. Wisconsin is rich in history, too, so check out the Wisconsin Historical Society, or take a short drive to the Norwegian Heritage Center. Finally, don't miss Old World Wisconsin where actors recreate life for Wisconsin's immigrants from a one-room schoolhouse to helping with chores, cooking and crafts.

For kids eager to learn about animals, you can't beat a trip to San Diego, California. Start with the famous San Diego Zoo, one of the best zoos in the world. You can hop on one of the zoo's guided tour buses to cover more of the massive park and learn about the animals as you go. You'll also want to head across town to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and choose from one of the many safari experiences to get a closer look at some of the animals. Don't forget about the Birch Aquarium at Scripps where kids can learn about marine life and participate in programs like whale watching or exploring tide pools.

Miami is the place to go if you're looking to expose your kids to other cultures within the United States. The heritage neighborhoods have so much to offer and you'll be blown away by the food, the friendly people and the art. Little Havana started off with a strong Cuban population but recently has grown to include many other Hispanic cultures. You'll find a lot of shops and restaurants on Calle Ocho, or 8th Street. Head to little Little Haiti where you'll find the Little Haiti Cultural Complex with a colorful Caribbean Marketplace, then take a Tap-Tap bus tour of the neighborhood for even more history and stories about local legends.

The Black Hills and Badlands area of South Dakota is a popular vacation destination for a reason. Start at Mount Rushmore where kids can learn all about which presidents are carved into the mountainside and why they were chosen. Drive through Custer State Park to see wild animals in their natural habitat and explore caves. Finally, hit Badlands National Park to discover fossils and geological wonders like spires and buttes. It's history, geology and ecology all at once in a beautiful setting.

The whole family will be fascinated with the history of the oldest European settlement in the United States. St. Augustine, Florida was occupied by the Timucua people before the Spanish arrived in 1565. The city is full of monuments to the rich history and culture that has developed over the years. From Castillo de San Marcos, an old Spanish fort made of coquina rock, to the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park and Colonial Quarter on St. George Street, there are endless opportunities to learn about the past in this quaint city.

Your kids will certainly remember the Alamo after seeing it in person and experiencing it for themselves in San Antonio! This World Heritage Site includes a film about the Alamo's history, a museum, a tour of the Alamo itself, history talks and a serene garden area. Let the tour of important landmarks continue with a visit to San Antonio Missions National Historical Park which includes four more missions that all have free entrance and plenty of parking.