Go Camping America

Exploring Kid-Friendly Attractions Across the U.S.

Pack up the RV and head out on a journey across the U.S., where excitement and discovery await at every turn.

It’s a family road trip extravaganza! Pack up the RV and head out on a journey across the U.S., where excitement and discovery await at every turn. From interactive museums that bring history to life, to thrilling amusement parks that infuse your trip with a touch of magic, we’ve compiled a list of the country’s top kid-friendly attractions to fuel your summer fun.

Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida is one of the most popular family destinations in the world and with good reason. Here are several attractions you won’t want to miss on your trip to Florida.

Theme Parks

Orlando is world-renowned for its theme parks including Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort which is home to thrilling rides and the magical Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Water Parks

The best way to beat the heat under Orlando’s summer sun is to head to one of the city’s many water parks including Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Disney’s Blizzard Beach, Universal’s Volcano Bay, and Aquatica by SeaWorld.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

If you’re looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of Orlando’s theme parks, head over to the Kennedy Space Center to explore the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit, the U.S. Astornaut Hall of Fame, and the Rocket Garden featuring some of NASA’s most iconic rockets from over the years.

Where to Stay

Just North of Orlando, 333 Fish Camp is situated on Crescent Lake, an incredible location for your family to enjoy all that sunny Florida has to offer!

Lake Tahoe, California

Lake Tahoe offers a range of fun activities that are great for the whole family. Here are some kid-friendly attractions in and around the area to explore this summer:

Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park

This park offers a wide variety of outdoor activities like nature trails, biking trails suitable for the little ones, and fishing ponds. The Sand Harbor area also has a sandy beach where kids can play, swim, or launch a paddleboard for a day full of fun in the sun.

Heavenly Mountain Resort

A year-round attraction, Heavenly Mountain Resort is not just for skiing and snowboarding. It also offers summer activities like scenic gondola rides, mountain coasters, climbing walls, and hiking trails.

Squaw Valley Adventure Center

This resort offers a variety of activities like mini golf, a ropes course, and skyjump, perfect for those energetic little ones looking to stretch their legs!

Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks

With locations in Tahoe City, Tahoe Vista, and Squaw Valley, these parks offer a variety of aerial trekking courses with zip lines and bridges between tree platforms for the adrenaline seeking kiddos in the bunch!

Horseback riding

This is a popular activity in the Lake Tahoe area, with local stables and ranches offering trail rides for riders of all experience levels. It's a great way to explore the area's natural beauty.

Where to stay

Coachland RV Park is the perfect home base for all of your Lake Tahoe adventures. This lakeside resort is pet friendly and features an onsite clubhouse, dog park, fitness facility, and more.

Syracuse, New York

New York may not sound like the most family-friendly vacation destination, but the greater Syracuse area is quite the hidden gem filled with plenty of attractions and activities that cater to families of all ages.

Museum of Science and Technology

This museum is specially designed to engage young minds with meandering halls full of interactive exhibits, live exhibitions on dinosaurs, robotics, and marine life, and captivating planetarium shows where kids can learn about astronomy, explore distant galaxies, and discover the mysteries of the universe.

Fort Ontario State Historic Site

This star-shaped fort’s roots date back to the French and Indian War. Kiddos can learn about the fort's rich history, and the site often hosts reenactments and other special events during the summer months.

Oswego Speedway

If your family enjoys motorsports, this classic short track can make for an exciting evening out during your family camping trip.

H. Lee White Marine Museum

This museum is a must-visit for maritime enthusiasts, where you can learn about the history of Oswego's harbor which played a significant part in the expansion and industrialism of America.

Cooperstown

A short drive to Cooperstown for the day is the perfect field trip for the baseball lovers in the family. Here you can catch a ball game at the famous Double Day Field, check out the Baseball Hall of Fame, and maybe even time it right to participate in the fanfare of the Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.

Where to Stay

Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario, Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground is a quaint family-friendly RV park offering easy access to the lake, an onsite arcade game room, volleyball courts, and more. This is the perfect family campground to call home while you explore the upstate NY area.

Seattle, Washington

With its beautiful parks, waterfront views, and plenty of kid-friendly attractions, Seattle guarantees a memorable family vacation. Here are some of the top places to visit in the city that your kids are sure to enjoy.

The Seattle Aquarium

The Seattle Aquarium is located on Seattle’s picturesque waterfront and is home to a variety of marine species including colorful fish, playful otters, and other majestic sea creatures. The aquarium offers engaging exhibits, touch pools, and informative presentations where your kids can learn about the importance of marine conservation.

The Museum of Flight

The Museum of Flight is home to an extensive collection of aircraft including historic planes and spacecraft - the perfect stop for the aviation enthusiasts in the family. Kids can explore the interactive exhibits, step inside cockpits, and even experience a flight simulator.

Pike’s Place Fish Market

An observation deck, vibrant market atmosphere.. oh, and did we mention the flying fish? The fish market is an unforgettable experience where the fishmongers are known for their entertaining and lively demonstrations. They interact with the crowd, sharing interesting facts about seafood and providing insight into the art of fishmongering. Kids can learn about different types of fish, how to handle them, and even ask the experts their questions to satisfy their inquisitive minds.

Where to Stay

Glen Ayr Resort sits across the Puget Sound from Seattle and is a short drive from the ferry that can take you across! This camping resort also offers a swimming pool and 700 feet of private beach for those days you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

Houston, Texas

Houston is a vast city full of family fun to be had. Here are just a few reasons why Houston stands out as a great spot for a family getaway.

Space Center Houston

As the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center, this facility offers an intriguing look into the world of space exploration. With Interactive exhibits, moon rocks, a replica of the space shuttle, and the chance to tour the actual NASA control center this is sure to be a hit with any space-loving kiddos out there.

Houston Museum of Natural Science

This museum is a great option to escape that midday Texas heat, offering a vast range of indoor exhibits from a dinosaur hall, a planetarium, and a butterfly center.

Moody Gardens

Located a short drive toward the coast in Galveston, Moody Gardens consists of three main pyramid attractions: the Aquarium Pyramid, the Rainforest Pyramid, and the Discovery Pyramid which feature a diverse array of exotic animals from regions all over the world.

Natural Bridge Caverns

Near San Antonio, you can explore incredible underground caves. They also have a ropes course and zip lines for added fun.

Where to Stay

“Houston, we actually don’t have a problem”... because we’ve found you the perfect family-friendly, seaside camping experience just a short drive away from the Space Center at Bay RV Park in San Leon. This RV campground is big rig friendly, offering full hookups (20, 30, and 50 amp) and easy park pull-through sites. You’ll also have access to several campground amenities like a bathroom/shower facility, laundry facility, community room, free wifi, free cable on premium RV sites, a fenced community, concrete sites and streets, and a picnic area with a fire pit.

Dallas, Texas

We’re not quite ready to leave Texas just yet. If Houston isn’t really your scene and you’re looking for some fun, kid-friendly activities to do up North in Dallas, we’ve got you covered!

Dallas Zoo and Dallas Aquarium

One of the largest zoos in the United States, the Dallas Zoo is home to over 2,000 animals, and the Dallas World Aquarium is a great place to see and learn about a wide variety of aquatic species. Both are a must-see for children and adults alike.

Six Flags Over Texas

Located in Arlington, the famous Six Flags Amusement Park offers thrilling rides for older kids and plenty of attractions for younger ones, too.

Sporting Events: For sports-loving families, you’ll have plenty of options to catch a major league game. Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Dallas Mavericks (NBA), and the Texas Rangers (MLB) all call Dallas home.

Where to Stay

The Retreat at Shady Creek offers a luxury RV experience just outside of the city center where you’ll find an upscale swimming pool, a state of the art fitness center, a putting green, pickleball courts and more to accompany your time in Dallas. And its location close to HWY 380 makes for an easy trek into town to explore all the fun activities the city has to offer.

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Hershey, Pennsylvania, often called "The Sweetest Place on Earth," is a charming and family-friendly city with plenty of activities to entertain the kids. Here's why Hershey is a great city to visit with little ones.

Hersheypark

Hersheypark is a family theme park founded in 1906 by Milton S. Hershey as a leisure park for his chocolate factory employees. Over time it’s evolved into a 121-acre theme park with more than 70 attractions, including 14 roller roller coasters.

The Boardwalk at Hersheypark is open during the summer season offering guests a variety of water slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, and several water play areas.

Your Hersheypark admission also includes entry to ZooAmerica, a year-round, 11-acre, walk-through zoo home to more than 200 animals from five regions of North America.

And as a homage to the park’s roots, Hershey Chocolate Park offers a free tour about the chocolate-making process, along with a create-your-own candy bar experience, a 4D movie, and a chocolate tasting experience. Note that while Hershey's Chocolate World is free to enter, most of the attractions inside require a separate ticket.

Where to Stay

Lake Heron Retreat is a family-friendly campground and RV park in Liverpool, PA that offers campers room to breathe after a long day at Hersheypark. These dispersed campsites are treelined and the park itself is surrounded by 240 acres of forest. It’s also walking distance to a 10 acre lake perfect for fishing.

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge is another fantastic family vacation destination. The city is known for its beautiful natural surroundings, friendly Southern hospitality, and a variety of attractions for visitors of all ages. Here’s why Pigeon Forge makes for a great family getaway.

Dollywood

Dolly Parton's Appalachian-themed park combines classic country fair with a modern amusement park. Dollywood features roller coasters, water rides, music shows, and more and there's also Dollywood's Splash Country, a large water park, for those hot Tennessee summer days.

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies

One of the top rated aquariums in the U.S., the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is home to more than 10,000 sea creatures from over 250 different species providing a diverse view of the ocean’s biodiversity. Kids will have the chance to get up close and personal with many interactive exhibits where they can touch a stingray, hold a horseshoe crab, or experience the excitement of walking through the underwater tunnel as sharks swim all around them.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The most visited national park in the U.S., the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just a short drive away from Pigeon Forge. The park offers incredible hiking, wildlife viewing, picnicking, and camping, and other outdoor activities to help the family reconnect with nature. The park also offers an adrenaline-pumping zipline to give you a bird’s eye view of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country.

Where to Stay

Nestled along a tranquil natural river in the heart of Pigeon Forge, the Pigeon Forge Landing RV Resort is your gateway to all that this stunning destination has to offer. Each site is complete with 30/50 amp full hookups, water, sewer, Wi-Fi, and cable TV services. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains while staying just a stone's throw away from the wide variety of attractions in Pigeon Forge.

Sandusky, Ohio

Ohio may not be on the top of your bucketlist, but this state is home to one of the most exciting, kid-friendly attractions around. Keep reading to learn why Sandusky, Ohio might just be the next stop on your family roadtrip.

Cedar Point

Known as "The Roller Coaster Capital of the World," Cedar Point Amusement Park is the reason families flock to Sandusky in the summer months. With over 70 rides, a water park, live entertainment, and kid-friendly attractions, it's a dream destination for families across the country.

Lake Erie

Sandusky is located on the shores of Lake Erie which offers ample opportunity for water activities like swimming, fishing, and boating. The Lake Erie Shores and Islands area is beautiful and has several beaches and parks to explore when you need a break from the adrenaline-fueled Cedar Point adventure.

Island Adventures

Ferries whisk you away to nearby islands like Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island for a quiet afternoon exploring the beautiful surroundings. Families can explore the islands by bike or golf cart, visit historic sites, or enjoy the natural beauty these islands offer.

Where to Stay

Bayfront Resort at Cross View positions you perfectly for an epic Sandusky family adventure. Right on the shores of Sandusky Bay, you’ll have easy access to the Lake Erie islands as well as Cedar Point and everything else Sandusky has to offer. Plus, this waterfront resort offers paddleboat docks, a dog park, kayak rentals, and more.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach has is a popular coastal resort town that offers 60 miles of coastline and plenty of family fun. Here are a few things you won’t want to miss on your trip to Myrtle Beach.

Hawaiian Rumble

Dust off your golf clubs and get ready to hit the links because a trip to Myrtle Beach isn’t complete without a trip to Hawaiian Rumble, a world famous mini golf course which also serves as the home of the famous Masters mini golf tournament.

Water Parks

Myrtle Beach is home to several water parks, including Myrtle Waves and Wild Water & Wheels, where kids and adults can go to cool off from the spicy South Carolina heat.

Lynches River County Park

This park offers tons of opportunities for outdoor family fun. Here, kids can spend the day playing in the splash pad, canoeing or kayaking on the river, meandering through nature trails, and checking out the Environmental Discovery Center.

Where to Stay

Your trip to Myrtle Beach starts in the middle of Nowhere... Nowhere Campground and RV Park that is! This cozy veteran and woman-owned park is located halfway between Florence and Myrtle Beach, giving you the chance to get out and explore new areas during your family vacation. With not much more than humble campfire grills and picnic tables, this site offers you a true boondock rv camping experience.

Ready to create unforgettable memories on your next family vacation? Don’t just dream about your perfect vacation, make it a reality. Start planning with Spot2Nite today - your adventure awaits!