At almost any time of year, family planners can count on a theme park to shift the annual vacation into high gear. Whether you’re planning a long vacation or just a day trip, a themepark is the perfect destination for family bonding no matter the age of your children.
In “America’s Most Popular Family Vacations,” the FamilyTravelForum.com community offers its top 10 picks for the best themeparks in destinations with so much to do that you can plan a whole vacation around them. This list is not in any particular order, and there are many other great amusement parks in North America, so you can tell the kids — no matter where you’re going — there’s fun ahead!
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is known for its wholesome population of good ol’ country-music-loving residents who put on a warm welcome. One of the region’s most well-known locals, of course, is Dolly Parton. In 1986, the spirited country singer opened Dollywood and it is now one of Tennessee’s most visited man-made attractions, receiving more than two-million visitors annually. The ever-expanding park has rides and amusements for every age, from toddler to adult, and was spared by the November 2016 wildfires that engulfed the region and many homes.
Set in the beautiful Pennsylvania region of Hershey, this chocolate-themed amusement park has everything from rides to games to food. The park is open year-round and offers seasonal adventures for the whole family. As the weather starts to get warmer, nothing is more exciting than a trip down “Tidal Force,” one of the world’s tallest waterslides. And when the family is done trying all the rides, make sure to see some live entertainment or take a chocolate factory tour.
3. Lake Compounce, Connecticut
A family-friendly amusement park in the heart of small-town Connecticut, historic Lake Compounce attracts visitors from all over with its roller coasters, water rides and wave pool. Lake Compounce is one of the oldest amusement parks in the country and boasts the #1 wooden roller coaster in the world. There are rides and waterplay for all ages during its May to October season.
If you love roller coasters then check out Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. This 364-acre peninsula on Lake Eerie is known as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World.” With more than 70 rides, nearly a quarter of them world-class coasters, this park has fun for the entire family. Even if you’re not a coaster fan, Cedar Point has waterparks, shows and mini-rides for your tiny travelers. On-site accommodations offer special incentives for staying and playing.
5. Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia is a great family destination for living history, and it fits perfectly with the 21st Century escape available at nearby Busch Gardens. Featuring Europe-themed rides, attractions, shows, food and shopping, Busch Gardens is the right kind of distraction for the entire family. The little ones will surely love running into the cast of “Sesame Street,” while older kids can have their share of thrills on a host of rides. Everyone in the family will appreciate this park’s beautiful landscaping.
Targeted to the younger crowd, families with kids ages 2 through 12 will find Legoland a different kind of adventure. Featuring over 30 million Lego pieces assembled into the décor, Legoland offers a variety of activities from mild coasters to an “Imagination Zone” where kids can build their own Lego creations. Their waterpark is built of Legos, too! This park is very kid-friendly, providing water fountains, cafeteria counters and restrooms for the younger bunch. Health-conscious parents will also appreciate the food variety; the park offers gourmet-style restaurants and you are more likely to see fruit stands than candy or ice cream shops. If you are a real fan, you’ll want to stay at the on-site hotel and visit the Legoland Florida park too.
7. Universal Studios Hollywood, California
Always wanted to feel like a movie star? At Universal Studios, the whole family can experience the sights, sounds and glamour of Hollywood. Take the refreshed, thrilling backlot tour showcasing scenes and sets from popular TV shows and movies, ride TV- and movie-themed rides and meet with some of the most beloved characters, such as Shrek, SpongeBob, and Curious George. The whole family will enjoy the star-studded treatment and selfie spots at this glittering themepark.
When Disney says “come and experience the magic,” it’s no lie. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is truly a magical destination. With four distinct theme parks, two water parks, over 25 hotels and more restaurants, shops and entertainment than you can count, there is truly something for everyone. The vast number of rides, attractions and shows caters to every age from toddler to adult and the new Pandora: World of Avatar is creating a lot of buzz. Disney also has many options for families traveling with small children including babysitting services, stroller rentals and changing areas.
9. Schlitterbahn Waterpark, Texas
Take Schlitterbahn, the original German-themed waterpark in New Braunfels, Texas and multiply it by four (sister waterparks exist in South Padre Island and Galveston, Texas; Kansas City, Kansas; and Corpus Christi, Texas) and families can fashion a whole road trip around visiting these palaces of aquatic fun. This Hill Country amusement park that’s been voted No. 1 Waterpark in America for as long as we can remember, and its location between San Antonio and Austin make it a fun base for a true Texan vacation.
10. Universal Orlando, Florida
Although there are several themeparks to see in the Orlando area, no visit would be complete without a few day’s stop at Universal Studios. The movie-themed rides and attractions range from Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem for the little ones to Revenge of the Mummy for the more daring older set. Adjacent to Universal is the Islands of Adventure where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is housed among other impressively entertaining attractions. While there are plenty of rides to choose from, families can also enjoy restaurants, shows, movies and shopping nightly at the fun CityWalk.
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hope you all like it!
The Paramount Hotel- http://www.nycparamount.com
BDC- Broadway Dance Center- http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com
Ellen's Stardust Diner- http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com
Capezio store- http://www.capeziodance.com
Amy's Bakery- http://www.amysbread.com
Junior's in Times Square- http://www.juniorscheesecake.com
The Ambassador Theater (Chicago)- http://www.ambassadortheater.com
Al Hirschfeld Theater- http://www.hirschfeldtheater.org
I was the same way. I had my Bat Mitzvah on top of Masadah and was complaining of the heat. I didn't truly recognize what an amazing place I was in. I was fortunate enough to return last summer and had the time of my life. I look forward to seeing your post for when you get to return. I wish you all the best!
one of my all time favorite vacations.
This was one of the best trips I have ever been on.
I am ecstatic that I was able to participate in learning my heritage, history, and my parents past.
My trip to Africa was really an extraordinary experience, and I fell in love with the country Nigeria. I am so happy that my father allowed me to see my heritage and my family.
Truly humbling
I hope you enjoy learning about my experiences in Paris, France!
Thank you so much for this information. Multi-generational travel is an area that I am interested in, but it is not easy to navigate various ages, levels of mobility and interests. These tips are super useful!
This was seriously such a life-changing trip for me. I got to see a whole other way that people live life. It really opened my eyes and made me EVEN MORE eager to learn German and to adopt a more frugal lifestyle.
My experience with traveling to a foreign nation, in the form of a blog.
Going on that trip was the best thing I have done in my life. I learned so much, and experienced many different things, such as food, culture, and people. It was a great opportunity for me, and I highly advise others to travel as well. You will not be disappointed.
I recommend this or a similar trip for any future paleontologists. I have since been to the Field Museum in Chicago and the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and am pleased to have visited all the major paleontological museums in North America.
I hope you have fun on your trips, too!
This is my submission to the young travel writer scholarship
My trip to South Africa transformed my life. I grew closer to my best friend, as well as experience a culture very different from my own. As a result, my knowledge of the world has grown.
I quite enjoy I can feel the passion.
I hope you enjoy the lessons i learned over seas in Spain! I know I will take them with me as I move forward in life. Thank you for reading!
-Rebecca Krivitsky
enjoy my story, i pray it will reveal a new cultural avenue while still providing a humorous tale
This trip was truly life changing. It was the first time I realized that there is a whole other world outside the United States!
Thank you very much for your post! I love it very much! I will bring my family to Florida soon!
Thanks and support
Here is the website documenting my trip: http://madisongoestonewyork.blog.com/
My time in El Salvador changed my life. It is my dream that one day I will be able to return there. I can honestly tell you that my love for the people in El Salvador has remained with me. And I hope the best for that nation.
The summer of my sophmore year in high school I spent a week in El Salvador. This one week changed my life. As I volunteered in El Salvador I gained an amazing view of different cultures and life styles. I developed a love for El Salvador and its people. And my memories there will remain with me through out my life. It is my dream that one day I will be able to return their and give more of my time to those amazing people.
My freshman year of high school I spent a week of my summer in El Salvador. It was a remarkable week that literally changed my outlook on life. I have a huge heart for the people of El Salvador and the country itself. It is my dream that one day I will be able to go back.
My amazing trip
It was definitely a trip to remember that I'd do any day! 🙂
A trip to remember that I'd do again any day
It was a trip to remember. Every spect of it was interesting and something I would do again!
I enjoy traviling with my family and creating new memories.
I enjoy traviling and spending time with my family.
– By Ciara Bri'd Frisbie
Thank you for reading my essay.
-Nathan Shaw
Thank you for taking the time to read my essay I really appreciate it.
-Nathan Shaw.
This trip was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. From the Great Wall to the hospitals of Beijing, I learned so much about myself and other cultures.
I just love traveling. Disney World is my favourite destination. Above all 10 sposts are my favourite. I would love to visit all that destination.
Reading this story has been a stroll down memory lane. I stayed at the Diplomat as a little girl in the 1970's, and still remember how impressed I was with it. So glad to hear that the resort has bounced back to its original glory.
I am very glad to know that Disney Cruise Line is taking health so seriously, yet making cleanliness palatable for kids. These suggestions are also great for air travel, another germy breeding ground. Thanks for the info!
My family loves Cancun, and we have had good stays at the Oasis and the Sol Melia and the Sheraton too. Nice to see a new list of recommendations from you. Thanks
This is a really fun outing, but if you can't get out to the countryside, just visit one of those urban tree sellers. A lot of them in the northeast are staffed by college kids from Canada, who take a break, get into a rental trailer and drive it south, then re-sell trees they have bought on consignment to pay for the next semester.
I always ask (nicely) and I always get (with a smile), the extra boughs that they take off to make the trees look even all around. With some ribbon, maybe the wire from a coat hanger and lots of creativity, it's easy to get the kids helping you turn old boughts into beautiful wreaths for around the house.
Love the photos in this article!
Thanks for having this contest; my family loves Snowmass and it would be great to go back there. We took our son when he was about 7 and it was a great learning adventure for all of us. The instructors are terrific and we had fun, but it's not something we could afford to do right now.
Thanks for giving us another chance to go back!
When Jean Carlisle of Menomonie, Wisconsin heard she won a family of four Galapagos Adventure Cruise, she wrote us:
"YES YES YES!!!!!!!! THIS IS MY DREAM DREAM DREAM VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN you tell I’m excited??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"A Galapagos vacation has always been on my DREAM list!!…add it to a cruise vacation makes it even more special. I accept!!!"
Jean explained that she'd enjoyed playing along the scavenger hunt but was anxious about the random drawing for a winner.
"I didn’t sleep well last night because I was so excited!! LOL I entered the contest because I had seen many publications and shows on national geographic on the Galapagos Islands and always thought that would be a place I’d like to visit. I was first drawn to the beautiful pictures on the website and when I saw the contest, I knew that I just had to enter and would love to win!
"I’d like to thank TakingtheKids.com, TravelingMom.com and Family Travel Forum for this once in a life opportunity!! We are excited to make arrangements and show off photos when we return!"
So glad it's helpful to you with your teens, I've already given the Primland brochure to my own mom and her girlfriend who want to tour the Blue Ridge Parkway and look at the Appalachian handcrafts. This is a great base for lots of exploration. If you go, I know you'll enjoy it!
This sounds like a real find and perfect for my own family. I ma always looking for resorts that will work as destinations with lots to do for my two teens, and Primland sounds excellent. Thanks for spreading the word!
Thanks so much for sharing your dreams about the Galapagos; that's the way we all felt when we learned that the terrific Lindblad team wanted to work on this project. so excited to know that someone's dream will reallyl come true! And a 6th grader is the perfect travel companion.
Don't forget to post your a link to your comment here :
http://www.travelingmom.com/freebies/contests/3917-galapagos-giveaway-contest-entries.html
so you're sure to be recorded as an entry into the grand prize drawing. Hope to see you on Twitter too @familytravel4um @travelingmoms @takingthekids @LindbladEXP
If there are no comments on our blog, does this mean that our blog has been rejected, or that it has not been reviewed yet? thanks!
As noted, thanks to your enthusiasm, there are several thousand posts to read, so the judges will be done by mid October. Check back after that to see your status!
I tried following the steps above for finding out about the scholarship judging, but I'm still lost. Does it show up at the bottom of your blog? Or is it just off to the side when you have the option of clicking on your blog? Like, is it next to the name of your blog, the date it was published and then the word scholarship with either a yes or no? Thanks!
Crystal – you get an email