Dream American History field trips?

[Renthead Mommy]

I'm putting together our field trip ideas for this year. Where would you go for American History field trips if you could go anywhere along the east coast and as far west as say Ohio? Cost or distance is not a factor. It just has to relate to American history.

 

Please give me more than just saying Philly or Boston. Specfic things you would want to see in a towns that would be geared to and somewhat appealing to a 3rd grader.

 

Thank you.

[Hedgehogs4]

Have you been to historic Williamsburg and Jamestown?

 

They would be on my list.

[patchfire]

Boston area - Plymouth Rock, Plimouth Plantation; Salem, more for the Nathaniel Bowditch tie-in than the witch trials :); Boston - the Freedom Trail, Old North Church, Boston Commons - actually the Duck Tour is a good way to get a nice overview.

 

Another vote for Virginia - Colonial Williamsburg, the Jamestown recreation as well as the excavation & excellent museum at the original site. Also in VA - Monticello & Mount Vernon.

 

Kitty Hawk, NC

 

Washington, DC - specifically White House, Capitol, Am History Museum, Air & Space, and Natural History. I personally enjoy the memorials but will freely acknowledge I did not at age 9.

[Georgia On My Mind]

:iagree:Williamsburg, Jamestown, Monticello, Plymouth Plantation, Plymouth Rock, Mayflower Replica, Freedom Trail, Lexington, Concord North Bridge, Paul Revere's House, DC- Library of Congress, Bureau of Engraving, Air & Space Museum, Union Station, Arlington Cemetery Tomb of Unknown Soldier, Kitty Hawk

 

If you plan it right, you could do the whole year and just come home for holidays. Of course, you haven't even covered anything in the south. Don't forget Cape Kennedy, St. Augustine, Charleston, Savannah, etc.

[EmeraldGirl]

If you look into Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown triangle, they have absolutely GREAT homeschool weeks in Febrary. Have fun!

[mcconnellboys]

I like this trip, too (just not that time of year up there)! I also like the whole D.C. area; Washington's home; Jefferson's home, etc.

 

If you're looking for War of 1812 trips, I like the Great Lakes area in the summer (they do re-enactments, there are a ton of forts, etc.)

 

Civil War: Pennsylvania through the south. There are tons of sites in Tennessee, Georgia, etc.

 

Settlement of the West? I like train rides (Colorado has some good ones); Many of the parks out west include homesteads, sod houses, etc. Mesa Verde. The Grand Canyon. You could do a "Lewis and Clark" trip, following parts of their routes.

 

Missions in San Antonio; el mercado; the city squares....

 

Boston (practically everything). Philedelphia. Other colonial cities.

 

More Spanish history: St. Augustine in Florida.

 

Trapping and trading: back to the Great Lakes region, especially around Mackinaw/St. Ignace. There are forts; museums, etc. There's more along these lines if you do a trip around Georgian Bay, too.

 

These are trips we've done over the years, so if you actually want more specific info about any of them, I'm happy to provide more details.

[Soph the vet]

Driving through Gettysburg with the CD was very moving. Takes 2-3 hours and it is really powerful, can't explain, you just have to do it to understand.

 

I was just in Philly and Independence Hall, Liberty Bell and the Constitution Center are all right next to eachother, not to mention a ton of historic homes and businesses and Franklin's grave all within walking distance. Penn's landing is nearby as well as where Washington crossed the Delaware.

 

DC is great too. If you are short on time I recommend one of the trolley tours where you can hop on and off at the sites you like.

[Stacia]

All the suggestions so far are great.

 

Charleston, SC, has a lot to see & things that span multiple historical events: Ft. Moultrie (used since Revolutionary War times); plantations; historic homes, buildings, & churches; slave market; Ft. Sumter (the starting shots of the Civil War); the Hunley (Confederate submarine sunk during the Civil War); Patriot's Point (naval ships & aircraft from WWII foward). And much more....

[mcconnellboys]

And what about the Gullah culture? Isn't that on an island off the SC coast (or am I mixing it up with a point further south)?

[Brilliant]

In addition to all the great places already mentioned, don't miss Mystic Seaport. We went when my kids were 8 and 5, and they loved it.

[KidsHappen]

In addition to all the great places already mentioned, don't miss Mystic Seaport. We went when my kids were 8 and 5, and they loved it.

 

I went to Mystic as a child and it was one of my favorite places. I still remember it fondly. I also lived in Boston for 4 years and Virginia for 4 years. I saw every thing there was to see within driving distance of either of these places and that is what spawned my love of history. I so wish that I could raise me children there. Something about being there and seeing it with your own eye really makes history come alive for you. If I were going to visit either one of these places, I would want to allot at least a month if a all possible. You could honestly do something different every single day. You can send to the vistor's or traveler's bureau for information on all the sights.

[Dina in Oklahoma]

If you look into Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown triangle, they have absolutely GREAT homeschool weeks in Febrary. Have fun!

 

 

Ditto! Hoping we get to do this!!!

 

Dina :001_smile:

[cani e porci]

Don't miss the area around Charlottesville/Staunton, VA. Monticello has already been mentioned, but there's Ash Lawn (Monroe's home) less than three miles away. Montpelier, James Madison's home, is only about 45 minutes north of there and is definitely worth a trip.

 

The Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton is amazing, too, with lots of interesting hands-on activities.

[Aggie]

Since you're in NY, go to Ft Ticonderoga and Ft William Henry! The Erie Canal, too. If you can get there, go to Quebec City...that is an incredible place.

 

Bennington, Vt

 

Washington's Crossing, NJ

 

Appamattox, VA

 

Gettysburg is a must, ime!

[MomtoCandJ]

for the Civil War, I live in the South

Andersonville, GA- the prisoner of war camp

Irwinville, GA- The capture site of Jefferson Davis

Savannah, GA- All kinds of old forts, cementaries and other historical stuff. Oh and don't forget Paula Deen.

[EmilyK]

Places and trips my kids have loved:

-- We spent a week doing Williamsburg/Yorktown/Jamestown and still didn’t see it all. They want to go back someday and stay in one of the historic homes in Williamsburg itself. Don’t miss both parts of Yorktown and Jamestown, the NPS sites and museums, and the other museums which are huge. You can travel around almost all of this with public transportation so you may not need the car once there.

-- We spent a week in DC and definitely didn’t see it all. My kids loved the memorials and we did an evening bus tour too to see them all lit up. We also did the day bus tour where you hop on and off which took us over to Arlington too. We did the spy museum, some of the Smithsonian museums. Mount Vernon was a big hit. Our traveling companions did the marine corps museum and really liked it.

--Georgia: Savannah has a lot of history built in, so do a walking tour. Nearby are Fort Pulaski and the Mighty Eighth Museum, both really enjoyed by my sons. In Atlanta there’s the Cyclorama and the Carlos Museum. And the MLK museum. Good battlefield museums north of Atlanta related to the Civil War Atlanta campaign – we’ve been to 2, I’m just blanking on the names. Columbus Georgia has a new Infantry Museum that’s great at Fort Benning.

--Chattanooga has several interesting Civil War sites. We particularly enjoyed the NPS one a ways outside Chattanooga but again I’m blanking on the name.

--Alabama – the Montgomery area has several interesting Civil Rights era museums. We particularly loved the NPS one in White Hall, AL that focuses on the Selma-Montgomery March.

[Renthead Mommy]

Thanks everyone. We were already planning a week in DC, plus Boston, Philly and Colonial Williamsburg at some point. I'm always on the lookout for more 'local' things to do (meaning within an hour or two). I realized the other day we are already 6 months down, and only have 2 1/2 years left before we are out of here and most likely back across the country. I need to step up my planning or we'll run out of time. And now I know I need to add in a lot more Virgina time too!

 

These were great ideas. Now I know I need to add in a lot more Virginia time too. I'm less interested in teh south. We lived in the for longer than I care to remember and the souther side of the civil war just never did much for us. Plus we lived outside Atlanta and went to Chareston often. And my parents live in Hilton Head, so we've even done the Gullah thing.

 

I'm going to have to look in to Mystic Seaport. We always stopped there on our way to Cape Cod, but my boyfriend always drove. I vagely remember an old time village, but I guess I didn't realize it was at Mystic. We're going to have to throw that one in too!

 

Off to plan!

 

Thanks!

[eternalknot]

We liked Memphis - lots of different eras there to cover, too many to list. Lots of interesting science stuffs, too, about the Mississippi and original settlers (both Indian and European).

 

I referenced this website, which linked me to a number of potential field trips: www.cityofmemphis.org

 

We did Elvis (Sun Studio, eateries he frequented). MLK (Lorraine Motel, new Civil Rights museum). Soul Musuem.

 

We stayed downtown. Lots to do within walking distance or the local transport. Tons of good, small diners. Relatively affordable vacation, all said and done. My son was 7 when we took him for the first time, and had a blast. If you stay downtown, it's not at all historically related LOL but he really enjoyed seeing the ducks at the Peabody Hotel.

 

something different from the usual suspects :)

 

If you go further west, there is a great WW1 museum in kansas city that my son loves. We stay at the hotel (and attached shopping mall) just across the street. Not a lot of WW1 memorabilia to be seen, so it's definitely worthwhile - especially if you have a history or military buff on your hands.

[LibraryLover]

We do lots of history and science trips. Our most recent trip was to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where they have an amazing new Ancient Egyptian exhibit. (It's more helpful, ime/imo, to look for specific events and offerings in areas which interest you, rather than just going by city. You never know what new something a local museum or such will be hosting right in your own backyard). MFA is an amazing, manageable place. My 10 and 17 yr olds spent a long time in the Flemish artists room. It was a joy for me to see them interested in those works. My oldest spent a tremendous amount of time hunting for modern art, and my youngest was very interest in life-sized sculpture of animals as well as humans. She sat beside some Ming Dynasty Guardian Dragons for quite a while. You never know what what can hit nerve.

 

We also went to DC in Oct and visited Ford's theater, The Lincoln Memorial, Mt Vernon, and the Hall of Presidents at the Smithsonian Museum of American History etc. There is also the newly revamped Kitty Hawk exhibit at the Air & Space Museum that all of children found interesting. The Aircraft carrier exhibit there is terrific, esp for someone interested in WWII and the pacific. :001_smile: Spy Museum was cool, offering much more than one might think. If your kids are old enough to manage it, The American Holocaust Museum is amazing. The food at the Native American Museum is fantastic & authentic. Don't skip it. DC rocks. ;)

 

We also have tickets for the Titanic exhibit in NYC for Feb, and the King Tut exhibit in April. These are not ongoing, so are worth checking out.

 

The Hayden Planetarium in Manhattan's Museum of Natural History is one of the best programs they offer, and their hall of Ocean Life with a full scale Blue whale hanging from the rafters is a huge treat. (No pun lol)

 

What most particularly interests your child? I know an 8 yr old who couldn't get enough Titanic after watching the Ballard documentary about the robotic submarine used to locate it. His parents took him to the town in CN (Halifax?) where some of the bodies were brought and he was enthralled. Kids have so much depth, and we sometimes forget to ask them what they want to see.

 

We did Plimoth Plantation, and Salem again this summer and it seems my kids never tire of that. Boston by Litle Feet is also very interesting. Lots of good grave-sites, too.

 

Jamestown, Williamsburg are also fav places. Monticello. :) There's so much. Can you get to Chicago? That's another city that offers tremendous museum exhibits.

Edited January 20, 2010 by LibraryLover