What's on your list of "Places/Things I Really Want My Kids to See"

[Ginevra]

I'm thinking mainly in America because of it's pertinence to my own family, but if the Great Wall makes your list, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa, that's fine, too. I'm specifically not giving it a number, such as "top ten," because I don't want anyone to exhaust themselves trying to answer the thread, but I'm asking more in terms of things you want them to see. :001_smile: So, what makes your list?

 

P.S. You can include things you have already accomplished.

 

And here's my list:

 

1) Niagara Falls

2) The Grand Canyon

3) The Tetons

4) Alaska

5) Hawaii

6) Yellowstone

7) Yosemite

8) (for my daughter: Paris and/or London)

Edited July 30, 2011 by Quill
I think I was too narrow. Forgive me, please?

[Ginevra]

:auto: *bump* :auto:

[WishboneDawn]

My parents took us across our country, Canada, a couple of times when I was a kid. I got to see every province except Newfoundland and every territory but the NWT (where I was born actually) so I'd LOVE to do the same trip with my kids. Probably not going to happen but that would be it. Not a destination but the trip itself.

[Twigs]

I have no children, can I play anyway?

 

The Northern Lights

An Active Volcano (ie Hawaii)

Israel

The Main Reading Room at the Library of Congress

[Ginevra]

Dawn, that sounds cool. Add in Newfoundland. Always liked the sound of that word! :D

 

I have no children, can I play anyway?

 

The Northern Lights

An Active Volcano (ie Hawaii)

Israel

The Main Reading Room at the Library of Congress

 

Yes, you can play, too.

 

I think I messed up my question by saying there needed to be a reasonable chance you can go. :tongue_smilie: I thought I was trying to prevent long lists of all the most amazing places on earth and beyond like,

1) The Great Pyramid

2) Mars

3) Aligator-hunting in the Nile

4) Middle Earth

5) Hogwarts

...You see? That's all. Maybe I'll edit my OP. Fantasize away, people.

[elegantlion]

My list:

 

1 - Rocky Mountains

2 - Arches National Park

3 - Devil's Tower

4 - Hawaii

5 - Snowy Range, Wyoming

6 - Las Vegas

7 - Washington DC

8 - Japan (ds wants to go)

9 - Ireland/England for a genealogy trip

[Ginevra]

My list:

 

1 - Rocky Mountains

2 - Arches National Park

3 - Devil's Tower

4 - Hawaii

5 - Snowy Range, Wyoming

6 - Las Vegas

7 - Washington DC

8 - Japan (ds wants to go)

9 - Ireland/England for a genealogy trip

 

 

Wanna hear one of my "Duh!" moments? When I went to Colorado Springs and took the Cog Railroad up to the top of Pike's Peak, I was amazed by the landscape towards the summit. I turned to my son and said, "Wow! I had no idea this Mountain was so Rocky!" :tongue_smilie:

 

That could be why they call it that. :001_huh:

[Berta]

1. Great Wall and Terra Cotta Warriors (my daughter is Chinese and I want to take her back to see it)

2. Yellowstone (before it blows us all to bits)

3. Niagara Falls

4. Grand Canyon

5. Europe (My older daughter and I are going on a homeschool group trip to London, Paris and Rome in May!)

 

Things already accomplished:

 

1. My older daughter went to China when we adopted our younger daughter.

2. Last November we went to Mexico to see the Mayan Ruins first hand. Both girls LOVED the trip.

3. Our school name is "White Sands", because we love the feel of sand between our toes. We have been on the beach in Mexico, Cayman Islands and next month we are headed to Bermuda.... all because we homeschool and we can go on off-peak times!

[goodgollycr]

Prince Edward Island

Grand Canyon (I guess this could go on the done list, but it was about ten years ago and I'd like to do it again)

Eiffel Tower (dd did get to go to Paris when she was 13)

Great Wall (since we're dreaming here :) )

 

Things we've done

Rainforest

Volcanoes

Maya ruins

DC (I'd like to do this again, we were only there for three days)

[Stacia]

Wanna hear one of my "Duh!" moments? When I went to Colorado Springs and took the Cog Railroad up to the top of Pike's Peak, I was amazed by the landscape towards the summit. I turned to my son and said, "Wow! I had no idea this Mountain was so Rocky!" :tongue_smilie:

 

That could be why they call it that. :001_huh:

 

:lol: Sounds like something I would say! When I visited Denver, I was expecting it to be lush mountains (a la Seattle area) since it is, after all, the mile high city. Now, I knew it was the Rocky Mountains there, but I really did not anticipate how non-green/treeless Denver & the mtn. areas are! D'oh!!!!

[PeacefulChaos]

I actually have a list of 'vacation ideas' (some of which are VERY BIG ideas lol) on my computer. I keep lists of everything...

1) the caribbean/ mexico

2) as many of the places in DC as we can manage

3) Disney World

4) Colorado

5) Yellowstone

6) Arizona ( love love love Arizona!)

7) NYC (also love love love NYC!)

8) Alaska

9) Europe (just about any spot in Europe - pick one! lol)

10) Japan

 

I think that kind of covers it, but basically I'd love to be able to take them all over the world! lol. :) (So I definitely took that fantasizing thing and ran with it, I know!) :D

[BetterthanIdeserve]

Hmmm...so many to choose from, but where we talk about taking the kids the most is:

 

Washington, D.C. (especially the Smithsonian buildings)

Yellowstone

Europe

[Twigs]

Yes, you can play, too.

 

Thank you!:thumbup:

[rwjx2khsmj]

We did a western tour a few years ago and saw:

St. Louis Arch

Hagerman, Idaho

Craters of the Moon, Idaho

Yellowstone

Little Big Horn

Mt. Rushmore

Badlands

 

Next spring we'll be taking an early American History vacation. This trip is still in the planning stages but here are some of the things we are planning to see:

Jamestown

Williamsburg

Richmond

Mt. Vernon

Monticello

Washington, D.C.

Philadelphia

Valley Forge

New York City

Boston

Plymouth

[Aggie]

The Pyramids

 

Constantinople/Istanbul

 

The Great Wall

 

Rome and other parts of Italy

 

England and Ireland

 

We've traveled extensively in the US, so I'd love to take them out of the country again.:001_smile:

[LimitBreak]

Tonight we're staying up late to watch the skies for some meteors!

 

Astronomer's forecast is great: 10% clear skies, above average air transparency and darkness reigns (no moon).

 

I'd like for my ds to see a couple of meteors from the delta aquarids.

[Maus]

ellis island

Statue of liberty

Grand canyon

Liberty bell

[Farrar]

I don't have specific places so much as genres of things - many of which we've already done, I suppose. A farm, a forest, a desert, a glacier, a big city, a small town, a mosque, a church, a temple... you get the idea.

 

Also, I'd love for them to have four continents under their belts. At the end of 2012, they'll have three, so that's not bad.

 

And at least half the states (we're probably partway there).

 

Also...

a rainbow

a shooting star

an eclipse

the northern lights

 

But *I* am still waiting to see the northern lights.

[LibraryLover]

My list is more focused on experiences.

Edited July 31, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Ginevra]

But *I* am still waiting to see the northern lights.

 

Oh, hear here! I would love to see them, too.

 

Last year, I saw the most amazing shooting star ever. I was walking towards Walmart with my gaze just above the roofline and for about two full seconds, a burning ball flew across the sky! It was totally astounding! It was so near, I could actually see flames!

[RainbowSprinkles]

We lived in Alaska for three years and drove to and from both ways. And both times from and to Georgia. So we stopped and enjoyed a lot of the National Parks. Yellowstone, Tetons, Glacier Park on the way there. Theodore Rossevelt National Park, the Devil's Tower, Mount Rushmore and others on the way back. We also saw a lot of Alaska while we we there: Homer, Seward a few times, Talkeetna, the North Pole, etc...

 

In the States, I'd still love to take them to Hawaii and the West Coast, mostly Washington and Oregon. I'd love for them to see the Grand Canyon.

 

I want to take them back to Disney World. 2 of my kids have been, but I want to take all 4 when the youngest is around 3 or 4.

 

I was born and raised in Germany. Again my two oldest have been there. I want to take all four. And while we are there, I hope to travel with them to Italy, Austria,Switzerland, France, England, Belgium,etc.... Hopefully, being military, we will end up in Europe somewhere one more time. Italy would be great, or Germany of course.

 

Other than that, I haven't really thought about it.

[kewb]

So many places and experiences that I want them to see and have. Here is a list of some places:

 

The Grand Canyon (I have never seen it either)

California

Niagra Falls

Europe

Israel

The Giant Peach water tower in S. Carolina or is it North? It is on the way from Charlotte to Spartanburg.

Howe Caverns

Yellowstone Park

[MissKNG]

Israel and Germany

[Mama Geek]

So many places and experiences that I want them to see and have. Here is a list of some places:

 

The Grand Canyon (I have never seen it either)

California

Niagra Falls

Europe

Israel

The Giant Peach water tower in S. Carolina or is it North? It is on the way from Charlotte to Spartanburg.

Howe Caverns

Yellowstone Park

 

Gaffney, SC mmmm fresh peaches

[Princess Peach]

1) Washington, DC

2) NYC

3) San Diego, CA

4) Chicago

5) A cruise somewhere warm

6) Paris (went there on honeymoon - would love to go back w/ kids)

[kewb]

Gaffney, SC mmmm fresh peaches

 

Yes, that was it! And they are some darn good peaches. What I wouldn't give for one right now.

[TheReader]

Oh, gosh.....my list is ever changing, and I debate on what I want them to see with us, while they are still kids, and what I hope they'll see later as adults.

 

Things we've seen already --

the Amazon rainforest (Brazil)(Manaus, specifically)

lots of other cool stuff in Brazil that no one in the US would recognize by name

the El Malpais region of New Mexico (El Morro, Chaco Canyon, etc...)(around Grants, NM)

the St. Louis arch

 

Things we really want to hit before we leave Brazil --

Macchu Picchu ruins (Peru)

Foz de Iguacu/Igauzu Falls (Brazil/Argentina/Paraguay border)

glaciers/penguins/etc. in very south Argentina

the Pantanal region of Brazil

southern Brazil beaches, etc.

maybe Buenos Aires &/or Santiago

 

Things we really want to hit once we are back in the US --

Grand Canyon

Painted Desert

New York City (broadway shows, central park, statue of liberty, 9/11 memorial site, etc.)

Washington D.C. (can't decide on this one if it's a "take the kids" or "let them go as adults" kind of thing...)

West Coast USA (redwoods, yosemite, etc.....)

Yellowstone/Old Faithful

 

Our US list is shorter only because we aren't back there yet and aren't focusing on touring the US until we are back home. But, time is running out on us and probably by the time we are home, our oldest will be in college. So.....I comfort myself with the things they've seen here in Brazil/S. America, and will have seen by then, and the thought that they'll have the rest of their lives in the US to see all the things "back home" that we didn't get to show them because we moved to Brazil.

[eternalknot]

I'm big on events, moreso than I am places. My parents were that way, so I think that colored my way of thinking.

 

I'd like my kids to see the Passion Plays in .. is it Oberamagau? Germany/Austria area. This is a tradition on their dad's side of the family, and I'd like to continue it for them.

 

I'd like them to do a bicycle tour around Ireland/Scotland.

 

I'd like to take them to Oktoberfest one year, when they're older.

 

I'd like to take them the Tomato Festival, too.

 

Carnivale.

 

Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

 

Sled races in Alaska.

 

I have a short list somewhere, but am at the pool -brain fried and hot- so that's all that sprang immediately to mind. Most of my desires are for when they're young adults, but I have a few planned for these intermediate and younger years :)

 

This year we checked off mule rides down the Grand Canyon and a huge Irish/St. Patrick's Day festival in Chicago.

[gingersmom]

I want my kids to visit all 50 states and I really really want them to spend time exploring Europe and South America.

 

I hate to fly so hopefully they can do lots of this without me :001_smile:

 

They have already visited Hong Kong, Thailand, England, Paris, Italy so they are off to a good start.

 

We have traveled most of the East Coast and are going to Colorado in several weeks so they are slowly making it out West.

[swellmomma]

I would like to rent or buy an rv and explore all over Canada. NO set destination per se but want to make sure my kids can put their feet in the ocean at some point, hike a mountain, walk on a glacier, see the northen lights. We used to live in the mountains but the kids don't remember it. My plan is next summer to knock 2 things off that list, we will be headed to visit my brother in BC, we will be driving through/camping in the mountains and finish off on the west coast so they kids will be able to swim in the ocean.

 

Outside of my own country I would love one day to take them to Ireland. There is plenty of places around the world I would like to take them, but the bulk of our ancestory is Irish and I would love to go and see Ireland with my kids.

[DawnM]

Well, we used to live in Southern California and when we lived out that way we did a lot of West Coast stuff. We drove to Colorado via Bryce Canyon. We drove up to Seattle several times and saw things along the way. My parents live in Arizona so we went to the Grand Canyon. We took them to Vegas several times (DH's parents like to go there so we would meet them there.)

 

We drove cross country to NC and saw things along the way there.

 

Now that we have been East Coast we have gone up to Montreal and stopped in Niagara Falls and Hershey on the way there. We drove up to New York City and saw all of NY City and Philadelphia. We also took a week and went to Washington, D.C. and Williamsburg, VA and Jamestown. We also often go to Florida for vacation.

 

So, much of the US and a small part of Canada has been seen.

 

My youngest and I were in China together.

 

I grew up in Kenya and would love, love, love to take my kids to see where I grew up. I would also like to take them to places I have spent time in my past in Europe and Asia.

 

Dawn

[creekland]

Well, for the US, we still need Alaska. It's the only state we haven't visited, so it's ranked pretty high on my list.

 

Otherwise, my list is more general. I think kids need to see:

 

- The ocean (both Pacific and Atlantic AND from more than one place so they can start to appreciate just how big it is).

 

- Mountains - both eastern and western as they are different

 

- The prairies - desolate, but beautiful

 

- Great forests

 

- As many National (and state) Parks as possible (Yellowstone, Bryce, Badlands, Carlsbad Caverns, Sequoia, Volcanoes, Arches, Shenandoah, & Dry Tortugas are among our favorites)

 

- Caverns

 

- Snow - real snow, not man-made sort of snow

 

- Coral reefs (this goes well with the ocean part above - at least in places)

 

- Tide pools

 

- An active (or recently active) volcano

 

- Fireflies

 

- Farm animals

 

- Palm trees

 

- Tundra

 

(changing main topics, but still important)

 

- Washington DC

 

- Historic Williamsburg/Jamestowne

 

- Boston (Freedom Trail)

 

- Valley Forge

 

- Gettysburg

 

- Cliff Dwellings of the Southwest

 

There's probably more, but my time this morning is limited. We've enjoyed traveling with our guys. ;)

Edited July 31, 2011 by creekland

[mommatomany]

:lurk5:

[Ginevra]

Hey! Thread resurrection! Were you curious, mommatomany, and thinking you'd like to see some additional ideas?

[FaithManor]

The temperate rainforest of British Columbia, I have a ds that would be over the moon if spotted one of the GIANT banana slugs.

 

The National Archives, the Spy Museum, and the Holocost Museum- we've done the Air and Space, U.S. History Museum, Mount Vernon, and the National Zoo.

 

Yellowstone National Park

 

A nice historical tour of Boston

 

The Danish/American festival in Greenville, MI. - It's in our own state for crying outloud and we've known about it for three years and still haven't managed to get away during that week of August. Dh's grandfather was from Denmark.

 

Thailand - we are just fascinated by Thailand and National Geographic articles keep fanning the flame!

 

The Louvre (did I spell that correctly?????)

 

Normandy - my maternal grandfather was dropped on Utah Beach - paratrooper.

 

Castles - all the castles in Scotland if I could afford it.

 

Iceland - ds is fascinated.

 

Germany - any destination really. I have another Ds that desperately wants to go!

 

Copenhagen

 

OH and the middle ds wants me to say I really want him to see Komodo Island, Indonesia. But, what you should know is that he REALLY wants to go there. I, on the other hand, REALLY HAVE NO DESIRE TO FULFILL HIS LONGING!!!!! :D

 

I'd probably have more U.S. sites listed if it weren't for the fact that dh and I have traveled quite a bit with the kids. So, they seen a lot.

 

Faith

[Ginevra]

The temperate rainforest of British Columbia, I have a ds that would be over the moon if spotted one of the GIANT banana slugs.

 

The National Archives, the Spy Museum, and the Holocost Museum- we've done the Air and Space, U.S. History Museum, Mount Vernon, and the National Zoo.

 

Yellowstone National Park

 

A nice historical tour of Boston

 

The Danish/American festival in Greenville, MI. - It's in our own state for crying outloud and we've known about it for three years and still haven't managed to get away during that week of August. Dh's grandfather was from Denmark.

 

Thailand - we are just fascinated by Thailand and National Geographic articles keep fanning the flame!

 

The Louvre (did I spell that correctly?????)

 

Normandy - my maternal grandfather was dropped on Utah Beach - paratrooper.

 

Castles - all the castles in Scotland if I could afford it.

 

Iceland - ds is fascinated.

 

Germany - any destination really. I have another Ds that desperately wants to go!

 

Copenhagen

 

OH and the middle ds wants me to say I really want him to see Komodo Island, Indonesia. But, what you should know is that he REALLY wants to go there. I, on the other hand, REALLY HAVE NO DESIRE TO FULFILL HIS LONGING!!!!! :D

 

I'd probably have more U.S. sites listed if it weren't for the fact that dh and I have traveled quite a bit with the kids. So, they seen a lot.

 

Faith

 

Is this the budding herpetologist? :D

 

I was in the temperate rain forest in Prince Rupert Isl. over the summer, but never did get to see a banana slug. There was, however, plenty of rain. :D

[FaithManor]

Is this the budding herpetologist? :D

 

I was in the temperate rain forest in Prince Rupert Isl. over the summer, but never did get to see a banana slug. There was, however, plenty of rain. :D

 

 

Oh yes...this is the person of interest to whom I refer. I have recently named him Jurassic Boy.

 

And I'd just like to say that I don't think "Henry" is a nice name for a komodo. "Brutus, Cassius, Nero, Dracula, Hannibal Lecter, Vlad the Impaler" these are all appropriate names for such a beast. Henry...no...it just not fit the nature of the animal.

 

Faith

[DawnM]

Adding to my list, specifics

 

Mombassa

Mount Kenya

Mount Kilimanjaro

Massai Mara

Rift Valley

 

Big Ben

Windsor

 

The Sphinx

The Pyramids

[Ginevra]

Oh yes...this is the person of interest to whom I refer. I have recently named him Jurassic Boy.

 

And I'd just like to say that I don't think "Henry" is a nice name for a komodo. "Brutus, Cassius, Nero, Dracula, Hannibal Lecter, Vlad the Impaler" these are all appropriate names for such a beast. Henry...no...it just not fit the nature of the animal.

 

Faith

 

:lol: I'm with you on "Nero." That would be great. Wait - It's not actually possible to own a Komodo, is it?! :svengo: I guess if you grow up to be The Crocodile Hunter, it is...