Spinoff 3 educational places to visit in your area

[theelfqueen]

We were talking about big road trip type locations - but what about 3 near you (3 in your state or city).

[lewelma]

In my city:

The rocky intertidal. So much to learn! We have the rock intertidal in so many different locations N, S, E, and West facing coasts, which have different communities depending on wave action, sun, slope etc. 

Kapiti island native NZ bird sanctuary. 50 people per day allowed on it. Access by boat. What NZ was like before mammals were introduced. 

1840 Wellington shoreline walking track -- (The old shore line with all the old buildings before the 1855 earthquake moved the Wellington region by 59 feet horizontally and 18 feet up). 

Ok, one more. The Taputaranga Marine Reserve. Scuba diving is unbelievable. 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by lewelma

[theelfqueen]

Well I'm coming to visit you, Lewelma.

[lewelma]

23 minutes ago, theelfqueen said:

Well I'm coming to visit you, Lewelma.

We are hoping to be back open by March!  So don't come yet, because they won't allow you to board the plane without a NZ passport and a quarantine voucher! 😮

[goldenecho]

I live in San Diego,  California, and it's really hard to narrow it down to 3....I just can't, I'm sorry. 

Anyways, Balboa Park has Museums and technically the San Diego Zoo is part of Balboa park, so I'm clumping that all together.   They are all pretty small museums (but the zoo is huge).   I'd say the Natural History Museum has the most "California specific" stuff.   All of the Museums are cool and the grounds are just beautiful to walk around (you can do that for free). 

The Aquarium OR Sea World (and if you can go on a "behind the scenes day" at Sea World I'd choose that, but the Aquarium is cheaper and your kids won't be pulled astray by Roller Coasters.)   They are both super educationak but there's so many more fish at Sea World.   The shark enclosure alone we've gone through so many times.   Sea World has more fish you can actually touch but the Aquarium has more hands on learning of other types.

Then you need to actually go to the ocean and see some wildlife in real life.   La Jolla Tide Pools are amazing (check the tide times and make sure to go at low tides.).   Much of the year you can see seals at Children's Pool (not good for swimming because it's dirty due to the seals, but amazing for the wildlife).  If you go to La Jolla Cove, you can often see Rays and Leapards sharks (the Leapard sharks are not dangerous...only one person has been attacked by them, back in 1955, and got away without injury...though I wouldn't antagozine them) and there's a small reef with Gerabaldi (California state fish) there.   The Rays are actually more dangerous...our family has been stung twice and it wasn't bad but it can be if you get stung in the wrong place or have an allergic reaction.  But you can shuffle your feet.   Or if you feel safer rent a canoe...the water is often really clear there.  Or you could take a whale watching tour.

And one bonus one...Old Town.   It's an preserved old west town, the original San Diego.

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by goldenecho

[goldenecho]

Waco Texas, right between Austin and San Antonio, where I lived for 10 years and did most of my homeschooling...

1.  The Mayborn Children's museum is the coolest children's museum I've ever been to (not that I've been to tons but I've been to a few).  One side is history/science stuff aimed at older kids, while the other side is hands on and imaginative play stuff aimed at younger kids.  Out back is a pioneer village (made up of real  historic buildings which were moved to this spot).

2.   The Armstrong Browning Library at Baylor University - its a collection of items from the poets Robert and Elisabeth Barret Browning, so if you have any literature lovers in the family, it's worth seeing.

3.   The Waco Suspension Bridge   is a quick stop, but cool.   It's where cattle crossed on the Chisolm Trail, and there's statues of cattle and cowboys on one side.   You can walk across to a small playground on the other.   It's a cool quick stop. 

BONUS:  The Waco Zoo is small but it is perfect for littles and it has a section on local wildlife that is really cool.   The Otter Enclosure is the best.

EXTRA BONUS: About an hour from Waco is the Inner Space Caverns.    My boys loved the tour they took, though if you're going all the way to San Antonio I've heard the Natural Bridge Caverns are cooler. 

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by goldenecho

[egao_gakari]

Near where we live now, in central FL:

1. Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, Miles of walks and up-close/personal encounters with alligators and feral piggies. And so, so many birds including roseate spoonbills, kingfishers, and different species of heron. Visit at your own risk (see above re: alligators) but I've never heard of anybody getting injured and it's a popular spot!
2. Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. We're close enough to go much more frequently than we actually make it. It's a beautiful place to spend an afternoon.
3. Everglades City, population 400. Gulf side of the Everglades. I'm almost reluctant to put this on my list because I want to keep it all for myself but it is a fascinating and unique place. We got an airbnb there a few months ago, simply because it said "Everglades," and we are so glad we did. Apparently it was built by an oil tycoon (?) in the 1920s, and some of the original buildings are still standing, although in rather poor condition. An inn in town has canoe/kayak rentals, and guides if you're not confident to go by yourself. A great place to stay while you're exploring the less-traveled parts of the Everglades.

Rhode Island, where I grew up, has a number of lesser-known "firsts":

1. Slater Mill, one of the first American mills to be modeled on the English textile factories, and the first property added to the National Register of Historic Places
2. The Great Swamp, site of the Great Swamp Fight/Massacre/King Philip's War. In high school they had us hike 7 miles through it one day, ostensibly to give us an experience "like the Long March" (???) but I think just because the social studies teacher liked the outdoors.
3. First Jewish congregation in America, Newport RI, established in the 1650s. The Touro Synagogue building still standing today dates to the 1760s, I believe. It was this congregation to whom George Washington wrote his beautiful letter assuring them of their religious freedom under the new Constitution.

Western MA where we used to live:

1. Emily Dickinson's House
2. UMass Amherst's conservatory
3. The Three Sisters Sanctuary, a very... weird, unique, outdoor art installation type park thing??? It's in the middle of nowhere though in the Berkshire foothills, so I wouldn't bring little ones there unless you have many snacks. We went there when ours were 8 and 10, and DD8 got hangry. It was not a pleasant drive home.

[theelfqueen]

I'm in Colorado Springs CO

We are known for Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods and they're both GREAT! Go there! Take the Cog Railway to the top of the Peak!

Additional educational fun stops 

1) National Museum of World War II Aviation (disclaimer I work here)-- a really unique air museum with a focus on WWII - every plane in the museum (28-30 depending on the season) is fully restored and flies. We have quite a few rare birds (one of three that flies in the world, only one that flies, only flying one that actually saw combat) . I'm a museum nut and it is clean, well designed and amazing. 

2) Rock Ledge Ranch - our local living history farm and museum - love this place, perfect for all ages. I love it here. I loved bringing my kids when they were little to see the animals and the blacksmith and touring the houses and their special events.

3) Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - a really unique zoo! https://www.cmzoo.org/ not only feeding the giraffes (that's a big draw) but awesome huge spaces for the elephants the rocky mountain wild with the Grizzlies and more. Really awesome. 

 

Also US Air Force Academy (not right now the cadet chapel is closed for refurbishing but when it is open) - if you find yourself at the Academy make time for the Southeast Asia Pavilion it is really good! 

In Denver - the US Mint is a good visit- requires a reservation. And of course all the mountain everything - Rocky Mountain National Park, the Ski resorts, Dinosaur National Monument, erc. Mesa Verde National Monument is awesome! 

[2_girls_mommy]

Well, we have a really nice Science Museum and a really nice zoo in our city. So even though my kids have grown up going to those, I would consider those the best in our city and pretty close to our neighborhood.  If we just attend the different exhibits, the different seasons, the special events and such at each of these (and we have a lot,) there is so much to learn . For my 3rd it would be tough.  I love our city art museum.  They get traveling exhibits that are amazing, even though it is a small museum.  Over the years, we have seen amazing exhibits from all historical periods and modern and different movements.  But I would think a top 3 should be something out of doors and natural, so even the smallish botanical gardens in our city should make the list.  We have two favorites, but I would go with the one in our neighborhood, just for ease of access.  It has been easy to be involved and to volunteer with it so close. 

[ScoutTN]

Well, in Music City…

Music: Ideally The Grand Ole Opry or other good show at The Ryman. (The new Opry House does NOT have the same vibe)  If a small crowd is more your thing, do songwriters at The Bluebird Cafe. 

History: The Belle Meade Plantation. Oodles of history stuff here. 

Outdoors: Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. Or the Zoo if you have littles. Or Warner Park Nature Center.
 

Edited July 8, 2021 by ScoutTN

[FO4UR]

IL

New Salem is a live Museum of Abraham Lincoln. My kids adored that place ages 7-12.

Starved Rock for nature fun...lots of trails in Central IL.

Bloomington IL has a fun Rockwall climbing gym made of renovated silos. Peoria IL has a smaller climbing gym & an aerial fitness studio. Fear of heights?

Peoria, IL has a vibrant community theater community. See a quality show for $20 a seat. Corn Stock is an outdoor theater in the round. You have to experience that at least once. 

Broadway Lounge in Peoria brings in a variety of talent, some national names & many local, including open mic Broadway Karaoke nights...so you know where to find me if you are interested in reliving your high school musical.🤫🤪🤣

[Wheres Toto]

If we don't count all the stuff in NYC (can be there in 30 minutes) or Philadelphia (can be there in an hour), in my part of Northern NJ:

many many Revolutionary War sites - Jockey Hollow, Washington's Headquarters, Morristown historical sites

nature preserves, arboretums, small museums, living history farms, a nice zoo, Thomas Edison's Laboratory in West Orange.

[lmrich]

Just 3?

- MLK birth home and museum (history) 

The Aquarium (nature) 

The High Art Museum (culture) 

 

[SKL]

Way too many to just list 3, and it depends on what age we're talking about, but if I must ....

I think #1 is the museum of natural history, at least for my family.  We also have a very nice art museum next door to the MNH, with free admission, so I will just cheat and include both museums as one place.

#2 is probably our zoo.

#3 (but higher for some families, I'm sure) is the science center.

[Idalou]

Lake Ontario, a sweet little zoo, and a very good selection of museums

[Dmmetler]

National Civil Rights museum. In addition, walk Beale Street from the edge of the tourist zone to the medical district. This is the Historic Black neighborhood during the Civil Rights movement days and almost every building is historically significant, and is the route that the Sanitation Workers took. The union headquarters are here, too.

 

While downtown, take in Music history. Between Sun Studios, the Rock and Soul museum, the more tourist part of Beale Street, and many restaurants and other sites (two to look up-the Four Way and the Arcade. Basically headquarters for Black and White artists in the 1960's), there's a lot to take in. If you're an Elvis fan,or just like 70's excess, Graceland is another option. 

 

There are a few more obvious tourist sites, but I'd vote for Shelby Farms Park, which is a giant urban park. Lots of outdoors activities to explore, and one of the best places to see animals. Don't worry, it's probably a water snake :). 

 

 

[Caroline]

Atlanta area—

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

MLK National Historical Park

(and if you do those two, the Georgia Aquarium is right there and The World of Coke and CNN Center and Centennial Olympic Park)

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park