State Secrets: 50 Little-Known Local Destinations

• ALABAMA
  • The expansive Cathedral Caverns State Park in Woodville features a stalagmite rock formation that’s 243 feet around! 
• ALASKA
  • Meet Santa and his reindeer at the real-life Christmas village in North Pole, near Fairbanks. “It’s a must-do for our family once a year,” says one mom. 
• ​ARIZONA
  • Dramatic pinnacles and spires, formed from eroded volcanic rocks, create an otherworldly landscape at Chiricahua National Monument in southeast Arizona. 
• ARKANSAS
  • The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville has fun activities for kids, including a gallery scavenger hunt.
• CALIFORNIA
  • The so-called “Ellis Island of the West,” Angel Island, in the San Francisco Bay, gives kids a look at the country’s immigration history. 
• COLORADO
  • “It’s fascinating to [learn] how coins are made.” Find out how it happens on a free tour for kids 7 and up at The Denver Mint. (Be sure to make a reservation!) 
• CONNECTICUT
  • A perfect spot for make-believe play! Tour the medieval-style Gillette Castle in East Haddam, and spend some time walking around the gorgeous grounds. 
• DELAWARE
  • Get your beach and woods fix at Holly Lake Campsites. Near Rehoboth Beach, it also has an on-site swimming pool and mini-golf course. 
• FLORIDA
  • One mom raved about the Gulf Coast’s Cape San Blas for its lack of crowds and awesome scalloping. Kids will love looking for shells—the beaches are full of ’em! 
• GEORGIA
  • Amicalola Falls State Park’s great hiking trails and beautiful waterfall are irresistible. 
• HAWAII
  • There’s more here than waves and beaches! Get some island history at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. Don’t miss the daily lava-pour demonstration.
     
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• IDAHO
  • The Wild West is alive and well in Idaho City! Tour this old mining town’s original buildings, including a post office, prison, and blacksmith’s. ​
• ILLINOIS
  • Check out 18 gorgeous canyons from the hiking trails in Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby. 
• INDIANA
  • The Conner Prairie living history park, in Fishers, teaches kids about life in 19th-century Indiana. “They do a great job of acting out history!” 
• IOWA
  • Baseball fan in tow? You can tour the real Field of Dreams in Dyersville.
• KANSAS
  • Take a spin on the ice-skating rink, see a show at the kids’ theater, or visit the free kids’ crafting area at the Crown Center in Kansas City. 
• KENTUCKY
  • Kangaroos, dingoes, and lemurs, oh my! Kids can get up-close with exotic animals at Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo in Horse Cave. 
• LOUISIANA
  • Head to Camp Salmen Nature Park in Slidell to spot wildlife and enjoy the playground built to accommodate kids with special needs. 
• MAINE
  • Bigfoot believer? Check out the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, dedicated to the study of hidden or unknown animals. 
• MARYLAND
  • To get away from it all, one mom suggests the lake town of Flintstone: “The night sky has so many stars, I could spend hours just looking at them.” 
• MASSACHUSETTS
  • Head out on a free walking tour of New Bedford Whaling Historical Park to learn about the lure and legend of whalers going to sea.
     
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• MICHIGAN
  • At The Lumberman’s Monumentin Oscoda, kids can climb through a logjam, use a peavey hook, and more. “Our boys love the logs, and the history.” 
• MINNESOTA
  • The Whitetail Woods Camper Cabins are veritable tree houses—but with real beds. Best of both worlds! 
• MISSISSIPPI
  • The Gulfportarea Lynn Meadows Discovery Center’s “Kids Street” exhibit takes playing house to the extreme with an entire kid-size suburban 
• MISSOURI
  • Stroll through towering statues of giant eyeballs, balloon poodles, and more at the Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis. Bonus: It’s free! 
• MONTANA
  • For swimming, sunbathing, fishing, birdwatching, and more, head to the gorgeous Spring Meadow Lake State Park in Helena. 
• NEBRASKA
  • Fontenelle Forest in Omaha recently opened the Raptor Woodland Refuge, where you can spot birds from walkways suspended high above the ground. 
• NEVADA
  • “Everyone hears ‘Vegas’ and can’t think past the Strip,” explains one mom, who says the city’s Springs Preserve nature center is her favorite spot for families. 
• NEW HAMPSHIRE
  • We may never know for sure who built America’s Stonehenge in Salem, but this mystical maze of manmade rock formations sure is cool to explore. 
• NEW JERSEY
  • Cuddle up in the car and get ready to enjoy a double feature at Vineland’s family-friendly Delsea Drive-In. “Cheap and fun!” 
• NEW MEXICO
  • Interactive exhibits on everything from animation to bubbles bring hours of fun at the Explora science center in Albuquerque.
• NEW YORK
  • Sneak away to Covewood Lodge on Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks for scavenger hunts, capture the flag, and weekly campfires! 
• NORTH CAROLINA
  • Don’t miss the sea turtle rescue hospital on Topsail Island, where kids can view the creatures and learn about the island’s conservation efforts. 
• NORTH DAKOTA
  • Top-notch, family-friendly biking and hiking trails draw visitors to the Turtle River State Park in Arvilla. 
• OHIO
  • Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, which was once owned by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company cofounder, has a children’s play area and numerous walking paths. 
• OKLAHOMA
  • Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton was once the hideout for outlaws Jesse James and Belle Starr. Now families can head there for hiking and camping. 
• OREGON
  • The World Forestry Center in Portland really speaks for the trees! Learn about sustainability and wildlife through interactive exhibits.
• PENNSYLVANIA
  • Find out how old-time coal miners lived and worked at the Eckley Miners’ Village. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t easy.
     
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• RHODE ISLAND
  • How does your garden grow? The Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth sprouts elephants, bears, and even a unicorn! 
• SOUTH CAROLINA
  • Skip the more developed state beaches and head to Edisto Beach, where simple seaside pleasures like swimming and boating reign supreme. 
• SOUTH DAKOTA
  • The Children’s Museum in Brookings offers “so many things to do!” Pick corn at the toy farm, play in a sensory room, and more. 
• TENNESSEE
  • Fort Donelson battlefield in Dover gives kids a firsthand look at the Civil War with a log hut like the ones soldiers lived in and cannons that were used in battle.
•  TEXAS
  • Yes, there is sledding in Texas! Sand-dune sledding, that is, in the hills of Monahans Sandhills State Park.
• UTAH
  • Learn about space exploration at the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City. No time for a show? It also has free hands-on activities open to the public. 
• VERMONT
  • Don’t miss the children’s farmyard at Shelburne Farms, a 1,400-acre nonprofit working farm focused on sustainability. 
• VIRGINIA
  • It’s all about the sea at Nauticus in Norfolk. Touch real horseshoe crabs, build a remotecontrolled underwater vehicle, or tour the battleship Wisconsin.
• WASHINGTON
  • Little conductors will go choo choo for the exhibits at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie.
• WEST VIRGINIA
  • Check out an art block party or the special preschooler day at The Clay Center for Arts & Sciences of West Virginia in Charleston. 
• WISCONSIN
  • “We love Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay,” says one mom of this classic spot that still has 25-cent rides! 
• WYOMING
  • View hundreds of Native American petroglyphs and pictographs on the sandstone cliffs of Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site.

• By Liz Schnabolk