Not only are these attractions fun and (shhhh) educational , they're especially magical through the eyes of a child.
Yellow stone Park (Wyo. ,Mont. and Idaho)
Snag a Young Scientist Toolkit stocked with magnifying glasses , rock samples and stopwatches to time geyser eruptions at the Old Faithful Visitor Center and hit the great outdoors for some investigating . The coolest toy : an infrared-thermometer gun that takes reading of thermal pools when pointed at the water . And there's lots of H2O . The 3,472-square-mile park is home to geothermal features (geysers , hot springs , mud spots) than any other place on earth . The Young Scientist activity booklet and toolkit cost $5 (toolkit must be return after use).
Colonial Williamburg (Virginia)
Everyone in this living -history site likes to play dress-up , and visitors are no exception . At the Great Hopes Plantation -- a re-creation of the town's original 1700s farm ... a slash of old-timey accessories await , from income (three-pointed) hats for boys and shifts and mop caps (bonnets) for girls . The costumes come in handy in the field , where kids can perform 18th century household chores , such as picking bugs off pototo crops , fetching water from the well , or hoeing the soil , that will likely to make clearing the dinner dishes seem like a breeze by comparison . Great Hopes Planation can be accessed through regular admission tickets .
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve (Idaho)
The National Park service calls this Idaho perserve "the only officially weird park " in the countr . And for good reason: The jagged black landscape ... form by a volcanic eruptions up to 15.000 years ago ...boasts a 618-square-mile lava field, the biggest in the U.S. (The rocky surface is so moonlike that Apollo 14 astronauts trained at the site in 1969) . The park's most awe-inspiring feature is its lava tubes , underground passageways created by hardened molten rock. Grab a flashlight and head to Indian Tunnel , which , at 30 feet wide , allows for comfortable exploring. Craving an even more intense experience. Exit the cave at the far end, a feat that requires mounting a big rock pile and squeezing through a small opening .
Independence Hall ( Pennsylvania)
Acquaint yourself with the spirits of America's founding fathers on Philadelphia's Ghost Tour, a 90-minute , candle-lit stroll that winds past landmarks like Independence hall where the Constitution was adopted, The Power House, which hosted george and Martha Washington's 20th wedding anniversary celebration: the 238-year-old City Tave, John Adam's former watering hole. A cape-wearing, lantern-carrying guide points out "haunted" graveyards (St. Peter's Cemetery) and reports sighting of Benjamin Franklin, who's said to roam the city streets. The best part: All the ghost stories are based on documented accounts , which makes them all the more spooky.
Alcatraz Island (California)
Shiv collections and cramped jail cells don't exactly sound kid-friendly , but they offer a glimpse into America's most notorious island prison ... and the National Park Service is all for bringing younger ones for a visit . Hop a ferry from San Francisco's Pier 33 and stroll the damp, gray halls of the maximum-security pen, which housed criminals like Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun'Kelly from 1934 to 1953. (You can even get behind bars in one of the cells, if you dare) . Don't miss the audio tour, which was updated in 2007 when former inmates and guards recored their memories of doing time at 'The Rock.' If you're feeling brave , take the night tour, which lets you roam the prison after dark, Alcatraz Cruises is official carrier for tours to Alcatraz Island.
If you are in the area ...take a look-see.
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