Russel Cave National Monument in Bridgeport, Alabama, is one of the nation’s oldest prehistoric settlements. Best of all, this look back at the early history of the U.S. is free of charge.

Who could take a road trip to Arizona and not visit the Grand Canyon? Visiting this natural wonder in the state of Arizona is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the whole family.

Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is a fun destination for the whole family. Not only is the park the smallest in the country, but it is also the oldest.

While California has a wide range of places to visit, few can match the beauty of driving down the state’s Pacific Coast Highway. With its stunning views and one-of-a-kind vistas out onto the Pacific Ocean, do not miss out on this beautiful drive, where you can stop at beach after beach along the way.

When in Colorado why not visit the Denver Zoo? The zoo hosts more than 3,500 animals, including monkeys and big cats on 80 acres of land.

Connecticut is home to the Mark Twain House and the Connecticut Science Museum. The state is also the location of the Sherlock Holmes Castle, which was the home of actor William Gillette, portrayer of Sherlock Holmes during the silent film era.

Take your youngsters to the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Delaware, to learn a little about the history of the U.S. Air Force. The museum features a variety of aircraft on display and even lets visitors test their skills through amusing aircraft simulators.

Many people traveling to Florida are either heading to the beach or Disneyworld. But why not take a trip to Universal Studios Florida, which includes the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and more? Better yet, admission to Universal Studios also gets you admission to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure.

The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta holds a variety of sea life for the whole family to check out. With over 100,000 animals contained within its tanks and aquariums, the Georgia Aquarium is one of the premiere aquariums in the Southeastern United States.

When in Idaho make sure to visit the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in the central part of the state. The national monument holds 400-square-miles of lava fields, caves, and rift cracks.

The Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, is a great place to take the kids in Chicago, Illinois. The one-time tallest building in the world has an observation deck on the top to allow visitors to take in the wonderful city view.

For a really cool road trip, travel to the Hall of Heroes in Elkhart, Indiana, a Super Hero and Comic Book Museum. The two-story museum houses over 75 years of comic book and super hero history.

Coralville, Iowa, is the home of the Iowa Children’s Museum, which is chock full of fun things for children to do. The museum features exhibits geared toward children and include a variety of hands-on, fun-filled learning experiences.

When visiting Kansas, make sure to stop by the Museum of World Treasures with the kids. Home to the most complete skeleton of a T-Rex ever discovered, the museum has a selection of other dinosaur skeletons on display, including skeletons of the Edmontosaurus, Daspletosaurus, and Thescelosaur.

Mammoth Cave in Central Kentucky is the longest cave system in the world. The location offers a variety of cave tours to the public.

Driving to the VooDoo Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a change of pace from your normal run-of-the-mill road trip. The museum features information on the folklore, rituals, and mysteries of the New Orleans area voodoo culture, making it both informative and mysterious.

The Mount Desert Oceanarium in Bar Harbor, Maine, offers a selection of hands-on activities for youngsters, including touch tanks where kids can learn about lobsters, a lobster hatchery, and phone lines that allow them to listen to whale songs.

The Crystal Grottoes Cavern in Boonsboro, Maryland, is the perfect place to take the kids during the hot Maryland summers. The cave features a variety of formations, including many stalagmites, stalactites, columns, and other formations.

Full of a variety of outdoor activities, Zoar Outdoor in Charlemont, Massachusetts, is a great place for the family to get away from the rigors of everyday life. Some of the more popular activities include a zip line canopy tour, whitewater rafting, and mountain-biking on the areas many trails.

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a kid-friendly museum that gives children a variety of hands-on learning experiences. Plus, it’s designed for all ages.

Itasca State Park at the headwaters of the Mississippi River offers an opportunity for kids and their parents to easily walk across the Mississippi River. In addition, the state park has biking and hiking trails.

The Natchez Trace Parkway spans the states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and lies along the same path that Native Americans and early U.S. settlers used. In addition to its beauty, families driving along the Trace have access to hiking and Indian mounds.

Featuring a variety of antique toys and miniatures, the Toy & Miniature Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, has a variety of exhibits geared to kids of all ages.

Medicine Rocks State Park in Eastern Montana is a fun, little side trip for families looking for a day of fun. Featuring natural sandstone formations, the state park is also close to the Carter County Museum, which houses a complete duck-billed hadrosaur skeleton.

For more dinosaur fun, visit the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in Northeastern Nebraska. At the park, kids can try out digging for fossils at a fossil dig table or hike one of the park’s many trails.

Expose your kids to a bit of history by taking them to the Hoover Dam. The Hoover Dam sits along the Arizona-Nevada border and is in close proximity to the city of Los Vegas, Nevada.

America’s Stonehenge in Salem, New Hampshire, features a half-mile hike to megalithic stones, a stone chamber, and a stone alter built by early inhabitants of the area. Although, it has never been determined who those inhabitants were — colonial farmers, Native Americans, or even Druid priests.

Jenkinson’s Boardwalk on Point Pleasant Beach in New Jersey is the perfect getaway for a family for a day of fun. Featuring a variety of thrill rides, games, and an aquarium, Jenkinson’s Boardwalk makes for a great day at the beach.

The Santa Fe Children’s Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico, features a variety of hands-on exhibits for the younger crowd, allowing them to explore the rich culture and history of the Santa Fe region.

Featuring a farm and petting zoo, White Post Farms in Mellville, New York, is the perfect place for a day trip with the kids. Other things to do include, pony rides, a train just for the kids, and a primate exhibit.

Cherokee, North Carolina, offers visitors a look into the past and culture of the original inhabitants of America, the Native American people. Demonstrations at the Oconaluftee Indian Village located within the Eastern Cherokee Reservation teach about the history of the Cherokee Nation in the area.

The Fargo Air Museum in Fargo, North Dakota, is a great place for kids and their families to take in a day of historic aircraft, including a full-scale replica of one of the Wright brother’s flyers

The non-profit Akron Zoo, located west of downtown Akron, Ohio, has over 700 animals across over 90 different species. The zoo features many up close exhibits for the whole family and is sensory inclusive with ADA accessible pathways and rides, as well as various equipment for those with disabilities.

For a fun and informative day, take the kids to the Tulsa Air & Space Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At the museum, kids can learn about a variety of aircraft ranging from hot-air balloons, to fighter jets, to space modules.

The Oregon Vortex and the House of Mystery in Gold Hill, Oregon, make a perfect stop for a day away with the kids. Here, the kids can explore the mystery behind the strange phenomena found throughout the area.

Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is a theme park originally built for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company. Today it serves the general public and features roller coasters, thrill rides, and a boardwalk.

The Providence Children’s Museum is the only hands-on museum in the state. The museum features a variety of hands-on exhibits, including Water Ways, The Children’s Graden, and Underland, among other interactive environments.

Congaree National Park, located southeast of Columbia, South Carolina, contains miles of walking trails, including boardwalks, which make it easy for little ones to keep up. Other activities include canoeing, camping, and fishing.

Overshadowed by nearby Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota is a fun stop for kids and their families. At the location, in addition to viewing the massive statue being carved in a nearby mountain, learn about the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, on which the monument is based, and his storied life.

Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, is the one-time home and now shrine to the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Take the kids for a visit to learn more about Elvis’ day-to-day life and the lasting mark he left on the music industry.

Everything is bigger in Texas they say, even the amusement parks. Why not take a trip to Six Flags Over Texas or its sister Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park? The kids will surely thank you.

A great place to take the kids in the state of Utah is Arches National Park, which features over 2,000 natural stone arches, the highest density of such formations in the world. Notable formations in the park include Balanced Rock, Delicate Arch, and the Petrified Dunes, among others.

The Shelburne Farms and Museum in Shelburne, Vermont, is a working farm where adults and youngsters can learn about the daily activities of life on the farm. In addition, the farm offers walking trails, tours, and a carousel.

Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, provides visitors a look back in time to the formative years of this great land. The living-history museum has something for the whole family, including reenactments of important events and actual actors who represent figures from the town’s history who lived at the location.

Take your kids kite flying in Seattle’s Gasworks Park within view of the beautiful Seattle skyline. The park also features remnants of the old gas works, which used to reside at the location and gave the park its name.

Located in Cass, West Virginia, the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is a great place to take the kids for a daytime getaway. Take a ride on one of the converted log cars across Back Allegheny Mountain, with one train ride a 4.5-hour trip to Bald Knob, the third highest point in West Virginia.

The Hands-On Art Studio in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, offers visitors a chance to make their own artwork using materials offered at the location. No appointments are necessary, and artists can choose from a variety of mediums, including metal, wood, and glass, among others.

Martin’s Cove, located southwest of Casper, Wyoming, is a historical site settled by Mormon emigrants in 1865. It is currently administered by the LDS church and offers plenty of educational experiences about the history of the location. The site is also adjacent to a natural rock formation known as the Devil’s Gate.

While not technically in the continental United States, Alaska is considered one of the most beautiful states in the country. If you find yourself flying to this picturesque state, or better yet living there, then make sure to visit Denali National Park, known around the world for its breathtaking vistas and variety of wildlife, including the occasional grizzly bear.

Like Alaska, Hawaii takes some air time to get to. Once there, visitors have a plethora of beautiful vistas to choose from, most especially the Southeastern coast of Kau. The beaches around the Kau coastline feature black sand, a dramatic change from your typical white-sand beach.

Not an actual state, Washington, D.C., is nonetheless a popular destination for those interested in the political history of our country. Some great road trip destinations in our nation’s capitol include the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the White House, home of the currently sitting U.S. President.